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Transferring camera card content
I can’t find any COW forum on DIT, or a tech forum that deals with camera/NLE interface so am posting to my familiar Pr forum-please direct me to a more appropriate forum if you know of one.
All the standard instructions about copying camera files to a computer say “copy the entire card.” My shooting practice recently is to shoot a few shots (create a few files), copy/back up these, and go back to shoot more with the same card because there is so much space left on it.
“Copying the entire card” has me creating a lot of card file structures that are nearly identical, with a few additional shots on the new ones. Is there an alternative.? Is it really advised to reformat the card after each copy/ingest and start fresh. This seems somehow like overkill. Is it truly inadvisable to copy a few incremental shots into some existing file structure?
Thanks for your thoughts.
Robert
Robert Withers
Independent/personal/avant-garde cinema, New York City
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3 Replies
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One of the reasons for copying the entire card is to allow the Premiere Pro Media Browser to correctly identify the media type. This allows it to handle things like spanned clips seamlessly.
An interim method would be to copy the card, but not format the card afterwards. Go back and shoot more, and just copy the additional various files. More file management for the user though, and that risks human error, of course.
Another approach is fully copy the card as you continue adding on to it. You’ll have multiple progressive copies, of course. When the card is full, you make your final copy and delete all the partial progressive copies. Again, a little more management for you.
If you don’t use Premiere Pro’s Media Browser for import into bins, none of this will matter as much. If you do, and especially if you have spanned clips, you’ll benefit.
System:
Dell Precision T7600 (x2)
Win 7 64-bit
32GB RAM
Adobe CC 2015.02 (as of 6/2016)
256GB SSD system drive
4 internal media drives RAID 5
Typically cutting short form from HD MP4 and P2 MXF. -
Thanks Jon. I’m not creating spanned clips.
I’m both the shooter and the user (editor), so could try your suggestion 1. Any particular risks? What human errors might I commit?
I’m currently using your suggestion 2, with multiple progressive copies. Seems inefficient, but with sufficient bandwidth, why not?
I do use Pr’s Browser for import into bins, but want to feel that I’m setting up the optimal structure for the clips on the hard drive itself, outside of Pr’s project file. How will using the Media Browser make the process matter less? I don’t create spanned clips. I want to be able to access the clips effectively in no matter what NLE becomes the standard of the future. People are so authoritative (authoritarian?) about copying the entire card and its structure.
Thanks so much for your thoughts.
Robert
Robert Withers
Independent/personal/avant-garde cinema, New York City
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Hi Robert. For me, the “human error” would simply be missing something in the “adding on” to the backup. Forgetting an XML file or missing a clip thumbnail. Some formats are just picky about everything in the file structure of the recording media being in its place. Premiere Pro’s Media Browser is expecting it all to be there as well.
I would use option 2 myself if I had to. It’s more a “belt and suspenders” approach, and I still suffer a little from “no more tape on the shelf!” anxiety now and then.
Though I admit I don’t want to go back to tape days. If we’re gonna do that, why not get some 3/4″ decks and an RM-440 controller?
No, I don’t think I miss that at all.
System:
Dell Precision T7600 (x2)
Win 7 64-bit
32GB RAM
Adobe CC 2015.02 (as of 6/2016)
256GB SSD system drive
4 internal media drives RAID 5
Typically cutting short form from HD MP4 and P2 MXF.
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