[Nick Ball]

Hi all.

Canon have just got back to me with a possible answer to the above problem with the XF305 timecode.

They have managed to replicate the problem through testing out my suspicions of the cause. We film most of our material with pre-record because we film mostly wildlife. If you stop recording but quickly (within 1 or 2 seconds) start recording again with the pre-record on, it will completely mess-up all the timecode. And, usually the reason you’ve started recording again is because it’s a poignant moment and the footage is footage you need, thus a nightmare if you can’t use it.

Canon called yesterday and explained that they managed to replicate the problem over and over again, and that this is indeed an issue. However, I got a call back later and the tech assured me that upon upgrading the firmware to the latest 1.0.4.0 version he couldn’t reproduce it. I’m in the process of testing this myself to see if it is indeed a fix.

Just thought I’d let you all know. If any of you can test as well then we can see if it actually is resolved of whether Canon are just getting lucky.

Cheers,

Nick

[Nick Ball]

This is not the right place to post this, and I will post it in the Canon cameras forum, but it looks like it might be closure to the above problem that I thought may be an FCP issue.

Hi all.

We film a lot of material on the xf305 and it does a good job, except for about the odd clip here and there (perhaps 1or 2 every couple of cards). Basically on these few clips the timecode is completely corrupted and won’t convert/transfer in FCP or the XF Utility. So, I have searched and searched and searched for a way to solve this over the last few months to no avail, but Canon have finally got back to me now.

They have managed to replicate the problem through testing out my suspicions of the cause. We film most of our material with pre-record because we film mostly wildlife. If you stop recording but quickly (within 1 or 2 seconds) start recording again with the pre-record on, it will completely mess-up all the timecode. And, usually the reason you’ve started recording again is because it’s a poignant moment and the footage is footage you need, thus a nightmare if you can’t use it.

Canon called yesterday and explained that they managed to replicate the problem over and over again, and that this is indeed an issue. However, I got a call back later and the tech assured me that upon upgrading the firmware to the latest 1.0.4.0 version he couldn’t reproduce it. I’m in the process of testing this myself to see if it is indeed a fix.

Just thought I’d let you all know.

Cheers,

Nick

[Nick Ball]

Just trashed prefs and it’s working fine now. Thanks very much for getting back to me tough. Was obviously something I’d done wrong and didn’t notice it.

[Nick Ball]

Thanks again Al. Will go to new firmware anyway. See if it changes things. I think Rodrigo may have a point about formatting the cards after each dump, but I’ve looked for a format on the camera and dont see one. Do you format the cards after each dump? I just go to delete all clips (or whatever it is on the camera).

I’m going to see if i can fix the clips I need for now and hopefully canon come back with what the problem is long-term.

Just out of interest, what is THE best file quality I can deliver footage from the camera in? And it has to be something that they can just use. The client won’t want raw footage from the camera where they have to convert from MXF to pro-res for example.

Don’t know if the client is using premier or FCP, it’s just an ‘out of interest’ question.

Cheers,

Nick

[Nick Ball]

Hi Al,

Converting from MXF (outputted from XF Utility) and then converting to .mov sounds ok, but wouldn’t that be different to what I already have on the timeline, which is an apple pro-res (HQ) .mov?

Unfortunately my FCP leave much to be desired as I’ve just taught myself over the last year. I only put them on a timeline, strap, watermark and slate the clips and send them to clients for stock footage examples. The way it works usually is brilliant, i’m just really struggling now i’ve his this stone.

This is my usual workflow:

Camera (USB) to Hard Drive
Hard drive to FCP timeline via FCP ‘Log and Transfer’
Timeline to low-res mov file (timecoded) to client for reference
Client chooses which footage they want from TC in and out
High-res footage delivered either in pro-res, tape, raw or however clients want it.

Bit of a nightmare that there are these few clips that I really need to include that I can’t just convert to pro-res (HQ) and bring in the normal TC. Are there any converters that will go from MXF to pro-res?

What do you mean about upgrading the camera’s software? The firmware on the camera? Or are you talking about switching to premier? I think it’s got nothing to do with FCP. It’s definitely a camera/card issue.

Thanks again for your help.

