Pal/ntsc

[himynameisnathan]

Hi there, I'm pretty new to this forum, and have to say, it is an incredible bank of information for anything vaguely video. I'm a student in the UK studying film & video at uni, and a while back our teachers were telling us about PAL/NTSC, saying basically that PAL is superior and that alot of films are shot using PAL. (I'm not starting a flame thread, our format is better than yours etc...) They also told us that, if we buy camera's try and get them from the PAL areas, and if not, try and make sure they are PAL if they're imported from NTSC areas.

I was looking to get a new HDSLR and was torn between the GH1 and 7D/550D (T2i) and decided that I'm going to wait for the GH2 to come out, hopefully this year. What I was wondering though, is, on the 7D you can switch between PAL and NTSC compliant frame-rates, whereas on the GH1, you can't. As i'd like to shoot in 24p, I was considering importing a NTSC GH1, then heard its annoying having to put them in a PAL timeline.

Basically, what I'm trying to say is, is the PAL/NTSC format, down to hardware, or is it a software/firmware thing. I'm asking this because the 5D mkii's latest update allows it to shoot in both PAL and NTSC framerates, whereas camcorders are one or the other.

Thanks

 

[PastePotPete]

PAL/NTSC are standard def tv broadcast standards that don't have anything to do with HD or film. Also NTSC is 30 fps(well, 29.97) not 24 fps. The 24 frames/25 frames difference is based on motion picture cameras capturing 24 fps in the US and 25 fps in Europe. So if you shoot a feature in the UK at 24 fps and want to transfer it to film or have it air on tv in Europe you're going to have to convert it to 25 fps anyway, so you might as well save the hassle and shoot it that way from the start. There shouldn't be a very noticeable difference between 24 fps and 25 aesthetically.

As for your question I assume it's a firmware thing.

 

[ROCKMORE]

Hi there, I'm pretty new to this forum, and have to say, it is an incredible bank of information for anything vaguely video. I'm a student in the UK studying film & video at uni, and a while back our teachers were telling us about PAL/NTSC, saying basically that PAL is superior and that alot of films are shot using PAL. (I'm not starting a flame thread, our format is better than yours etc...) They also told us that, if we buy camera's try and get them from the PAL areas, and if not, try and make sure they are PAL if they're imported from NTSC areas.

I was looking to get a new HDSLR and was torn between the GH1 and 7D/550D (T2i) and decided that I'm going to wait for the GH2 to come out, hopefully this year. What I was wondering though, is, on the 7D you can switch between PAL and NTSC compliant frame-rates, whereas on the GH1, you can't. As i'd like to shoot in 24p, I was considering importing a NTSC GH1, then heard its annoying having to put them in a PAL timeline.

Basically, what I'm trying to say is, is the PAL/NTSC format, down to hardware, or is it a software/firmware thing. I'm asking this because the 5D mkii's latest update allows it to shoot in both PAL and NTSC framerates, whereas camcorders are one or the other.

Thanks

I had the same situation with NTSC/PAL I'm shooting in a PAL region and also sending the files to NTSC markets. The 7D covers all the frame rates. After long debate on this forum with many NTSC/PAL shooters, I decided the best way to go is shoot PAL 25fps which covers a big chunk of my market. For my NTSC release I fransfer the 25fps footage to 24fps frame per frame so I don't loose any quality, but my timing becomes 4% longer playback. Then convert to NTSC 29,97.
Going the other way from NTSC 29,97 to 25fps PAL is a bad idea.
If you are shooting mostly video maybe you should consider a 550D instead, then when the GH2 arrives you will still have money to own both cameras.
The big advantage with the GH1 is you can mount many lenses that the Canon won't because of the mirror. I have some wide Arri standard Zeiss lenses I would have liked to try out on a DSLR but they will have to wait for another day.
I have the 550D and highly recommend it for the money.