[Adam Smith]

He hasn’t been having any luck with any DV flavors that weren’t actually .DV files, but I think we’ve got a semi-solution in a DVCPRO codec QT.

I say ‘semi’ because it’s taking my Avid around 4x realtime to export the files, so the full project is going to tie up the system for 12+ hours… I’m sorely tempted to take the project (plus the massive D9 deck) home and do it all in one pass there as a first test for my new OctoMac FCP setup. =)

Thanks for the reply,

-Adam

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Video Photographer / Avid Editor
Maximus Media Inc.

[Adam Smith]

I’m gonna go with “flim flam” until I see similar pricing from BHPhoto or Abel CineTech or the like.

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Video Photographer / Avid Editor
Maximus Media Inc.

[Adam Smith]

Update – he has FCP 5.0.4.

If we need to stick to FCP-preferred quicktime, are there any suggestions as to one that we can crank down to around 200mb/min file sizes and maintain decent quality?

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Video Photographer / Avid Editor
Maximus Media Inc.

[Adam Smith]

Regarding Auto Tracking White – you’ll want to evaluate the environment you plan to shoot in, as large fields of color can trick the camera.

For instance, daylight is blueish compared to tungsten lighting so if you were to shoot someone indoors and they went to stand near a window, the camera would likely adjust over time to more of a daylight balance. However… if that same subject were to go stand in front of a blue wall for a while, the camera might notice the abundance of blue and think it was daylight, and so slowly adjust white balance to compensate actually making the situation worse.

Often the color shifting is so subtle you don’t really notice it until you fast-forward or try to cut shots together and they don’t match up.

We’ve generally had decent results in situations where the camera is moving around alot, but any time you’re able to stop and balance for real it’s probably a good idea.

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Video Photographer / Avid Editor
Maximus Media Inc.

[Adam Smith]

What P2 Reader do you speak of? Something other than the offerings from Panasonic I assume?

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Video Photographer / Avid Editor
Maximus Media Inc.

[Adam Smith]

Only had my 500 for 2 days and I wish I’d had more time to play with it, but I will say that I’m rather impressed with it thus far.

Pricing was essentially the same at the three vendors I checked, but I got great service from the guys at Able Cine Tech.

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Video Photographer / Avid Editor
Maximus Media Inc.

[Adam Smith]

Seemed like that should be how it worked but the Panasonic literature was confusing about the issue, so either they overlapped the two functions of the Firewire out, or I misread.

Either way I’m glad the camera arrived before I ordered the $1800 P2 Drive, having dedicated gear is awesome but I think for now the bigger benefit lies in making the wife happy by putting that chunk of money back into the home improvements side of the bank account.

Thanks much!

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Video Photographer / Avid Editor
Maximus Media Inc.

[Adam Smith]

Why do I never see people backing up P2 media to something like Exabyte packet-tape storage systems? It’s not instant random access, but it’s a heck of a lot more durable than DVD-R or a parked-on-a-shelf hard disk in a couple years.

I suppose cost-wise it could be a little more expensive, but 40 gig tapes at $25 ea seems reasonable to me for the level of confidence granted.

[Adam Smith]

Interestingly – I talked to one of the Fuji reps last week and he said there’s no physical differences between a CAC and non-CAC lens, they supplied Panasonic with information on lens characteristics for certain models, and the HPX has built-in profiles that compensates/calibrate for the best image with each of those specific lenses.

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Video Photographer / Avid Editor
Maximus Media Inc.

[Adam Smith]

Killer, thanks for the info. I think I’m going to go ahead and get a few of these instead of the big Rifa… at the price it means I can get a them plus few C-stands and have a total of 7 lights instead of 5.

-Adam

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Video Photographer / Avid Editor
Maximus Media Inc.