Producer - 24p newbie sdx 900?

[hansen]

Hi everyone!

 

Let me 1st say... this is an awesome informative forum. I'm fairly new to the 24p evolution and I'm considering producing my next freelance segment on Panasonic's SDX900. Essentially, I want shoot in 24p and edit in FCPhd (29.97 timeline). I've worked with the dvx-100a (shot on 24p normal and easily digitized/edited in 29.97 timeline ) and wanted to know if digitizing/editing footage from sdx900 (24p mode) was the same?

 

Here's are my folllowing ignorant questions... sorry:

 

Shooting with sdx900 in 24p - Are there 2 modes (similar to dvx100a - normal and advance)?

*Editing in Final Cut Pro HD (29.97 timeline)

*Final output will be TV and DVD

 

Budget issue: Digitizing footage via Firewire or dub my DVCPro 50mb tapes to minidv?

*Producing about Ten - 33 minute DVCPro 50mb tapes.

 

Should I rent a deck for one day - that will enable me to digitize to my stock G5 (firewire)?

*What deck?

 

Or dub my raw footage to MiniDV and use my camcorder to digitize?

*Generation/video quality loss?

 

Does anyone have 24p sample video footage shoot from sdx900 - online?

 

Thanks in advance... much appreciated!

::h

[John Ealer]

In short:

 

"Are there 2 modes (similar to dvx100a - normal and advance)?"

 

There is a 24P mode with 2:3 pulldown and a 24PA mode with 2:3:3:2 pulldown. Of course, there's also a 30P mode, and a 60i mode. All these modes are also available in DVCPRO 25Mbps and DVCDPRO 50Mbps. However, there is no "miniDV mode" (i.e. 25Mbps with 10 micron track pitch). It's a takes a medium sized cassette (bigger than mini!) only. Tapes run 66min at 25Mbps, 33min at 50mbps. Final Cut Pro v.4 and later has presets which support all these modes.

 

"Budget issue: Digitizing footage via Firewire or dub my DVCPro 50mb tapes to minidv?"

 

Please don't dub all your tapes to miniDV - you're wasting half the bandwidth! The cost different in deck rental vs. dubbing down is so negligible. The AJ-SD930B (with the firewire card) or the AJ-SD93 work well. Usually rent from between 200 and 300 per day, depending on all the usual factors.

 

"Does anyone have 24p sample video footage shoot from sdx900 - online?"

 

Obviously not at fuil res, you can look at the "Yes on 68" spots at

 

www.johnealer.com

 

which I shot with the SDX-900 with DigiPrimes.

 

J

My Webpage

[hansen]

Hey John

 

Thanks again for all your help. Nice reel! Just to double check. The pull down is converted on the fly (in the camera - similar to the dvx100a)? In turn, the dvcpro 50mb tapes will play at 29.97... enabling me to digitize/edit on FCPhd (on a timeline 29.97)?

 

Another question: In addition to shooting to tape (DVCpro)... Is it possible to record/digitize video via firewire to laptop (during live action shoot - from sdx900 to pwbk laptop with external lacie hard drive)?

 

Interested in doing a shoot in SF?

 

Thanks again!

::h

Edited January 8, 2005 by hansen

[John Ealer]

Hey John

 

Thanks again for all your help. Nice reel! Just to double check. The pull down is converted on the fly (in the camera - similar to the dvx100a)? In turn, the dvcpro 50mb tapes will play at 29.97... enabling me to digitize/edit on FCPhd (on a timeline 29.97)?

 

Interested in doing a shoot in SF?

 

Thanks again!

::h

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Happy to help.

 

Yes, everything on tape is 29.97, you need to remove the pulldown during FCP capture to get back to 24P.

 

I'd be happy to chat re: work opportunities off-post at john@johnealer.com.

 

J

[cineshooter]

I have asked Panasonic about the firewire thing the answer is no, the camera does not have a firewire option....the deck i have (panasonic DVCPro 50 sd 930) also does not have fire wire...we input the footage via SDI in/outs to our Avid (Media composer) we cannot use the 24P feature my Avid cannot accept it so what we have done to fool the avid is to shoot then import the footage at 30P (16:9) it looks really friggin' good, if you want to see something shot this way look at www.cineshooter.com and go to the stock footage page then look at the sunset example (only one available right now) that was shot on the SDX-900 at DVCPro50 30P 16:9, (The shot has been spead up for the web site) I have a Canon HD21X7.5 zoom lens and the entire package has made me very happy....

 

Peace,

JD

www.cineshooter.com