Real World Digital Video, Second Edition

Professional Camera Techniques

Here are some tips for camcorder operation that you probably won't find in the manual. There's only one catch: Many of these techniques are primarily applicable to professional models with interchangeable lenses, and some prosumer models that work the same way, but not all camcorders have these features.

Choosing Between 30I and 24P

With the introduction of 24P mode in prosumer camcorders, even videographers on modest budgets can think about shooting at the same frame rate as film. But don't automatically assume that's the way to go. Shooting plain-vanilla NTSC (30I mode) has its benefits.

We'll discuss the postproduction consequences of this decision in a later chapter. (See “Post processing Filters” in Chapter ...