60 FPS Import Recommendations + Slow Motion Applications

Question

60 FPS Import Recommendations + Slow Motion Applications

Hi all,

Been working with FCPX for about six months now, but have had some issues when attempting 60fps imports. I have been shooting with a GoPro Hero2 at 720p 60fps. Upon import my research has shown that apparently when adding it to say a 30fps project, you need to add the clip at 30fps (not 60fps, so it doesn't actually drop half the frames to match it). Can anyone verify this? I've seen some improvements following this advice.

Then I've read that under the Retime editer, it's important to select the clip and choose 'conform.' This has worked for some of my clips, but not all. Is this step necessary to ensure smooth playback? I've also delved into Optical Flow to make the clips smoother. I get quite a bit of blur and choppiness, however, and only at a 10% (not anything too slow like 1 or 2%). I've even shot at a high contrast (i.e. darker object on light background) and haven't had too much luck.

I'd like to clarify amongst the professionals (you all :-) ) what the best import settings and editing techniques for smoothing this out, since I've been unable to replicate many effects I've seen used with this setup. I've also seen people using MPEG Streamclip, although I don't see what use this would have since my clips are already in a usable format. I have also recently purchased a Canon T3i which I plan to shoot at the same frame rate, so I'd like to get my editing skills up to standard before I really start capturing a lot more footage. Any and all input would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers!

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Jul 7, 2012 4:43 PM

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Answer 1

Jul 8, 2012 5:06 AM in response to Mac-A-Saurus-Rex

probably, I'm a bit lost due translation to understand your question .... 😉

a video has a constant frame-rate, 24, 25, 29,97, 30, 60 ....

adding a 60fps to a 30fps project allows two options:

• drop every 2nd frame - the video shows action in real-time

• conform speed - 60fps are 'stretched' over the 30fps timeline, the video shows action on playback in half speed

if you like a super-smooth real-time playback of your 60fps recordings, set FCPX' project properties to 60.

(check, wether your 'delivery' supports 60fps! eg, YouTube allows only 30fps, even when you upload 60)

in case, you create a 'computed' slowmo, such as 30fps recording to 10% slowmoi = 300fps, the computer has to calculate 'intermediates': every 10th frame is a 'natural' recorded one, any other 9 frames are somehow 'artificial'.

there are basicly two methods to create the 'missing' frames:

• blending - which is like a dissolve

• optical flow - which calculates with vectors the movement of pixels from frame A to B

blending could cause blurry pictures, OF could cause 'wobbleing' pictures.

the 720/60p of the T3i/600D should work perfectly with FCPX - for slowmo, or as 60fps project.-

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Answer 2

Jul 9, 2012 8:24 PM in response to Karsten Schlüter

Thanks for responding karsten! So to clarify, adding a 60fps clip to a 30fps project, you MUST select import at 30fps in order for it to NOT drop every other frame? I'm just trying to clarify because I don't want to set myself up for failure by importing the clip improperly in the first place.

I understand how blending and optical flow work, but as far as execution goes I haven't had that much luck. In this example, they set it up quite nicely and it runs extremely smoothly. I have not been able to duplicate with similar footage. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IlVBX8bNHQ Any ideas?

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Answer 3

Jul 9, 2012 9:00 PM in response to Mac-A-Saurus-Rex

Mac-A-Saurus-Rex wrote:

… adding a 60fps clip to a 30fps project, you MUST select import at 30fps in order for it to NOT drop every other frame? …

where do you 'select' this??

I'm dragging my 60fps stuff into my 25fps timeline - done.

playback? realtime. FCPX cares automatically.

only, when I manually select ReTime to that added clip, it gets conformed.

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Answer 4

Jul 10, 2012 6:03 PM in response to Karsten Schlüter

Every time I add any of my footage to the project it asks me what frame rate I'd like to select. What I guess I'm trying to clarify is that when I add footage, if given the choice, will selecting the framerate of the project (not the clip) mean that it won't drop the frames in between?

That's really what I'm looking for. On any import/addition to a project, if given a choice, how do you ensure that it does not drop any frames so that slow motion is smoother?

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Answer 5

Mar 25, 2013 1:26 PM in response to Mac-A-Saurus-Rex

I believe if you drag 60fps footage into your 30fps timeline, your 60fps footage retains all of it's information, so you can expand it to 50% retime and it will have information for every frame.

It is only when you export the 30 fps project that final cut will have to select 30 distinct frames per second. So if you were to have 60fps footage in your 30fps timeline at normal speed, upon export 1/2 of the frames would be dropped (but this isn't necessarily a bad thing..)

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