Frame Rates

Frame rate (speed)

Regardless of the frame counting system, the actual speed at which frames of video go by in realtime is the true frame rate.

In Cubase the following frame rates are available:

23.9 fps (Cubase Pro only)

This frame rate is used for film that is being transferred to NTSC video and must be slowed down for a 2-3 pull-down telecine transfer. It is also used for the type of HD video referred to as “24 p”.

24 fps

This is the true speed of standard film cameras.

24.9 fps (Cubase Pro only)

This frame rate is commonly used to facilitate transfers between PAL and NTSC video and film sources. It is mostly used to correct for some error.

25 fps

This is the frame rate of PAL video.

29.97 fps

This is the frame rate of NTSC video. The count can be either non-drop or drop-frame.

30 fps

This frame rate is not a video standard anymore but has been commonly used in music recording. Many years ago it was the black and white NTSC broadcast standard. It is equal to NTSC video being pulled up to film speed after a 2-3 telecine transfer.

59.98 fps (Cubase Pro only)

This rate is also referred to as “60 p”. Many professional HD cameras record at 59.98 fps. While 60 fps could theoretically exist as a frame rate, no current HD video camera records at a full 60 fps as a standard rate.