Tim Dashwood

Yes. Clipwrap is the answer if you have recorded your files in m2t format instead of Quicktime format. Clipwrap simply encapsulates the mpeg stream into the Quicktime wrapper - just as FCP does. There is no generation loss as with the transcoding route of Mpegstreamclip. More details can be found here.

For the background on the development of this app and the significance to JVC ProHD/FCP users click here. Here's the press release with the neatly described features. (I like the part where it says "ClipWrap speaks m2t.")

JVC's ProHD flavour of HDV1 can only be played back on ProHD cameras (HD100 through 250) or JVC's BR-HD50U deck. If the footage had been recorded in DV mode then there wouldn't have been an issue playing back on the DV cameras or decks you mentioned.

Two more thoughts that might help you with your decision: I shot a low-budget feature with the HD100/13x3.5 and we were in tight locations for 60% of the shoot. I don't think I could have done it without the 3.5mm wide end. See the extended trailer here: http://www.BullTheMovie.com As for your concern with short DoF.... using longer focal lengths and then moving the camera back does not shorten the DoF. Moving back cancels the significance of the longer focal length. The real effect is that the background is magnified and objects along the Z-axis are compressed. This gives a completely different look, but doesn't shorten the DoF. If you really want short DoF move your subjects CLOSER to the camera. Here's a tutorial I prepared on the subject.

I agree with Walter on the 13x3.5. Not only is it the widest 1/3" lens available, but it is probably the highest quality lens. The max focal length is 45mm, which is still quite long on a 1/3" CCD.

The basic difference between the 110E and the 110U is that the European model will shoot DV in 576i50 & 576p25 (PAL) and the USA model will shoot DV in 480i60, 480p24 2:3 pulldown and 480p24 2:3:3:2 pulldown. The only other difference is that the "U" model will have a 0%/7.5% setup level option for the analog output. The HDV modes and frame rates are identical in E and U models. I've attached a chart. ProHD_Recording_Formats.pdf

There are ways to hide a bad pixel in post in most NLEs. The easiest concept is to export a still frame, load it into Photoshop and create a simple white dot on black matte. Then use that matte in your NLE with a slightly offset dupe of the source footage. The result should be that the 'hole' is filled with data from 1 or 2 pixels away. A friend of mine is working on writing a custom after effects plug-in that will clone and blend the surrounding pixels in order to disguise the bad pixel. I'm not sure how well it will work out. It sounds like the sound guy was sending you line level but you had your input switch set to mic level. That means the signal was way too hot and you overcompensated by bringing the recording level down on the camera. However, this means that the overmodulated signal is still overmodulated and distorted. Sound guys should always monitor what comes out of the camera, not their mixer.

Hi Mike. Yes. You have the right idea. 24fps is the slowest frame rate available on this camera so there is no true way to undercrank in-camera the way you would on a film camera. Overcranking is possible at 30, 50 or 60fps (check other posts of mine for an explanation of this process.) I would suggest that you use a slow shutter to emulate the blurriness of undercranked footage. For example, use 1/12th shutter and shoot in 24P, then increase the speed of the clip by 200% in post production. This in essence will give you the look of 12fps undercrank. You could also try 1/6th shutter speed in 24P and then speed the clip by 400% in post for a 6fps undercrank. If you use a 24P timeline the math will work itself out nicely. Good luck.

If you want interchangable lenses and slow motion, then the JVC ProHD cameras are really the only ones that fit the criteria in the under $6000 price range. For slow motion, the HD100 and HD110 can shoot overcranked 60fps in SD mode. The HD200 series can shoot overcranked 60fps in HD mode. You will need FCP 5.1.2 to capture 720P24 natively. You can work only with 720P30 in FCP v5.0, however there are third party ingest solutions that require a few extra steps (but you lose TC.) How fast is your Powerbook G4? I've successfully captured on the last version before the MAcbook Pros were released, but have not tested slower machines with native HDV ingest.

We know that there will be a 720P60/50 update from Apple for FCP6 at some time, but no one knows exactly when. JVC and Apple did demonstrate the 'preview version' of FCP6 at NAB07 doing 720P60 HDV native ingest and playback. I played with it for a few minutes, but neglected to check for 720P50 support. In the meantime you can use try the Apple Intermediate Codec digitizer built into FCP. I'm not sure if it works the same way in FCP6, but in FCP5 you could simply choose "HDV-Apple Intermediate Codec" from the capture presets. This works with 720P60, but I do not know if it does with 720P50. The trade-off is that you are going to lose TC and any batch capture ability. The other option is to use DVHSCap or HDVxDV to capture m2t of 720P50 from tape, and then use MPEG StreamClip v1.8 to convert it to quicktime using AIC, ProRes422, HDV, etc.

Hi Terry, Yes it is possible, and quite easy to do in telecine transfer. The telecine will automatically figure out the exact frame rate to match 29.97 with pulldown. I had to do this exact thing once on a short film. I shot with a Aaton XTR rented from LIFT in Toronto. The frame rate knob said 24, but was actually on 20. I learned the hard way that you have to press the display button to confirm speed on the LED readout. Anyway, we realized this about half way through the day. We knew we would never be doing a film print so we decided to go forward and just use the 20fps we had shot. It actually looks fine and no one except me ever noticed the lower frame rate.

Your shots look good Mitch. And thank you for the acknowledgement. It is nice to know that people are getting use out of the info I post. A couple notes: Just to clarify, when you use "HDV-SD60" mode on a HD100 it isn't "60i" it is actually 60P (480P60). 60i is only 30 fps (29.97fps) and 60P is actually 60 fps (59.94fps.) This is why it is very difficult to use interlace footage for slow motion with 1080i systems without some field line doubling. The maximum frame rate on 1080i is 30fps. Rodriguez managed to do it somehow for Once Upon A Time in Mexico with 1080i60 footage shot on HDCAM. Maybe he used a piece of interpolation software to create in-between frames. If you need to do a similar thing with your 24P shot, you should look into the Twixtor plug-in for FCP or Shake. Also, (when you have the opportunity for more light in a scene) try to keep in mind the mechanics of film camera shutters and frame rate. A standard shutter is set to 180°, so normally 24fps = 1/48th of a second exposure. Increase that to 48fps, and the exposure time decreases to 1/96th of a second. 60fps = 1/120th of a second exposure and so on. This relationship maintains consistent motion blur on the edges no matter how much you overcrank. I can see from your samples that it you must have used a 1/60th shutter for the 60P material. I understand why, considering you needed as much exposure as possible in this situation, I just wanted to mention it.

I just purchased a new 16OPF12-1 with a PL mount from Sergey on ebay. I'm very excited to check out this lens, especially after reading Olex's sharpness specs. I hope it doesn't get held up in customs.

Thank you Olex. I just sent you an email.