C300 MkII x 2 timecode sync

[Dan Parkes]

I am enjoying the new C300 Mk2 so much I have bought 2 of them to make the increasing number of multi-camera shoots that much easier (previously been using a variety of others cameras such as the 70D or C100 as the B-camera and using a slate). Yesterday was the first time to use on a shoot and so did a timecode sync via a BNC cable at the beginning of the shoot and was intending on doing it a couple of times during the day but due to schedules/logistics this never happened, unfortunately, and the cameras lost sync (by less than a second) later in the day. Not a big problem but would like to improve on the next shoot.

So my question - how do you sync multiple versions of the C300 cameras? Do you have a BNC cable connected continuously or do regular syncs through the day? Or is there a better way?

Any recommendations or workflows gratefully appreciated.

[Gary Huff]

I sync my C300 Mark II to a A7R Mark II with a Shogun. I leave the cable connected for the entirety of the shoot where feasible (especially because, at this moment, the Shogun loses sync immediacy upon disconnection).

[Loren Simons]

I will usually try to plug them in every few hours, like after a battery swap.

When that's not feasible, LockIt boxes are the way to go. I saw these inexpensive ones at NAB that can even lay timecode over one of the channels of a DSLR, and has a button mic for the other channel, pretty nifty and could allow you to still keep your 70D and C100 in the mix.

tentacle sync

[Dan Parkes]

Thanks Gary and Loren for your help.

On my next multi-cam shoot I am going to try keep the cameras connected by BNC most of the time and see how it goes.

That Tentacle Sync looks like a great wireless solution -very interested to learn how it works with DSLRs.

[Scott Stoneback]

I can't say enough good things about the Tentacle Sync. I have two of them (had four but sold two after a specific need on one project).

These little guys just work. Simple, battery lasts for two days, weigh nothing, easy to set up. A few soundies I know started using them... everything is in sync and it is inexpensive compared to the nicer LockIt Box or similar devices.

My C300 suffers from bad drift in 23.98... now I just jam it with a Tentacle if I ever have two devices needing reliable sync. My C300 M2, I haven't had a problem with bad tc drift but it gets a tentacle, too. Really, I use two tentacles to jam both the c300's together at all times.

Without a device... standard practice is to jam cameras periodically throughout the day, for safety.

For a DSLR, or other device that takes audio but not timecode input... a Tentacle works great. Timecode is just an audio signal, so you can record it on an audio track. For instance, I use it with my 5Dm3. Plug the tentacle into the audio minijack and it lays down a track of timecode and a track of reference audio out of the tentacle. (the tentacle has a small, built-in mic). Run it through tentacle's software and voila... you have a video file with accurate timecode. Pretty neat.

[Ben Moore]

Hey Scott.

Do you need to use the included software or will any NLE be able to read the time code? I have a C100 and a C100 MKII and they don't not sync well. Drift is about 5 frames per hour. So I'm considering the Tentacle Sync but need to be able to time code sync in Premiere.

Thanks
Ben

[Gary Huff]

Originally Posted by Ben Moore

Do you need to use the included software or will any NLE be able to read the time code?

This would be a killer feature if I could sync in Premiere or Resolve or FCPX with the Tentacle instead of needing to use their software, but it looks like you use their software and export an XML or Premiere project only (though FCPX support is "comming" soon.)