Question about switching to a high - frame rate while recording?

[adam brennan]

Is it possible to change the frame rate while recording? Let's say I am filming a martial art fight and all of a sudden the action picks up and I want to get slow motion of the action immediately. Is there a way to quickly record in slow motion without having to go through the menu and stopping the recording? Maybe a short cut button or something?

 

[Anton Shavlik]

In recording settings you can set a speed ramp.

 

[adam brennan]

If you don't mind, how does that work? I am a newbie.
Thanks!

 

[Todd T]

It would be better to shoot the entire scene at a high frame rate, then do the speed ramping in your editor for a couple of reasons:
- Exposure: ramping speed in camera will drastically change your exposure. Shooting at one high frame rate lets you lock in proper exposure and motion blur characteristics.
- Cue/Timing: You will not miss the cue when the action starts, you will be able to easily adjust and change start and end of the ramp with your editor, and you avoid repeating takes.

But if you want to do it in camera:

The current ramp system allows the setup of 4 different ramp target frame rates (and speeds): A, B, C, D. There is also a ramp RESET with a speed only that returns to the original frame rate. There are five assignable key actions: ramp to A/B/C/D/Reset. You can accomplish what you want either setting up two ramp points or one ramp point and the reset feature.

 

[David Battistella]

It's in teh DSMC guide

http://docs.red.com.s3.amazonaws.co...-J RED PS, EPIC-SCARLET Operation Guide.pdf

PAGE 111

SPEED RAMP MODE
NOTE: This mode is not available in Stills mode.
NOTE: Audio is not recorded in Speed Ramp mode.
Speed Ramp mode lets you program the current recording frame rate to transition to different recording frame rates during recording.
1. Go to Menu > Settings > Recording > Mode.
2. Select Speed Ramp Mode from the Mode drop-down menu.
3. Use the Limit Recording to fields to set the recording to end at a predefined frame limit (optional).
4. Select a ramp target:
Ramp A/B/C/D: Each ramp target is tied to a specific Target/Duration combination.
Ramp Reset: Ramp to the starting frame rate with the specified Duration.
5. Set the Target frame rate.
6. Set the Duration, which is how long it takes to transition from the current frame rate to the target frame rate.
7. Go to Menu > Settings > Setup > Keys and program a key to one of the following functions:
Record: Start Speed Ramp A/B/C/D
Record: Start Speed Ramp Reset
8. Start recording.
9. To start speed ramp, press the key that you have mapped to start the speed ramp.
The frame rate transitions to the target frame rate during the duration you set up.
NOTE: If using speed ramp mode, select an exposure that is valid for each ramp target frame rate. If the camera ramps to a frame rate that is incompatible with the current exposure, the exposure changes to the longest exposure possible for the frame rate.

 

[Terry VerHaar]

Reading the manual and passing a test on it should be a requirement for buying a RED camera. ;-)

 

[Neil Abeynayake]

Reading the manual and passing a test on it should be a requirement for buying a RED camera. ;-)

Amen brother

 

[Marc Wielage]

It would be better to shoot the entire scene at a high frame rate, then do the speed ramping in your editor for a couple of reasons:
- Exposure: ramping speed in camera will drastically change your exposure. Shooting at one high frame rate lets you lock in proper exposure and motion blur characteristics.
- Cue/Timing: You will not miss the cue when the action starts, you will be able to easily adjust and change start and end of the ramp with your editor, and you avoid repeating takes.

I think this is extremely wise advice.

 

[David Battistella]

Reading the manual and passing a test on it should be a requirement for buying a RED camera. ;-)

This is not directed at the OP but, why anyone would invest 50K on a camera system and think they know the ins and outs of a machine of this caliber without understanding all of it's underlying functions, baffles me.

d

 

[adam brennan]

Thanks Terry for the advice and your thoughts. I will keep that in mind. Everyone else thanks for the helpful response.

 

[adam brennan]

This is not directed at the OP but, why anyone would invest 50K on a camera system and think they know the ins and outs of a machine of this caliber without understanding all of it's underlying functions, baffles me.

d

Baffles me too. Thank you for the comment.

 

[Ugo Del]

Congrats on your positive attitude Adam and welcome to Reduser

 

[adam brennan]

Congrats on your positive attitude Adam and welcome to Reduser

Life is too short to get angry over comments. I am thankful to be able to afford this Red Epic W camera. Business has been good and I wish I had time to read the entire manual but with my workload I don't. I am a hands on learner and know I am not going to use every single aspect of the camera but I find this red forum to be full of good talented people who are helpful and not judgemental, so a few rubs here and there is the price I pay so be it! .

 

[David Battistella]

Just to be clear. I am not angry at anyone, I excluded the OP and I did post the very useful part of the manual which is the best place to start for how RED does ramping.

On thing to remember is to sent up your ABCD ramping in a way that you understand where you want to go. Always to remember to set one up at 24FPS so you can go back to the original speed if you want to.

IE:

A set to 24 FPS
B set to 48 FPS

So you can go A>B>A to go from 24 to 48 and back to 24

But you get two more slots so you can set one at 72 and one at 96 (it will be limited based on your frame size etc.

C set to 72
D set to 96

Trick is to remember where you have mapped stuff.

So you can go A to D and then to B for

24 to 96 and back to 48

then hitting A would bring you back to 24.

If you set your shutter to relative then then shutter will change as you do the ramping and the exposure will ramp as well.

If you set you shutter to absolute then it will stay at the shutter speed you begin with.

David.

Best to try it out and then bring more questions if you have them.

 

[adam brennan]

Just to be clear. I am not angry at anyone, I excluded the OP and I did post the very useful part of the manual which is the best place to start for how RED does ramping.

On thing to remember is to sent up your ABCD ramping in a way that you understand where you want to go. Always to remember to set one up at 24FPS so you can go back to the original speed if you want to.

IE:

A set to 24 FPS
B set to 48 FPS

So you can go A>B>A to go from 24 to 48 and back to 24

But you get two more slots so you can set one at 72 and one at 96 (it will be limited based on your frame size etc.

C set to 72
D set to 96

Trick is to remember where you have mapped stuff.

So you can go A to D and then to B for

24 to 96 and back to 48

then hitting A would bring you back to 24.

If you set your shutter to relative then then shutter will change as you do the ramping and the exposure will ramp as well.

If you set you shutter to absolute then it will stay at the shutter speed you begin with.

David.

Best to try it out and then bring more questions if you have them.

David thank you for taking the time to write this. I will take your advice.

 

[Daniel Kelly Brown]

As others have mentioned, just record the entire thing overcranked and ramp it in post. I can't think of any advantages of using the in camera ramping other then saving a few pennies on storage space.

 

[Curtis boggs]

David,

These cameras do so much it's tough to know how everything works. For me film making will be a lifelong journey of learning, .. I hope.

But it's very generous of you to post this information and help with the learning process.

I would do this in post normally as has been suggested.
Honestly I've never tried the ramping in camera, but I'm going to spend a day learning this.

thanks,

Curtis