Results: Filming 720p 60fps at super high shutter speeds

[dirtcastle]

You're welcome! Comes from hanging around film guys too much. Sometimes it seems that's all there is here in LA, but really just the friends I have.

I'm in L.A. too. I hear you... seems like half my friends are either shooters, editors, or screenwriters. After years of resisting the dark side, I'm looking at getting into the business myself. But I still have a lot to learn.

[acelegendary]

Hey there,

Long time reader, first time poster.

I recently filmed an engagement session, and wanted to utilize a shallow depth of field in bright light without an ND filter. So, knowing that I would end up slowing the footage down to 40%, I cranked up the shutter speed in order to hit around f/2. The results? Well, see for yourself:

http://acelegendary.com/blog/2013/4/9/sean-liz-save-the-date

Holy hell, that looks FANTASTIC!  I usually obey the shutter speed rule as well, but, thanks to you, I am now unafraid to break it!

You make me want to marry someone just so I can hire you to make one of these!

Well thank you very much! Do keep in mind, however, that the footage is almost unusable when not slowed down. It almost looks like CGI due to the lack of motion blur. Very odd.

[acelegendary]

Nice work! What camera?

The moving shots were filmed on a T2i/50mm f/1.4, mounted on a Glidecam HD2000. The static shots were filmed on a 7D/Zeiss 50mm Makro-Planar f/2.

[dirtcastle]

Nice work! What camera?

The moving shots were filmed on a T2i/50mm f/1.4, mounted on a Glidecam HD2000. The static shots were filmed on a 7D/Zeiss 50mm Makro-Planar f/2.

Great results with modest gear! You should be proud.

[acelegendary]

Nice work! What camera?

The moving shots were filmed on a T2i/50mm f/1.4, mounted on a Glidecam HD2000. The static shots were filmed on a 7D/Zeiss 50mm Makro-Planar f/2.

Great results with modest gear! You should be proud.

Thanks! I would've loved to use my 5D Mk II, but the lack of 60 fps killed my concept.

[acelegendary]

I take it your pleased with the result based on your response, but I can tell you used a high shutter speed here and it seems to have affected the motion blur.  Whether or not the effect is positive is subjective, but I personally don't like it.  Doesn't look bad or anything just not great IMO, then again 60P is kind of the bare minimum for slowmo so you can only expect so much out of it.  I'm sure the client is elated and that's what matters in the end.

I thought the results were outstanding; I like the way each frame is crystal clear (to each his own, I suppose).  Now that I know the 'why', I plan on experimenting with high shutter speed video.

To the OP, thank you for posting that.

Thank you, and you're welcome! As I mentioned earlier, however, the footage does look super videogame-ish when not slowed down. So use this method with caution!

[DanThePhotoMan]

Fantastic video. The shots on the glide cam were very well done, and a fantastic job at keeping the focus at such a shallow depth of field.

Oh, and just for future reference, the 180 degree rule has nothing to do with shutter speed. It's the imaginary line between two people cinematographers use while framing shots. For example, you wouldn't begin a scene that has two people talking with the camera positioned on their left side, and the suddenly switch from one persons POV to their right side as it would look as if they suddenly were talking to the back of the other person's head. The general rule for shutter speed if double whatever your frame rate is. Be careful with bumping up the shutter speed too much on DSLRs though, as at higher levels it can create clipping and rolling shutter, which you definitely do not want.

Great job overall though. Keep up the good work!

[JasonATL]

Oh, and just for future reference, the 180 degree rule has nothing to do with shutter speed. It's the imaginary line between two people cinematographers use while framing shots. For example, you wouldn't begin a scene that has two people talking with the camera positioned on their left side, and the suddenly switch from one persons POV to their right side as it would look as if they suddenly were talking to the back of the other person's head. The general rule for shutter speed if double whatever your frame rate is.

I think that, in the context of this thread, the 180 degree has everything to do with shutter speed and is well-known to mean specifically double-the-frame-rate, as is already stated in this thread.

And yes, the 180 degree rule that you cite is a common rule of composition.

For future reference, you might want to clarifying the following.

Be careful with bumping up the shutter speed too much on DSLRs though, as at higher levels it can create clipping and rolling shutter, which you definitely do not want.

