1080/60i recording is it good or bad?

[clozecall]

So I've done a ton of research on the internet trying to figure this out and here's what I know. 1080p @ 30 fps is basically 30 still images being played in a second with 1080 lines. 1080/60i is basically 1080i with 30 lines being played on every odd line and instantly changing to every even line all within a second. (This is what I assume is correct, please correct me if I'm wrong).

Here's where I'm confused. I have a Sony WX50 camera and it records in 1080/60i and the video playback is outstanding, the picture plays back as if it's in fast forward mode but it's not, it looks almost like real life motion. I've read in many places that 1080p with 30fps is supposedly sharper and smoother but I've actually noticed my camera is actually smoother than other digital cameras (at the $200 price range). Am I missing something here?

-If 1080/60i is a bad thing then why does it look better than most 1080 digital cameras and why does Sony continue to produce them?
-Someone told me to de-interlace my recorded videos, but wouldn't that ruin the quality of the video by a huge amount?

 

[kenrivers]

I own two Sony HDV video cameras that record at 60i and have been well pleased with the quality. As far as interlacing vs deinterlacing goes it all depends on how the video will be viewed or delivered (DVD vs Blu-ray). If what I just read is correct, you will see problems with panning shots if you convert 60i to 30p. If you plan on putting the footage on DVD then deinterlacing is not necessary. If you plan to upload a video to YouTube then you might consider deinterlacing the video. I have not noticed a loss of quality when I export clips to H.264 at either 720p or 1080p.

 

[clozecall]

Best answer selected by clozecall.