Various XDCAM EX posts from 2008

Dan Wells · April 9th, 2008, 09:34 AM

I was shooting a wedding with my EX1 this past weekend, and I got pulsing or flickering light in a couple of shots (noticed it right away on the LCD). My first thought was some of the fluorescent light issues folks here had been reporting, but I didn't see any fluorescent fixtures around (and would have been kind of surprised if there were any in this very fancy hall). A few minutes' search revealed the culprit, and it had nothing to do with the EX1's CMOS sensors or anything else technical. Several light fixtures were located ABOVE ceiling fans, so the fan blades kept interrupting the light. Our eyes don't really notice, but the camera does... Sometimes the cause is simple and physical, not complex and technical...

Charles Young · April 10th, 2008, 08:08 PM

I don't usually do weddings but have been asked by a friend to do his son's. It will be on horseback at a lake in the country. The bride and groom come riding in and all. I would like some suggestions on how to get the audio. I will use EX1 and an HV20 for video, Sony A-700 for stills.
Thanks in advance

Paul Dhadialla · April 11th, 2008, 10:00 AM

Hello all,

A few of you guys mentioned that you've shot 1/24 shutter (1080 24P) on weddings for low light. In other words shutter off

For still shots, speeches, dinner time, lobby shots this makes sense

What about dances?
I typically pan slow anyways but there is motion in the scene in this case
Does it look ok? What do you see - blurring?
I don't mind a slight blur vs. dark or grainy video

Sidenote:
I plan to go 1/48 normally and keep the movement civilized :)
I did some outside shoots at 1/96 and above in sunshine - to me that looks nice too.

Paul

Kevin Wayne Jones · April 11th, 2008, 12:21 PM

I recently upgraded from Apple FCP Studio to Studio 2 so I could edit footage from my XDCAM EX-1.
Boris FX appears in the effects tab as before the upgrade. I can drag Boris onto a clip in the timeline. When I click on the filters tab, Boris appears in the filter tab and there is a red render bar over the clip in the timeline.
But there seems to be no way to launch Boris.
Previously I would go to the filters tab and there would be a launch button on the Boris effect, but not anymore.
How do I launch Boris FX 9 now?

Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks.

Kevin Jones

Jac Chesson · April 13th, 2008, 06:05 AM

Hi Everyone,

I have a client that wants hard copies of everything on HDCAM. I had a short shoot to test playing out HDSDI to HDCAM and everything went fine.

Now I'm leaving for a week-long shoot in TX where I'll be off loading the cards onto a MBP and burning DLDVDs for backup. I have 3- 8GB cards and 2-16GB cards.

I don't know the procedure for splitting up the 16GB media into 2 8GB chunks for the DLDVD burning. Has anyone done this? If so, how is it done?

My other questions are about combining 2-8GB cards' worth of media onto a 16GB card for playout to HDCAM. Has anyone combined 2 - 8s to a 16?
What would be the procedure for that?

Thank you for your help.

Jac

John Hewat · April 13th, 2008, 07:15 AM

From everybody's new favourite site:

Sony are also working with software plug-in company Main Concept, who are building some additional functionality for Clip Browser version 2. One such function will be the ability to take your 35mbps HD footage and using the Main Concept option* you will be able to up-convert it to 50mbps in 4:2:2 colour space directly onto XDCAM HD Professional Optical Disc using the PDW-U1 USB Disc reader/writer. This is kind of a ‘transcoding’ process.

Another function of the Main Concept plug-in will allow you to take any clip from the Clip Browser and to export it as Windows Media, Apple QuickTime, PSP file, iPod file, and even YouTube files. This is a great way of saving video files for multi-media web purposes. No more need to learn the art of compression for the web; nice!

* Is the "Main Concept option" something that will come standard with it or is it something we'll need to buy from MainConcept?

EDIT: Ok, so all I had to do was read the paragraph that I accidentally skipped.

Hopefully the plug-ins will be cheap. It sounds good. I am well and truly sick of the compatibility issues with the footage from this camera.

At least Version 2 will have HD -> DV conversion built in. That's overdue.

That said, I don't think the Clip Browser has anything to offer that Cineform's HDLink doesn't.

Malcolm Hamilton · April 13th, 2008, 11:54 AM

Hi there,
Just read a review regarding the upcoming release of the EX-3, to "expect a smaller (A1 size) camcorder to appear too".
Any educated guesses about this? The reviewer was talking about the EXs, so surely this would also have 1/2" sensors, etc.. Maybe the lens wouldn't be quite so nice? Maybe it would just record at 25mbps? Just wondering.
Malcolm

Sina Basy · April 14th, 2008, 08:53 AM

what's the slowest zoom speed on the fujinon lens ?

