Marvin Holdman
Forum Replies Created
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We run 3 EX-1’s and had to come up with a method of creating unique file names between all camera’s over time. Here is what we came up with;
The first four fields of the clip name are user controlled alpha-numerics. We took the first two fields and assigned the year to them. The next field was a letter of the alphabet that corresponded to the month. For example…
A = January
B = February
C= Marchand so forth.
The fourth field we assigned a letter that corresponded to the camera. For example;
A = EX1 camera number 1
B = EX1 camera number 2
C = EX1 camera number 3Here is an example of a file name that is generated by camera number 1 in October;
09JA0001.MP4
We have yet to exceed 9,999 clips in a single month. Though the likelihood of this is small, we still keep check on it and have a contingency of changing the month letter from upper case to lower case, should we exceed the monthly quota.
One thing to be aware of…
Although VERY rare, this camera has (on two occasions) duplicated clip names between down loads. We’ve talked with Sony about it, and no one seems to know why it does this. I mention this in case it should come up in post for you. You will go batty trying to figure out how you ended up with two identical clip names of two totally different subjects.
Hope this helps.
Marvin Holdman
Production Manager
Tourist Network
8317 Front Beach Rd, Suite 23
Panama City Beach, Fl
phone 850-234-2773 ext. 128
cell 850-585-9667
skype username – vidmarv -
I would have to agree with Craig on this one. Devices come and go very rapidly. The facility that I’m currently working at recognized this and bought into the Sony Petasite, which is a hybrid based tape storage solution with hard disk on the front end to expedite access. The thought behind this being lesser proprietary file based archival device is preferred.
Some will say that the this is a potentially obsolete device as well, but here’s the catch…
When the time comes to find a new device, it becomes a matter of data migration, which is simpler for a single point access device. In other words, we won’t have to hire someone to endlessly put a huge stack of BlueRay disc into a player to migrate our archives.
I think this discussion is fragmenting into two different subjects.
In house archival and deliverables archival (I’m not talking about finished masters here, JUST raw footage and perhaps the edit project).
In this respect, there is little practical choice for deliverable archives these days but a blueray solution (whether common Blueray DVD or proprietary Sony Blueray). Either of these usually represent short term requirements, usually to appease a hiring entity requirement that all media from a project be provided at the end of the job. In this case, I think the client drives that decision (what are THEY asking for?) and it is up to us, as producers, to provide this. Matters little what the best solution might be, only what is required to fulfill the contract.
Of course, you COULD go to tape with all of your raw footage, but who wants to do that?
Marvin Holdman
Production Manager
Tourist Network
8317 Front Beach Rd, Suite 23
Panama City Beach, Fl
phone 850-234-2773 ext. 128
cell 850-585-9667
skype username – vidmarv -
There is a possibility that you might have a problem with the back flange adjustment. Here are some instructions on how to adjust that;
Try doing a focus adjustment from the menu. On the Ex-1 this is hidden in the maintenance menu, which you can access by pressing menu/set/cancel simultaneously. This will open the regular menu with 2 new categories, ‘Maintenance’ and ‘Information.’ Under ‘Maintenance’ you’ll see “Auto FB Adjust.” This is the flange-back adjustment for the backfocus. Put the camera on a tripod, in a well lit room 3-5 meters from the wall and run this.
You will want to use a test pattern and MAKE SURE to do this indoors, under constant light.
Here is a link to some test patterns;
https://www.bealecorner.org/red/test-patterns/
It’s been recommended to use the “star” pattern.
If this doesn’t fix it, then you are in for a visit to the mothership. Good Luck.
Marvin Holdman
Production Manager
Tourist Network
8317 Front Beach Rd, Suite 23
Panama City Beach, Fl
phone 850-234-2773 ext. 128
cell 850-585-9667
skype username – vidmarv -
It’s not what you point at it, it’s what you point it at!
Marvin Holdman
Production Manager
Tourist Network
8317 Front Beach Rd, Suite 23
Panama City Beach, Fl
phone 850-234-2773 ext. 128
cell 850-585-9667
skype username – vidmarv -
Assuming you are working with FCP, here is one;
https://www.sony.co.uk/res/attachment/file/95/1133797571595.pdf
Another good starting point for this camera is Noah’s fine video on the subject. You will find it here;
https://www.callboxlive.com/products/sony-ex1-guidebook
Marvin Holdman
Production Manager
Tourist Network
8317 Front Beach Rd, Suite 23
Panama City Beach, Fl
phone 850-234-2773 ext. 128
cell 850-585-9667
skype username – vidmarv -
Danny,
You will be happy with the EX-1. Forgive my rant regarding the format, but you do need to be aware that it is something that must be dealt with. Fortunately, the good people here will be more than helpful. It sounds like you’ve already made up your mind regarding the EX-1 (vs. the EX-3), and I think you’ve only come here looking for vindication. Hopefully, you have found that.
