Has anyone had a chance to try the photo mode while using a firestore or similar device.

I've been using my laptop but it's very impractical for shooting. But I sure do like the progressive video :)

It's just like recording to a PC, press record on the firestore device while the Optura is in photo mode and it records anything the cam sees and hears. The Opturas support Canon's firestore devices, so it should work fine.

fyi: DVInfo has it's very own Firestore forum:
Direct-to-Disk (Tapeless) Recording Solutions (http://www.dvinfo.net//conf/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=60)
>> Focus Enhancements FireStore D.T.E. Recorders
(http://www.dvinfo.net//conf/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=65)

Which camera are you able to do this with?

I'm considering a Optura Pi for it's ability to do progressive but if I can get it out of a 60 using a disk recorder, that would be more attractive...

Which camera are you able to do this with?

I'm considering a Optura Pi for it's ability to do progressive but if I can get it out of a 60 using a disk recorder, that would be more attractive...

In photo mode the Optura 30/40 and I presume 50/60 seem to ouput progressive video. However it is limited to 4:3 aspect ratio and I'm not totally sure if you'll get audio in photo mode.

If you can find one, an Optura Pi is the way to go if you want inexpensive progressive.

Regarding the new Opturas:
You do get audio when recording in photo mode. I've never been able to truly confirm, what is happening to the video. But, as far as Vegas is concerned, the resulting file is progressive.

Phillip's right the photo mode video is 4:3 but it also uses a larger field of view, so you could crop it and still get the same sized 16:9 frame.

FWIW: Here's are some frame grabs for comparison (click here (http://dvdogs.com/articles/tape%20mode/index.htm)) ** excuse the jaggies, the conversion to JPEG caused that.

Michael, those stills look pretty good. So when the camera is in photo mode, it still streams images down the firewire port?

This might be exactly what I'm looking for.

Do you think the 60 can do this as well or just the Xi?

Yes, all the current Opturas, can output video/sound, via firewire, in video & photo mode. These are the current Opturas (newest to oldest): 60, 50, 40, 500, 400, 30, 300, Xi.

I use Vegas Video Capture for the hard disk recording, but I'm sure other NLEs have the same feature.

I tried this a few years back with the Sony DSR-PDX10 (3CCD MiniDV) and it turned out to be not so great. It also had a larger field of view but reduced overall resolution. Judging by the frame grabs it would appear its also the case here.

Here are two examples from the PDX10 test.

From photo mode using firewire out

Click here (http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-8/74415/PDX10mobomemory.JPG)

From video mode using firewire out

Click here (http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-8/74415/PDX10mobovideo.JPG)

In photo mode the Optura 30/40 and I presume 50/60 seem to ouput progressive video. However it is limited to 4:3 aspect ratio and I'm not totally sure if you'll get audio in photo mode.

Now that I actually have one of these cameras I can give this a try...

Philip, when you say "photo mode" do you mean "card mode" vs. "tape mode"?

Now that I actually have one of these cameras I can give this a try...

Philip, when you say "photo mode" do you mean "card mode" vs. "tape mode"?

Yes, Card Mode is correct.