Syd Weinstein · April 18th, 2008, 05:41 PM

I used the clip browser to extract a bars and tone from MP4 clip to MXF wrapped clip. Then I imported this into adobe premiere 3.2, both as a native mp4 and as a native mxf. Both imported just fine.

However when I put the mp4 on the timeline, the tone is at -20db. When I put the MXF in the time line, it adds two audio's, one on a4 and one on a5. If both play the audio is at -15 or -16. If only one is selected, the audio is at about -25db.

Ok, what gives, and which is right. I think the mp4 is right at -20db. But why does the clip browser split the audio, and why is it at different levels.

Is Adobe's import of the MXF wrong? Is the clip browser wrong?

Craig Hollenback · April 20th, 2008, 10:12 AM

Any word about the Manfrotto EX1 zoom control that was to debut at NAB?
Best, Craig
Thanks, I have since located the information.
http://dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=102972&page=8

Stephen Eastwood · April 21st, 2008, 11:18 AM

Can you both focus and zoom the lens at the same time? Thats currently a problem I am having while I dolly in and zoom to maintain the framing the cameras can not do both at the same time.

Anyone using a Vegas workflow? How is it? is it as intense as AVCHD or more like MT2 workflow? do you use or need cineform?

Thanks for any help. I am considering the switch.

James Goodman · April 23rd, 2008, 11:10 PM

I am a long time windows Adobe user but now have my Mac Pro on order. (need a faster machine for HD and get past limits of xp32) Adobe are ready to ship me the MAC version of the CS3 Master Collection when I fax them my windows version destruction agreement.

I could use bootcamp and my existing windows Master Collection but for access to all the 6GB ram I am drawn to using CS3 with leopard and with 3.2.0 upgrade on Premiere edit the EX1 footage.
Any happy users doing this ?

I have edited EX1 footage on my PC in Premiere 3.2.0 with success except for dissolve transitions (white flashes). My present workflow is SxS card into my Vista laptop, use sony clip browser to copy BAPV folder then make a 8GB dual layer DVD backup and export mxf files over my network to my video xp pro machine for editing.

I plan the same workflow when I replace my pc with the MacPro.

Every EX1 video I have seen uses FCP but with native editing in CS3.2 it saves a conversion step - correct?

Any comments ?

James Goodman

Steve Gibbons · April 25th, 2008, 04:58 PM

Are there any out there that will fit?

Malcolm Hamilton · April 28th, 2008, 10:27 AM

Hi there,
I just ordered an EX1, and would love to resolve this workflow question before getting it - - any advice very much appreciated. I understand, by the way, that at the end of June Sony will release Clip Browser version 2, which from the sounds of it will resolve all of my problems (even my personal ones).

until then, though, I have to find a not-too-expensive way to get footage from the EX-1 into Avid for editing.

Avid just updated Media Composer, so it now "supports the Sony EX1 35Mb Data Rates (Avid Xpress Pro will support XDCAM HD at 25Mb as it is - basically HDV)". Does this by chance mean that it will import the Sony EX-1 files as they are, or do they still have to be converted to MXF first? I suspect they have to be converted... so what would be the best (and cheapest) way?

I have a MacBook Pro with the requisite ExpressCard slot. So I can dump from SXS card in the field to my MBP. It won't be converted to MXF. But maybe I could borrow an old PC, and, when I get back to my office, transfer the EX files from my MacBook Pro to the PC, and then use the PC version of the Clip Browser to convert to MXF.
Then I'd copy these MXF files to my MacBook Pro, and import into Avid.

Is this the best workflow for me? As I say, by the end of June, with the new Clip Browser v. 2, I should be fine with just my MBP; by then, too, Media Composer will be Leopard-compatible... but until then...

Cheers, Malcolm

Justin Ferar · April 29th, 2008, 07:56 PM

So the EX1 and the EX3 are looking delicious as far as updating our cameras but I've had this burning question.

Do you lose a few stops shooting 720p60 as opposed to 1080i60 with this cam?

I've been reading all about the improved sensitivity with these units (apparently comparable to a DSR-300) but I'm afraid these people are shooting interlaced.

So what's the story with progressive? Sensitivity as good as DSR-300 or PD-170 (which of-course are interlaced).

Do tell!

April 9th, 2008, 09:34 AM	#61
Dan Wells Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Starksboro VT Posts: 30	Odd cause of "pulsing" light I was shooting a wedding with my EX1 this past weekend, and I got pulsing or flickering light in a couple of shots (noticed it right away on the LCD). My first thought was some of the fluorescent light issues folks here had been reporting, but I didn't see any fluorescent fixtures around (and would have been kind of surprised if there were any in this very fancy hall). A few minutes' search revealed the culprit, and it had nothing to do with the EX1's CMOS sensors or anything else technical. Several light fixtures were located ABOVE ceiling fans, so the fan blades kept interrupting the light. Our eyes don't really notice, but the camera does... Sometimes the cause is simple and physical, not complex and technical...

