D4Stone wrote: I am of the belief that my camera setting set at 1080/60P PS is good for both HD and Blu-Ray.
I would agree......
This is my take, which I hope I deliver accurately. If not, I expect and welcome any corrections from Derek or other members.
HD is a format of resolution such as 720 and 1080 in either progressive or interlaced. Bluray is a media standard for delivering HD. DVD is a media standard for delivering SD, such as 480, or less. Other formats of resolution greater than HD would include 2K, UHD, 4K and 8K, but not for this discussion.
The method for burning to DVD and Bluray commercially are a bit different than consumer use, as they are most often using much more advanced and sophisticated (sp. expensive) equipment. I'm speaking here of consumer grade (often used by professionals). There are ways that a DVD disc can be used to burn a Bluray image HD format and playback on a Bluray player, but I'm not speaking about that exception here.
For the most part, DVD disc are used to burn DVD standard SD and played back on a DVD player (or, Bluray player downward compatible with DVD), and Bluray disc are used to Burn Bluray standard HD and played back on a Bluray player.
If your final delivery is going to be HD (720/1080) and you want the easiest workflow from camera through your NLE, by all means I would shoot, in camera, the highest resolution it is capable of. Your other consideration in camera is to select interlaced or progressive.
Progressive is best if you intend to deliver your final for viewing on a PC, the web, or a TV capable of showing progressive video.
Interlaced is probably the best to use if you intend to deliver on DVD and/or Bluray.
From your post I would think either 1080/60p PS for progressive, or 1080/60i FX for interlaced, would be the highest quality resolution. Without regard to the larger file sizes produced by the highest quality, this would be my choice.
If you intend to deliver finals for PC, web and DVD and/or Bluray disc, I would go with progressive (1080p PS). Progressive is best for PC and the web and looks good (usually, or mostly) on DVD or Bluray. Interlaced footage can be de-interlaced to look decent on a PC or the web, but just isn't as good as filming in progressive at the start.
The only complaint I have about using progressive on DVD or Bluray is with fast motion. It sometimes seems to be choppy compared to interlace on some systems. I use a Phillips Bluray player on a Sony big screen and chop isn't that noticeable. Different players, different TV can produce different results. At any rate, I prefer the crisper image of progressive over interlaced, so it suits me better.
Regardless if we film progressive or interlaced, in the NLE (or using a different type of converter), we can take progressive and make it look good in DVD/Bluray, or take interlace and make it look better on a PC or the web (than viewing interlaced on a PC). The biggest difference is in the process of getting from camera to the viewing device.
I shoot everything in progressive either 30p or 60p at HD 1080. 60p requires larger files, but it runs fast action smoother. It also makes for better slow motion when we produce that slow motion in the NLE as opposed to having a camera capable of 120p or faster for the original filming.
Bottom line, for me, I like shooting in progressive. It seems to work well for PC, web and DVD/Bluray disc. Interlace looks terrible on a PC or the web, unless we use some tricks in post production to eliminate the interlace (de-interlace) and using those methods will never equal the resolution, detail, and definition we get by filming the original in progressive. Also, HD is the Bluray standard. DVD is Standard Definition.
I often burn my HD footage to DVD rather than Bluray, and it looks much better on my system, than filming SD in the camera. But a lot of that "looks much better" is due to the tricks the Sony TV performs during playback. I do this because I have a lot of DVD disc, and something's I shoot just don't need the higher quality of Bluray. But, when I want the best, progressive out of the camera and Bluray disc. With that said, I also stream high quality mp4's from my PC via WiFi directly to the Sony TV for playback and they look great.
When I started I asked for opinions and read as much as I could consume. Finally I followed the suggestion of many. I tried it myself, many short test, many times comparing different methods side by side. Listening to others helped me define the test, but seeing my own results formed the basis for which I now try to follow!
Follow-up Addition: I nelgected to mention 24p, although you didn't ask. 24p would look equally good on PC, the web and DVD/Bluray. Some use it because it may give that Hollywood film look. It is a great alternative, but fast motion and action films just don't rise to my expectations. It's just my opinion. I think there are better ways to achieve the film look in post without stepping down to 24p.
