Charlie Cogar
Forum Replies Created
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Hello Andrew & Marcello,
The college at which I work here in Omaha, Nebraska, USA bought two 700s. For us it’s an upgrade from older model 100s and gets us into a digital workflow. I like the 700 as transitioning to it was extremely easy since its “geography,” (controls, layout, etc.) is the same as the older 100. I agree with Andrew that the buttons seem chintzy and way too small. When reviewing clips on site it’s difficult to maneuver your fingers under and around the LCD display to access the control button. And yes, the A-B switch on the cards could be bigger and have a defined “click” to confirm that you’ve made the change.
We have the Fujinon Th17X5BRMU lens. It’s an excellent lens with quality that’s light years ahead of what we’ve been using. We bought a very practical and inexpensive matte box and French flag from Image West for US$189. It holds 2 4″X5″ filters and meets our requirements.
JVC recently released a firmware upgrade that includes digital noise reduction (DNR) and enables the ability to accept the (yet even) newer class 10 cards. It’s my understanding that the DNR is only discernible when in gains. (One of our cams accepted the firmware upgrade; the other must be shipped to JVC in New Jersey, USA as it’s one of the first produced.)
We bought two Panasonic 16GB SDHC and two RiDATA 16GB SDHC cards. At the time the PAN cards were over US$100 each and the RiData about US$40 each. Both work flawlessly. I’ve read that Transcend cards also work well, and that A-Data cards don’t.
We transfer from the 700 to a Mac computer either via USB or a card reader. It seems that if you remove the card from the cam and use a card reader for transfer the card must be “restored” before reusing, thus losing any footage shot on the card. (In case you want to “pick up where you left off” on the card as you could on tape.)
Functionally the cam is terrific for us and a huge step up. I love being able to easily show clips to clients on-location for approval, deleting bad ones, etc. instead of shuttling tape, and workflow is easier and faster than mini-DV tape. There are many great production “niceties” about the cam that outweigh the frustration and aggravation of having big fingers.
I hope this is helpful, and please be in touch with your experiences.
Charlie Cogar
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Hi Marcello,
I too have the same situation with the firmware upgrade on one of our two 700s. JVC said that particular cam was in the early production run and needs to go to JVC in NJ for the upgrade.
I may have mentioned that we bought 2 16 GB Panasonic SDHC cards and 2 RiData cards which are cheaper. We’ve had no probs with either.
I try to keep up with both the COW JVC forum and the forum JVC has for the 700. There’s a great deal of very helpful information is shared, and I really appreciate the ability to communicate with folks like you. It becomes a “Tips ‘n Tricks” forum too.
Thanks, and stay in touch.
Charlie Cogar
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Hi Marcello,
I bought the matte box from Image West and it completely meets my needs.
The 82mm lens adapter ring screws into the cam lens (we have the Fujinon 17X which is an enormous improvement for us), and then the matte box attaches which a thumb screw. It can hold 2 square filters.
It doesn’t use rails and is truly a poor man’s way to put filters in front of the lens. It cannot rotate polarizers etc.,
My application was to shoot welding demonstrations. I tested several welder’s filters (those used in welding helmets) to see which best showed the process. The 4 1/2″ X 5 1/4″ filter had to be ground down about 1/18″ to easily slide in and out of the matte box. I tested apertures etc., and it all worked fine.
If you’re work is cinematography which may require unique filtrations you might need a unit with more features, but they sure are expensive.
By the way, do you transfer from the cam via USB to FCP? Can one drag ‘n drop into an FCP project bin, or do you always have to transfer to a drive and then into FCP?
What size and brand cards are you using; did you do the firmware upgrade?
Feel free to call.
402.515.7934
Charlie Cogar
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Hello Eric,
We recently got 2 700s with Fujinon 17X lenses and are very pleased. We use SDHC cards with no problems and just learned that you can continue recording on a card (like tape, pick up where you left off), if you transfer via USB from the cam to Final Cut. If you remove the card(s) and transfer via a card reader the SDHC card will need to be reformatted when re-inserted in the cam thus losing the previously recorded clips.
Hope this helps. Let me know your experiences with the cam.