April 10th, 2008, 08:08 PM	#62
Charles Young Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Heeney colorado Posts: 103	Affordable remote mic I don't usually do weddings but have been asked by a friend to do his son's. It will be on horseback at a lake in the country. The bride and groom come riding in and all. I would like some suggestions on how to get the audio. I will use EX1 and an HV20 for video, Sony A-700 for stills. Thanks in advance

April 11th, 2008, 10:00 AM	#63
Paul Dhadialla Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 143	1/24 Shutter (24P) Hello all, A few of you guys mentioned that you've shot 1/24 shutter (1080 24P) on weddings for low light. In other words shutter off For still shots, speeches, dinner time, lobby shots this makes sense What about dances? I typically pan slow anyways but there is motion in the scene in this case Does it look ok? What do you see - blurring? I don't mind a slight blur vs. dark or grainy video Sidenote: I plan to go 1/48 normally and keep the movement civilized :) I did some outside shoots at 1/96 and above in sunshine - to me that looks nice too. Paul

April 11th, 2008, 12:21 PM	#64
Kevin Wayne Jones Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Tuscaloosa, Alabama Posts: 69	Boris FX Not Working in FCP Studio 2? I recently upgraded from Apple FCP Studio to Studio 2 so I could edit footage from my XDCAM EX-1. Boris FX appears in the effects tab as before the upgrade. I can drag Boris onto a clip in the timeline. When I click on the filters tab, Boris appears in the filter tab and there is a red render bar over the clip in the timeline. But there seems to be no way to launch Boris. Previously I would go to the filters tab and there would be a launch button on the Boris effect, but not anymore. How do I launch Boris FX 9 now? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks. Kevin Jones

April 13th, 2008, 06:05 AM	#65
Jac Chesson New Boot Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Overland Park, KS Posts: 24	Splitting / Combining media Hi Everyone, I have a client that wants hard copies of everything on HDCAM. I had a short shoot to test playing out HDSDI to HDCAM and everything went fine. Now I'm leaving for a week-long shoot in TX where I'll be off loading the cards onto a MBP and burning DLDVDs for backup. I have 3- 8GB cards and 2-16GB cards. I don't know the procedure for splitting up the 16GB media into 2 8GB chunks for the DLDVD burning. Has anyone done this? If so, how is it done? My other questions are about combining 2-8GB cards' worth of media onto a 16GB card for playout to HDCAM. Has anyone combined 2 - 8s to a 16? What would be the procedure for that? Thank you for your help. Jac __________________ Jac Sony EX3, Sony EX1, Sony DSR450WS, Avid MC Soft, FCS2

April 13th, 2008, 07:15 AM	#66
John Hewat Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Melbourne, AUSTRALIA Posts: 735	Sony Clip Browser Version 2 - some good news From everybody's new favourite site: Sony are also working with software plug-in company Main Concept, who are building some additional functionality for Clip Browser version 2. One such function will be the ability to take your 35mbps HD footage and using the Main Concept option* you will be able to up-convert it to 50mbps in 4:2:2 colour space directly onto XDCAM HD Professional Optical Disc using the PDW-U1 USB Disc reader/writer. This is kind of a ‘transcoding’ process. Another function of the Main Concept plug-in will allow you to take any clip from the Clip Browser and to export it as Windows Media, Apple QuickTime, PSP file, iPod file, and even YouTube files. This is a great way of saving video files for multi-media web purposes. No more need to learn the art of compression for the web; nice! * Is the "Main Concept option" something that will come standard with it or is it something we'll need to buy from MainConcept? EDIT: Ok, so all I had to do was read the paragraph that I accidentally skipped. Hopefully the plug-ins will be cheap. It sounds good. I am well and truly sick of the compatibility issues with the footage from this camera. At least Version 2 will have HD -> DV conversion built in. That's overdue. That said, I don't think the Clip Browser has anything to offer that Cineform's HDLink doesn't. __________________ John Hewat Mammoth Media Productions

April 13th, 2008, 11:54 AM	#67
Malcolm Hamilton Major Player Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 844	smaller (A1 size) camcorder coming? Hi there, Just read a review regarding the upcoming release of the EX-3, to "expect a smaller (A1 size) camcorder to appear too". Any educated guesses about this? The reviewer was talking about the EXs, so surely this would also have 1/2" sensors, etc.. Maybe the lens wouldn't be quite so nice? Maybe it would just record at 25mbps? Just wondering. Malcolm

April 14th, 2008, 08:53 AM	#68
Sina Basy Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: San Diego, Ca Posts: 37	Zoom Speed! what's the slowest zoom speed on the fujinon lens ?