Cheers,

Nick

[Nick Ball]

Hi Al,

Thanks for getting back to me. I need to be able to put it onto the timeline and cut off some of the unwanted bit at the beginning and end, and combine it with the other material. I want to then put a TC reader onto the clips (or perhaps TC generator if there is no TC) and then exports as a very small mov. Ultimately I will export as a full quality pro-res.

Thanks,

Nick

[Nick Ball]

Hi Al,

I don’t have the clips on the card anymore. In the field (which can be month-long shoots) I just make a folder called ‘Day 1’ and then folders with CF1 CF2 CF3 etc. I then copy the contents into it so it’s a carbon copy of the card. In FCP it brings it up like like a CF card and the same with XF Utility.

What you mean by exporting to mxf? What do I do with the files next?

I tried this with one of the offending no-TC clips and it’s sitting in it’s own folder on my desktop.

Thanks for your help.

Nick

[Nick Ball]

Hi Rodrigo,

I like this, you’re helping me with my issue and I’m helping me with yours. Excellent!

So, I got a response from Canon this morning with a whole load of questions they want me to answer. I’ve done so ans awaiting their call.

Regarding your questions: I don’t always format the cards after moving content to hard drives. I just ‘delete all clips’. Foolish I know as I format on every other camera including DSLRs. Do you think that would really make the TC go missing on a few clips? I don’t have the latest firmware upgrade but I do have the one before (with the dual slot recording). It shouldn’t change things but I’ll give it a go.
Yes, VLC can preview the MXF file absolutely fine, so the video clip is fully intact.

I think I have two problems. 1) Need to get a way of getting these faulty clips with no TC onto a timeline as I need to deliver to a client (urgent). 2) Need to make sure this doesn’t keep happening.

There is a feature in the XF Utility that says ‘Convert to MXF’. What does that actually mean? I thought there were already MXF’s?

Cheers,

Nick

[Nick Ball]

Hi Rodrigo,

Ok, good you sorted that. The lens is actually amazing and regarded as one of (if not THE) best lenses canon have ever made.

Close-up filters are like a regular filter you put on the end of the lens, but are thicker and actually like an extra lens. They just give you more magnification. I’ve used them on stills cameras and good good results. Attached to a 300m lens you can almost use full zoom and still be very close to your subject. This is useful if you have an option for a normal (105mm) macro lens but cant get too close to the subject for either light reasons of the subject getting too scared and running off (animals). I have no idea if they’ll actually work on video. Can’t see why not though.

The time-lapse question is a whole new subject. So…
A time-lapse in ALL circumstances should be shot on manual iris. There are a number of reasons for this:
1) Your time-lapse should be used to show time passing, and that often means changing light. If you are trying to combat that changing light by auto OR manually adjusting the iris, it’ll just look weird, and almost impossible to match between frames.
2) If you do use auto-iris, it’s incredibly accurate, but not accurate enough to give you the same results between frames.
3) If the light is changing, for example in a sunrise, by countering increasing light using your iris you will perhaps manage to keep the exposure looking roughly the same, but the way the light changes other things that you can’t control will make the picture look very strange (like DOF, shadows, highlights/lowlights, colour etc).
4) If you are shooting in a studio, where you have 100% control of the light and have it fixed, then still keep it on manual-iris as the auto-iris will try to adjust and will make minor adjustments, making each frame slightly different and will give you a strange flicker effect.

Time-lapses, are actually very difficult to get perfect with changing light. You have to just predict where the F-stop (iris) is going to be best at the most pivotal part of what’s happening (i.e the sun coming over the horizon) and just leave it. Don’t, under and circumstances, touch the iris during a time-lapse.
Hope I helped in some way.

Cheers,

Nick

[Nick Ball]

Hi Rodrigo,

The minimum focus distance is on the len’s widest. I’m pretty certain there is no actual macro feature. Just go wide and see how close you yet. It’s actually quite an impressive lens. You can zoom in but will have to gradually go further away. I think there may be a happy medium suited to your ‘macro’ shot. It’s not a true macro lens though. I’m keen to experiment with close-up filters and see how they do. Look them up and see if they’ll work for you.

Cheers,

Nick