Hd questions

[Tim Kolb]

[David Hetzer] ”
1. I would like to have a decent sized LCD HD monitor in the field 17” min and a case to go with it.

The biggest thing about a field monitor will be seeing focus and trusting the image you see with your eyes. LCDs exist in a wide range of usability and portability. To get the most accurate signal from the camera, you’d want to use SDI for monitoring, for the best viewable image, the JVC monitors seem pretty decent for the money to me.

Keep in mind that there isn’t a conventional LCD monitor made that works well outdoors…there are many smaller LCDs specifically made to be portable and they are brighter…you may want to check out some of those.

2. What is the best way to off load the SXS cards. I do a lot of interviews! Laptop & external hard drive?

If your intent is to wipe the cards and re-use them on the same shoot, I’d say two mirrored external drives so you have a backup. I’m not sure how much you’d shoot in one day, but having enough cards so you don’t have to offload during the shoot will save you lots of crew time in the long run…take it from someone who’s dealt with a lot of P2 shoots.

3. What is a good inexpensive matte box?

Hard to go wrong with a Chroziel IMO, but anything under $1000.00 seems inexpensive to me…make sure it will work on the camera as many of these smaller camcorders have microphones sticking out that cause problems, etc.

4. Is there a wide angle lens available yet?

I don’t know

5. Best choice for batteries, Sony or Anton/Bauer?

Anton Bauer is almost always the first choice for those making a living with their cameras…if you don’t plan on shooting 3 days a week, you may want to consider the cost differences and if it’s an appropriate investment.

I was thinking of going with the AJA ioHD as I will need to still use Beta Sp & DVCAM source tapes from time to time. Most of my work will be output for DVD or compressed for the web.

An internal Kona card will be more cost-effective. The ioHD is great for Mac Book Pro work, but it’s self-contained coolness does come at a premium.

1. How do I monitor HD video out of FCP and what is a good monitor to do so?

SDI out Kona or ioHD…I mentioned the JVC monitors above…any silky-smooth Sony Broadcast CRT gets my vote, but you’re talking about an investment that would be pretty steep with an SDI input card…well over 10,000.00 for a small one…I think the JVC 23 or 24″ full res LCD with SDI is about 5,000.00, and while I wouldn’t put it exactly on par with a Sony CRT, it does seem better than most of what I see out there with the exception of the E-Cinema, CineTal, and possibly the HP DreamColor (which may not have SDI…I don’t know).

2. What is the best way to import the footage from the EX3 into the computer?

That’s what the Flash memory is for…direct dump. Hook up a card reader and theoretically, you should be in business.

3.What is the best way to archive footage?

If you find the answer to this, you could write a book and get out of this insane business…

🙂

TimK,
Director, Consultant
Kolb Productions,

CPO, Digieffects

[David Fortin]

I shoot with the EX1.
I dump the cards to a laptop using the Sony XDCAM Browser software.
I then transfer from the laptop to an external HD when I get back to the office. I store all my footage on the external HD and make DVD backup copies of the files.

I now use the new Log and Transfer software for FCP (I’m running 6.0.4). By using this Log and Transfer software it treats the SxS folders just like it would a tape. You do all your logging then transfer the shots into FCP. If you delete the media and re-open the project, FCP will show you the missing clips. When you do a “reconnect media” you can do a “batch capture” and the media files will be transferred from the external HD (just like if you were using tapes).

I saw a Walter Biscardi post about this Log and Transfer software last month. It was just what I was looking for. Now I can treat my SxS folders just like I treated by BetaSP tapes. I log and file them all, keeping track of where they are. Then when FCP asks for a folder, I know what external HD to hook up.

I can’t address the rest of your questions
Good luck.
This post was last month, so you may be well into by now.

David