[John Sharaf]

Check these setting as well:

023 (0003) DVCPRO 411
630 (0000)
632 (0001)
880 (0000)100 Mbs
894 (0002) DV
896 (0000) DVCPRO

Good luck!

JS

[John Sharaf]

The HDX900 marketing for both sales and rentals revolves around it been a cheaper price than the Varicam (and any other comperable tape based 2/3″ HD camera)! I expect that rental rates eventually will stabilize at “betacam” prices (ie $600/day), while the Varicam and Cine Alta will remain a little higher (until of course the arrival of the 2/3″ HD XDCAM).

The tapes made by the HDV will not play in all the Panasonic desks; specifically not in the 130 and 150 decks which accompanied the early Varicams. They will play in the current 1200/1400 and 1700 decks, the main distinction beeing the head gap size of 9 microns vs. the 18 microns in the Varicam.

If I were buying a DVCPRO100 camera right now, I’d prefer a used Varicam to a new HDX at a similar price (maybe $5000 more). This will allow the use of the extra features (variable speeds, dynamic range controls, etc) and benefit from getting the extra rental when you can (they ask for Varicam) or cutting a matching deal to the going price of the HDV.

JMHO

[John Sharaf]

The term “cloning” then should be reserved then for fw copying from 1200/1400 to another 1200/1400.

[John Sharaf]

In order to carry frame speed information to clones (which is vital as you already know interms of using the clone for speed effects of import into 24p project) you have to make sure that the user bits are read and rerecorded on the copy deck. I believe this is a menu function on both these units!

JS

[John Sharaf]

Sound like a lens flare; if you see it again look at the front of the lens and if you can see a specular try to flag it off with your hand and see if it goes away.

[John Sharaf]

Alright, I’ve been laying back on this thread, because I agree with Tony S. that there is no one price for a crew with an HD camera; obviously it depends on the client and nature of the assignment, but for anything but high end commercial work, I just can’t believe this $3100 figure!

For Betacam crews, the average pricing has been in the $1350-$1500 range for two technicians, basic audio and lighting. I’ve managed to up this to $2000 with the Varicam and to $2200 for the Cine Alta. There are occassions I’m able to get as much as $1200 for a Varicam package and $1500 for a Cine Alta plus labor, and of course there are many a la carte extras like wa lens, monitors, waveform, fiber cable, hmi lights, grip truck package etc. where I can run up a bill to more than the $3100 mentioned, but I think we must all be reasonable as regards the rates possible with a $25K camera and for work that essentially is replacing that which we did with the Betacam.

It won’t be long now until the 2/3″ HD XDCAM appears and it’s extremely likely that we will return to a more ubiquitous one-size-fiots all format. Almost certainly (with the anticipated addition of 720p) all three major broadcasts news operations (ABC,CBS & NBC) will specify this camera and freelancers who work for one, two or all three will be confident in buying in because of the greatest certainty yet of paying off the upgrade will exist.

For those of us who have been early adopters of Cine Altas, Varicams and their various permutations, we can at least leverage our investment in HD glass, monitors and other infrastructure with any newer camera/format. It’s quite likely the the 2/3″ HD XDCAM will be in the $40000 range for the body so there will be another shake out on rental price just as we’re seeing now with the HDX900. The difference will be that the network news operations will (as they’ve done in the Betacam era) establish a fixed price for the camera package, and probably at a rate lower than anyone’s charging now for their HD cameras!

Unfortunately the HD XDCAM will probably not satisfy everyone and the high end commercial, episodic TV and independent filmmakers (with means) will prefer something better, so various formats will proliferate and coexist. Holdovers of Cine Alta, Varicam and HDX900’s will have legs in closed loop production environments and of course other new formats (like Infinity and Panasonic P2) will also compete. P2 could be viable if 64Gb cards come out at a fair price and allow D5 type recording, 1080p and/or 120fps slo-mo frame rates.

Richard, God bless you if you’re able to get that $3100 rate, I can’t and I have some really good clients, who I’d definately alienate (or at least loose business from) if I insisted or even quoted such prices.

In terms of gettimng the best deal for myself, it’s always been my habit, when possible, to ask the new or potential client what price they have in mind. Sometimes I’m suprised by how much they have to spend, and I’ll gladly accomodate; but my fear/expectation is that the more these “inexpensive” HD cameras proliferate, the more competitive and cutthroat the pricing will be, kind of along the lines of the “half day” rates that we’ve all had to adjust to in the last few years. In the end I believe that the rates for both labor and gear will level out a little higher than at present (Betacam rates).

One has to look at this HD thing in two ways; it certainly is a great improvement in technology, and can’t help but make our work better, more interestimng, more fun and potentialy more profitable, but the ROI is in no way predictable until such time as a format arrives that is more universally accepted. Despite the success I’ve had in the last few years with DVCPRO100, I think it’s safe to say that it is no Betacam in terms of its potential longevity!

JMHO.

[John Sharaf]

I’ll bet your problem is that pn some tapes you’re beginning the capture on color bars! Bars are always recorded at 59.94 irregardless of the frame rate you’ve set, so FCP thinks it’s not a 24p tape. Fix is to begin import after color bars.

Unless you’re making downconverts, the color bars are useless in digital anyway, there’s no proc amp like settings to adjust “level” and it only causes the type of confussion you’re having now. You might consider telling your crews to skip it, just fast forwartd a few seconds into the tape and start shooting!

Hope this helps,

JS

[John Sharaf]

I’ve done this sucessfully with a three channel “Magic Gadget” 2k dimmer box with built in chase and three small peppers aimed into a piece of white diffussion. Also TV’s cast a daylight color so gel appropriately!

JS

[John Sharaf]

It’s my understanding that Wexler Video, here in LA, is charging $50 less than the Varicam on rentals, which are going at a $300 premium to Betacam packages; so a typical 2 person ENG package with HDV900 should be $1750-$2000. But you should be aware that some clients are paying $2250-$2500 for the same thing with a Varicam. As always it’s what the market will bear and as more owner/operators comne on line, these prices will become more competative!

JS

[John Sharaf]

Simon,

Yes, all the Sony high-end 1080 cameras (F900,950,1500,etc) make a full raster 1920×1080 in the camera head. It’s on;y the HDCAM recorder which crunches it down to 1440. To remain native you hace to record on HDCAM-SR or directly to disc.

JS