Kevin Patrick
Forum Replies Created
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The following is from Apple’s FCP X user manual for Consolidate Project Media.
Consolidate a projectʼs media files
In the course of creating a project in Final Cut Pro, you might use media from a variety of locations, including your local computer and external storage devices. If the media used in the project is located on multiple hard disks, you can consolidate all the media used in the project on the same hard disk as the project.So you’re saying that to FCP X the Alias is the media. Therefore, the Consolidate Project Media function will consolidate Aliases? How (or why) could FCP X consolidate Aliases? If there is no Alias for the Media in the FCP X folder, than FCP X wouldn’t even know about the media.
So if you don’t think Consolidate Project Media will copy or move media (as it states in the manual) what do you think it’s supposed to do? What am I missing?
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I have the Quadro 4000 along with an ATI Radeon HD 5770.
Mac OS X Lion 10.7.1
CUDA Driver 4.0.21
GPU Driver 7.4.10 270.05.05f01 (hey, that’s what it says)I’ve had no issues at all.
However, when I upgraded to Lion, it was a clean install. New SSD drive. Lion install, not upgrade. Clean install of PP CS5.5 and then installed the CUDA drivers. Plus, I made sure no non-Lion friendly SW was installed. You can never be sure why some people have issues and others don’t. I think having a stable system has a lot to do with how you install and maintian things.
If you do wind up going with the 4000, or any CUDA product, make sure you install the CUDA drivers. The Mac OS should provide the latest drivers for the card, but not the CUDA drivers. I’m using 4.0.21, but I know NVIDIA is now up to 4.0.50, I think. But, nothing seems broke, so I’m staying at 4.0.21 for now.
The reason I also have an ATI card is that my Quadro is in slave mode. (I guess that’s what it’s called) the ATI card runs two Apple Cinema LED displays. While the Quadro sits around waiting for Premier Pro. I figure if I’m going to spend all that money on a Quadro, might as well make sure nothing else is bothering to use it. Both cards work just fine in my system. Again, no issues. Both run quite and cool together. Well, as cool as a Mac Pro with lots of stuff in it.
I did not get the 4800. Check out the comparison below. The 4800 costs a lot more, but runs slightly slower, for Premiere Pro. You can also see that they run the 4000 in slave mode with Divici Resolve and there is a difference.
https://barefeats.com/wst10g11.html
I did not get the 285 because you can’t. At least not new. I figured if I wanted kernel panic issues, then I’d buy a used video card.
Make sure you get the Quadro 4000 For Mac. The non-Mac version won’t work. I got mine at Newegg. Lowest price I found. Apple sells the same card for $300 more.
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814133367&Tpk=quadro%204000%20for%20mac
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I read an interesting discussion about the EX1R and EX3 on another forum. One person described the difference by saying that the EX3 gives you (or as he put it, your client) the feeling that you are using some “real professional” equipment, as opposed to the EX1R. I think that appearance issue is due to the fact that the EX3 does not have a view finder. It has what I call and eye cup that snaps over the large LCD. Makes it seem more like a shoulder mount camera, which it’s not. The EX1 has a more traditional, or consumer style view finder, in addition to the LCD.
When you use the EX3 with the included lens, both cameras will produce the same result. They are the same lens, built by the same company. Fujinon. It’s just that you can remove the lens on the EX3.
The produce the same Sony XDCAM EX MP4 file types. No difference between the two.
While I haven’t held an EX3, I’m guessing the build quality of both are the same.
If you typically shoot on a tripod, then save yourself some money and get the EX1R.
If you will be doing a lot of hand held work and you might need to the option to use other lenses, get the EX3.
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I spent a fair amount of time looking for something myself. I’m trying out Sony’s VCT SP1BP. It’s obviously not a shoulder mount and I’ve never used anything like this before. It does take a little work to initially set it up.
First you put the vest on, but keep the straps loose.
Then put the monopod in the holster.
Then clip the two straps onto the vest and then onto the monopod.
Then snap the camera onto the monopod, using the supplied mount.
Then, adjust all the straps as well as the monopod length/height to get the viewfinder/camera where you need it.It takes a little practice, to find the best position. But once you do, you should be set. For me, given the location of the view finder, I actually have it setup a little to the right, not dead center. Depending on how tall, or more importantly not tall, you are, the off center arrangement might be more comfortable. Anatomically speaking.
The interesting thing about this setup, is that all the weight of the camera is supported by the monopod/vest. Not a single shoulder. Plus the straps keep the camera in place. The straps that attache to the monopod and the vest allow you to actually let go of the camera. You can even move the camera around to see various switches and settings, including the lens, without removing the camera or any of the straps. Which I found useful shooting in the rain.
I can easily white balance the camera by myself. With the camera fully supported, I can grab a white balance card with one hand, hold it out front and hit the WB button with the other hand. Maybe you can do this with a shoulder mount, but I can’t.
The quick release on the monopod allows you to get some handheld shots if necessary, or just set it down.
The weight is more distributed than a shoulder mount and more evenly. You spend a lot less effort holding up the camera. Instead, your effort is spent using the camera.
