FS4 / FS4 Pro HD various topics

Ian Planchon · November 23rd, 2007, 04:49 PM

well, I have never really shot timelapse until recently. and that was when I got the firestore. so it has all been trial and error for me. I have found that for a 20 hour shoot, usually the 1 frame every second works great. here is a page I found on calculating timelapse, it may not help you too much because you are PAL, but it could help get you on the right start.

http://www.videomaker.com/article/2384/

I think it is pretty old, but not much should have changed.

hope that straightens things out a bit for ya!

Andrew M Astbury · November 24th, 2007, 03:13 AM

Thanks Ian!

Your 20 hour shoot would therefore have given you 48 minutes of video where everything was moving 25 times faster than normal - so you would I presume use small clips taken from that sequence.

I think you and I are approaching this timelapse thing from different angles and that you're probably more interested in it's creative use.

Where I'm comming from is the 'show the process in full' angle - fungi sprouting on rotting wood etc where I know the finish clip length before I even start.

Cheers for the input Ian - when I've got something worth showing I'll let you know!

Best Regards

Andy

Stephen Kettyles · November 25th, 2007, 08:10 PM

Hi I was just wondering how i go about upgrading my FS4 to record HD clips. I looked at the Firestore website and it was priced at $299!! That is about £150.00 stg. A new FS4 HD costs about £500.00!!! Is it just a cd with upgraded software and if so why does it cost so much?

Thanks for any help.

Mike Teutsch · November 25th, 2007, 08:25 PM

Because it is their software. They are not selling you a CD, they are selling their intellectual property.

Mike

Joe Matyas · November 25th, 2007, 08:46 PM

I select DD drive, connect the 1394 cable to the FS and press enable.
After a few seconds the FS-4HD reboots and ends up at the first menu page.

I have been using this unit sucessully for a year now and this is the first time I've had this problem.

I've checked the computer and it seems to be okay, but I do not have another device to check it.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,

Joe

Joe Matyas · November 26th, 2007, 07:04 AM

Found the problem. I have three channel 1394 card. By using another channel it works normally.

Joe

Stephen Kettyles · November 26th, 2007, 01:28 PM

Sean have you tested the battery. Does the unit power ok with the charger etc it may just be a bad contact with the battery. Fro opening mine i think they are quite fragile. I currently have an FS4 which is not working as clips are always corrupted when stored on the hard drive. Someone swapped it for another and now it does not work. Drop me an email for a chat. Kettlo@aol.com. I need to ask you something about your upgrade.

Sean Reilly · November 27th, 2007, 02:01 AM

Def not Battery contacts, I`ve also got the seperate focus battery charger and the batts charger fine on there and work fine with the FS-4, but wont charge using the dc input, I`m going to order some generic DC input plugs today so when the unit is fixed I`ll post where and what to buy.

Juan Camara · December 10th, 2007, 09:57 PM

Hello I just buy fs-4pro hd 80gb and I confused about the upgrade to use Quicktime hdv 1080i/60 for finalcut user. I have a new one the fimware is the 2.0.0.04...., my question is Do I need anyway the upgrade? it cost $40.00

Kit Hannah · December 11th, 2007, 12:42 AM

Your NEW Firestore should have already included the upgrade....

Len Imbery · December 11th, 2007, 11:25 PM

Hi will the FS4 HD work with either a Sony FX-1 or HDR HC3 without tapes?....Initial attempts don't seem to....
thanks
Len

Len Imbery · December 12th, 2007, 08:06 AM

OOPS....I found the answer myself on the Focus product compatibility sheet on their site......Both cams work but only with a tape in the drive.....

Terence Murphy · December 12th, 2007, 12:07 PM

You can always press record on the Firestore to control start/stop. I'm capturing straight to a laptop, using a remote to control start/stop on the computer. Its not too inconvenient, although its a bit of a pain to always have to look down at the computer to verify that it is indeed recording.

Basically, there are workable options to go tapeless with any camera.

-Terence

Len Imbery · December 12th, 2007, 05:26 PM

thanks....I'll give that a try....
Len

Kit Hannah · December 12th, 2007, 10:54 PM

Hey Len,
I hope that Firestore is working out for you. If you need any additional support, please feel free to let me know.
Thanks
Kit

November 24th, 2007, 03:13 AM	#347
Andrew M Astbury Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Crewe United Kingdom Posts: 43	Thanks Ian! Your 20 hour shoot would therefore have given you 48 minutes of video where everything was moving 25 times faster than normal - so you would I presume use small clips taken from that sequence. I think you and I are approaching this timelapse thing from different angles and that you're probably more interested in it's creative use. Where I'm comming from is the 'show the process in full' angle - fungi sprouting on rotting wood etc where I know the finish clip length before I even start. Cheers for the input Ian - when I've got something worth showing I'll let you know! Best Regards Andy __________________ www.wildlifeinpixels.com

November 25th, 2007, 08:10 PM	#348
Stephen Kettyles Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Enniskillen N.Ireland Posts: 31	Upgrade to HD for FS-4 Hi I was just wondering how i go about upgrading my FS4 to record HD clips. I looked at the Firestore website and it was priced at $299!! That is about £150.00 stg. A new FS4 HD costs about £500.00!!! Is it just a cd with upgraded software and if so why does it cost so much? Thanks for any help.

