Question about Cinemode

[ecstudios]

Hi,

I am new, so please understand I don't know all the right and technical terms just yet... But I will soon enough.

Got a brand spanky new Canon HF M series and it rocks. The video I shoot is Awesome and the sound is so-so. Anyway, I realized today that I didn't set the camera to Cinemode and shot the footage at 17fps and the rate was set to 24fps. Since I didn't set the camcorder to Cinemode is this an issue when I edit the footage or do I have to reshoot? I assume the footage is good but I need to tone it down a bit as it seems a bit brighter than I anticipated.

Any help is greatly appreciated!!!

Thank you,
RG

[edDV]

That would be 24p and 17Mb/s.

Cinemode alters color balance to fake a film look. I think it works in all frame rate modes. I advise you start with 1080 60i and no Cinemode first, then test the other modes. 24p will require a fluid head tripod and limited zooms or pans. It gets very jerky.

What are you using to edit? 24p is tricky but can be edited 60i with telecine.

[ecstudios]

Hi edDV,

I shot the video on 24fps with professional fluid head tripod (though I agree it can appear a bit jumpy at times). I guess the thing with me is, to set the video to cinemode you can just go into program and click on it and then go back and change the frame rate to 24fp as well. There is also a format that MXP or something like that. That format is also 24fps. Today I didn't set the program to Cinemode or the mxp to 24fp so the camera recorded in 17fps and 24fps frame rate. Not that I know the difference now, I am curious if I just click on cinemode does that over ride all the other settings? I know you have to reset the settings every time you use the camcorder.

I use PowerDirector to edit, just got a trial version and it appears to be a good fit. I have Adobe CS3 and it does not like AVCHD files so I had to opt to a freeware that did the job. After a search on the web I found PowerDiretor which looks promising, so I am optimistic so far. I will try to put a video on youtube and will post what I get on here for you to see.

One thing about the tripod. Panning horizontally is really tight and somewhat cumbersome. I am not sure if its the tripod or that its normal. If I pan vertically, it has a nice feel to it. It does have a bit of a jump to it. What brand of tripod do you use? Also, the zoom built into the camcorder is a bit touchy as well and I find myself slowly finessing the button back or forth a few times to get the right touch. I may eventually move up to a Canon Vixia HF S200 or S21 if it solves these issues. I want to first learn how to shoot right on this one before I make the leap a few hundred dollars. What I have shot looks great... so I think the 24fps is right I am not sure about all the manual settings and still learning.

Thank you for your response, I am grateful.

[edDV]

Hi edDV,

...There is also a format that MXP or something like that. That format is also 24fps. Today I didn't set the program to Cinemode or the mxp to 24fp so the camera recorded in 17fps and 24fps frame rate. Not that I know the difference now, I am curious if I just click on cinemode does that over ride all the other settings? ...

I don't have that exact model but other Canon camcorders allow you to set frame rate (e.g. 24p/30p/60i), bit rate and Cinemamode separately. Also you can set resolution to 1920x1080 or anamorphoc 1440x1080. Usually the settings stay put when you power down but it is a good idea to run through the menus before you shoot.

I'm not sure about that model but other AVCHD Canons allow 24 Mb/s bit rate which will get better quality than 17 Mb/s but requires a class 6 or better flash card.

I use PowerDirector to edit, just got a trial version and it appears to be a good fit. I have Adobe CS3 and it does not like AVCHD files so I had to opt to a freeware that did the job. After a search on the web I found PowerDiretor which looks promising, so I am optimistic so far. I will try to put a video on youtube and will post what I get on here for you to see.

I haven't looked at PowerDirector since version 5. I'm not sure if it supports native 24p editing. If not you need to edit as 1080 60i.

One thing about the tripod. Panning horizontally is really tight and somewhat cumbersome. I am not sure if its the tripod or that its normal. If I pan vertically, it has a nice feel to it. It does have a bit of a jump to it. What brand of tripod do you use?

24p movie cinematographers avoid pans and zooms at all costs. They set the frame before rolling film. When they must use pans or zooms, it is usually done under computer control because only a few rates work for 24p without looking jumpy. They also have a second operator to manage focus (called a focus puller).

As for tripods, quality varies. The better models like Manfrotto or Davis and Sanford have precision dampers. On cheap tripods there is a tension screw that needs to be loosened to stop the jumping. Adjust for optimal tension. Here are some of the better tripods from B&H at various price/rating points. Make sure you get one optimized for small camcorders.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Tripod-Systems/ci/3909/N/4291073445

Still, it is a good idea to edit out most camera movement to achieve a pro film look.

Also, the zoom built into the camcorder is a bit touchy as well and I find myself slowly finessing the button back or forth a few times to get the right touch. I may eventually move up to a Canon Vixia HF S200 or S21 if it solves these issues. I want to first learn how to shoot right on this one before I make the leap a few hundred dollars. What I have shot looks great... so I think the 24fps is right I am not sure about all the manual settings and still learning.

Good idea to start small and work up. Camcorders are getting better and cheaper each year. Read the reviews and get demos in stores before you buy.