Smooth 60fps Slow Motion on Canon 5D Mark IV
Spontaneous slow motion video fun with Mrs Reel Cool Filmz stepping in front of the camera as she helps me test out the 60fps slow motion capability of the Canon 5D Mark IV. I also used an Ikan Beholder DS1 gimbal to facilitate smooth footage.
DSLR Camera Setting for Slow Motion
If you have a Canon 5D Mark IV or other DSLR, and want to know how to shoot slow motion, here’s how I did it. To accomplish this you basically need a camera that shoots above 30 frames per second for best results. This particular footage was shot at 60fps with the Shutter Speed set at 125. The footage was then imported into Adobe Premiere Pro and interpreted at 24fps on the timeline.
Interpreting your 60fps Footage in Adobe Premiere
To Interpret footage in Adobe Premiere, you will need to import your video file from the Media Browser into your main project folder. Then right click your imported video file and select >> Modify >> Interpret Footage and choose >> Assume this frame rate and set it to 24fps.
Or the alternative way is to drag your clip to the timeline straight from the Media Browser. Then right click the video clip on the timeline and select >> Speed/Duration. Set the speed percentage to 40%. This accomplishes the same effect as above.
Looking at the provided video sample above, given the weight of my camera I wasn’t sure how the Ikan Beholder DS1 would hold up, but to my surprise it performed solidly for roughly the entire 45 minute duration we shot.
Playback at 24fps produced a nice smooth slow motion that I further expounded on in the follow up Slow Motion Lip Sync test on the Canon 80D.
Other methods
It is also possible (but not recommended) to shoot 24fps and produce a semi-smooth slow motion effect. I recently had the privilege of providing Wedding Videography in Atlanta, and I didn’t have time to switch from 24fps to 60fps during the entrance and shot the sequence in 24fps on my Canon 5D Mark IV. In post I slowed the footage down by 20% and smoothed it out with optical flow in Premiere. Again… I wouldn’t recommend it, but it worked out well enough in a pinch!
If anyone has any other methods that they would care to share… comment below!
Music by the multi-talented Childish Gambino
Fun times!
Equipment used:
Canon 5d Mark IV – https://amzn.to/2Jtm3dv
Canon 50mm 1.8 – https://amzn.to/2JvqTbh
Beholder DS1 Gimbal – https://amzn.to/2qcNq3A