720p 60 fps slow motion

Question

Level 2

446 points

720p 60 fps slow motion

I have a new helmet cam (Go Pro HD Hero). I have been playing around with the 5 formats for video. I did a 30 second shot with each of the 5 formats. FCP would not recognize 2 of the formats I tried to bring into Final Cut. The two formats are both of the 60 fps formats. Any thoughts? All captured as mp4.

Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.1), Hobbiest

Posted on Mar 19, 2010 9:11 PM

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Answer 1

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

150,986 points

Mar 20, 2010 3:53 AM in response to Mike Rousseau

This camera shoots in a format not supported by Final Cut. You need to convert the media into a supported format, codec, and frame rate using either Compressor or MPEG Streamclip.

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Answer 2

RedTruck

Level 4

2,145 points

Mar 20, 2010 6:25 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

After you convert it, open the converted clip in Cinema Tools and conform it to either 29.97 or 23.98 to get a true slow motion affect. Don't use FCP to slow the footage down. If you edit in a 59.94 timeline, the slo-mo effect will not look as good as if you edit in a 29.97 or a 23.98 timeline.

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Answer 3

Mike Rousseau Author

Level 2

446 points

Mar 20, 2010 7:20 AM in response to RedTruck

Ok so the 60 fps formats (resolutions) are not recognized. This seems so strange because the other 3 resolutions shot by the camera import just fine. The 60 fps are not recognized:
1080p = 1920x1080 pixels (16:9), 30 fps, 15 Mbit/s data rate
960p = 1280x960 pixels (4:3), 30 fps, 12 Mbit/s data rate
*720p = 1280x720 pixels (16:9), 60 fps, 15 Mbit/s data rate*
720p = 1280x720 pixels (16:9), 30 fps, 8 Mbit/s data rate
*WVGA = 848x480 pixels (16:9), 60 fps, 8 Mbit/s data rate*

Note this is in the paperwork with the camera:
Video Format: H.264 compression, saved as Windows- & Mac-compatible MPEG4 (.mp4) file
I am able to bring all 5 test resolution clips I made onto my desktop. They all play with Quicktime, MPEG streamclip.

Here is the camera:
http://www.goprocamera.com/index.php?area=2&productid=29

1- I am having a hard time believing that 2 of these are unreadable by final cut pro. Thoughts?
2- What format using Quicktime or MPEG streamclip do I export as?
3- Any simple tutorials on Cinama tools for slow motion? - I have not used.

This will be used on a vacation in a few days and the footage will be combined/edited with/in a movie with my standard 16x9 footage from my camcorder

Thanks for the help.

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Answer 4

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

150,986 points

Mar 20, 2010 7:28 AM in response to Mike Rousseau

There are two separate things here, whether you can import a file, and whether you can edit a file properly in the way the application was designed to work. Yes, you can import your media (some of it at least). No, the application is not designed to work with these formats, at any frame rate.

Next, there are no video standard frame rates that are 30fps and 60fps. It would be good to know if your camera actually shoots these frame rates, or the true video standard frame rates of 29.97 and 59.94 respectively.

H.264 is not a production codec, it's a delivery codec. You've probably read this on the forum a thousand times. MPEG-4 is also not a production format, it's a delivery format.

Read the Cinema Tools' manual on conforming your video. The manual's really short.

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Answer 5

Mar 20, 2010 7:30 AM in response to Mike Rousseau

1- I am having a hard time believing that 2 of these are unreadable by final cut pro. Thoughts?

Without actually holding the files in our hands, we have no idea. There are lots of weird codecs and variations of codecs. Your only choice up against your deadline is to pick one that works and forget the others.

2- What format using Quicktime or MPEG streamclip do I export as?

Do you have Streamclip? Export as the codec and format that you will be editing in or you will forced to render everything. Again.

3- Any simple tutorials on Cinama tools for slow motion? - I have not used.

There's nothing simple about Cinema Tools. You open it and dive.

This will be used on a vacation in a few days and the footage will be combined/edited with/in a
movie with my standard 16x9 footage from my camcorder< </div>

There is no "standard 16x9 footage" but if you know how to edit your footage in FCP, conform everything to that same codec and pixel format. Since you won't be editing on vacation, it really doesn't matter much.

bogiesan

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Answer 6

Mike Rousseau Author

Level 2

446 points

Mar 20, 2010 7:41 AM in response to David Bogie Chq-1

Yes the formats are 29.29 & 59.94 fps. I was hoping that the could be used to for super slow motion so that is why I am playing with it now before I go and film. Yes I have Streamclip and Quicktime Pro. Both can export. But to protect for Superslow what would you suggest.

This may seem unconvential (Since this is my hobby only). I shoot family stuff on my panasonic GV400 in 16x9 anomorphic and edit it all in final cut pro, I mix in pictures and stock footage to make family movies. So I am wanting to mix in the Helmet cam stuff too. Here is a little sample: http://web.me.com/mcrousseau9/Site23/1stSki.html

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Answer 7

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

150,986 points

Mar 20, 2010 7:59 AM in response to Mike Rousseau

Use Cinema Tools to conform your footage to 29.97. That will half the speed of the 59.94 media. If you're going to combine with media from a camcorder that's going to be 29.97 as well.

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Answer 8

Mar 21, 2010 8:56 AM in response to Mike Rousseau

This may seem unconvential (Since this is my hobby only).< </div>

Not in the least. There's nothing conventional about anything any of us do around here. The fact that some of get paid is cool but even that's not conventional. Mixing formats and codecs and aspect ratios and media creation sources is all in a day's work for most of us.

bogiesan

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