[Bill Parsons]

Thanks for the clarification, Steve. I’ll try this over the weekend.

Best, Bill

[Bill Parsons]

Steve, in your post, are you saying I can keep the FCP project and delete the Transfer (.mov) files? This would be the best world: I have 2 originals of the P2 footage, on different drives. If I wanted to work with the same project, I would have the info regarding the edits and could re-Transfer the data and point the project to it.

If this is what I should have gotten from your post, fantastic! If not, then bummer.

If I got it, would you say a little bit more about Batch Capture?

tnx, Bill

[Bill Parsons]

Thanks, guys. I wasn’t clear enuf. But I think I got the answer I want from the two of you.

I have been saving 2 copies of the P2 footage on different hard disks. And, after creating the DVD stuff in Compressor, I keep two copies of the compressor output “originals” on 2 different disks.

Thus, I have 2 originals and 2 finished copies.

I also happen to keep a DVD for myself of the final product, but it’s the least archival.

I still want 2 “original” copies, but am considering saving the FCP project (with the .mov-wrapped data) and only keeping one copy of the raw P2 footage.

Does this make sense? Is the image set from the FCP Transfer exactly equivalent to the raw P2 footage except for the wrapper?

Many thanks, Bill

[Bill Parsons]

Chris, I use a P2 camera and Final Cut Pro.

FCP doesn’t see the image files, so I have to Log and Transfer the data. FCP takes the same data and put a .mov wrapper around it (unfortunately, doubling the storage requirement, so I throw the projects away, later).

When the spanned files are read by the Transfer function, they are joined into a single entity.

I always check to see if I can play each of these segments before clearing the cards in the camera. The Transfer function allows me to play each section before I start the Transfer process. That is, I view the sections on the cards and Transfer them at a later date.

[Bill Parsons]

If you have saved the data from both cards, you’re good.

If you want to feel good, go into your editor and view the spanned shot.

[Bill Parsons]

One other item I have noticed with this camera.

I use fixed focus for my dance videography. I pre-focus manually before the show begins.

At fixed focus, when I zoom in 100%, the focus goes soft. If I back out a hair, it’s right again.

It may be my sample or else it’s a problem with the lens design.

Since I know about it (on my camera), I don’t zoom in fully.

Maybe another owner of a 250 has noticed this?

Regards, Bill

[Bill Parsons]

No noticable noise @ 6db. The image is clearer with 0 gain, tho.

So, the image is sharp @ 6db, but not as clear as with no gain. I see lesser clarity at 12db, tho I wouldn’t necessarily call it grain; it’s just less clear than at 6db or 0db.

I shoot most of my concerts at +6db because I’m 100 feet away. I did a concert from the mid aisle and didn’t need gain that time. Funny how distance robs us of light when we’re indoors.

[Bill Parsons]

Larry, I am typically about 100 feet from the stage when videoing. I expect you’ll be about double that in the stadium, but you’ll have better illumination either in the daytime or under nite lites, so surely you’ll have better luminance than from a stage.

This oughta be a piece of cake. And, the viewers won’t be distracted by the couple fooling around in the 8th row because there won’t be enough lite there.

An interesting comparison: I have video and photo from the same dance with the same lighting, the pix taken at Dress and the video, in performance. This camera does much better at low light than the camera did. The camera is a Leica M9 and the shots at an equivalent of iso 3200 do not appear as bright as the video at +6db from about 2x the distance (or 1/4 the luminance).

This is pretty revealing to me — the camera is rated at .4 lumens sensitivity and it really delivers.

Ironically, I have been using Panasonic cameras because I was very pleased with their Leica-designed lenses. The quality of the image is really excellent. So, of course, I bought the Panasonic without the Leica lens. I do really like the 24mm-equivalent lens and the balance. This camera is more compact and half-again as heavy as the 100B I had been using, so it handles much more nicely.

Also, I am very pleased with the HD versus DV quality.

BTW, I just bot a Sachtler Ace tripod set. It is excellent. At the tallest extension, the camera is just above my head, so up just over 6 feet. This works very well to be above the Just-gotta-pee’ers who walk down the central aisle and appear in the image *during* the dance. Where ARE their mothers: they definitely need a head-slap.

In order to work more easily with the Ace at the tallest height, I ordered the telescoping handle. This will work much better (just ignore the fact that this handle is *half* the cost of the entire tripod rig).

Regards, Bill

[Bill Parsons]

I use one of these, the FS100-250 to dup the original footage on my HPX250. I also used it with the 100B.

I don’t know what your camera setting are, but it recorded correctly with both the DV camera (100B) and the P2 camera (250). On the DV camera, I had the FS100 set for DV; on the 250, for DVCPRO-HD.

When I copy the P2 directories to the computer, everything works properly with the “viewer” in the FCP Log and Transfer. And, the sound is ok when editing and on the final DVD.

I see that there is a Quicktime setting on the FS100. The question is: does your camera send everything to the FS100?

Regards, Bill

[Bill Parsons]

Larry, I shoot in some pretty low light for stage productions of dance (why do lighting designers think the audience wants to see dance in the dark?) and I don’t usually have to use more than 6db of gain. When the lighting designer is particularly inspired, I use 12db.
Everything looks fine.
This chip gives nice, clear and sharp images.
Best, Bill