[Uli Plank]

Hi Jeremy,

while you are right about detail, the same technology (like CCD) doesn’t deliver more latitude in HD or better highlights.

Just one extreme example: At IBC I had the opportunity to watch Ultra HD in 8K (!). While you might have been able to count the hairs on someones head in a wide shot, the highlights on the cheekbones looked as bad as on a cheapo DV videocam. A DVX100 can look better in the right hands than what they presented there as the technology of the future…

Color space is a different thing: Off the CCDs it is always pretty good, but during compression it get’s reduced massively. While DV and HDV reduce it to one fourth of the original (4:2:0), DVCProHD and DV50 reduce it to only half the original (4:2:2), which can be a great advantage in post for color-correction or keying. This is why the advice of using DV50 oder DV when shooting for SD is correct.

One more note: you can’t seriously compare a Cine Alta or Varicam with the cameras we discuss here. Better CCDs, better electronics, better glass.

Regards,

Uli

Author of “DVDs gestalten und produzieren”, a book on professional DVD-authoring in German.

[Uli Plank]

Only if you see a serious chance that your film will be so good you want to transfer it to 35mm one day. Then it would be an advantage to have the extra resolution, but not on conventional DVD.

Regards,

Uli

Author of “DVDs gestalten und produzieren”, a book on professional DVD-authoring in German.

[Uli Plank]

Well, of course you’ll have to deal with 16:9 vs. 4:3, since HD is always 16:9. Shoot your HD with some 4:3 marks in the viewfinder and try to frame as compatible as you can.

Interlace is not such a problem, the HVX200 can produce 60i, if you want, plus 720p60 can always be converted to 480i60.

Upscaling is possible with well-shot footage, give ReSizer or Instant HD a try, you’ll find reviews for both of them here at the Cow.

We’ll all have to deal with mixed environments for a few years to come…

Regards,

Uli

Author of “DVDs gestalten und produzieren”, a book on professional DVD-authoring in German.

[Uli Plank]

AFAIK there should be a recommended workflow for the Firestore at their site.

But in case not, you can use the free MPEG Streamclip to convert the transport stream to something FCP can handle.

Regards,

Uli

Author of “DVDs gestalten und produzieren”, a book on professional DVD-authoring in German.

[Uli Plank]

Oh my, this is really a worst case scenario…

Two more suggestions:
Once you have ripped it uncompressed, try Graeme Nattress’ G Chroma sharpen to

[Uli Plank]

I second all the advice already given here.
Plus: Any of the cheap HD camcorders is less sensitive to light than a good DV camcorder. The HVX200 with it’s very innovative workflow and heaps of format options can also be a challenge to a cinematographer without experience on this particular camera. I’ve just seen a very experienced DOP wisely refrain from using this camera for a short-notice shooting and he remarked “I’d first have to learn that thing.”

Regards,

Uli

Author of “DVDs gestalten und produzieren”, a book on professional DVD-authoring in German.

[Uli Plank]

How did you install 10.4.8?

I’ve frequently seen problems with machines updated by the automatic updater and developed the habit to first download the combo updater, check permissions and then update from the local file. Never had a problem since. We have several machines with 10.4.8 and current FCP running without problems, but no X1900 here.

Regards,

Uli

Author of “DVDs gestalten und produzieren”, a book on professional DVD-authoring in German.

[Uli Plank]

We are using the preset for 24 fps. Actually the speed is closer to this (a tad above 24) than to 23,98. And, yes, we are using separate sound and a good old clapper.

You are absolutely right, Jan, about progressive. If one needs progressive in the end, there is nothing better than a camera with progressive chips. Everything else iseither inferior (like Sonys pseudo frame-mode) or time consuming (like good, adaptive de-interlacing in post).

Regards,

Uli

Author of “DVDs gestalten und produzieren”, a book on professional DVD-authoring in German.

[Uli Plank]

The F900’s HDCam is a Sony proprietray codec that can’t be used native on FCP. Normally it’s ingested uncompressed, but that’s huge files and a RAID.

A pretty good alternative is DVCProHD at only 100mbps (or less, depending on frame rate). It works well from a fast single S-ATA and has decent file sizes. AFAIK DeckLinks and Konas can use it during capture.

Regards,

Uli

Author of “DVDs gestalten und produzieren”, a book on professional DVD-authoring in German.

[Uli Plank]

Hi Shane,

you might need to include explanations on formats and codecs to be used and when