Get Film-Style Slow Motion Effects with the Panasonic DVX100A

Film and video approach slow motion very differently. Film sets the "gold standard" for exquisite slow motion-film cameras shoot more frames per second, then play that footage back at the normal rate, providing perfect slow motion. Video cameras typically only shoot at one frame rate, so trying to create slow motion in video involves post-processing the video, field-blending, and other techniques which can lead to lower resolution, stuttery/choppy movement, and frequently unsatisfying results.

Start by shooting the majority of your project in 24p mode, at 24 frames per second.

The DVX100A is the first prosumer video camera that can shoot film-style slow motion. Shoot your slo-mo sequences in 30p, at 30 frames per second.

When editing in a 24-frame-per-second timeline, you can shoot your slow-motion shots in 30p, at 30 full frames per second, and get that smooth film-style slow motion effect. I use Sony Vegas 4.0b (or later) editing software.

For your 30p clips, right-click them in the timeline and choose Properties. Set the clip’s Playback rate to 80 percent speed (80 percent of 30 = 24), by typing in 0.800 in the setting box for Playback rate. That’s it! When you play back this sequence, Vegas will play back the 30p footage at the 24p rate, giving film-style frame-accurate slow motion. It’s very mild slow motion, only about 25 percent slower, but it’s the cleanest slow motion possible from a video camera.

Barry Green, Online Tech Guru, Fiercely Independent Films

Barry Green is the author of The DVX Book (and DVX DVD), available at www.dvxuser.com/articles/dvxbook/

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