60p vs 60i video quality

Video for YouTube should never be interlaced. There isn't much point in shooting 60p unless you're planning on doing a lot of slomo.

Joe,

Check out this link: http://forums.photographyreview.com/digital-video/60i-vs-60p-79644.html

60p is better then 60i.

Hope this helps.

or unless you are shooting action...

There is no great benefit of shooting 60p for action if you're going to put it into a 30p project or output 30p; half the frames are going to be thrown away regardless.

Tom Wolsky is giving you good advice.

Doubling the data rate will improve the picture but not if you're doubling the frame rate as well. Data rate is punt per second. You need a higher amount if you're generating twice as many frames.

You should check the fields in FCP with both fields visible in an area of motion to make sure there are no fields. If there are fields Compressor is not processing the material properly.

That should be amount per second.

my thoughts on i or p from me with some illustrations:

https://sites.google.com/site/karstenschluter/i-or-p-this-is-the-question

in a few words:

i feels 'smoother' due to the forced blurring on final display.

but p is 'better' if done correcty (asks for cinematography skills/unrderstanding)

Avoid shooting interlaced videos!

I work in the entertainment industry and only shoot 60p to be displayed at 60fps for maximum smoothness - not for slow-motion playback.

Shooting 24p or 30p: 1/60sec or slower shutter speeds must be used to introduce motion blur to lessen, not eliminate, the choppy appearance. Shooting with slow shutter speeds under bright sunlight, ND filters are required to control depth of field and to prevent sensor dusts from showing up prominently at F11 on up.

60p: Since 60fps videos will turn out smooth even with shutter set well above 1/60sec, Aperture Priority can be used to control depth of field under bright sunlight without an absolute need for ND filters. Filmmakers - James Cameron, Peter Jackson, and George Lucas - have all produced 60-frame-per-second projects when they are not required to shoot 24fps - Avatar 2 & 3, King Kong Universal attraction, and Star Wars Star Tours attraction - because they believe 60fps delivers a more lifelike and immersive experience.

Once again - avoid shooting interlaced videos!

I don't think the OP has those delivery options.

I always shoot in 720p 50. The reason is as you named is I like to to do slow down now and then, and more important do smooth pan and tilts. The other option is to shoot in 25 or 24. What is the benefit of shooting in the 25 mode insted of 50. I mainly deliver my video to you Vimeo.

Some more explainations:

1080 60p = 60 1920X1080 frames per second - the smoothest and the future of HD video.

1080 60i = 60 1920X540 interlaced fields recorded on 30 frames per second - half the resolution.

1080 60i can also = 30 1920X1080 frames recorded in 60i progressive segmented frame format - how many consumer AVCHD camcorders and digital cameras record 1080 30p.

Apple TV, YouTube, and Vimeo WILL eventually support 60p videos in the near future since more and more cameras shoot 60p!

Vimeo 1080 60p group: http://vimeo.com/groups/native1920x108060pclips

By the way, the latest iMovie and FCP already can output 60p videos and the newer Adobe Flash Player can play them smooth from the internet on the newer computers.

"1080 60i = 60 1920X540 interlaced fields recorded on 30 frames per second - half the resolution."

This is a misrepresentation. It's not 1920x540 at 30fps, but 1920x540 in 1/60th of a second. 1920x1080 in 30fps.

The current delivery for no devices even Blu-ray supports 60p. You can put 60p on the web and probably half your viewers or more will get stuttering playback or long downloads or caching delays.

Your choice: produce for what's deliverable now or for what will be deliverable in the future. Personally I prefer 720p30 for production for web delivery.