Which one is better for recording a movie: 60 fps OR 24p?

Question

and also what is the difference between H.264/AVC and AVI movie files

thanx

Answer 1

well I can at least speak on frame rate.  If you're gonna transfer to film then shoot 24p.  Otherwise its completely and utterly pointless.  Shooting 24p won't make your video look like film, all it will do is make your video look a bit choppy since TV and Video are all 30 fps.  The computer render will add in lost frames but since the frames aren't there, it'll have to make them up.

60fps will give you a bit of slow motion.

Answer 2

Lots of good stuff there from Little Dog, but H.264/AVC isn't necessarily the same as AVCHD.  H.264, also known as MPEG-4 Part 10 or MPEG-4 AVC is a video standard - AVCHD conforms to that standard but adds extra things to it.

AVI isn't a video format, it's a container file format, though people often think of DivX or XviD as "AVI".  Even then, you can't directly compare H.264 with DivX.

The Moving Picture Expert Group (MPEG) have defined two standards which describe how video compression can be done - MPEG-4 Part 2 and MPEG-4 Part 10 (aka H.264).  DivX is a codec which uses the techniques detailed in Part 2, things like Blu Ray use the Part 10 techniques.  In practical terms, Part 10 allows greater compression for the same quality but it takes a lot of processor power to do it.

Answer 3

If you want the recorded image to look "cinematic" then 24p - that is what movies use.

H.264/AVC is a new compression format also referred to as AVCHD. Hard drive and flash memory based camcorders use that - it compresses a lot. If you look at what the pros use:

http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/cat-broadca...

http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/contro...

http://www.panasonic.com/business/provid...

http://pro.jvc.com/prof/attributes/categ...

You won't find them using internal hard drive or flash memory based AVCHD encoding equipment. So... if you decide to get that stuff anyway, don't be surprised when your cpatured video does not look very good.

Least expensive 24p cameras:

Canon HV20, HV30

Canon XHA1

Panasonic DVX100B

Sony HVR-V1U, Z1U

Panasonic HDX200

.AVI is a file format that Windows media likes. What is in the file type can be encoded lots of ways.

Heads up: Low end video editors cannot handle 24p... or AVCHD. And of the video editors that can handle AVCHD, they won't be able to use AVCHD encoded video from all the manufacturers. Do your research before buying.

Heads up #2: Video is only part of the equation. Audio, sound design, lighting, makeup, wardrobe, editing, planning, and LOTS of other items go into making a successful project... including experience, skill a good script, patience and hard work.

Heads up #3: When you think you have the shot, shot it again. And again. And agan. And when you think you have the shot again, shoot it a couple more times.