Comments on: The Pitchman: Frame Grabs

By: zach wise

zach wise — Mon, 28 May 2007 18:18:51 +0000

On my Canon XH A1 30F is just like 30p, I will never shoot interlaced again. I’m hoping FCP2 has a capture/sequence preset that is closer if not made for the Canon. Right now, if you are doing screen captures and you shot in 30F you can get some amazing looking frame grabs just by making a “freeze frame” and exporting using quicktime conversion.

Now I just hope this “Color” app in FCP is as spectacular as it looks. I even heard rumors of a port to Aperture .

All that said, I still like my 5D better and it’s smaller :)

By: rhernandez

rhernandez — Mon, 28 May 2007 02:43:44 +0000

this from leeson, via me:
I am hoping FCP2 will solve this problem. I will be testing FCP2 tomorrow along with a series of tests for frame grabs. But, I actually came up with a rather odd way of dealing with the V1U artifact problem in FCP. Try this and see if it works for you. Import into iMovie using the setting for HDV. Find the frame you want and press Apple F to get your still photo. To import your files into Final Cut � first right click on your iMovie project and choose �show package contents.� Once the �package/folder� is open, move the media folder onto your desktop (or where you prefer). Open final cut using the HDV 1080i easy set up. Go to file>import>folder. Navigate to your media folder and import it. Next right click on your sequence file in Final Cut and choose item settings (or is it properties � doing this from memory). Use the settings attached to this email for your sequence. Now you can drag your iMovie import into FCP with no problem.

By: Michael Sears

Michael Sears — Fri, 25 May 2007 02:00:56 +0000

24f on the Canon XH-A1 gets turned back into interlaced 60i. Check it out in the owners manual, there is a chart there, look real careful at all the ouputs from HD and DV, nobody is running 24fps on the internet, or on tv, therefore it gets converted back to interlaced video via frame pull down and duplication. You might have shot it at 24f but it does not stay that way on output. I could be wrong. Try 30f, its got that same 24f look is a perfect match for output at 30fps in video on the web and is non interlaced as long as its shot HD. Nice stills from it. Also anything less than a shutter speed of 1/125 of second is iffy. Your going to have suffer with higher shutter speeds and a slightly strobe look to some pans and subjects etc. It does not seem to bother the viewer most of the time. Would you try and shoot your stills with a digital still camera at 1/48 of a second. Good luck if you do. Nothing will be truly sharp.

By: Kirk Mastin

Kirk Mastin — Fri, 25 May 2007 00:00:33 +0000

Leeson is awesome!!!

I wonder if he’ll read this? Anyways here goes:

David,
What ‘sequence’ settings and ‘log and capture settings’ do you use? I have a Canon XH A1 and a Canon HV20 and I seem to be getting interlaced artifacts when I do my screen captures. Do I need to do some kind of pulldown conversion? I have been shooting 24p mode for both cameras at 1/48th of a second. Anyways I am throwing this out there… Please let me know if you have time. In the meanwhile I’ll keep trying different things.

Kirk

By: Drew Buchanan

Drew Buchanan — Thu, 24 May 2007 21:57:55 +0000

I’ll give an Amen! to Mr. Leeson, he’s a inspiration and a true motivator and a pretty darn nice guy.

I think I might try putting away my 1D and just use the XH-A1 for a day at work. I’m curious to see how much I miss, or don’t miss, my DSLR.

Just another tool to help us tell our stories…better.