24P vs 30P vs 60i

I got some questions about what frame rate should be used and for what situation. Unfortunately, no perfect answer exists. You have to do some footage testing in able to understand what frame rate might be the best solution for your video.

I will still try and explain you, at best, what frame rate should be used for some situations. The following examples are tested on a Canon HV30, but can be applied to most camcorders on the market. Just to clarify, I am using an HV30, with no adapters, no color correction, no filters and no wide angle. I just used the Hv30 out of the box, in Cine Mode, and filmed the same thing in all 3 frame rates and imported the raw footage. This post is about the difference of 24P, 30P and 60i. I will talk about color correction and slow motion in other posts.

I would also like to mention that is really bad filming; it is intended for testing. Shaking was done intentionally.

60i:
This frame rate, also called HDV on HV camcorders, has a very realistic look. It makes your footage look amateur and resembles most home movies. It is strongly recommended to use the 60i frame rate on fast moving footage (sporting events) and slow motion. Also notice that 60i footage is darker, because it has a faster shutter speed, so letting less light in. One of the main advantages of 60i, is that you can tweak the footage and make it 30P or 24P, but it won’t look exactly as if it was originally shot in 30P or 24P, because it will lose vertical resolution.

Right Click here and do “Save link as…” to download the 60i test preview video.
The clip is not optimised for video streaming, so clicking on it will just open the video without being viewable.

30P:
This is the best all around setting, for beginners. It is close to film look and can be sent to a 30P timeline without doing any extra steps. Also, this frame rate has a slower shutter speed, so the footage will be brighter.

30P is extremely easy to use and can be suited for most common filming situations. If you want to go the easy path, this is where you should start.

Right Click here and do “Save link as…” to download the 30P test preview video.
The clip is not optimised for video streaming, so clicking on it will just open the video without being viewable.

24P:
This frame rate gives you a stunning video with the Hollywood film look. It requires some knowledge in cinematography and you must understand the 24P workflow (for the HV20 and HV30). Also, it is important to keep the camera stable and limit the shakiness, otherwise your footage will look bad (just look at my example). 24P can also help you a lot in low light situations. Once you start mastering your camera, you will love 24P.

Right Click here and do “Save link as…” to download the 24P test preview video that did not use the 24P Workflow.
The clip is not optimised for video streaming, so clicking on it will just open the video without being viewable.

Right Click here and do “Save link as…” to download the 24P test preview video that used the 24P Workflow.
The clip is not optimised for video streaming, so clicking on it will just open the video without being viewable.

In the end, it’s up to you and your artistic choice. The best way to find out is to go out and shoot something!