[Matt Doe]

Could also use the “analog hole” as it’s called. Capture over HD component/analog audio through a Kona or Blackmagic card. HDMI won’t work because of the HDCP copy protection on commercial discs.

Not sure how you’d maintain the 5.1 audio stream though during the edit if you actually needed it.

[Matt Doe]

Failing? What do you mean?

[Matt Doe]

Could be a scale issue, if you bought the 720p version and are putting that into a 1080 comp, you’ll see the hard edge of the action essentials material as it is only at 720p.

[Matt Doe]

If the video was shot using one of the over or under crank frame rates, you will not have audio.

The levels on the camera will bounce, and you can monitor it, but nothing will be recorded.

[Matt Doe]

If you can, avoid getting any of the Canon EFS lenses.

If, in the future, you upgrade to a full frame sensor camera, like the 5D, or rent one for a specific job, the EFS lenses will not work.

Stick with the Canon EF mount.

[Matt Doe]

I like the idea of the 60D with the articulated monitor, been many a shoot where I would have loved to have that on my 5D.

If I were buying today, I’d go 7D or 60D, and use the extra savings from not getting the 5D towards a nicer lens.

Camera bodies will always get better, but investing in really nice glass will last you a lifetime.

[Matt Doe]

If you end up going with a DSLR, you’ll want to invest in some form of rig. Hand holding and moving around with a DSLR is a big issue.

I’ve had a 5D Mark II since shortly after they were released, and I can tell you that, while with the right lens, getting decent looking hand held footage is possible, you’ll want a rig.

I’ve worked out a bit of a system if I have to hand hold, using my 24-70 f2.8 where I brace my left hand up on the bottom of the lens hood and dock my elbow into my chest, basically trying to stay as compact as possible to minimize camera shake. It takes a lot out of you to try and hold a camera like this all day long.

Another simple inexpensive thing I did to supplement the actual full rig I have, is bought a cheap mono pod, works well in small rooms and is easy to move around and get stable video footage.

Another thing to keep in mind is focus. Pulling and keeping focus on the move with a DSLR is very difficult, and with some lenses damn near impossible (50mm at f1.4) when your subjects are constantly moving; and if you do not have external audio, hope you enjoy the sound of your hands on the lens and the lens itself as you zoom or pull focus (at least on the 5D the mic on the camera is right next to the lens mount and picks up any noise in lens movements).

As much as I’d love to recommend the T2i as your main camera, judging from what you want to shoot, you are much better off going with a prosumer camcorder, much easier to operate in a run and gun type situation.

Having the T2i on hand is not a bad idea, but as far as video goes, use it to supplement the other camera if you want to get some creative shallow DOF shots.

[Matt Doe]

While SSDs are awesome, I have a 64gb one in my MacBook and it is screaming fast, they can’t match the $ per gig of spinning hard drives. I have a Mac Pro to do all my heavy lifting video work.

From the sounds of it this is your work horse machine, you should stick with a traditional drive given the work that you do with FCP and the Adobe Apps.

You could always go the external drive route to house your media, and have the SSD hold the OS and apps only. Not ideal for field work, having yet another piece of gear to lug around, but still an option.

[Matt Doe]

I’ve been running Snow Leopard since it first shipped, have had no problems at all on my older 2006 quad core Mac Pro w/ 16gigs RAM.

I waited for the 7.0.1 release of FCP back when it first came out to do my upgrade, figured most of the major bugs would be fixed with that first update.

From that point on I have had no issues running FCP 7 in Snow Leopard. I’ve done a few long form edits with no issues at all.

[Matt Doe]

I figured it out, turns out the video was different in my stereo and surround sequences, thus when the surround audio was put up against the picture from teh stereo sequence, sync was off after a small change was made to picture at different points in each sequence. The stereo picture was compressed for DVD which obviously did not match the surround audio.

A very stupid and very costly mistake on my part.

Live and learn I guess.