Drop-Frame Timecode Calculator
Convert drop-frame timecode to a frame count and back at 29.97 or 59.94 fps, and see the matching non-drop-frame label for the same frame.
Drop-frame timecode
DF timecode ↔ frames ↔ non-drop-frame
Drop-frame
00:10:00;00
Non-drop-frame
00:09:59:12
Real time
600.000 s
What is a Drop-Frame Timecode Calculator?
Drop-frame timecode keeps a 29.97 or 59.94 fps timecode in step with the clock. No video frames are removed: the timecode skips frame numbers 00 and 01 (or 00 to 03 at 59.94) at the start of every minute, except every tenth minute.
How drop-frame timecode works
At 29.97 fps, a non-drop-frame timecode counts 30 labels per second, so it drifts 3.6 seconds behind the clock every hour. Drop-frame skips 2 labels per minute, 54 minutes an hour, which removes 108 labels and keeps the timecode within a frame of real time.
- 00:00:59;29 is followed by 00:01:00;02 (labels ;00 and ;01 are skipped)
- 00:09:59;29 is followed by 00:10:00;00 (every tenth minute keeps all labels)
- 10 minutes = 17,982 frames at 29.97 DF and 35,964 frames at 59.94 DF
Drop-frame timecode is written with a semicolon before the frames (HH:MM:SS;FF). For other frame rates use the timecode calculator.
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