[Bob Cole]

[Bob Dix] “hold camera in horizontal position when cleaning happens,”

By “when cleaning happens” do you refer to the self-cleaning procedure that the camera itself performs on start-up?

Bob C

[Bob Cole]

Did you ever recover the media?

[Bob Cole]

Perfect. Thank you.

Just curious: Do you find there is a reason that this occasionally happens?

Bob C

[Bob Cole]

[Michael Kammes] “However, the original poster did say HD.”

Thanks very much to you both. Actually I edited the post to add “HD” after a couple of minutes, so John was probably right too.

The instructions in the article were absolutely over-the-top helpful and excellent, with links and everything. It worked!

Thank you so much for an excellent reply.

Bob C

[Bob Cole]

[Mark Suszko] “We use the Panasonic monitor”

Which one are you talking about, Mark?

[Bob Cole]

Thanks Shane. I should have realized about the MXO2 not addressing a computer monitor from reading earlier posts. Wishful thinking on my part.

[Shane Ross] “Does the Marshall have Component inputs? If so…that’s a great setup to have on location. One that I would run with given the option of a second computer monitor, or the Marshall and MXO2.”

Yes, my MacBook has the ExpressCard slot, and the Marshall has component (and HDMI) inputs.

I’m not quite clear as to what you meant above, about “given the option of a second computer monitor.” Do you mean that you prefer the MXO2 Mini/Marshall (component) combo to the “long-in-the-tooth” MXO/computer monitor combo?

I’m still trying to justify the purchase of the MXO2 Mini, beyond its usefulness on location. My MacPro has the AJA Kona LHe, with various outputs but not HDMI. I suppose it would be a good thing to have an HDMI out to a plasma.

Thanks again Mr. Ross. You are most patient and kind.

Bob C

[Bob Cole]

Excellent points. If I were an Arctic explorer my question would be solved. But you do solve it anyway: [Don Greening] “100,000 cycles as opposed to 10,000”

At a guess, I currently run about 300-400 hours of tape a year. A pair of 32GB cards will hold 3-4 hours, requiring at most 100 cycles a year. In 100 years, I’m going to have to replace those cards. So, in 2111, I’m going to regret being such a cheapskate.

Thanks Don. I hope that my math is correct, and that my attempt at humor doesn’t sound sarcastic — I’m just trying to put this in perspective. I really appreciate your taking the time to put this all in black and white.

The only question I have left is whether it’s smarter to have a bunch of 16GB cards vs. half as many 32GB cards. Is it better not to have as many eggs in one basket, or is better to have fewer eggs to manage?

Oddly enough, I went about this tapeless revolution backwards. Expecting to launch fully into it after my first experience with an EX3, I bought an LTO backup system to store the media. Now, I’m finding that there are just as many issues at the outset.

Bob C

[Bob Cole]

Bottom line: assuming that the camera will be obsolete before the card is “used up,” is there any reason to buy the more expensive cards?

[Bob Cole]

[Bo Skelmose] “I have both – it depends so much of how you would use it,
Picture quality is very much the same.”

In the same boat as Mark so this is an interesting thread.

Bo, since you have both, please explain how you choose which camera to use for a given shoot. I can guess at the answers, but I don’t have your experience with both cameras.

I have used the EX3 for only four shoots, so I’m not very qualified to discuss it. But to be honest, it hasn’t been a good experience. The picture of course is very nice, but I have found the ergonomics, particularly handheld, somewhat alien; the menu wheel and menu buttons are a nuisance to operate and the whole camera feels imbalanced. And then there’s the reputation for an easily-damaged viewfinder, which makes it a scary camera to rent.

It took me awhile to get used to my first HD camera, the Sony Z1, so I can understand that this may be a beginner’s reaction. I’d love to hear that I’m totally wrong, because the EX3 is so much cheaper than the 320 and 350, which I’m also considering.

Bob C

[Bob Cole]

[Ian Cook] “the shorter lifespan”

Thanks Ian. My “reliability” question is: does the shorter lifespan come as an unpleasant surprise (i.e. you lose media), or is there some fair warning that the card is dying?