Phil Balsdon
Forum Replies Created
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If you start with a handheld Steadicam Merlin you can upgrade later with the vest and arm package.
You can then upgrade the vest and arm package to the compatible Steadicam Pilot sled.
Eventually you’ll be addicted to Steadicam and can mortgage your house and buy a Steadicam Clipper or Ultra.
To use the camera as a handheld on a Merlin you do not need to remove it from the Merlin, just fold the base and it makes a good hand grip under the lens.
For tripod mounting they also supply an adaptor for fast change overs that saves fiddly re-trimmnig when going back to the Steadicam Merlin.Cinematographer, Steadicam Operator, Final Cut Pro Post Production.
https://philming.com.au
https://www.steadi-onfilms.com.au/ -
I’ll second Rich’s reply. Once Log and Transfer has started do not use the computer for any other purpose and it will work fine.
Cinematographer, Steadicam Operator, Final Cut Pro Post Production.
https://philming.com.au
https://www.steadi-onfilms.com.au/ -
Welcome to the club.
I tried the fix from Digital Rebellion, it worked in so far as being able to play the Firestore HDV files, however I subsequently had a number of other issues such as exports from Compressor not having any audio, and problems with Shake.
The only solution was to do a complete system re-install (actually I had to it twice). When I initially did this the files played okay. I did a software upgrade for the OS 10.6 only, and left Quicktime 10 and Quicktime 7 and iTunes 9. as they were from the Snow Leopard install drive. Once again the files wouldn’t play.
Oddly if you shoot m2t and use Clipwrap 2 to re-wrap as an HDV the files will play (or convert to ProRes). This method is still quite fast but not a solution for archived media (which will open with VLC)
The only way I now have of playing my 5 years of archived media and edits on FCP with material recorded on the Firestore is to boot up from my old OS 10.5 drive. This is a serious workflow issue for my business.
I have the same issue on my laptop where I need iTunes 10.5 to sync my iPhone. Seems one solution is not to buy all Apple products, either stick with only the Pro Apps and use an Android phone or change FCS to another NLE system (which I don’t think will resolve the issue as it’s a system problem).
Just get the feeling Apple have other priorities these days, Walter Biscardi was once again right about all this.
Cinematographer, Steadicam Operator, Final Cut Pro Post Production.
https://philming.com.au
https://www.steadi-onfilms.com.au/ -
No Canon HDSLR outputs a clean HDMI signal, you have been misinformed. The recorded H264 compression of the HDSLRs makes them very unsuitable for Green Screen.
Cinematographer, Steadicam Operator, Final Cut Pro Post Production.
https://philming.com.au
https://www.steadi-onfilms.com.au/ -
Hi Steve, This the kind of situation I use the “Technicolor” Cinestyle in the camera Picture Styles. Images come out very flat and always need grading. I use “Color” from FCS Studio suite for grading, although you can still achieve good results in FCP with the 3 Way Color Corrector.
I never use this style for clients taking the post work elsewhere without discussing the set up with the post house first.
I would expose so the highlights don’t blow out, you should have enough info in the mids to achieve an optimal grade. Of course if you had time to light etc., which always seems an impossible these days, you would get more control.
Cinematographer, Steadicam Operator, Final Cut Pro Post Production.
https://philming.com.au
https://www.steadi-onfilms.com.au/ -
This has also happened to Quicktime files recorded on my DR-100 Firestore drive from a JVC HD111 after iTunes 10.5 was released. I’m not entirely convinced it’s iTunes as I did a complete system re-install on an erased hard drive from a Snow Leopard disc. On the initial install the files played played fine. I did a system update and prevented iTunes and Quicktime 7.6 from updating but the files no longer play. Booting from an older system drive enables the same files to play.
It also happened about 2 months ago after I let Quicktime 7.6.6 upgrade, the only solution was a system re-install.
At this stage Apple are blaming the cameras etc for this problem. Convergent Design have been in touch with Apple about this, so far no solution.
I get the feeling that it’s not a priority at Apple to keep their Pro customers businesses running anymore, there’s far more money in iPads and iPhones and associated apps. Buy a new iPhone 4s and you’ll need iTunes 10.5 too I believe.
Cinematographer, Steadicam Operator, Final Cut Pro Post Production.
https://philming.com.au
https://www.steadi-onfilms.com.au/ -
This has happened to me too. All files recorded on my Firestore DR-100 are no longer playable on OSX Snow Leopard. I initially had the problem after upgrading to Quicktime 7.7 for Final Cut Pro 7 in August (after installing Snow Leopard a couple of months earlier. I was only able to resolve the issue properly by doing a complete system re-install.
Even though I stopped QT7.6 from upgrading the problem returned again last week, I had thought it was to do with iTunes 10.5. I did another re-install and locked iTunes at v9. Them problem came back so I used the Pacifist fix which I thought had worked as I could play the video files, however a lot of other issues occurred, some app icons disappeared, Quicktime H264 exports had no audio.
I will now have to resort to using my older OS 10.5 boot drive for retrieving archived DR-100 files.
I believe the only sure and reliable work around and the one recommended by Focus Enhancements is to set the DR-100 from Quicktime to record as m2t and then use Clipwrap 2 from https://www.divergentmedia.com/clipwrap to rewrap the files as Quicktimes, this is quite a quick process and I have used and tested it successfully.
Cinematographer, Steadicam Operator, Final Cut Pro Post Production.
https://philming.com.au
https://www.steadi-onfilms.com.au/ -
Found a fix. This solved the issue down loading and re-installing Quicktime 7.5.5
https://www.digitalrebellion.com/blog/posts/using_pacifist_to_downgrade_quicktime.html
I’d create a backup of the System / Components and Quicktime folders first though, just incase you need to revert back.
Cinematographer, Steadicam Operator, Final Cut Pro Post Production.
https://philming.com.au
https://www.steadi-onfilms.com.au/ -
Clipwrap will re-wrap m2t files as .mov which work fine. It won’t open the previous .mov files recorded on the Firestore though.
This is weird because it”s not converting them, just re-wrapping. I’ve been using the Quicktimes direct from the Firestore for years without a hitch and none of the previously good files will play any more. The re-wrap process is very fast too.
Clipwrap 2 will also convert the m2t files to ProRes.
Cinematographer, Steadicam Operator, Final Cut Pro Post Production.
https://philming.com.au
https://www.steadi-onfilms.com.au/ -
For me these are Quicktime HDV files recorded on an onboard Firestore DR-100 on a JVC HD111E. I know this happening to other people but unsure of their formats from looking at the forum here and Apple. Last time it happened was with the Quicktime 7.7 update in August. I didn’t realise iTunes would do the same thing when I let it manually update last week.
The only way to properly sort it is with a system re-install. I’d disconnect the computer from the internet completely and do no more updates if I wasn’t using it for web work with the video. Anyway lesson learnt and I was able to finish an edit using a backed up system drive.
However this is going to present problems with my laptop, which I use on location to transfer the files for clients and syncing my iPhone etc. With all further progress in FCS development halted by Apple, it’s time for a rethink about the future. FCP eX isn’t sufficient for me so I’ll probably change to Adobe Production, seeing as whatever I do (even FCP eX) means learning a new system anyway and that’s the way most clients I shoot for are going.
Cinematographer, Steadicam Operator, Final Cut Pro Post Production.
https://philming.com.au
https://www.steadi-onfilms.com.au/