My only point in bringing up the whole format issue was to let you know what you were getting into (provided you haven’t worked with XDCAM’s before). I find that most folks coming to work where I’m at have a limited understanding of what’s necessary to work with modern tapeless camera’s. There is a mistaken impression that they generate vanilla files that can simply be downloaded from the camera and dropped on the timeline, ready to edit. As Craig mentioned in an earlier posting, the EX is no different from most of the other tapeless camera’s these days, when it comes to their proprietary nature. If you’ve worked with one of these other formats, you might know what I mean. If you haven’t, then you really need to be ready, as they are not always as intuitive as you might be used too. Don’t worry, the sky is not falling, but you do need to be aware of what you are getting into.
Good luck with it, you will make very nice narrative films with the EX-1.
Marvin Holdman
Production Manager
Tourist Network
8317 Front Beach Rd, Suite 23
Panama City Beach, Fl
phone 850-234-2773 ext. 128
cell 850-585-9667
skype username – vidmarv -
Guys, it is tedious. Compare it to a few years ago when external hard drives first came out. Firestore, Citidisk… they both captured in a VERY innocuous format. No need for conversions, you could use it anywhere on your machine, it was NOT like this. In Sony’s paranoid clamor to create “market share” they have made a Frankenstein version of MP4 format that ties you to their software. This is not in the name of functionality, it is in the name of selling more equipment.
Look, no one wants to hear that their baby has warts. Do I use XDCAM products, yes. On the whole, do I like them, yes. Is this proprietary format really necessary? I don’t think so. The reality is, this exist because people accept it. In this case, the benefit of the medium outweighs the tedium, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not tedious. The promise of “tapeless” was to eliminate steps in workflow. This format (as do others) simply replaces one task (digitizing) with another (transferring & converting).
The gentleman ask what was “bad” about the EX-1. In my opinion, this is one of the bad parts. I tend to compare the EX to the HD camera’s (all XDCAM). The file structure and format (MXF) of the HD camera’s is much more versatile and quicker to manipulate. Why do you think this is? Because you are paying more for the HD line, and there must be a benefit built in to distinguish the price difference. Why didn’t they make the EX camera’s with the same file structure and format? My only guess is… to sell more HD camera’s.
If you don’t find the EX tedious to work with, that’s great. I find it unnecessarily complicated, due in large part, to the SALES & MARKETING department at Sony designing their product (instead of the engineers). Ask me how I know (but not on a public forum, please).
Marvin Holdman
Production Manager
Tourist Network
8317 Front Beach Rd, Suite 23
Panama City Beach, Fl
phone 850-234-2773 ext. 128
cell 850-585-9667
skype username – vidmarv -
The lens is adequate, but far from stellar.
The XDCAM workflow is a bit tedious. Sony is VERY proprietary in their implementation of MP4 format. Give yourself plenty of time to figure this out on your first edits with this camera. While there are third party solutions coming out to give this format more versatility (Calibrated Software Codecs are VERY useful), it is still somewhat of chore working it all out.
The upside is, this is a GREAT forum for working with this camera. You will find most any answer you need here.
All in all, it’s been a pleasure of a camera to work with. Some of the features, such as slow motion, time lapse and slow exposure are VERY cool (when used judiciously). I’ve been very pleasantly surprised by what this camera can do.
Of course, all of this really depends on what you are using it for? What is your intended deliverable? National broadcast? Might be a bit lacking there (depending on your subject, it would be fine for reality television, but a bit short on anything else). Local commercial and industrial productions? Perfect.
Can you give us more of an idea what you will be using it for? Might have some more pro’s and con’s.
No camera is perfect, but sometimes…
It’s not so important what you’re pointing at it, as what you point it at.
Marvin Holdman
Production Manager
Tourist Network
8317 Front Beach Rd, Suite 23
Panama City Beach, Fl
phone 850-234-2773 ext. 128
cell 850-585-9667
skype username – vidmarv -
We use both systems in our house. Generally, we convert the EX-1 footage to MXF’s via the XDCAM viewer software. The MXF files are provided for edit. Usually less confusing for the Premiere editor. Obviously, the mov files won’t work.
If you’re Premiere editing friend is particular, you could provide them with the BPAV folder and a link to Sony’s downloads, but some will cuss you for this.
Marvin Holdman
Production Manager
Tourist Network
8317 Front Beach Rd, Suite 23
Panama City Beach, Fl
phone 850-234-2773 ext. 128
cell 850-585-9667
skype username – vidmarv -
Of course, you could always just carry a USB cable and plug the camera straight into your laptop. It’s what we’re resigned to now that the “snow” has fallen.
Marvin Holdman
Production Manager
Tourist Network
8317 Front Beach Rd, Suite 23
Panama City Beach, Fl
phone 850-234-2773 ext. 128
cell 850-585-9667
skype username – vidmarv