[Dean Longfield]

I was at the NYC Sony event on the PMW F3. I agree that it’s an impressive camera. Especially when used with a nano-flash. However even when it recorded 35mbps, 4:2:0 to SxS cards, it looked beautiful.
It has great latitude for a video camera.

[Dean Longfield]

When there’s a lot of flashes going off at once, it can get quite annoying, aesthetically.
Probably because our eyes are used to the way CCD’s capture flashes. However, the good thing
about Sony XDCAM EX, is the Flash Band Compensator works very well. The clips end up looking like flashes caught on a CCD. I only wish Flash Band Compensation was done automatically, in the camera’s circuitry, like the Panasonic DVX 300 apparently does. That said, at least XDCAM EX has a fix with the Flash Band Compensator, where many other cams with CMOS chips do not.

[Dean Longfield]

I’m figuring that you brought the clips into FCP by using XDCAM Transfer directly. Have you tried importing them with XDCAM Clip Browser, and then importing the clips from Clip Browser to XDCAM transfer? It might be worth a shot.

[Dean Longfield]

I noticed something with the clips on your frame grab that have the same number: 063_3581_01.
The first clip is 16 seconds and 17 frames in length. Perhaps the shortness of the clip had something to do with the camera and/or card using the same number twice. Another possibility is if you hit the record button quickly in between those two clips, and the camera did not have time to tell the card that the first clip 063_3581_01, was completed.

I also have a PMW 320, but have not yet experienced the above.

However, when I’ve used a Focus Enhancements FS 200 Pro, that records onto CF cards I noticed that if one doesn’t give the unit X amount of seconds in between hitting the record button OFF & ON, it can give the same number, record a corrupted clip, or not record at all. Perhaps something similar is happening on your PMW 320?

I’d check the other times it’s happened and see if the clips are of a short duration. If so that may be it.
If not then you may be hitting record-stop, and then quickly hit record-on, too rapidly at times thus not giving the camera enough time to register the end of that clip number, so it begins the next clip with the same number.

Do let us know what your findings are.

DL

[Dean Longfield]

Thanks for your response Astrid.

I should clarify a bit. In the Canvas I have a wide screen project, formatted correctly.
So what’s the problem? My Mac is firewire out to a Sony DSR-11 (DVCAM) VTR. From
the DSR-11, I output the signal to monitors as follows: S-Video out to a widescreen monitor and
Composite out to a 4:3 monitor. It should be noted that anytime I have an SD widescreen project in FCP, the widescreen monitor reads the signal as widescreen and the image fills the external widescreen monitor as it should. The external 4:3 monitor reads the signal as widescreen and the image is stretched as it should be, because it’s a widescreen project, (in a 4:3 monitor).

However, with the HDV footage, I again get the FCP Canvas window formatted correctly (16:9 image – not letterboxed), but the external monitors getting the signal from the Sony DSR-11 are outputting a letterboxed image.

My question is where in the signal’s path is this image getting letterboxed and how can I correct it?

I assumed the problem may have originated in my settings….. which settings I’m not sure.
Have tried changing the audio / video settings and the sequence settings but continually get the same result. I checked the Distort settings and that’s not it either. Also regardless of whether I check anamorphic, or not check anamorphic, in the Sequence Settings, I get the same result.

So to give you a visual to clarify the problem: my external widescreen monitor is getting a letterboxed signal, (from the Sony DSR-11), and thus letterboxing the image in a widescreen monitor so that the picture looks more like a 70mm film . – The 4:3 monitor is also receiving a letterboxed image from the
Sony DSR-11 and is letterboxing it.

What I’m trying to do is record a pure widescreen image (not a letterboxed one) out to tape via an SD
signal, (that originated as an HDV signal in FCP).

FCP: 7.03
Mac: 10.6.4 Snow Leapord

Thanks very much for your kind assistance, knowledge and time !!

[Dean Longfield]

Thanks Astrid. I’m in New York and am working with NTSC footage.

Yes I do have a nice native HDV sequence, with no letterboxing showing in the Canvas

OK I tried the DV NTSC 48khz Anamorphic in Sequence Settings (Command + 0 [zero] ).
This letterboxed the Canvas, and the monitors both remained letterboxed.

Sequence Settings are:
Frame Size: HD 1440 X 1080 16:9
Pixel Aspect Ratio: HD 1440 X 1080

Audio/Video Settings are:
Sequence Preset: HDV 1080i60
Capture Prest: HDV
Device Control Preset Firewire NTSC (720×480)

I should note here that when I bring an SD widescreen project into the timeline, everything works as it should: (16:9 monitor has a full 16:9 image and 4:3 monitor is stretched), with DV NTSC 48khz settings.

Any further suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks,
DL