Ultra Hd: Smooth Panning Essential?

Whether or not you need 4K 60p for smooth panning depends on the context of your shoot. 4K 60p is not necessary for slow-moving subjects, but it can be useful for capturing fast-moving subjects like sports or race cars. It can also be helpful in situations where you only have a few seconds to get the shot, such as backstage at Fashion Week. Additionally, 60fps is better for slow motion and can give you more options in post-production. However, it's worth noting that not all cameras support 4K 60p, and it can be challenging to work with due to issues like overheating and limited record time.

4K 60p is a great feature for shooting fast-moving subjects like sports or fashion week

4K 60p is a fantastic feature for shooting fast-moving subjects like sports or fashion week. This is because the higher frame rate of 60p allows for smoother footage when panning and capturing fast action, while 4K provides a high level of detail.

When shooting sports or fast-paced events like fashion week, it is crucial to have a camera that can keep up with the action. 4K 60p cameras offer a high-resolution image and a smooth frame rate, ensuring that you capture all the details of the action, even when panning or following a moving subject.

For example, the Panasonic GH5 can record 4K 60p footage onto an SD card, providing both high-quality video and convenient storage. This is ideal for sports photography, where you need to capture quick movements with precision and clarity.

Additionally, 4K 60p cameras offer the benefit of slowing down footage in post-production without losing quality. This is especially useful for sports and fashion photography, where you may want to highlight a specific moment, such as a basketball player dunking or a model showcasing a new outfit.

The high frame rate of 60p also helps to reduce motion blur, which is common when shooting fast-moving subjects. This ensures that your photos and videos are sharp and clear, even when capturing rapid movements.

While 4K 60p is not a necessity for all types of photography and videography, it is a valuable feature for anyone looking to capture fast-moving subjects with the highest level of detail and smoothness. It is a great tool to have in your arsenal, providing the flexibility to shoot a wide range of subjects and events.

Shooting in 4K 60p gives you the bandwidth to reframe your shot in HD and deliver vertical content

Shooting in 4K 60p gives you a lot of flexibility in post-production. When shooting fast-paced events like Fashion Week, you only get a few seconds to capture the perfect shot. Shooting in 4K 60p gives you the bandwidth to reframe your shot in HD and deliver vertical content.

For example, when shooting a lipstick application, you only have a few seconds to capture the shot. Shooting in 4K 60p gives you three times more footage to work with, allowing you to slow it down and hone in on the best snippet in post-production.

Additionally, 4K 60p footage is ideal for creating smooth slow-motion effects. When you slow down 4K 60p footage to half speed, you get twice as many frames as you would with 4K 30p footage, resulting in a smoother, more fluid playback.

Another benefit of shooting in 4K 60p is that it allows you to crop in on your shots or add subtle zooming effects without losing image quality, as you are filming at a higher resolution.

While there are challenges with 4K 60p, such as larger file sizes and increased computing power requirements, the benefits it offers in terms of flexibility, image quality, and slow-motion capabilities make it a valuable tool for filmmakers and content creators.

The lack of support for 4K 60p in the market is frustrating

The Panasonic GH5, for example, allows users to record 4K 60p onto an SD card and play it back at their frame rate of choice, like 24p, resulting in butter-smooth footage. This feature is a huge win for photographers who need to capture fleeting moments and want the flexibility to reframe their shots in post-production.

However, many camera manufacturers have omitted this feature, leaving professionals stuck with cameras that don't meet their needs. For instance, the highly anticipated FUJIFILM GFX 100 can shoot 4K footage but not at a higher frame rate. Similarly, Sony's FS5 and Canon's C300 Mark II fall short of offering 4K 60p capabilities.

The limited support for 4K 60p in the market restricts professionals from utilising the full potential of their craft and forces them to either stick with older camera models or compromise on their desired output quality. This frustration is evident among photographers and videographers who are eagerly awaiting more advanced cameras that can keep up with their requirements.

Additionally, the lack of support for 4K 60p is not just limited to camera hardware. The HDBaseT connectivity standard, for instance, currently operates at a lower data rate and does not fully support the latest HDMI version, creating further challenges for professionals seeking to utilise 4K 60p technology.

While there are valid challenges, such as processing power, sensor size, and overheating issues, it is clear that the market demands more comprehensive support for 4K 60p to meet the evolving needs of photographers and videographers.

Shooting at too high a shutter speed can cause judder in panning shots

The rule of thumb for achieving smooth footage is to shoot at a shutter speed of 1/(2 x FPS). For example, the correct shutter speed for 24fps is 1/48 and 1/120 for 60fps. If you were to shoot at a higher shutter speed, such as 1/200 for 24fps, the footage will look juddery.

The 1/(2 x FPS) rule means that when you pan, you introduce motion blur into every shot, which makes the footage seem smoother. This is also known as the 180-degree rule, where you use a shutter speed that exposes each frame for half of the frame rate.

In addition to shutter speed, other factors can also contribute to judder in panning shots. These include the panning speed, frame rate, and scene content. For example, scenes with higher contrast and abrupt dark-light transitions are more susceptible to strobing artifacts, which can cause judder.

To avoid judder in panning shots, it is recommended to pan slowly, use a tripod with a video head for smoother panning, and use a slow shutter speed (2x the frame rate). You can also use motion enhancement functions in your TV or graphics card to reduce the appearance of judder.

Shooting at 24fps can cause a jittery look when panning

To avoid judder when shooting at 24fps, you need to shoot at a shutter speed of 1/(2 x FPS). So, for 24fps, the shutter speed should be 1/48, and for 60fps, it should be 1/120. This is known as the 180-degree rule. Shooting at a slower shutter speed will help to reduce judder, but will also cause motion blur, reducing the sharpness of the image.

The speed of the pan also has a big impact on the amount of judder. In general, slower pans cause less judder. For a smooth pan at 24fps on a 35mm lens, the camera should be moved across the shot in at least 8 seconds.

Another way to reduce judder is to use a tripod with a video head to ensure smooth movement. Using a gimbal can also help to stabilise the camera and reduce judder.

Shooting at a higher frame rate, such as 60fps, will also help to reduce judder. This is because there is more motion information, so the image appears smoother. However, this also means that more data needs to be processed, which can cause overheating in smaller cameras.

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