Z-Cam Frame Rate Settings Guide
This guide explains how to configure the three key frame rate settings on Z-Cam cameras for use with Genesis. Getting these right ensures clean timecode alignment across all systems in your capture volume.
The Three Settings
There are three independent settings that control how your Z-Cam records and reports time:
- Project FPS -- the timecode frame rate. This is how frames are labelled and how your footage is interpreted in post. This must match your other capture systems.
- VFR (Variable Frame Rate) -- the actual sensor capture rate. This is how many frames per second the camera physically records. Higher values give better motion resolution.
- Anti-Flicker -- sets the shutter frequency to avoid flickering under artificial lighting. Either 50hz (Europe/UK) or 60hz (US/Japan).
These three settings are independent of each other. Changing one does not automatically change the others. You must set all three deliberately.
Project FPS Options
The available Project FPS values on Z-Cam are:
| Project FPS |
|---|
| 23.98 |
| 24 |
| 25 |
| 29.97 |
| 50 |
| 59.94 |
For most Genesis deployments, use 25fps. This is the standard for UK/European productions, pairs cleanly with 50hz anti-flicker, and works with the highest range of clean VFR multiples.
VFR and Project FPS: Choosing Clean Multiples
Your VFR should always be a clean whole number multiple of your Project FPS. If it is not, the camera cannot evenly distribute captured frames across the timeline, which introduces inconsistency in your motion data.
The formula is simple: VFR ÷ Project FPS = whole number
Recommended VFR values per Project FPS
| Project FPS | Recommended VFR values |
|---|---|
| 25 | 25, 50, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200, 225 |
| 50 | 50, 100, 150, 200 |
| 24 | 24, 48, 72, 96, 120, 144, 168, 192, 216, 240 |
Bold values are recommended for motion capture use cases -- they provide high temporal resolution with clean frame mapping.
Note: 60fps VFR has no clean Project FPS match in the available options. Use 50fps (with 25fps project FPS) instead.
Anti-Flicker
| Setting | Use When |
|---|---|
| 50hz | Shooting in the UK, Europe, or anywhere with 50hz mains electricity |
| 60hz | Shooting in the US, Japan, or anywhere with 60hz mains electricity |
Anti-flicker affects shutter speed selection to prevent banding under artificial lighting. It does not directly affect timecode or frame rate, but it pairs naturally with certain Project FPS values:
- 50hz pairs with 25fps or 50fps project
- 60hz pairs with 29.97fps or 59.94fps project
Recommended Configurations
- 1
- Project FPS: 25
- VFR: 100 or 200
- Anti-Flicker: 50hz
- 2
- Project FPS: 24
- VFR: 120 or 240
- Anti-Flicker: 60hz depending on location
Timecode Alignment Note
Project FPS determines the timecode rate that must be matched across all systems in your capture volume -- including Peel Capture and any other devices (face capture, audio, biomechanics etc.). All systems must be set to the same Project FPS to ensure timecode alignment.