Interlaced or Progressive Scan for Travel style show?

[andrew00]

Hi there,

So I'm gonna be filming a travel promo style show soon on a DVX100A and was wondering what you'd all recommend I set the camera to.

I'm thinking F1 interlaced video because I'm trying to show the beauty of a place, of a landscape etc and interlaced's everything in focus type of video seems appropriate.

However I don't know if it might be best to film on something like F5/6 to give a more broadcast style picture. I've never shot this kinda thing before so don't know what the accepted 'standard' is.

Also, as a second point, do you think it's worth getting a 16:9 adaptor? They're pretty expensive and I don't know if it's worth it for this kinda shoot. I must admit I'm a little uncertain of exactly how they work with the DVX. From what I gather the letterbox mode is just 4:3 with black borders but the squeeze mode is true 16:9, but I've read on here that you lose image quality and it's better to do it all in post or something. I'm an amateur so the whole process is somewhat lost on me. What I mean is, if I buy a 16:9 adaptor am I actually shooting in widescreen of a sudden, or is the point that if I use the adaptor in squeeze mode I'm not actually squeezing anything, I'm shooting in true 16:9?

Cheers.

andrew.

oh - does anyone here shoot travel type stuff on a dvx that I could check their footage out? cheers.

 

[David Jimerson]

First, don't confuse "progressive" and "interlaced" with the framerate. Also, don't confuse the scene file stops (F1, F6, etc.) with the framerates. They can be set to anything you want.

The progressive modes are as 'in focus" as the 60i mode. That's not a function of the frame rate.

Panoramic/vista/beauty shots are well-served by progressive shooting.

"Broadcast style" isn't a function of framerate, either. Much, if not most, reality-type TV is shot at 60i or 60p, which looks very video-ish. Some reality TV (some HGTV shows, for example) are shot at 30p, but not many reality shows are shot at 24p. "Smart Travels with Rudy Maxa" is, I believe, shot at 60i HD. It could be 60p, but in any case, it looks very video, very much like what you'll get shooting 60i.

So, in short, the answer is, decide which to shoot based on your artistic goals. Pick which look you like and go with it.