Frame rates are nothing but the frequency of frames per second (FPS). In simple terms, it is a measurement of the number of static images appearing in a second to produce moving imagery. But what does this definition suggest?
Let us take a conventional example to better understand what FPS is.
You must have seen film reels or at some point of time you must have come across it. In it stripes of small pictures or reel are projected on a screen when they are exposed to light.The photos on the reels produce a moving image as they rotate at a high rate. The same idea is used, but digitally, when playing a video. In order to produce motion in a video, numerous static images are played one after another.
Why frame rate matters
Let us touch upon some important aspects of frame rates .
Video
The look and feel of watching a video are significantly influenced by frame rate. Choosing a frame rate frequently requires considering a number of aspects since different frame rates produce varied viewing experiences. Please note that the Frame rate of capturing and rate of displaying differs. This is because there are a lot of motions and details that need to be recorded while capturing anything like sports events. But our human eyes can’t observe beyond a certain speed, that is the reason we see a certain amount of motion blur. And moreover we are accustomed to watching videos around 24 FPS. So when frame rates are chosen around 25-30 fps for projection it would simply look natural to our eyes. You must have seen videos which are unnaturally smooth, those videos are played at higher FPS, which we are not used to in real life. This effect is called the soap opera effect.
Slow Motion effect
Let’s first examine how slow motion videos are produced and delivered to gain a better understanding of the aforementioned content. A very high frame rate of at least 120 is required for the recording to produce a clear and fluid slow motion video. The supplied video, however, is at 30 frames per second. I know, it’s confusing. To better grasp it, let’s deconstruct it into its simplest components. For instance, you recorded a 200 mph F1 car passing by for 10 seconds. At 240 frames per second, you can capture 240 frames of that object’s motion in a single second of video. That would take 240 frames (240 divided by 30) to make an 8-second slow-motion video at 30 frames per second. Now, if you converted the entire 10-second video clip, it would result in an 80-second video. Finally, a 10 second video clip has been slowed down and expanded into an 80 second video.
Time-Lapse Video
Time-lapse video is the complete opposite of slow-motion video. Consider recording a 600-second video at a frame rate of 10 in order to create a 20-second smooth time-lapse video at a frame rate of 30. The camera must take fewer frames in order to fit such a lengthy film into a brief clip. Because it is useless to record video at a high frame rate if only a few frames would be needed to turn it into a brief video. Is there a relationship between frame rate and video size at this point? A video is made up of individual frames, and each frame has a specific size. However, when these frames are encoded, the quality of the video is not compromised.Check out “video encoding formats” if you want to learn more about encoding.
Video games
Having a high frame rate can make the experience more immersive and lifelike. Smoother animations allow you to see more intermediary frames in the movement of an on-screen character. Low frame rates also cause stuttering, where elements seem to pause every few frames. Low frame rates can make games less immersive for many players. Low frame rates have also been known to give players motion sickness or nausea in some games, such as Apex Legends.
Gamers who play first-person shooters benefit greatly from having extremely high frame rates. Having no stuttering allows gamers to see objects on the screen faster, while smooth animations make elements clearer and less confusing when there’s a lot of activity going on at once.Gamers playing competitive games usually have high reflex. Their brain reacts very fast to the moment of the opponent, so it is necessary for them to capture as much data as they can. Every Frame per second less delays the input and action or screen, which could be a win or loss situation for them. In order to get such high frames they require a powerful system and a fast internet connection.
How does your system affect FPS in video games?
One could wonder why a video game needs a sophisticated system to run when a movie can be played on even the most basic integrated system. Displaying a previously drawn succession of images as opposed to rendering them instantly at 60 frames per second is very different. Video games need the creation of the full image (frame) from scratch utilizing a variety of player and game data and a sophisticated game engine. To be deemed playable, your system must perform all the calculations necessary to determine how the light will strike each object, where the lights are, how bright they are, what the different objects’ shapes and textures are, and so forth, dozens of times each second.
In contrast, the system only needs to display a pre-rendered series of graphics when playing a video. No matter where the video is from, the CODECs used to compress it make no distinction between the various characters. It is all pre-rendered content that has been compressed using h264, h265, or another CODEC. All your computer needs to do to display the images is load them using the proper codec.
Playing a game is more like directing and filming all of the different takes and angles, creating all of the GFX and SFX, before compositing/editing all of that together so you can eventually produce the final cut. When you are watching a movie, you are looking at a finished product without needing to know anything about how it was made. There is significantly more work being done behind the scenes.
Considering Frame Rate for streaming
The frame rate has a significant impact on the look and feel of a video when producing high-quality content. Choosing the appropriate frame is crucial if you want your movie to appear realistic.
A stream with a greater frame rate of around 60 FPS will generate better video output when the live stream involves something fast-paced, like a sports event streaming or music event streaming, as the fast-moving action of the event can be better recorded utilizing more frames per second. Whereas for cinematic experiences, 24 frames per second is ideal; for non-sports productions, most producers use 25 to 30 frames per second. However, most “regular” videos and live streams can still be enjoyed at a conventional frame rate of 24.
Conclusion
Now that you have covered different uses of frame rates and its uses in different fields, you should be able to now decide the correct FPS for your project. The frame rate you choose to utilize will rely just as much on what you’re shooting as it will on where you intend to use and distribute your work.
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