Hey Everyone,

So I've got a Phantom 3 Professional, and I was wondering what the public thinks about 4k and stuff...
I currently just use 1080p 50fps for everything at the moment, because it's resolution is fine for private use, takes up MUCH less storage memory, looks WAY more professional and smoother than 30fps, and it's not too sickly (like 60fps).
But should I be using 4k for times when I want to upload to YouTube/show to public?

I'm just kinda in a sticky situation, and I'm thinking of staying in 1080p apart from paid jobs and until it becomes more popular on everyone's devices - in that case, I'd use 4k.

What do you think? Would love to hear your opinions! Please remember to vote!
Thanks

it depends
- if you want to do slow motions, use 1080p60,
- if you want to take pictures out of video, use 4k
- if you want to stabilize or crop video in postproduction - use 4k.

I miss 2.7k mode (which is in gopro cameras) - I use it for stabilizing (with prodad mercalli software) and cropping to 1080p

Even if  your projekt is 1080 then record in 4K cause you Will get more detail.
And as said already you have the option to stabilize in post and the big  advantage og reframing your shots.
I keep mine om 4k all the time.
If you dont need the above options you might as well go with the P3A

Cheers

There's an old American saying: "If you ask 10 people for their opinion, you'll get 10 different answers - 11 if one of them is a Harvard man!"

I don't think your question has a single answer. As you can see from the few votes you have already, there are widely differing opinions. When this forum first started, there were lots of questions about how to set your camera for video or for stills and there were lots of opinions. But there was also great advice from a number of professional photographers. One of them - I think it was Jim Hare, and I apologize to whoever it might have been if it wasn't Jim - asked: "What are your goals?" And, the more I thought about it, the more I agreed with that question.

What do you want from your video? What do you *expect* from your video?

The experts say that the 30 fps you get with the 4K will give you enormous detail and the frame rate will produce a more "cinematic" effect. But, what if you're taking the video with the intent to "capture" stills from them? Then, the 1080P with 60 fps will probably deliver better, sharper images. Also, as someone else suggested, if you're going for slow motion, the 60 fps gives you a far better "platform" to create that.

After I read Jim's question and analyzed my own attitude, I decided that I'm basically flying around, having fun, and the camera is running, i.e., I'm taking home movies with an aerial camera. If that's your scenario, whatever looks or feels pleasing at any given time will probably turn out just fine.

Unfortunately, the original question leaves out one parameter - shutter speed. And, when you consider that, the answers take on more complexity. So, in conclusion, my opinion is that there isn't one, single, fits-all situation/format.

aburkefl@gmail. Posted at 2015-7-13 19:23
There's an old American saying: "If you ask 10 people for their opinion, you'll get 10 different ans ...

Exactly right aburkefi, well said!

I will gladly give up smooth motion to gain a cinematic look.   Others feel the exact opposite and that is fine too.

Decide what your objective is and shoot for that.

1080 24fps

Shutter speed and frame rate are two different things, are they not? Shutter speed coming into play upon capture/exposure and frame rate coming into play upon playback? (I ask, because I think they are but I am new to all of this.)

And, if so, wouldn't the 4k always produce a better still image than the 1080...assuming both had the same shutter speed?

Thanks for any guidance.

I should have used 4k for a job and didn't realize the advantage for taking stills from video @ 4k. At the time I was very low on HDD space so used 1080. Only later when taking the stills and analyzing details did I have the DOH! moment. Made it a very difficult exercise...

It really depends on the end delivery medium.

If you are producing for european television systems 25 fps is best.

If you are producing for USA television systems 30 fps is best.

If you are producing for cinema... 24 fps is the standard.

There is no "best".  It depends on how the content will be viewed.

On the internet... FPS can be anything.  YouTube and Vimeo can support all frame rates up to 60 fps.

If you want a cinematic look...Choose 24 fps.  If you want a  more fluid look pick 60 fps.  It's all fine on the net.

4k at 120fps does it for me.

On ten years it will be 16k at 1ms frame rates

4K has a higher bitrate, 60fps 1080p will get you smooth slomo in a 30fps editing project. Your call. And if you're finishing using Avid software, shoot 2.7k and downscale to hd in a 1080 project - reduces all that horrible aliasing hugely