Has Canon sorted the FCP sync problem yet?

[Don Greening]

[iMan] “1. Will the XL2 and FCP5 still have those old anying (rendering the combo of Canon and FCP useless) sync issues?”

I’ve personally had no problems with sync issues since FCP 4.5 and now FCP Studio on either the XL2 or GL2. I use a cheap Sony 1 chip as a FW deck. I’ve logged over 60 min. in one go with no sync problems.

[iMan] “Is the picture quality of the XL2 better than the XL1? (I had an XL1 and was not impressed with it’s image quality after I compaired it with a freinds JVC GY-GD500).”

https://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?univpostid=854959&forumid=59&postid=854959&pview=t

– Don

[Nigel]

Will a mix of XL2 and Sony Z1 footage on the timeline be problematic?

[Don Greening]

Not that I’ve ever used footage from a Z1U because I don’t have that camera, but I can’t see a problem with mixing the the same type of standard def. footage from different cameras. I work in the NTSC world and I mix footage from my XL2, GL2 and Sony PD170 all the time in the same timeline in FCP.

You work in the PAL world, so your capture and sequence presets will be using the DV PAL codec. As you already know, you have the option of capturing from the Z1U in standard def. over firewire, which would mix naturally with the footage from your PAL XL2. Since the Z1U is also widescreen, adding the XL2 to your camera arsenal shows you’ve chosen wisely 🙂

– Don

[Nigel]

Thanks for that done. I was a tad concerned as I know Canon XL-H1 and Sony Z1 HDV footage do not mix on the time line, but this is obviously a HDV thing.

[Don Greening]

[iMan] “I know Canon XL-H1 and Sony Z1 HDV footage do not mix on the time line”

I didn’t know that. Sony HDV 50i PAL and Canon HDV 50i PAL should be the same, shouldn’t they? An interesting question to ask in the FCP forum.

– Don

[Cm Creative media]

I’ve had many a audio sync tweak with my XL1 and FCP in the past but I attribute this more to my computer speed and capture methods versus the XL1. I was using a G4 533 and capturing via Firewire 400 to my HD directly from the camera (no deck at the time). I feel that any combination of this or any “daisy-chain” firewire add-ins would cause potential for a sync issue. Strip down your computer to bare bones for capturing (seperate OS boot, direct capture to fastest HD, etc.) and turn everything else off (no other apps, disable the auto-clock, interent connection, etc.). This will definitely help the sync issues and dropouts. Atleast it has for me unitll I upgrade everything.

Good luck! I hope it helps.

Craig Moore

[Skip Hall]

Craig,
I wouldn’t be so quick to blame your Mac for these “tweaks” being necessary.
I shoot dance recitals with an elderly but well-serviced XL-1 and a gently-handled GL-1. I also use a tiny little Panasonic PV-GS120 (which is relatively new) as a third angle. My editor is a dual 2.5 GHz G5 PowerMac with 2.5 GB of RAM, separate 250 GB SATA media drive, etc. Not a slouch machine, by any means.
All footage captured from tape shot on either of the Canon’s shows a audio sampling rate of 48.XXXXXX kHz, so it all must be rendered. Tapes from the Panasonic capture at exactly 48K every time, without fail. Also, if I try to capture clips of anything more that 7-8 minutes in length (sometimes even LESS) from either of the Canons, the audio drift effect becomes very pronounced, and I end up clipping out quiet frames from the audio tracks and resynching the audio to the video… sometimes several times during a single dance number. Never happens with tape from the Panasonic.
I’m wondering why I even continue to shoot with these Canons, except that I keep hoping they will someday spontaneously blossom into the excellent prosumer cameras that I thought they were when I bought them. Oh… and who has thousands of bucks to spend on a couple of new cameras, anyway?

Skip Hall
Homeworks Video Productions
Suffolk, Va

[Mike Morris]

I’ve personally captured footage 60 Min. in length, without a single problem from my XL2. I’ve done it several times, and each time there has been no problem.

I assume that seasoned professionals like yourselves have gone in and made sure the Audio mode on the XL2 is 16-bit, not 12-bit. I believe the XL@ comes with 16-bit as the default, but I could be wrong. This tiny little setting has caused many-a-problem for me in the past. A rookie mistake and a braindead solution, but it’s always worth double-checking.

I am using a quad G5 2.5 GHZ with 4.5 GB of Ram… FCP 5.

Sib Ntsib Dua

Xeeb

[Skip Hall]

I don’t know about that “seasoned professionals” thing, but thanks for your input, Xeeb. Checking the audio setting is a good suggestion. When I have a problem, I always start with the “braindead” solutions FIRST! 🙂

I always leave both my Canon’s in 16-bit mode, but neither of them EVER record at a perfect 48K… always 48 with some three or four place decimal value. Just enough to make Final Cut have to render every second of every tape, and, I suspect, enough to contribute to the audio drift phenomenon seen on longer recordings.

I’ve been told that Canon cameras are, in fact, notorious for that. Perhaps they fixed the problem with the XL2, and GL2… which does nothing to help us XL1 and GL1 owners, but at least we’re not ALL stuck with crappy audio.

Skip Hall
Homeworks Video Productions
Suffolk, Va