April 18th, 2008, 05:41 PM	#69
Syd Weinstein New Boot Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: HV, PA Posts: 7	Which audio is right: MXF or MP4 I used the clip browser to extract a bars and tone from MP4 clip to MXF wrapped clip. Then I imported this into adobe premiere 3.2, both as a native mp4 and as a native mxf. Both imported just fine. However when I put the mp4 on the timeline, the tone is at -20db. When I put the MXF in the time line, it adds two audio's, one on a4 and one on a5. If both play the audio is at -15 or -16. If only one is selected, the audio is at about -25db. Ok, what gives, and which is right. I think the mp4 is right at -20db. But why does the clip browser split the audio, and why is it at different levels. Is Adobe's import of the MXF wrong? Is the clip browser wrong?

April 20th, 2008, 10:12 AM	#70
Craig Hollenback Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Key West Posts: 247	Zoom control Any word about the Manfrotto EX1 zoom control that was to debut at NAB? Best, Craig Thanks, I have since located the information. http://dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=102972&page=8 Last edited by Craig Hollenback; April 21st, 2008 at 05:10 AM.

April 21st, 2008, 11:18 AM	#71
Stephen Eastwood Major Player Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Great Neck, NY Posts: 291	Focus and zoom together? Can you both focus and zoom the lens at the same time? Thats currently a problem I am having while I dolly in and zoom to maintain the framing the cameras can not do both at the same time. Anyone using a Vegas workflow? How is it? is it as intense as AVCHD or more like MT2 workflow? do you use or need cineform? Thanks for any help. I am considering the switch. __________________ Stephen Eastwood http://www.StephenEastwood.com

April 23rd, 2008, 11:10 PM	#72
James Goodman Tourist Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada Posts: 2	CS3 mac version editing EX1 I am a long time windows Adobe user but now have my Mac Pro on order. (need a faster machine for HD and get past limits of xp32) Adobe are ready to ship me the MAC version of the CS3 Master Collection when I fax them my windows version destruction agreement. I could use bootcamp and my existing windows Master Collection but for access to all the 6GB ram I am drawn to using CS3 with leopard and with 3.2.0 upgrade on Premiere edit the EX1 footage. Any happy users doing this ? I have edited EX1 footage on my PC in Premiere 3.2.0 with success except for dissolve transitions (white flashes). My present workflow is SxS card into my Vista laptop, use sony clip browser to copy BAPV folder then make a 8GB dual layer DVD backup and export mxf files over my network to my video xp pro machine for editing. I plan the same workflow when I replace my pc with the MacPro. Every EX1 video I have seen uses FCP but with native editing in CS3.2 it saves a conversion step - correct? Any comments ? James Goodman

April 25th, 2008, 04:58 PM	#73
Steve Gibbons Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Bridgenorth Posts: 116	Lens Hood Recommendations for Sony Wide Angle Are there any out there that will fit?

April 28th, 2008, 10:27 AM	#74
Malcolm Hamilton Major Player Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 844	EX1/Clip Browser + Mac + Avid: best workflow 'til July? Hi there, I just ordered an EX1, and would love to resolve this workflow question before getting it - - any advice very much appreciated. I understand, by the way, that at the end of June Sony will release Clip Browser version 2, which from the sounds of it will resolve all of my problems (even my personal ones). until then, though, I have to find a not-too-expensive way to get footage from the EX-1 into Avid for editing. Avid just updated Media Composer, so it now "supports the Sony EX1 35Mb Data Rates (Avid Xpress Pro will support XDCAM HD at 25Mb as it is - basically HDV)". Does this by chance mean that it will import the Sony EX-1 files as they are, or do they still have to be converted to MXF first? I suspect they have to be converted... so what would be the best (and cheapest) way? I have a MacBook Pro with the requisite ExpressCard slot. So I can dump from SXS card in the field to my MBP. It won't be converted to MXF. But maybe I could borrow an old PC, and, when I get back to my office, transfer the EX files from my MacBook Pro to the PC, and then use the PC version of the Clip Browser to convert to MXF. Then I'd copy these MXF files to my MacBook Pro, and import into Avid. Is this the best workflow for me? As I say, by the end of June, with the new Clip Browser v. 2, I should be fine with just my MBP; by then, too, Media Composer will be Leopard-compatible... but until then... Cheers, Malcolm

April 29th, 2008, 07:56 PM	#75
Justin Ferar Major Player Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Larkspur, CA Posts: 378	720p60 vs 1080i Are you losing a stop or two? So the EX1 and the EX3 are looking delicious as far as updating our cameras but I've had this burning question. Do you lose a few stops shooting 720p60 as opposed to 1080i60 with this cam? I've been reading all about the improved sensitivity with these units (apparently comparable to a DSR-300) but I'm afraid these people are shooting interlaced. So what's the story with progressive? Sensitivity as good as DSR-300 or PD-170 (which of-course are interlaced). Do tell! __________________ www.justinferar.com www.weddingsonfilm.com