About Timecode
Timecode is a dataset saved with each video that can uniquely identify each frame of video within a file. It can be used for shot referencing, logging or multi-cam shoots.
Pro Camera Classic uses a format based on SMTPE timecode (developed by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers) which represents hours, minutes, seconds and frames.
Timecode allows you to navigate through your footage using a cross platform identifier for each frame of video. The hours, minutes and seconds act like a normal 24 hour clock meaning they count up from 00 and roll back over to 00 after they reach a maximum value of 23, 59 and 59 respectively. The frame count is based on the recording format. If we are shooting at 30fps, this would mean the frame count would roll back over to 00 after the value 29.
Putting all this together, the maximum timecode value we can have when shooting at 30fps is:
23:59:59:29
Going past this point is called crossing midnight.
Time-of-Day mode
Time-of-Day mode saves the current time in hours, minutes, seconds and frames. Let say you tap the record button at exactly 3.30pm. This means our start timecode would have the value:
15:30:00:00
If you make a recording that is exactly two minutes, thirty four seconds and five frames long our end timecode value will be:
15:32:34:05
Offset mode
Offset mode allows us to pick a start time which can then used to aid with shot logging. Let say we want log some shots that would have traditionally been identified using a reel number. In this instance we can set the hours part of the timecode as our reel number and use it to log and organise the shots that are associated with a reel.
Offset timecode can also be configured to always start from the offset value or to be a cumulative offset value.
If we select ‘Always start from offset’, this means each time we tap the record button the timecode will alway start from the value we have entered.
If we select ‘Make offset cumulative’, this means the timecode value will start from the value we have selected plus the cumulative durations of all the recordings made after we selected the ‘Make offset cumulative’ option.
Let have a look at an example. Let’s say our offset timecode value is 01:00:00:00 and we record three videos all exactly five seconds long.
Using ‘Always start from offset’ the start timecode for each video would be:
Video A: 01:00:00:00
Video B: 01:00:00:00
Video C: 01:00:00:00
If we used ‘Make offset cumulative’ the start timecode for each video would be:
Video A: 01:00:00:00
Video B: 01:00:05:00
Video C: 01:00:10:00
Tip: When using this system of logging it is best to avoid crossing midnight as this will mean you have duplicate reels. If you are logging lots of shots, this may become confusing.
Setting Timecode
1) Tap on the Settings icon at the top left of the screen.
2) Tap on Timecode within the RECORDING section at the top of the screen
3) Use the top section to set the type of timecode that will be saved with the video file. Select between Time-of-Day, Offset or None. Use the bottom section to set the displayed timecode (see section below for more information about displayed timecode).
4) Tap on the word Settings at the top left of the screen
5) Tap on the word Done at the top left of the screen
What to display
The timecode Pro Camera Classic displays on the user interface can be separate from the one that is being saved with the video file. Let say you want to save Time-of-Day timecode with your video files but you also want to see the duration of the recordings as they are shot. This can easily be achieved within Pro Camera Classic.
Within the timecode menu the bottom section is used to select what should be displayed on the user interface.
If 'Show Duration While Recording' is selected then the user interface will always display the duration of each recording.
If 'Show Timecode While Recording' is selected then the user interface will display the same timecode that is being saved with the video file.
If 'Time-of-Day' timecode is selected from the top section and 'Show Timecode While Recording' is selected from the bottom section then another option appears - 'Aways Show Running Timecode'.
If 'Aways Show Running Timecode' is enabled then the user interface will display the same Time-of-Day timecode that is being saved with the video file but when you stop a recording the timecode displayed will continue to run. This means the displayed timecode can be used as a clock.
Whenever Time-of-Day timecode is displayed on the user interface the colour of displayed timecode is a light blue.