Jeff Regan
Forum Replies Created
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Jeremy,
If your question is to me, we normally rent our HPX2700 and HPX170 packages, do data transfer on set to client’s drives or rent them ours. We use Shotput Pro and offload to two drives simultaneously. If the client only brings one drive, we do a clone onto one of our drives and keep it until the client has done the ingest into their editor’s NLE.
Jeff Regan
Shooting Star Video
http://www.ssv.com -
I traded in my HDX900 for an HPX2700 primarily to shed the tape transport. No moving parts, five P2 cards is like carrying a case of tape in the camera, superior codec that is progressive, Native, 10-bit, full sample with no compromises for legacy tape formats.
The whole archival tape thing really doesn’t make sense to me because I have a wall full of tapes, representing nine different formats and only three working decks to play them out with. A typical program has many elements besides camera original footage, such as computer graphics and stock footage–these things, along with the edit session project files live on hard drives, not tapes, so tape doesn’t usually make up 100% of a project for archival.
Two cloned hard drives or LTO tape are fine for archival, require less shelf space than cases of tapes, are easier to search for individual scenes and cost less than tape.
P2 is a mature, fully fleshed out platform. Discs are a half step, and tape based cameras are almost extinct. P2 Varicams are a big step forward from original Varicams and HDX900’s from the front to the rear of the camera.
Jeff Regan
Shooting Star Video
http://www.ssv.com -
We offer Letus Ultimates and the Letus B4 Pro 2/3″ relay lens for rental. I have used the setup often on our HDX900 and HPX2700 using Nikon primes. It is a great looking setup, just know that the relay is at its best at f2.8 vs. f1.5 as far as sharpness and contrast, ditto the Nikons.
Clients have used the our Letus setup with many cameras and lenses and have been happy with the results. Some have used the B4 Pro with their own Letus Extremes as well. I agree with Jason that the Ultimate will offer more flexibility, but an Extreme or Elite can look great.
Regarding chromatic aberration, I get less CA issues with the Letus/Nikon setup than with many HD ENG zoom lenses. The Letus B4 Compact is 90% as good as the more expensive B4 Pro, it’s just not quite as fast or sharp wide open.
The P+S Pro 35 is a great rig as well, just expensive, but I’ve seen them used a bit more often these days for half price or less.
Jeff Regan
Shooting Star Video
http://www.ssv.com -
Ernie,
A couple of things–and I agree with most of your points– a solid state record camera bought used is nowhere as big a risk as a used tape based camera. The Panasonic HPX2000/2700/3000/3700 cameras have 5 year warranties. This is because there are virtually no moving parts.
Even though you’ve taken great care of your camera, a tape transport is nothing but moving, mechanical parts that wear out and get out of alignment over time. Any used card based camera is a pretty safe buy, compared to tape or even disc based.
P2 memory cards are proprietary to a point, but Fuji and Maxell also sell P2 cards, albeit for around the same price as Panasonic. Sony’s SxS cards are somewhat proprietary(with the exception of some JVC and Arri models), as are their XDCAM disc based models.
P2 is the most mature and well accessorized memory card platform and is proven daily in news gathering world wide. I think it would be unlikely to see network news crews with external recording solutions onto tiny, non-write protectable media.
Jeff Regan
Shooting Star Video
http://www.ssv.com -
Ernie,
The bit rate of an MPEG2 codec is hard to compare to an MPEG4(h.264) codec. The latter is more efficient, some would say twice as efficient at a given bit rate. It’s not that straightforward, depends on frame structure, color space. AVC-Intra 50 is considered to be similar in quality to DVCPRO HD at half the bit rate. AVC-Intra 100 is 100Mbps and there is no other in-board, one-piece camera, 10-bit, full sample codec available except for the Sony 9000 HDCAM SR camcorder.
The other thing a high bit rate can’t change is the difference in 8-bit vs. 10-bit color depth. AVC-Intra 100 has 4X more shades of gray than any 8-bit format.
Regarding P2, it is not a format, just a memory medium. We know that it is scalable, since it has been used with multiple codecs. Panasonic will be offering AVC-Ultra, which should offer higher bit rates to handle 4:4:4 color space and 3D recording, using P2 cards.
