How to see what fps film was shot at?

[Bjarne Eldhuset]

This may be an insanely stupid question, but here goes anyway:-)

I have a super 8 cartridge that I shot 5 years ago using a Beaulieu ZM4. I tested at least 7-8 different film speeds, and noted the details down on an informative piece of paper. That piece of paper is now permanently misplaced.

Is it possible to find out at exactly which frame rate each scene is shot at? (I might have used something weird like 3 fps, 11 fps, 24 fps, 50 fps etc.)

Any help is appreciated

[S8 Booster]

If the film is a reversal and you have a electric motor type variable speed viewer you may catch it by examining the film there.

You can do this with neg film too but you may risk to scratch and dirt the film severely so if it is of value you may transfer it to a digital format and do the same research on your computer.

Some projectors like the Russian/Soviet PYCB (RUSS) will do 0-36 frames both forward and in reverse - it may be an alternative. Last seen on eBay.de.

Shoot....

[Bjarne Eldhuset]

Thanks for the advice! As this is test-footage, I won't put too much work into it. I am having it telecined though, so I guess I will just take a look at it in my editing suite and try guessing based on how things look/move in the footage.

[carllooper]

Someone asked a similar question on another forum in relation to a slowmo shot in 2001.

He subsequently answered his own question with a very simple but effective answer. You play the shot on an edit suite and adjust the playback rate until the motion looks correct. When it looks correct the playback rate will be the rate at which the film was shot. Or at least within a very good estimate of such.

My answer was far more complicated, involving calculation of motion given acceleration due to gravity (of a bone falling to the ground).

C