Frames Per Second Guide
$10USDA PAL workflow guide to frame rates. 25, 50, 100, 200fps. When to reach for each, what light you need, and how slow motion really works in the edit.
Overview
FPS (frames per second) refers to how many individual images your camera records every second. In a PAL workflow your timeline runs at 25fps, and higher frame rates give you slow-motion capability in the edit, the more frames you capture, the smoother and slower your footage can become.
There's a trade-off baked in. Higher frame rates mean smoother motion and a greater slow-motion range; lower frame rates give you the natural motion blur that reads as cinematic. Higher frame rates also demand faster shutter speeds and far more light, so exposure quickly becomes the limiting factor as you climb.
What's Inside
- 25fps, real-time on a 25fps timeline: natural, film-like motion blur for interviews, narrative and cinematic footage
- 50fps, 2× slow motion: smooth, flexible coverage you can cut slow or back to real-time, ideal for lifestyle, walk-throughs and b-roll
- 100fps, 4× slow motion: reveals movement the eye misses, for sport, action and product shots, needs good light
- 200fps, 8× slow motion: captures fast transient moments like splashes and impacts, needs very bright conditions or fast lenses
- The golden rules: higher FPS = smoother motion and more slow-mo range, lower FPS = more cinematic motion blur
- PAL timeline note: every multiplier here assumes a 25fps sequence, NTSC 30fps timelines differ, so always match your timeline first
Format & Access
- One-page PDF reference, built clean and written tight
- Instant download link emailed the moment you pay
- Saved to your dashboard for re-download anytime
- Designed to print and pin to the wall
Delivery
Your download link is emailed instantly and also saved to your MD MEDIA dashboard. Sign in with the email you used at checkout to grab it again whenever you need it.
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