EX1 Recording Questions

[Steve Kalle]

I am trying to make a decision on renting a nanoFlash to use with an EX1. Here are my questions:

1) must I record to the SxS cards while the nano is recording? (if so, I would need to buy 2 SxS-1 cards)

2) I found the Dolgin EX-V adpater, which is only $48 with 4pin XLR. I assume this works to power the nano.

I would use Olof's wing/arm to mount the nano.

I would rent 4 - 32GB Sandisk Extreme III - will these suffice for 100Mb long-gop? And these will give me roughly 120mins of recording @100Mb, correct?

Am I missing anything?

[Luben Izov]

Hi Steve,
You can record directly to NF without having EX1 to record, but, that would leave you without a backup file if NF or NF cards fail to record. $x32Gb cards would give you ~160 min of recording time.
Olof's wing/arm is the best for it's money. Make you choice regarding backup or not. NF is a great recording tool. Hope this could help.
Good luck!

[Steve Kalle]

Now that I think about it, I can bring a laptop along and offload the SxS cards while recording, and I have enough SxS cards for both cameras.

What is the best & cheap way to download files from the CF cards? Using something like the Lexar USB CF reader - is that a safe way of downloading nano files?

I will be recording a concert type event so I will be recording for 3 or so hours. Does the nano automatically switch cards while recording? If one card fills up and switches to the other, does it close the file and begin a new one on card B or does it work like XDCAM EX where the video is combined into a single video when downloaded?

So, lets say card A fills up and card B begins recording, can I pop out card A, download it, put it back in the nano, and then format it so it can continue recording once card B fills up?

[Dave Sperling]

Hi Steve,
Check with Dan, but you'll probably find nano card handling not quite as seamless as on the EX.
I'd recommend using 64Gb cards in the Nano to minimize card changes, and the record time lost during changes.

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Steve,

We use a FAT32 file system for compatibility for both the Mac and the PC.

When you record, using a nanoFlash or Flash XDR, we record until we are near the maximum file size for a FAT32 file, then before the first file fills up, we open a new file, then while recording to the new file we go back to close the first file.

Our files are numbered in a logical order. In the filename is a Unit ID, Clip Number (Sequential Recording Number), then a File Number starting with 001.

We do the same thing when one card fills up. We just start the new file on the next CompactFlash card.

All file transistions are absolutely seamless, no audio or video is lost. They play back seamlessly.

With two 64 GB CompactFlash cards, at 50 Mbps in 4:2:2, you can record continuously for approximately 5.3 hours. At 100 Mbps, you can record for aaproximately 2.6 hours.

The separate files are easily loaded onto your timeline. Just select all of the desired files, then drag and drop the group to the timeline. For Final Cut Pro, Sony Vegas and some other editors the files drop onto the timeline next to each other.

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Steve,

The nanoFlash uses a 4-Pin Hirose connector for the power input. A 4-Pin XLR connector is not appropriate for the nanoFlash, but would be perfect for the Flash XDR.

Alex Dolgin offers a special version of their battery cradle for the nanoFlash, for the Sony batteries.

You may call him directly, his number is listed on his website www.dolgin.net.

[Steve Kalle]

The info for this is why I thought it could power the nano.

EX-V NF adapter [EX-V NF] - $68.00 : Dolgin Engineering, Camera Power Solutions

I will have power since I will be next to the stage mixer so I can use the nano's AC power adapter.

How long is the nano's AC power cable?

Thanks Dan.

1) Do you see a possible problem with my proposed setup where I keep cycling between 2 CF cards? I will also be cycling between 2 SxS cards; could this cause a problem while the nano is recording?

2) Also, is there a minimum firmware version that the nano should have so I can ask the rental house (lensrentals.com)?

3) Is there a simple guide for dummys for a quick & basic setup?

[Alex Dolgin]

Steve, Dan is correct at pointing out the difference between Hirose and XLR connectors. The nanoFlash uses smaller 4 pin Hirose, also it has proprietary pin wiring.
Regards

[Luben Izov]

Media | nanoFlash | Video Recorders and Converters

For some helpful advise regarding setup we need to know what are you shooting, requirements and so on..., You know that you can shot with EX1 whatever you want and the NF records different stile of your shot. Slow/fast/time-laps/crank...or do all that on camera (better that way) and use NF to record better/higher quality picture at high MBps rate. EX1 would do I nice slow-motion and time-laps while NF records beautiful picture - of course, all that would require independent record trigger for both.
Hope the link above answer your question about the cards. Good luck
Luben

[Peter Moretti]

Dan,

Can you explain the Loop Recording a little bit? FWIU, if you have two CF cards, you can remove the one not currently being written to, copy it to computer and reuse the card--essentially making continuous recording possible. Is that correct?

[Adam Stanislav]

Originally Posted by Peter Moretti

essentially making continuous recording possible. Is that correct?

To get continuous recording with just two cards, you would need the ability to delete the old clips from the card in your computer before re-inserting it. But since the nF refuses to write to cards that you have deleted files from, I do not see how what you are asking (and many of use would like to have) would be possible unless you get two nanoFlashes, one to record, one to format the cards for reusal.

We have had other discussions requesting the ability to delete files on a computer and continue recording, but CD absolutely refuses to even consider this option because the nF is way too slow to write to cards with a fragmented file system even if you record at the lowest speeds.

[Steve Kalle]

So, are you saying that the nanoflash is not capable of formatting a card while recording to another?

[Adam Stanislav]

Well, you have to go to the menu and tell it to format the card. I actually never tried doing that while recording, I have always assumed if I pressed any menu button while recording, it would stop recording. If that is not so, I would be very happy.

Maybe Dan can enlighten us both.

[Luben Izov]

Dear Adam and Steve,
I believe you have miss understood the Loop Recording. Loop Recording, according to the NF Manual is overwriting the files without formating the card. Please see below:
From NF Manual
"....
Loop Record: In this mode, the nanoFlash will record continuously to card 1, then to card 2,
then back to card 1 (overwriting previous contents), then back to card 2 (again overwriting previous
contents), etc til stopped. The current card is completely erased before any files are written. Do not
use Loop Record mode unless willing to have older material overwritten by newer material in a
record session. “Loop Record” will appear on the screen in this mode. (ver1.5.31)"

[Steve Kalle]

The firmware of their nano is 1.5.126. Should I tell them to update it? If so, why?