Transferring from camera to computer at DVinfo.net

Mike Donovan · September 28th, 2007, 07:30 AM

I have a Sony FX-7. I don't think you're supposed to be using your camera to transfer what you've shot onto your computer for editing.
What equipment/tool is out there that will transfer my HDV footage onto my computer so I can start editing?

Stelios Christofides · September 28th, 2007, 08:12 AM

Mike
You do not use your camera for editing. You use your computer. There are a lot of editing software to choose from. Have a look here: http://video-editing-software-review.toptenreviews.com/
Many people here use Vegas and other editing software. I use Ulead VideoStudio 11plus (very easy for me to use). Google it and see. Many editing software have trial versions that you can try before you buy it. I suggest try one and see for your self.

Boyd Ostroff · September 28th, 2007, 08:45 AM

Hey Mike! I don't think there's any problem connecting your FX7 via firewire to your computer and capturing the footage. I have a 6 year old VX-2000 that's been used to capture a large quantity of video and it's still going strong. Have also used a Sony PDX-10 for this and my HVR-Z1 has also logged a lot of hours capturing HDV. Unless you're shooting a very large quantity of footage you should be fine using the camera as a deck.

But if you want to get an external deck there are a number of options from Sony here: http://bssc.sel.sony.com/Broadcastan...=0&p=16&sp=142

The HDV Walkman is also an interesting product: http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/...52921665192187

Daniel Ross · September 28th, 2007, 05:40 PM

Stelios, I think he was referring to the transfer process, not editing once it's transferred.

Mike, the easy answer is to buy a cheap DV camera. But... that's only for SD footage. You have a fairly inexpensive HDV camera, and you won't really be able to find a cheap one (perhaps $800 if you're lucky).
It's just fine to use your main camera to transfer. But it will wear out the heads over time. I'm very unclear on the exact rate there, though.
Using a head cleaning cassette from time to time wouldn't hurt.
You could also purchase a cheap ($150/$200) SD DV camera for just rewinding. Not a bad idea. Or, I think there are some devices that just do that. Rewinding and fast forwarding are probably the worst for wear and tear.

Overall, look at it this way-- do you plan to replace the camera within 3 years? If so, you probably won't run into too much trouble.
Though, of course, it's related to how much use the camera gets.

Having a deck would be quite nice. I've used them a few times (computer labs at school, jobs). Some can be more expensive than cameras, though.
It's nice to just have a unit there to use and be able to run a monitor with it, rather than forcing something to work with the camera, it's power cord hanging off the desk, etc.

Boyd, the Walkman looks quite nice. But it's $1,299. Ha. Then again, that's on the low end for any HD device.

Bill Spearman · October 21st, 2007, 02:47 PM

I have a GL2, so I am inferring that any cheap DV camcorder, but preferably a Canon, with a Firewire capability, is the best way to transfer my tapes to pc? I have searched through the threads & this seems to be the gist of what I have read, am just wanting to confirm in very simple language, since so much of this about codec's etc is far out of my league. Thanks.

Ervin Farkas · October 22nd, 2007, 10:40 AM

Yes Bill, that's right; you can buy a cheap miniDV camera for 2-300 dollars and use it to transfer your DV tapes...

... and start worrying about that cheap camera eating up your precious tape. Unless you're shooting 8 hours a day with your GL2 and do that for a living, you could use that same GL and stop worrying about wearing out the heads. All good quality camcorders with happily work hundreds of hours before you see any sign of wear. But that's another story...

Juni Zhao · October 22nd, 2007, 02:49 PM

Over 2000 hours of head life span, what do you worry about? If you don't use your camera on a day-in-day-out basis, it will probably be running like new 10 years from now, and by that time, you won't really care if it's still alive or not.....

Bill Spearman · October 22nd, 2007, 06:30 PM

Great to hear, thank you for the input. I was unsure how much wear the rewinding/FF and playing would put on the camera. Since I am NOT a day-in/day-out user, I will take it that it is not worth being concerned about.

Chris Hurd · October 22nd, 2007, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Donovan

I have a Sony FX-7. I don't think you're supposed to be using your camera to transfer what you've shot onto your computer for editing.

Sorry, but that's a myth. It's perfectly all right to use your camcorder to transfer what you've shot onto your computer for editing. After all, it has a VCR playback mode which is made especially for that purpose. If there was something wrong with using your camcorder that way, then the manufacturer wouldn't have built a VCR playback mode into the camcorder in the first place. Hope this helps,

Ervin Farkas · October 23rd, 2007, 05:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Hurd

Sorry, but that's a myth. It's perfectly all right to use your camcorder to transfer what you've shot onto your computer for editing...

That myth originates back in those times when transferring video to computer hard drives was not yet an option because hard drives were still little. So manufacturers came up with capturing decks. The TV/video crew went out and filmed, brought the tape back to the studio and loaded it into the deck; the camera had to go out for the next assignment anyway. The editor watched the tape and made notes of what's on it, based on the time code, then edited the wanted parts of the footage into the final montage, capturing only the wanted parts.

Today we can capture all of our tapes to hard drives since hard drives are of huge capacity and inexpensive. Besides, tape transport mechanisms and video heads are also a lot better today - if used carefully and maintained properly they last what seems for ever... a lot more than you would expect anyway.

In addition, there are other head saver options, like direct to hard drive recorders, or if you can take a laptop to the location, you can capture directly to it, so only the camera part will have to work, the tape part will take a break - so even heavy users can get countless hours off of their camcorders.

