24 FPS OR 30 FPS ?

[Isaac94]

So before I start, I know most of you would probably be saying just search the forum, or even watch videos on youtube, and you'll get your answers. I did, or at least I assumed I did. But fact is I got even more confused. Although I'm a photographer myself, before owning a drone, I go around shooting with my dslr camera, but since I don't often film in dslr, more on photography, hence shooting in 24 / 30 didn't really bother me. But now that I got my own drone, I need to know, what 24 or 30 does. So, I watched every video I could on Youtube, and found that 9 out of 10 drone pilots are using / advising to use 24 FPS all the time, unless for slow motion then go with 1080P 120 FPS, as 24 FPS gives out the cinematic look and feel, whereas 30 FPS is more smoother looking and movement, I was about to made up my mind by going 24 FPS but then I heard there would be some "not smooth" movement, so my only question is this, I'm going to be shooting aerial videography probably ranging from landscape to close objects, should I always stick with 24 FPS ? Would the film be looking smooth ? Would appreciate advice based on these 2.

 

[ZX14-R]

Personal preference I think.
Test and evaluate for yourself using the same subject/scene would be my advice.
Personally I use 24 in Dlog M, 4K for video
I have been playing with AEB on photo mode 3 and 5 Images.

 

[Isaac94]

Personal preference I think.
Test and evaluate for yourself using the same subject/scene would be my advice.
Personally I use 24 in Dlog M, 4K for video
I have been playing with AEB on photo mode 3 and 5 Images.

Yup will start experimenting myself as well once I get the chance to fly up in the air. Do you mean you use 4k 24 fps for video ? AEB is only for photo settings right ?

 

[ZX14-R]

Yup will start experimenting myself as well once I get the chance to fly up in the air. Do you mean you use 4k 24 fps for video ? AEB is only for photo settings right ?

yes Video 4K 24 FPS and Photos using AEB.

I use a program called EasyHDR to combine the AEB Output photos.

 

[Moose1967]

24 FPS and use Nd filters to get your shutter speed around twice your FPS - so around 50 shutter speed for 24 fps - nd8 in morning on brite day maybe - nd16 sun is up a bit and Brite - nd32 when the sun is up high in the sky and brite - I have about 45 hours of flying on my Mavic and I am just getting comfortable at picking the right mixture. Oh manual settings of course and have your iso set to 100 - good luck - happy flying and post some of your videos - here is one I am fond of - not perfect but I like it

 

[Isaac94]

yes Video 4K 24 FPS and Photos using AEB.

I use a program called EasyHDR to combine the AEB Output photos.

I see,thanks for the info. I just went over to watch a video regarding 24 or 30, and this guy was always using 24 the whole time, but realize that at times it will have these stuttering, not so smooth movements over the cam, so he went ahead to switch to 30 for the smooth as butter movement, and then later on in post edit he switched from 30 to 24, and then from there reduce the speed 80%, so in a sense filming in 30, and then later on in post edit switch it to 24, would that also be one of the ways to do it ?

 

[Isaac94]

24 FPS and use Nd filters to get your shutter speed around twice your FPS - so around 50 - nd8 in morning on brute day maybe - nd16 sun is up a bit and Brite - nd32 when the sun is up high in the sky - I have about 45 hour shift of flying on my Mavic and I a man just getting comfortable at picking the right mixture. Oh manual settings of course and have your iso set to 100

I bought the ND filters for Mavic Air which gives 4, 8, 16, so how should i go about using these 3 ?

 

[Moose1967]

24 FPS - ND filters will bring down your shutter speed so use the one that gets the shutter speed 2x your frame rate - iso set to 100

 

[Olav van Gerven]

The difference between 24(25) fps and 30 (29,97) fps comes from the old times that you had analog televisions. If you are old enough, you might remeber those big boxes that where used to fram a BIG screen. In the US the system of transmitting caused (it is simplified) the framerate to be 29,97 fps, in Europe, working with another technology, it was 25 fps. Today with a different technology of "writing" the pictures on the screen, the difference is more in what you prefer.
Just be aware, if you edit the films, make sure your timeline is either using the same fps as your footage or adjust the speed.

 

[Isaac94]

The difference between 24(25) fps and 30 (29,97) fps comes from the old times that you had analog televisions. If you are old enough, you might remeber those big boxes that where used to fram a BIG screen. In the US the system of transmitting caused (it is simplified) the framerate to be 29,97 fps, in Europe, working with another technology, it was 25 fps. Today with a different technology of "writing" the pictures on the screen, the difference is more in what you prefer.
Just be aware, if you edit the films, make sure your timeline is either using the same fps as your footage or adjust the speed.

