Ok, I know that this topics might have been covered here, and I could find asnwer spread around, but I need a specific unswers.

As I understood Firestore FS-100 works with DVX200. So it takes stream from the camera and records the DVCPRO HD signal to it. So do I get the same quality as if recorded to p2 cards or is there a difference, in compression ration or the bit depth or anything.

If I need my final job to be SD, is it better to record to DVCPRO 50 or DVCPRO HD? I mean as I know DVCPRO 50 has less compression, or am I wrong?

How much time of DVCPRO HD 1080i will FS-100 record?

So do I get the same quality as if recorded to p2 cards or is there a difference, in compression ration or the bit depth or anything.
It will be identical.

[/quote]If I need my final job to be SD, is it better to record to DVCPRO 50 or DVCPRO HD? I mean as I know DVCPRO 50 has less compression, or am I wrong?[/quote]
DVCPRO50 will give you a slightly better image in standard-def and will be less compressed. Shooting DVCPRO-HD and downrezzing is still usually a better idea because you have a high-def master to go back to someday, but for strictly standard-def you'll get marginally better results from DVCPRO50. And, the firestore will last twice as long when shooting DV50.


How much time of DVCPRO HD 1080i will FS-100 record?
About 100 minutes.

About 200 minutes of DV50, about 400 minutes of DV.

thanks for the answer. one last Q, - will the camera work with fs100 only without p2 card?

if so why would anyone buy p2 card? it doesn't make sense....

Use the FireStore for a while, and you'll understand why people would use the P2 cards. (not saying it's all bad, I'm just saying that you'll understand how different the products are).

The FireStore solves a specific need (long recording times) but other than that the P2 cards offer enormous benefits. No separate battery, no spinning drive, no fan noise, no concerns about a cable coming loose or dropping the thing or it crashing or anything like that. No worries about where to mount it or carry it...

Basically, try them both and see what you prefer. They are not the same thing.

And yes, you can use an FS-100 without having any P2 cards at all.