The monopod is pretty solid. No issues that I can see supporting the weight of an EX1R. It also includes a wired remote, if you want to use the camera with the monopod extended above your head. Which I’ve never done.
It’s an odd setup, at least I thought so. But so far, I find it’s working very well for what I’m doing. But I think it does depend on what you are doing and how long you are shooting. Especially if you are moving around.
Search for Sony’s PDF on it, if you are interested. It has some pictures to better understand how it works.
VCT SP1BP Camera Support.pdf (sorry, I don’t have the link, just google the description)
As with many Sony accessories, it’s not cheap. But I find that if something works for you, then it’s worth the price. So far, I like it.
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Premiere Pro CS5.5 supports native editing of the XDCAM EX files. No transcoding required. While the XDCAM EX files are stored in a somewhat complex directory structure (which you should never really mess with) Premiere Pro’s Media Browser makes it very easy to browse and import the clips.
Adobe has a pdf on working with this format.
Tapeless workflows require some extra thought when it comes to backing up your media, since there is no tape. ShotPut Pro is an interesting tool to both copy (more securely) and backup your clips.
Short form workflow … Copy the entire BAV directory from the memory card to your computer. Open Premiere Pro, browse the clips in Premiere’s Media Browser. Drag/import any/all clips into a Bin. Start editing.
In my opinion, the tapeless workflow is smooth and efficient. As long as you understand how it works. What not to do. (like messing with the directory structure of the stored files) Making sure you have a good backup process for the master clips. And your NLE supports the format. Premiere Pro CS5.5 does. I believe FCP 7 does, via Log and Transfer. I don’t know about FCP X. (I hope I didn’t just start a new FCP X rant)
Shane Ross posted a very good tutorial on tapeless workflows using FCP 7.
https://library.creativecow.net/ross_shane/tapeless-workflow_fcp-7/1
I have an EX1R, which is very similar to the EX3. The internals of the cameras are identical, from my understanding. So there should be no difference in terms of quality. At least using identical lens setups.
The EX3 gets you:
– Larger viewfinder, offset to the side. (it uses the LCD)
– LCD’s are the same. (EX3 has no separate viewfinder)
– Interchangeable lenses. (included lens is identical to the fixed EX1R)
– It’s bigger, due to viewfinder setup.
– It’s heavier.
– It consumes a little more power.
– Multi-camera operation.
– Timecode and Genlock inputs.
– More expensive.While neither one is a shoulder mount camera. The viewfinder setup on the EX3 does put the camera a little farther back, moving the weight closer to your shoulder. You’ll still need some kind of accessory to make either useful for any extended period of time.
So far, I have been using Sony’s MEAD-MS01 SxS adapters along with Sony’s Memory Stick Pro-HG DUO memory cards, as opposed to their SxS cars. While I have only been using them for a short time, I’ve had no issues with this setup. I would hope not, since Sony offers them as an option. Quite a bit cheaper, see below. Plus, I use a standard memory card reader instead of an SxS reader and necessary SW drivers. Although you can use the camera’s USB port.
$995 32 GB SxS Pro (more read/write cycles than non-Pro)
$599 32 GB SxS
$101 32 GB Memory Stick Pro-HD DUOI recently got my EX1R, from Adorama. They don’t list the camera as available, not even for back order. But, I called and they had them in stock. Odd. Both are hard to get due to the earthquake/tsunami that hit Japan. Not sure if they still have any left now.
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I created a new Event.
I Imported a clip that was on an external RAID drive.
I chose to leave the clip on the RAID drive, no copy.
I chose Reveal in Finder and FCPX took me to the folder inside FCPX Events and found the Alias for the clip, as expected.
I right clicked the clip in Finder and it took me to the RAID drive where the clip was. Just to make sure the link wasn’t somehow broken.
I chose Consolidate Media and FCPX said there was nothing to Consolidate. -
In the FCP X User Manual it states that the Consolidate function is used when your media is located on multiple hard disks. If you execute the Consolidate function you have the options to Copy or Move referenced events. After you click OK, the manual states that your Event(s) should now be on the same hard disk as the project.
That sounds to me like this function is used to move/copy referenced Events to the same location as your project. It’s in the section of the user manual about backing up your project. It states that before you backup your project you should Consolidate it’s media and then back it up.
But, when I tried it, it did not work. FCP X came back with the message that there was noting to Consolidate. I interpret that as, there is nothing to move/copy. When in fact that’s not the case. The actual media for the Event was not in the FCP X Events folder. If I then backed up my project, I would not have the media, just an Alias pointing to the media.
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You seem to have experienced exactly what I came across. This feature does not appear to do what the user manual says it’s supposed to do. Here’s is a thread I started on Apple’s FCPX Discussion.
https://discussions.apple.com/message/15652597#15652597
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For your third test, are you talking about using the camera’s Slow & Quick Motion Recording?
Or are you talking about simply recording at 720/60P?
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I just purchased an EX1R from Adorama.
If you check their website, you can’t even find a listing for the EX1R. B&H lists it, but it’s on a 6-10 week back ordered. I called B&H and they simply confirmed that. However, I called Adorama and they had/have EX1R’s. Not sure if I got their only one or not. It didn’t sound like it was the only one.
So, if you’re still looking for one, give them a call.