Advice on buying a Camcorder that has slow-motion capability?

Question

I bought a camcorder a few months ago, but it doesn't have the ability to "Play" in slow motion. I would like to buy a camera or software that would allow me to do this. Any advice on a reasonably priced camcorder that features slow-motion capability during playback? thanks!

Answer 1

Great question!

Yes, I totally agree. Though it's easy to speed up or slow down a video in post production, it never looks quite right. Slow motion is blurry and fast motion has an unpleasant strobing effect. It's always better to undercrank and overcrank in the camera.

   How this is achieved is simple: change the frame rate. I'm not talking about shooting mode (24p to 60i or what have you), but actually changing the frame rate (24fps to 60fps). If you go over the native frame rate, you'll have more frames, and when you play it back, it is a lot slower. Vice versa goes for lower frame rates (it will playback faster).

So what cameras can do this? Well, only professional ones...Only professional solid state (tapeless) camcorders. You can't do it on HDV camcorders. Here are some:

1) Red Scarlet (available in 2009)               $3,000

2) Sony EX1                                             $6,000          

3) Panasonic HVX200A                             $5,200

Probably not what you consider to be reasonably priced...but that's not all they offer

Taking the HVX for example (I'm most familiar with it), you can enter Variable Frame Rate mode when shooting ONLY in 720 24pN and 720 30pN. Lets say we were shooting in 24pN mode. The native frame rate is 24fps (well sort of). We can overcrank to as much as 60fps and undercrank to as little as 12fps or so. 12fps would be super fast and 60fps would be really slow cuz no matter what, you are still playing back in 24fps.

Of course, these cameras are expensive. If they're not within your budget, you'll have to do with slow motion in post. You can make it a little better by adjusting the shutter speed. Just use a high shutter when shooting in slow-mo (like 1/2000)

Hope that helps!