I see, so can I film in 30 FPS, to have that buttery smooth movement, and then when I bring it to the post edit, can i change it to 24 FPS but still holding the smoothness of 30 FPS ?

 

[Olav van Gerven]

I see, so can I film in 30 FPS, to have that buttery smooth movement, and then when I bring it to the post edit, can i change it to 24 FPS but still holding the smoothness of 30 FPS ?

Nope. If you reduce the frame rate, your eyes will see less pictures a second. The more picture your brain gets as input, the smoother a move will appear. Remember the old day films, once started with a fps of 18? They were "flickering" for your eyes. 25 fps is close to the minimum for any fluid move.
BUT the bigger problem you might get is that your processor gets a problem with the amount of data, and that might make the video not as smooth as it is supposed or expected to be.

 

[The Editor]

The difference between 24(25) fps and 30 (29,97) fps comes from the old times that you had analog televisions. If you are old enough, you might remeber those big boxes that where used to fram a BIG screen. In the US the system of transmitting caused (it is simplified) the framerate to be 29,97 fps, in Europe, working with another technology, it was 25 fps. Today with a different technology of "writing" the pictures on the screen, the difference is more in what you prefer.
Just be aware, if you edit the films, make sure your timeline is either using the same fps as your footage or adjust the speed.

24FPS comes from the cinema world and was a compromise between persistence of vision and the cost of film stock. Shooting at a higher frame rate meant using film faster and has nothing to do with television standards.

25FPS and 30FPS was simply chosen as a timebase reference and utilized half line frequency to sync.
29.97 was later needed to prevent problems with the color sub carrier with the introduction of color television.

 

[Isaac94]

Nope. If you reduce the frame rate, your eyes will see less pictures a second. The more picture your brain gets as input, the smoother a move will appear. Remember the old day films, once started with a fps of 18? They were "flickering" for your eyes. 25 fps is close to the minimum for any fluid move.
BUT the bigger problem you might get is that your processor gets a problem with the amount of data, and that might make the video not as smooth as it is supposed or expected to be.

So based on what you said. 24 FPS wouldn't be ideal if I want to have a smooth look, because it will still not be as smooth as 30 ?

 

[Isaac94]

Also just another question, to prevent from creating another thread i'll just ask here.

If I'm in Normal Mode, and i set all the settings for example the EXP, YAW / Gimbal settings etc to the way I want it to be, and then I change to Cinematic Mode or any other mode, would the settings be their own settings ? For example Cinematic Mode will have their own settings / Tripod will have tripod settings. Or will it stick to my very settings that I set in Normal Mode ?

 

[SimonD]

Glad this thread came up, coming from a photographic background and using DSLR for video I am a big fan of 24fps but found it too jerky on dolly shots with the Mavic Air, so set it to 30fps but I have since changed and slowed down most of my controls and gimbal settings and also ordered some ND filters to slow my shutter speeds so going to try 24fps again.

 

[Mav1c]

24fps with D-log. I forget which ND filterI was using probably an 8

 

[Mav1c]

Same settings here. 1/60 shutter speed at 24fps

 

[pls1911]

This is a great discussion. What Moose added was spot on, but to simplify for general use and get very useable video, set up with an Nd4 filter and fly early in the morning, using planned routes and slow, cinematic moves, and using 24fps. Ideal ? No, but very nice.
Optimized? Normally close enough.
The difference in file size in 4K HD between 24 and30fps is substantial, so it’s a bit more processor freindly.

 

[Isaac94]

This is a great discussion. What Moose added was spot on, but to simplify for general use and get very useable video, set up with an Nd4 filter and fly early in the morning, using planned routes and slow, cinematic moves, and using 24fps. Ideal ? No, but very nice.
Optimized? Normally close enough.
The difference in file size in 4K HD between 24 and30fps is substantial, so it’s a bit more processor freindly.

I would really love to shoot in 24 fps, but there's this discussion going on that it will cause stuttering if we move the camera slightly fast ? Whereas 30 fps is more viable to control the drone and it will be smooth to look at, but do 24 fps really cause stuttering ? I myself haven't had the chance to fly up and try it yet, but going to do so soon, hopefully by tomorrow.

Also what about the idea of shooting in 30 FPS and then switch it to 24 FPS during post edit ? That's what a youtuber who flew his mavic air for quite a long time did, he used to film everything in 24 , but realize that he could've film it at 30 and then switch to 24 during post edit, below is his video for reference, would really love some advice and feedback on this topic.

 

[pls1911]

The only time I've experienced any noticeable "stuttering" is on a fast rotation at horizon perspective. I've never observed stuttering at 24 fps in normal flight or programmed routes for landscape / real estate videos. Perhaps at higher speed and lower level you could produce the effect, but I don't find high speed and low altitude compatible flight conditions.