It is my understanding that rolling shutter is not caused by shutter speed at all, as you seem to imply. Rolling shutter refers to how the data are read off the sensor and occurs on regardless of shutter speed or frame rate. It is most noticeable on fast motion, regardless of shutter speed. I'm also unsure of your use of the term "clipping". I have always used "clipping" to refer to loss of detail in bright objects because the sensor "clips" by reaching its RGB highest value. This is usually caused by an image being overexposed. It seems that a high shutter speed would (holding light, ISO, and aperture constant) go against clipping. But, perhaps I am unaware of another common meaning of the word "clipping" when referring to video.

[blacksap]

I think it looks great, maybe the motion looks strange but honestly most of the clients wont even notice or care, I have a question for you, wich piece of software did you use for color grading? 

very nice video BTW

[Axilrod]

Oh, and just for future reference, the 180 degree rule has nothing to do with shutter speed. It's the imaginary line between two people cinematographers use while framing shots. For example, you wouldn't begin a scene that has two people talking with the camera positioned on their left side, and the suddenly switch from one persons POV to their right side as it would look as if they suddenly were talking to the back of the other person's head. The general rule for shutter speed if double whatever your frame rate is. Be careful with bumping up the shutter speed too much on DSLRs though, as at higher levels it can create clipping and rolling shutter, which you definitely do not want.

Great job overall though. Keep up the good work!

Wrong, do some research, the 180 degree shutter rule (not to be confused with the 180-degree rule) has everything to do with shutter speed/angle.

[Axilrod]

For future reference, you might want to clarifying the following.

Be careful with bumping up the shutter speed too much on DSLRs though, as at higher levels it can create clipping and rolling shutter, which you definitely do not want.

It is my understanding that rolling shutter is not caused by shutter speed at all, as you seem to imply. Rolling shutter refers to how the data are read off the sensor and occurs on regardless of shutter speed or frame rate. It is most noticeable on fast motion, regardless of shutter speed. I'm also unsure of your use of the term "clipping". I have always used "clipping" to refer to loss of detail in bright objects because the sensor "clips" by reaching its RGB highest value. This is usually caused by an image being overexposed. It seems that a high shutter speed would (holding light, ISO, and aperture constant) go against clipping. But, perhaps I am unaware of another common meaning of the word "clipping" when referring to video.

I think higher shutter speeds can accentuate the rolling shutter but you are correct they are definitely not the cause of the rolling shutter, it's just a byproduct of CMOS sensors.

[Drizzt321]

You're welcome! Comes from hanging around film guys too much. Sometimes it seems that's all there is here in LA, but really just the friends I have.

I'm in L.A. too. I hear you... seems like half my friends are either shooters, editors, or screenwriters. After years of resisting the dark side, I'm looking at getting into the business myself. But I still have a lot to learn.

Good luck, there is some _expensive_ equipment out there for video. Even more so than for stills, especially if you start going cinema lenses and such. I've flirted with it a bit here and there, but so far mostly stayed away unless my friends said "hey, we need your help", which really means I have a 5d2/5d3 and they want to borrow them

[DanThePhotoMan]

Well, my apologies, but I have never in my life heard of a "180 degree shutter rule" used by a cinematographer on any of the films I have worked on.

And I did not mean that raising the shutter speed is the sole cause of rolling shutter, but from my experiences with a DSLR it seems to make it more pronounced with the higher shutter speeds.

[acelegendary]

I think it looks great, maybe the motion looks strange but honestly most of the clients wont even notice or care, I have a question for you, wich piece of software did you use for color grading? 

very nice video BTW

I did all of my color grading within Premiere, actually.

[dirtcastle]

You're welcome! Comes from hanging around film guys too much. Sometimes it seems that's all there is here in LA, but really just the friends I have.

I'm in L.A. too. I hear you... seems like half my friends are either shooters, editors, or screenwriters. After years of resisting the dark side, I'm looking at getting into the business myself. But I still have a lot to learn.

Good luck, there is some _expensive_ equipment out there for video. Even more so than for stills, especially if you start going cinema lenses and such. I've flirted with it a bit here and there, but so far mostly stayed away unless my friends said "hey, we need your help", which really means I have a 5d2/5d3 and they want to borrow them

I get the same question too!

I'm looking more at getting into the software/editing side of things: Premiere, After Effects, and DaVinci Resolve. My current work revolves around Photoshop and websites, so moving into Premiere and After Effects is a logical expansion.