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Digitizing straight from camera
I’m shooting a commercial spot next week and I’m using the VariCam for the first time.
I am trying to avoid renting a deck to digitize into FCP HD due to a limited budget and time. Can I use the SDI output on the camera and digitize into my computer using my AJA I/O box?
I don’t see why not. I just wanted to make sure there aren’t any pitfalls I don’t know about.
I downloaded the converter plugin and I plan on shooting at 48fps for slo mo.
Also, I’ve calculated that an hour of footage will equal about 53 gigs. Is that about right?Any help from those with experience would be greatly appreciated.
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5 Replies
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The downlaodable frame rate converter only works with native footage imported via firewire from the 1200a. It will not convert footage captured HD-SDI. You will need a KONA2 or LH to capture HID-SDI. Both cards offer frame rate conversion.
Chris Bell
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If you’re able to solve the slo-mo issue that Chris brings up, then it’s totally possible. This summer, I captured a whole feature shoot from a Varicam to my G5 via SDI. I had my SATA RAID 0 in gangs of four. Beware about thinking you have tape back-up, because FCP can’t pull timecode from the SDI. Every clip will start at 00:00. I used a Decklink. The Decklink is able to deal with flagged frames for 23.98. I guess slo-mo is another issue.
good luck,
sean -
If you’re using a Kona2 card for digitizing, it will see the flagged frames and automatically import 48fps footage into a FCP 24fps project as slow motion. That’s one of the awesome features of the Kona2 card. We produced a 14 minute political video with lots of slow motion shots by digitizing all our footage directly from our VariCam HD-SDI out into our edit system via the Kona 2 card. It worked great. But Sean is right about the timecode– you won’t get any. In Final Cut, every clip will begin at 0:00. So plan on working in online quality the entire time… there is no batch redigitizing capability with this setup.
Good Luck.
Jennifer Isenhart
Wide Eye Productions -
Regarding timecode..If you lay down 10 or so seconds of bars and note what the timecode is at the end of the bars you can then use that as a reference in modify TC in FCP and have accurate timecode for that reel. Also if you paly to the end of the tape the camera will hold for a few moments the last timecode on the tape, which is also a reference point. We’ve been using this technique for rough cuts in the field with well over 1000 30 minute cassettes and it’s accurate to within a few frames.
MB
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One other note. You must be recording to tape for the Varicam to flag frames. If you set the camera to 23.98 or any other rate, it won’t flag the frames unless tape is recording and flagging those same frames. Safest to hear your A.C. say “speed” before you hit “Capture Now”.
-sean
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