Can quality transfers be done from 16 or 18 frames per sec?

[slashmaster]

I know transfering film shot at 16 or 18 frames per second to the 30 of VHS always meant your video looked like crap. I know going from 24 frames per second with a 3:2 pulldown to VHS wasn't good either but considerably better. But I know 24 frames a second can look fantastic when transferd to a dvd because I have one where you can go frame by frame and the time meter goes up one second every 24 frames. It's NOT a 3:2 pulldown! My question is, is this possible at 16 or 18 frames per second without having to show the same frames twice?

[Uppsala BildTeknik]

No, it isn´t.

It has to do with standardized framerates and such, for material shot film 16 or 18 fps you need pulldown, either by repeating frames (sharper results), by mixing interlace-fields (not as sharp, but preferred by some for a bit smoother motion) or by creating new frames that are supposedly progressive and created "to be the frames that are missing" (can give very weird motion artefacts).

If you want a film that plays with exactly 18 fps without repeating frames of any kind, you can do this with a computer and view the files with a computer, but you cannot do this with a DVD/TV because 18fps DVDs do not exist and the TV will not accept a videofeed with 18 fps.

[slashmaster]

Thanks Upsala! So at least all the 24 fps converts to 24p excellent. 60p also exist right? So each frame of a 18 fps can be showed either 3/60th or 4/60th of a second right? That would make a better conversion. Oh yeah, one more thing, it's not possible on a dvd to mix video footage with 24 fps in the same scene and have it go from 24p to 30p is it?

[Uppsala BildTeknik]

60p also exist right?

Yes, in the US as a Blu-ray framerate for 1280x720, and 50p exists in europe as a Blu-ray framerate for 1280x720.

These framerates are much better for smooth motion, so if you go for a HD-transfer get it transferred to 60p in 720p if you are in the US, or to 50p 720p if you are in europe. You will get all the details from the film with this resolution, and you will get more smooth motion.

...mix video footage with 24 fps in the same scene and have it go from 24p to 30p is it?

Not without repeating frames and converting it all to 30p. You can§t jump between framerates on whatever production. Decide for a framerate for your production and then convert and adjust all your footage to that framerate (if you mix different framerates/standards).

[slashmaster]

Forgot to say thanks! So the dvd or blu-ray player decides what the frame rate for the entire disc is when you put it in? It doesn't matter if there is a menu with bonus footage, the bonus footage can't be done at a different frame rate?

[Uppsala BildTeknik]

Sure, the bonus-footage or another film on the DVD/Blu-ray can be with a different framerate, or at least I am quite sure that is should work just fine.

But you cannot have different scenes on one film with different framerates.

[slashmaster]

Oh ok, thanks!