P2 cards have a throughput of 1200Mbps, are very durable and reliable. Those who use P2 work flow know it is pretty bullet proof.My point about changing cameras to a P2 model, such as HPX2000, is that you could have sold the 900 for a price similar to a used 2000, taken the money spent on nanoFlash and applied it to P2 cards–but this only makes sense if you don’t have clients who demand tape.
I agree that nanoFlash is a great option for original Varicam owners and F900 owners, and of course HDX900 owners who still need to deliver tape as well. I just think an HPX2000 with Intra is a better solution.
Jeff Regan
Shooting Star Video
http://www.ssv.com -
Ernie,
I agree with most of what you’ve posted, but a couple of things are worth mentioning:
FireStore FS100 can be powered off of the D-Tap or Hirose DC connector on the camera, same as nano.(But, yes, I prefer the nano.)
Internal P2 recording is the best choice if you aren’t trying to extend the life of a legacy tape based camera because of choice of codecs, including 10-bit AVC-Intra, five card capacity, write protect switches on the cards, myriad of hardware and software support including the new PCD2 P2 reader at $350 and safety/security/reliability of internal recording.
Yes, Quicktime .mov recording can be convenient, but not all NLE’s work easily with QT files. If you use .mxf instead, it’s like native P2 files and most NLE’s support DVCPRO HD and even Intra now.
The cards cost less, but for the price a used HDX900 + nanoFlash, you could buy a used or B-stock HPX2000, many of which have Intra boards, and have some money left for a couple of P2 cards. I could have sold my 900 for a used 2000 and the cost of a nanoFlash would have paid for the P2 cards, except I bought the 2700 instead. The 2000 has more features than a 900 as well, even without the Intra board.
I’m assuming that you still have clients asking for tape, which makes keeping the 900 a bit longer worthwhile.
I much prefer the internal P2 approach and find the work flow to be no problem for me or my clients most of the time–the exceptions being those who are new to AVC-Intra 100, usually.
Jeff Regan
Shooting Star Video
http://www.ssv.com -
Ernie,
Yes, you can transfer up to three drives simultaneously with ShotPut PRO.
Camera and drives can be on the same bus, many loop drives. I like to use separate buses when possible.
I have a Mac G4 with PCMCIA slot, MacBook Pro with Duel Adapter(buggy, unstable) for Express Card slot or Panasonic PCD20 external 5-card reader. I recommend you look at the new Panasonic PCD2 single card USB 3.0 reader for $350. You don’t want to task the camera with doing data transfer. Also, if you have a computer with Express Card slot, consider the $100 Sonnet Express Card to 2)FW 800 adapter.
None of these methods is very fast. Ditto the new Sonnet QIO reader. The new PCD2 could be fast with a computer that has USB 3.0, I don’t know. The fastest of all is the Panasonic PCD35 PCIe
5-card reader, if you have a desktop with PCIe slot. Hard to drag a tower along to location, of course.Jeff Regan
Shooting Star Video
http://www.ssv.com -
I’m a big believer in Shotput PRO as well. We have a PCD20 5-card reader for our HPX2700 which has FireWire 800 and USB 2.0. I bought a Sonnet Express Card to 2)FW800 adapter which gives me a second FW800 bus. So, if needed, I can go USB out of the P2 reader to three
HDD’s using FW800, or FW800 out of the P2 reader to two HDD’s using FW800.I’ve been using ShotPut PRO for XDCAM EX and Pro Res from KiPro as well. Additionally, Proxymill is useful for making low res. proxies with TC window burns at the same time I’m doing data transfer with ShotPut PRO. We used to have an HDX900 and FireStores. I would never go back after using the P2 workflow, first with our HPX170, now with our HPX2700.
Jeff Regan
Shooting Star Video
http://www.ssv.com -
Yes, at 10X the price of the AF100, the Alexa should offer some advantages! I’m happy Arri provides inboard ProRes recording via SxS cards, this is very convenient, in addition to raw outboard options.
Dynamic range and low noise for Alexa and Red Mysterium X look to be big advances and Scarlet will also be of interest.
Jeff Regan
Shooting Star Video
http://www.ssv.com -
Dan,
Don’t know how DOF adapters are selling, but our two Letus Ultimates still get rented a lot. I’m sure they will slow down at some point, but it hasn’t happened yet–even with the 5D’s and 7D’s being so prevalent. I believe it’s because many DP’s prefer shooting with real video cameras and that’s the strength of the AF100, as you know.
Jeff Regan
Shooting Star Video
http://www.ssv.com