Leica SL2 video/movie

[tom0511]

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Looks like the SL2 has some good movie functions/quality. As a stills guy I have no clue, the user manual doesnt give much information.

I understand the frequency thing (25/30/50...), but how is mov compared to mp4? And if I want to do casual/family movies without much post, should I use cine or not?

Any recommendations how I can get fast and good info?

 

[digitalfx]

Cine has no effect on the video, it only changes the structure of the menus.

25/30/50 has nothing to do with frequency...its simple the shutter speed. 1/25th, 1/30th, 1/50th from your example...but you typically want a shutter speed that is double the frame rate.

For example if you are shooting 24p you need the shutter to be set to 1/50th of a second to give you the effect of a 180 shutter in a motion picture camera. When you switch to Cine Mode the shutter speed is changed to shutter angle so 1/50th would change to 180 in the display (if shooting 24p)

If you are shooting 30fps then 1/60th, etc.

 

The manual has a chart to explain why you would select specific file options as they relate to the compression and bitrate of the files.

.mov vs .mp4 really depends on your needs, and how you are editing.

[BernardC]

There is no quality difference between mp4 and mov. They are both video container formats, and the SL2 fills them both the same way, using the H.264 CODEC.

The main difference between mp4 and mov is that Mac software sometimes prefers mov files, and Windows software prefers mp4 files. Most current editing software should be OK with either. You can convert between them using a program named ffmpeg if you have to. Mp4 and mov versions of the same file will have the same size, within a few bytes.

Cine mode is just a different interface. It also won't affect the end product, although it makes it easier to do some things that film makers sometimes need to do. Like choosing the right shutter speed to eliminate flicker from a TV screen, or making sure that different cameras are set the exact same way (so they are easier to edit together).

 

In your case I would just use "regular" (not cine) mode for video, pick .mov for Mac or .mp4 for Windows, and probably HLG for colour mode (not L-log). Run a quick test with your editing software to make sure it looks OK, and shoot without worries.

 

 

[BernardC]

I should mention that most electronic devices support mp4, not mov. This means you can view your unedited mp4 footage on your TV, but not your mov files even though they are both h.264.

In other words, use mp4, unless you are 100% Mac (and even then mp4 will be fine).

mov has other advantages, but they do not apply to the h.264 files generated by the Leica SL2. For instance, mov is the wrapper for ProRes.