[Uli Plank]

Worst case you can give MPEG Streamclip or Grinder a try to transfer your AVCHDs to ProRes.

Director of the Institute of Media Research (IMF) at Braunschweig University of Arts

[Uli Plank]

OK, they told me I need to re-establish the signal to have the file closed properly. So, bring enough juice to your set!
While (of course) they are not talking about it, I still dare to speculate that this box doesn’t have enough internal buffer.

Director of the Institute of Media Research (IMF) at Braunschweig University of Arts

[Uli Plank]

I’ve used it an a theatre production with 5 cameras, four of them without TC. Very impressive!

Why not test it? There’s a fully functional time-limited demo.

Director of the Institute of Media Research (IMF) at Braunschweig University of Arts

[Uli Plank]

I have tested two units and they both behave the same!

They close the file if I re-establish the video signal, by plugging the cable or starting the camera with a fresh battery. But if I don’t have a fresh battery and, I loose my last recording. Happened to me in the middle of nowhere after shooting for a time-lapse…

Director of the Institute of Media Research (IMF) at Braunschweig University of Arts

[Uli Plank]

I appreciate your detailed and careful answer.

Unfortunately, you misunderstood one of my notes (regarding slip-out of a HDMI cable):
“The Ki Pro Mini is designed to stop recording on a loss of video; if an HDMI cable is removed while recording, the Ki Pro Mini should stop recording.”

Sure. But it doesn’t do this gracefully. The last file (which may be a lot when recording continuously) is not closed properly and unusable for editing in that case.

And then:
“Loss of power is more difficult, but the Ki Pro Mini is designed to stop recording and close the file if the battery does not “cliff off” too quickly…”

I wasn’t talking about loss of power to the KiPro Mini, but of power to the camera (if suppllied independently, as needed for the AF 101). It has the same effect as a cable slipping out: the last recording isn’t closed properly.

I understand that you do the best you can regarding low battery for the KiPro Mini.

Regards,

Director of the Institute of Media Research (IMF) at Braunschweig University of Arts

[Uli Plank]

But there’s the Ninja too plus soon the Samurai…

Director of the Institute of Media Research (IMF) at Braunschweig University of Arts

[Uli Plank]

Exactly my criticism too!
I doubt that the Ki Pro Mini will be able to bridge two cards, since it doesn’t seem to have a cache in it’s hardware. It can’t even close a file if the HDMI cable slips out or the camera runs out of juice.

Director of the Institute of Media Research (IMF) at Braunschweig University of Arts

[Uli Plank]

While I didn’t test the Canon 50mm 1,4, it should be a nice lens, the zoom should work too, but I didn’t test that either. For FD lenses you’ll only need an adapter with an extra ring to close the aperture to the value you dialed in, they are a bit more expensive, about 45 U$.

The 24mm Nikkor might be not so good, since I observed more CA with all lenses shorter than 35mm, they seem to be tricky on digital sensors.

The Rokkor 85mm 1.7 is a beauty and very sought after! If it’s in good condition and you get it for a good price, grab it! One of the finest portrait lenses ever made.

Adapters for older Nikkors and Rokkors are cheap, around 20 U$.

I bought all my adapters from rainbowmaging in N.Y. and they are OK. Not the quality of Novoflex, but no crap either.

Hope this helps,

Uli

Director of the Institute of Media Research (IMF) at Braunschweig University of Arts

[Uli Plank]

Most file based system work with a FAT32 structure, so they need to split long recordings. The file system of each manufacturer (with the exception of the Atomos Ninja) tries to get around the issue by virtually making them one continuos recording.

But this will work only if you keep the full file structure, so IMHO the best practice with any file-based workflow is making a full copy of each card as a mountable image. A great (free!) tool for the Mac would be https://www.spherico.com/filmtools/copyCards/copyCards.dmg (thank you, Andreas).

You can name this copy any way you want to keep your archives organized, but never change ANYTHING in the file structure coming from the camera. Once mounted, this will look to your NLE as if a camera or a card reader is connected, and it will read everything fine as long as it isn’t damaged.

Plus, with Premiere, always use the Media Browser, don’t drag files from the sub-folders into the project.

Director of the Institute of Media Research (IMF) at Braunschweig University of Arts

[Uli Plank]

Minolta made great manual lenses too (MC/MD Rokkor series).

Unfortunately, most old analog lenses below 35mm don’t work well on µFT, so you’ll always be on the portrait or tele side. Seems to be the angle of the rays and reflections from the chip – after all, film emulsion is less reflective.

Director of the Institute of Media Research (IMF) at Braunschweig University of Arts