Charlie Cogar
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Hi Jon,
Thank you for your very helpful response. I just ordered a Universal Matte Box from Image West in Las Vegas. With the 82mm lens adapter total cost is $189 plus shipping. It holds 4X5″ filters and the welding instructor has some that size. My goal is to experiment with those, and check the availability of Clear UV filter from Tiffen or Lee. I’ll follow up with my results.
Kindly,
Charlie Cogar
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John,
Thanks for your response.
In one cam we have two Panasonic Class 6 16 GB cards and they’ve been fine. They’re expensive, I think about $100 each from Video Services of America, Lincoln, Nebraska.
In the other cam we have two RiData Class 6 16 GB cards. They too have performed without any errors and cost about $35 each from SuperMedia Store online. I am recording at 1280X720 60p HQ.
I spoke with our JVC regional sales rep in St. Louis and he said the Panasonic, SanDisk and Toshiba cards are recommended because those are the ones that they tested. So it doesn’t mean that generic cards won’t work although they must be Class 6. My thinking is that as long as a card meets the tech specs it should work.
I press “Stop,” and then eject the card. (I don’t think that Stop is the same as as Pause … ?) I may even turn the cam off before I remove the card.
Also, here’s the number of an engineer at JVC in New Jersey: 973.489.3445. I called once and he was very hellpful.
Hope this helps.
Charlie Cogar
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Please help me understand: when I record a few short clips on a card and remove it from the 700 to bring them into FCP (via a card reader), does the card then have to be reformatted, thus losing the clips I recorded? (I know, “Why would I want them?”) My thought was like tape: you keep that footage and just add more until you delete it. (I know Reformatting erases all data.)
The 700 wants to Reformat the card each time, and I also get two error messages: Invalid Media and the Reformat message. Reformat Media! appears as soon as I put the card in; I then reformat, get the invalid message, and reformat yet again. Then it’s OK.
Can anyone help?
Thanks!
Charlie Cogar
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Hi Anthony,
I’ll try to respond to a few of your questions:
We just took delivery of two 700 cameras. These are to supplement the 100s and are planned for field production. I don’t believe any mounting plates came, and I already had a JVC tripod plate from a Libec tripod I’ve been using. We got two Miller DS10 (I think) tripods/fluid heads. (It might be just a matter of taste and adjusting, but I feel the Libec is easier/faster to set up and break down. However, the Miller is 3 lbs. lighter.)
I’ve used Anton Bauer bricks, and these are the new “Dionic 90 Digital Batteries.” So far I’ve gotten the 3 hrs. stated run time, and their fuel gauge w/hrs/min. display is helpful. (Our old 100s use JVCs itty bitty battery and each lasts a different amount of time.)
I believe the 700 has better balance than the 100, and the batt and lens improves the center of gravity. Our package included the Fuji Th17X5BRMU which I think is great compared to what we’ve been using on the 100. There are many opposing posts about lenses for the 700. I believe it’s a matter of application and quality requirements.
The first SDHC cards were 2 Panasonic 16gb Class 6 cards. SDHC is different from SD, and Class 6 is required. They can be hard to find; B&H, SuperMedia Store and others have them. I just put 2 RiData (from SuperMedia, about $35 each) in one of the cameras and so far they’ve performed just fine. So at least these plain label cards work.
If you use a cam strap, PortaBrace gave me contradictory info from two salesman: the HB-15DVCAM and the HB-12DVCAM. We ordered the HB-12 as it looks like its got more beef and comfort. I can let you know when the two straps arrive.
The change from tape to SDHC cards is new to me, and the 700 has performed flawlessly. I initially recorded test footage at the different settings, sizes, frame rates, etc. All came out fine, and I settled on 1280X720 60p HQ. It is indeed drag ‘n drop QT movies to the Final Cut Pro bin, so it’s quick and easy.
Hope this helps,
Charlie Cogar
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Ryan,
My understanding is exactly as yours, and I too have read the same in the trades. We did not get the SxS recorder, and the SDHC cards are working fine (Panasonic 16gb Class), and just today dared to use two RiData 16gb Class 6 cards – – they performed without any error with PB via both USB and a Card Reader.
Good luck, and I’m curious to see responses to your post.
C. Cogar
Charlie Cogar