November 25th, 2007, 08:25 PM	#349
Mike Teutsch Inner Circle Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Port St. Lucie, Florida Posts: 2,614	Because it is their software. They are not selling you a CD, they are selling their intellectual property. Mike __________________ Chapter one, line one. The BH.

November 25th, 2007, 08:46 PM	#350
Joe Matyas New Boot Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 22	FS-4HD will not connect to computer I select DD drive, connect the 1394 cable to the FS and press enable. After a few seconds the FS-4HD reboots and ends up at the first menu page. I have been using this unit sucessully for a year now and this is the first time I've had this problem. I've checked the computer and it seems to be okay, but I do not have another device to check it. Any thoughts? Thanks, Joe

November 27th, 2007, 02:01 AM	#353
Sean Reilly Tourist Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 3	Fs-4 Def not Battery contacts, I`ve also got the seperate focus battery charger and the batts charger fine on there and work fine with the FS-4, but wont charge using the dc input, I`m going to order some generic DC input plugs today so when the unit is fixed I`ll post where and what to buy.

November 23rd, 2007, 04:49 PM	#346
Ian Planchon Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: an Alaskan living in Des Moines, Iowa Posts: 513	well, I have never really shot timelapse until recently. and that was when I got the firestore. so it has all been trial and error for me. I have found that for a 20 hour shoot, usually the 1 frame every second works great. here is a page I found on calculating timelapse, it may not help you too much because you are PAL, but it could help get you on the right start. http://www.videomaker.com/article/2384/ I think it is pretty old, but not much should have changed. hope that straightens things out a bit for ya!

November 26th, 2007, 07:04 AM	#351
Joe Matyas New Boot Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 22	Found the problem. I have three channel 1394 card. By using another channel it works normally. Joe

November 26th, 2007, 01:28 PM	#352
Stephen Kettyles Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Enniskillen N.Ireland Posts: 31	Sean have you tested the battery. Does the unit power ok with the charger etc it may just be a bad contact with the battery. Fro opening mine i think they are quite fragile. I currently have an FS4 which is not working as clips are always corrupted when stored on the hard drive. Someone swapped it for another and now it does not work. Drop me an email for a chat. Kettlo@aol.com. I need to ask you something about your upgrade.

December 10th, 2007, 09:57 PM	#354
Juan Camara New Boot Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Puerto Rico Posts: 21	fs-4pro hd 80gb Hello I just buy fs-4pro hd 80gb and I confused about the upgrade to use Quicktime hdv 1080i/60 for finalcut user. I have a new one the fimware is the 2.0.0.04...., my question is Do I need anyway the upgrade? it cost $40.00

December 11th, 2007, 12:42 AM	#355
Kit Hannah Major Player Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Fresno, California Posts: 528	Your NEW Firestore should have already included the upgrade....

December 11th, 2007, 11:25 PM	#356
Len Imbery Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Nanaimo, BC, Canada Posts: 106	FS4 HD with sony FX-1 or HDR Hc-3? Hi will the FS4 HD work with either a Sony FX-1 or HDR HC3 without tapes?....Initial attempts don't seem to.... thanks Len

December 12th, 2007, 08:06 AM	#357
Len Imbery Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Nanaimo, BC, Canada Posts: 106	found the answer.... OOPS....I found the answer myself on the Focus product compatibility sheet on their site......Both cams work but only with a tape in the drive.....

December 12th, 2007, 12:07 PM	#358
Terence Murphy Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 161	You can always press record on the Firestore to control start/stop. I'm capturing straight to a laptop, using a remote to control start/stop on the computer. Its not too inconvenient, although its a bit of a pain to always have to look down at the computer to verify that it is indeed recording. Basically, there are workable options to go tapeless with any camera. -Terence

December 12th, 2007, 05:26 PM	#359
Len Imbery Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Nanaimo, BC, Canada Posts: 106	start/stop on firestore to control recording thanks....I'll give that a try.... Len

December 12th, 2007, 10:54 PM	#360
Kit Hannah Major Player Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Fresno, California Posts: 528	Hey Len, I hope that Firestore is working out for you. If you need any additional support, please feel free to let me know. Thanks Kit