[Jon Kline]

The FS7 isn’t very flexible with outputting one LUT (say REC709A) and recording another (say S-Log3). I usually have either my Zacuto Gratical HD or Atomos Ninja Flame with me when I want to do that. Either of them let me toggle between the two different LUTs and waveforms, as well as let me output either of those LUTs to any other monitors down the signal chain. I have definitely used a cheap computer monitor or TV as a client monitor. Be careful, though, because you may need to change resolutions and frame rates to keep things compatible, depending on what the monitor supports.

If you don’t want an all-in-one, you can get a LUT box. But since it keeps getting cheaper to add LUTs as a feature, I’d just suggest you get a personal monitor (or evf, or monitor+recorder) that can output LUTs to whatever client monitor you’re using.

If you tend to push/pull your ISO, you’ll need a few extra LUT configurations on output to keep everything looking good on the client monitor, but it’s really an easy way to work after you get it all set up.

[Jon Kline]

Even REDcode is compressed. I see most shooters around 8:1 lately.

The 5D mark 3 raw hack is umcompressed raw, and the amount of data is bordering on absurd for a 1080p image.

[Jon Kline]

I have the same issue. It’s the DR100mkII and on Lithium it’s fine, but both alkaline (Duracell)and NiMh (Eneloop) batteries won’t last longer than a few minutes, if phantom power is on.
This is a huge issue, it makes the recorder basically unusable for me if I’m working in the field for more than a few hours.

[Jon Kline]

Hi Bob,
It’s not that I don’t like it. I appreciate it. I do think that your snarky response, combined with a SECOND snarky response elsewhere (https://forums.creativecow.net/thread/197/858559#858560) is a bit over the top. Sorry I upset you.

I got lucky and picked up the 6TB unit from B&H right before the floods for $500 and didn’t really check prices since then. And I could actually edit 4 xdcam hd files in a multiclip, plus separate 96k stereo audio. Yes, xdcam was a compromise, and RAID 0 was a compromise, but it was acceptable for the job and the thing already paid for itself. I’m NOT cutting a five-figure job. I’m NOT going to live TV on a deadline. I’m NOT counting on my RAID not crashing. And I’m not using multiple workstations concurrently, just alternating. So when I picked the number, it was based on my previous experiences of $500 working for awhile.

Now I’m asking for what an entry-level system should cost. No disrespect, I’m just looking for a number. I can build it into my quotes if I know what kind of system I need. Maybe a system that needs a little more of my time to create and maintain, like FreeNAS, or maybe another stepping stone on the way to an 8-spindle array with server class drives. I was hoping someone here has experience with these and can talk about the trade-offs, which I obviously already know are inevitable at the low end of the price scale.

I would love to be able to run a “real” NAS. And when I have one, I hope to understand and appreciate it better after working with “almost-good-enough” hardware. But realistically, within the decade we could probably edit projects like this from SD cards.

Until then, if someone is creating projects with equipment below your margin of acceptable quality, it’s okay to just ignore their question.

[Jon Kline]

Thanks for the feedback everyone.
We just crossed the 50% full mark this week. Does it really make sense to get another one just like it? We need to get a second one for redundancy anyway, but I was hoping to get something more powerful. What is the cost for something that can handle actual compressed HD editing? I’m even ok with smaller capacity as long as I can get 3 35Mbit XDcam tracks at the same time.

[Jon Kline]

That was my thought, too. But according to the documentation, the drive doesn’t need to be defragmented and there is no utility that can do it manually. It’s a Linux file system.