Choppy HD video when shooting progressive

[Zvi]

I have tried with a few HD cameras like Sony PMW-320, Sony Fx100… My problem is that when I set the field to progressive (tried them all… 24p, 25p, 50p, 60p, 1080p etc…), the video in the viewfinder is VERY choppy even with the slightest moves. It’s more like a “stutter” then choppiness. Did you ever accidentally export PAL footage to NTSC or the opposite in a NLE program? Exporting or encoding the wrong frame rate will cause a very similar choppiness that I experience when shooting progressive on cameras that shoot full HD. Because of this problem, I have not yet shot in progressive mode but I need to know what is causing this and what the solution is. Thanks.

[CraftersOfLight]

Have you tried a test record and then play that back on a larger monitor or TV? Or look at it in your NLE?

The choppiness could just be your viewfinder and the way the camera displays it there. Viewfinders are not the best for judging “what you see is what you get”. Because of their resolution their purpose is mainly monitoring camera control and framing the shot. Finding focus is hard on some of them.

[gldnears]

I can understand the desirability of shooting in 24P if the end product will be dubbed to film. Beyond that I fail to understand the fascination. Could it be that progressive scanning is perceived to be a component of the magical ” film look ” which is sought by so many?

Rick Crampton

[Greg Olson]

If you’re shooting 60p, the footage definitely should not be choppy. Definitely check the footage in an edit program. My guess is you’ll find the footage is fine. If you’re shooting 24p, you’ll have to watch how fast your camera moves are in order to reduce the choppiness. Good Luck!

[Zvi]

Thanks. Makes sense to shoot and check in NLE. Although, even if it comes out fine there, shooting with a stuttering viewfinder would make the filming very hard. All other camera changes that I see in the viewfinder (like deliberate choppiness or blur by changing shutter speeds during filming) show in the VF exactly like they do in the NLE so I don’t understand why it would be so in this case.

Yes, I know that due to the fact that the resolution of the VF is low, it’s not a good indicator say, for focus, but for a general view of bad stutter, I don’t think it’s the resolution that’s the problem.

Check this out:

http://www.cameralabs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=20965

http://www.videomaker.com/community/forums/topic/interlaced-versus-progressive (5th post)

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