Juni Zhao · October 23rd, 2007, 03:52 PM

I just wonder why modern pro HDV cameras don't incorporate plug-play HDD internally. Each hour of MiniDV is about 13GB, a 260GB hard drive is even cheaper than 20 HDV MiniDV tapes. And 20 MiniDV tapes take larger space than a 260 HDD. If you eliminate the tape drive mechanism, the camera with HDD recording might even lighter than what we have now.......

My guess is that they want you make money out of tapes. $8-$10 a MiniDV, that is a whole lot of money......

September 28th, 2007, 07:30 AM	#1
Mike Donovan Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Philadelphia, PA Posts: 52	Transferring from camera to computer I have a Sony FX-7. I don't think you're supposed to be using your camera to transfer what you've shot onto your computer for editing. What equipment/tool is out there that will transfer my HDV footage onto my computer so I can start editing?

September 28th, 2007, 08:12 AM	#2
Stelios Christofides Trustee Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Nicosia, CYPRUS Posts: 1,080	Mike You do not use your camera for editing. You use your computer. There are a lot of editing software to choose from. Have a look here: http://video-editing-software-review.toptenreviews.com/ Many people here use Vegas and other editing software. I use Ulead VideoStudio 11plus (very easy for me to use). Google it and see. Many editing software have trial versions that you can try before you buy it. I suggest try one and see for your self. __________________ My Blog: http://steliosc.blogspot.com "I hope for nothing, I fear nothing, I am free" Nikos Kazantzakis

October 21st, 2007, 02:47 PM	#5
Bill Spearman Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Florida, USA Posts: 161	to confirm for a newbie I have a GL2, so I am inferring that any cheap DV camcorder, but preferably a Canon, with a Firewire capability, is the best way to transfer my tapes to pc? I have searched through the threads & this seems to be the gist of what I have read, am just wanting to confirm in very simple language, since so much of this about codec's etc is far out of my league. Thanks.

October 22nd, 2007, 10:40 AM	#6
Ervin Farkas Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Atlanta/USA Posts: 2,515	Correct Yes Bill, that's right; you can buy a cheap miniDV camera for 2-300 dollars and use it to transfer your DV tapes... ... and start worrying about that cheap camera eating up your precious tape. Unless you're shooting 8 hours a day with your GL2 and do that for a living, you could use that same GL and stop worrying about wearing out the heads. All good quality camcorders with happily work hundreds of hours before you see any sign of wear. But that's another story... __________________ Ervin Farkas www.AtlantaLegalVideo.com

October 22nd, 2007, 06:30 PM	#8
Bill Spearman Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Florida, USA Posts: 161	Thanks Great to hear, thank you for the input. I was unsure how much wear the rewinding/FF and playing would put on the camera. Since I am NOT a day-in/day-out user, I will take it that it is not worth being concerned about.

September 28th, 2007, 08:45 AM	#3
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,802	Hey Mike! I don't think there's any problem connecting your FX7 via firewire to your computer and capturing the footage. I have a 6 year old VX-2000 that's been used to capture a large quantity of video and it's still going strong. Have also used a Sony PDX-10 for this and my HVR-Z1 has also logged a lot of hours capturing HDV. Unless you're shooting a very large quantity of footage you should be fine using the camera as a deck. But if you want to get an external deck there are a number of options from Sony here: http://bssc.sel.sony.com/Broadcastan...=0&p=16&sp=142 The HDV Walkman is also an interesting product: http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/...52921665192187

September 28th, 2007, 05:40 PM	#4
Daniel Ross Major Player Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Marin & Davis, CA, USA Posts: 418	Stelios, I think he was referring to the transfer process, not editing once it's transferred. Mike, the easy answer is to buy a cheap DV camera. But... that's only for SD footage. You have a fairly inexpensive HDV camera, and you won't really be able to find a cheap one (perhaps $800 if you're lucky). It's just fine to use your main camera to transfer. But it will wear out the heads over time. I'm very unclear on the exact rate there, though. Using a head cleaning cassette from time to time wouldn't hurt. You could also purchase a cheap ($150/$200) SD DV camera for just rewinding. Not a bad idea. Or, I think there are some devices that just do that. Rewinding and fast forwarding are probably the worst for wear and tear. Overall, look at it this way-- do you plan to replace the camera within 3 years? If so, you probably won't run into too much trouble. Though, of course, it's related to how much use the camera gets. Having a deck would be quite nice. I've used them a few times (computer labs at school, jobs). Some can be more expensive than cameras, though. It's nice to just have a unit there to use and be able to run a monitor with it, rather than forcing something to work with the camera, it's power cord hanging off the desk, etc. Boyd, the Walkman looks quite nice. But it's $1,299. Ha. Then again, that's on the low end for any HD device.

October 22nd, 2007, 02:49 PM	#7
Juni Zhao Regular Crew Join Date: May 2007 Location: North Andover, Ma Posts: 102	Over 2000 hours of head life span, what do you worry about? If you don't use your camera on a day-in-day-out basis, it will probably be running like new 10 years from now, and by that time, you won't really care if it's still alive or not.....

October 23rd, 2007, 03:52 PM	#11
Juni Zhao Regular Crew Join Date: May 2007 Location: North Andover, Ma Posts: 102	I just wonder why modern pro HDV cameras don't incorporate plug-play HDD internally. Each hour of MiniDV is about 13GB, a 260GB hard drive is even cheaper than 20 HDV MiniDV tapes. And 20 MiniDV tapes take larger space than a 260 HDD. If you eliminate the tape drive mechanism, the camera with HDD recording might even lighter than what we have now....... My guess is that they want you make money out of tapes. $8-$10 a MiniDV, that is a whole lot of money......