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Workflow for archiving camera
I need a new camera, sooner rather than later, to replace my aging XL1. I’d go with an HDV camera, but the big selling point for me on the HVX200 is the variable frame rates. I really don’t think people put enough emphasis on that feature and put too much emphasis on the DVCPROHD codec (which all washes out now that we have learned the true size of the CCD imager and initial tests seem that HDV cameras and the P2 HVX200 look similar, or at least not night-and-day, IMHO).
Anyway, I don’t get the P2 workflow the more and more I think about it. Is it worth the hassle? What does one do with the raw footage once the project is over? The nice thing with tape (or even XDCAM) is that for a small investment one can store the camera “negatives” and always have them. This is not the case with P2. Of course I’d always archive my final project, but I like having the originals for the library. I can
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12 Replies
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I am the guy shooting the 11 day documentary. I am shooting with this camera for several reasons:
1.) I Like panasonic products the best. I only want to buy one HD camera, and this is the one for so many reasons: variable framerates, I like panasonics colors better, no moving parts, tapeless is the way of the future, DVCpro codec (no matter what the critics say Barry Greens greenscreen test proves it is 4:2:2 or very close, I would NOT trust HDV for green screen), my current DVX100 batteries (I’ve got 8) work with this system, no tape dropouts (which have been a probalem for me in the past), I believe it will match my current DVX100A and on and on.
2.) I shoot with the P+S technik Mini35 and I believe the DVCPro codec will hold up better than HDV.
3.) If I shot 4 “HDV” tapes a day for 11 days at $25 a pop It would cost $1,100. For just a little more I can purchase hard drives that can be used for projects for the next year or two.
4.) You might say use the right tool that easiest for the job. If I rent an HDV camera for the 3 weeks I am going to be gone I could pay for at least half of this camera. Not to mention the codecs that are not ready for FCP, or the decks I would have to rent to play the footage back when I return. While it may be slightly more cumbersome I still believe the picture will be better from this camera, especially variable frame rates.
5.) When I get back I will save 3 days it typically takes to digitze, which improves my post production workflow.
6.) I can selectively arcive the footage I want on a Hard Drive and stick it on the shelf. Eventually I can burn Blu Ray disks or what ever technology becomes available.
7.) Everything will get easier with time, bigger P2 cards, Blu Ray disks for archiving (or whatever comes in the near future)
Is it EASIER than tape right now?? Probablly not, if I wanted it to be easy I would stick to my DVX100. But were talking about taking the game up to a new level and all things considered this is the best way for me to do it.
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Few few more I thought of:
8.) The P2 cards will force me to be more disiplined while shooting. Often Times I leve the camera rolling when it should be cut, for example I “practice” a move with the camera rolling. While somewould say I should be disiplined anyway, this forces it. This waste hard drive space and time.
9.) I will be in 130 degree heat for one day during the trip I think this camera will preform better than the HDV cameras.
10.) I can easily playback the clips for my clients at the end of the day without having to jog through tapes potentially damaging them.
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I LOVE P2. It’s great shooting something and being able to pull it up instantly. I will never go back to tape again. i can organize it now like digital photos. it’s instant. no tape, would actually increase the shooting I do, because I can dump it all off onto a hard drive. I got a couple of seagate 250gb drives for $55 ea at Best Buy. but, I am more aware of what I’m shooting and more selective of it, like I would be with film.
trust me, if you like your digital photo camera, you’ll love the p2 camera.
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Mccaincow, perhaps I misspoke. I think you have every reason to shoot with whichever camera you choose for whatever reason you see fit. I didn’t mean to be so inflammatory with my statement. Rereading my post, I realize my comment about the 11 day doc was poorly stated and just rude and had nothing to do with my real thought of “how to store after shooting.” I think since you can use your old batteries with the new rig it makes it worth while for that reason alone. Plus you said the codec WILL be an issue as well as your use of variable frame rates. My right tool comment was my attempt to speak to the fact that so many people get caught up with “camera vs. camera” debates and miss the point that different cameras have different strengths and weaknesses. One popular option (if it’s not it should be) in cameras in this price range is to buy the camera, use until you are done with it, and then sell it after the project has been finished. I know someone that did that with an FX1 and only lost a few hundred bucks…. and the person that bought it got a like-new camera with warranty left. I don’t think he uses the $25 tapes… more like the mid-line Sony tapes. (just a thought)
Sorry about the whole doc thing.
Jeff
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So I guess the thought is to shoot more disciplined to begin with (and I’m so guilty of not) and then dump the stuff to cheap hard drives (the cheapest per gig you can find), then as blue-ray comes around maybe use that a permanent resting place. Still seems like a lot of copying, but no digitizing. I guess it’s even.
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I didnt take your comment as rude, I am glad you mentioned it. I responded to it I simply to explain my decision. Others will have differnt reasons for using differnt cameras however I wanted to explain why I chose the HVX.
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I am writing a description of several workflows we used with the P2 card at http://www.lfhd.net. We used two cameras in conjunction with our Varicam as B and C cameras.
For Archiving we are putting the main CONTENTS and LASTCLIP.TXT files onto hard drives and putting them into storage. The cost of the hard drive for this is comparable to the amount of tape we would have to buy.
Shane
Alokut Productions
http://www.lfhd.net -
We 2 HVXs, two P2 stores and 4 4gig cards. We’ve yet to do an intense 2 camera always rolling shoot, but the four cards to one camera that I usually have seems to be working nicely. The unexpected upside of 4gig cards is that I can copy the partitions of the p2 store (each one represents a card load) right to DVDs.
We are currently editing on Mac, but I have an older PC that I want to use as a P2 archiving/viewing station. It’s a P3 with two 16x DVD burners so it should be great for archiving. Not sure if I’ll be able to view HD clips on it yet. PC for archiving simply because MAC has no P2 viewer yet, and I don’t want to have to unwrap all my MXF’s and double file space just to look at them.
This is our current planned workflow. I’m a little concerned about long term with the DVD-Rs maybe degrading… definitely looking forward to Blu-Ray.
david
david garcia
Halflife* Digital
albuquerque, nm -
Btw, PD (professional disk, which xdcams use) should be more reliable for archiving than plain consumer blu-ray. They sell PD drives for pc’s for just data recording.
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Can you give me some more information on PD? Is it availabe right now? How much are the disk, where can I get the PD recorder. Do you have any links where I could do some reserach on this foramt?
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