Decided on an EX1 at DVinfo.net

Svein Rune Skilnand · June 17th, 2008, 04:44 AM

Having gone back and forth between the Z7, the Z1 and the EX1 I have now decided to buy an EX1 as my main camera.

Before I place my order I would like to hear what you all think:

PMW-EX1
BPU-60 battery
UV- filter
6 SxS cards 16 GB
2 SxS cards 8 GB

I am going to Canada for a week, shooting a documentary. I will be shooting in HDV for now, as the rest of this project has been shot in that codec, and to maximise recording time. Main concern is will I have enough cards? Is there any way I could buy a Lacie rugged and dump my footage on to that as my cards fill up? I do not have a laptop so direct dumping from camera to the Lacie is what I am thinking.

Any suggestions?

By the way, I hope I have made the right choice.

Svein Rune

Craig Seeman · June 17th, 2008, 05:27 AM

You won't be able to go directly to Hard Drive. Get a laptop with Express Card port. It'll cost you no more than two 16GB cards and you'll get a lot more storage.

I'd base the choice of codec on the material you're shooting. HDV codec can "break" based on what/how you're shooting. Better to down convert nice footage that have shots with artifacts you can't fix IMHO.

Tripod, monopod, shoulder brace?
Is Audio at all important?

Alexander Kubalsky · June 17th, 2008, 06:44 AM

I second that opinion. Save your money on some of the 16GB cards and get a laptop and Lacie Rugged. Much better. Manafrotto make a great monopod with a four leg spread at the base that works really well with the EX1, especially if you are in a run and gun situation in a crowded place.

Svein Rune Skilnand · June 17th, 2008, 06:56 AM

Thanks for the input guys. You got me wondering about buying a laptop now or Macbook as I am FinalCut based. things is I don`t want to drag to much around when I am travelling.

Audio is important to me and I want to buy a Sennheiser MKH416 later on as money permits. I have a decent Manfrotto Tripod today.

Do you think I am wrong to buy 6 cards? Expensive enough, though! I am getting those two 8 GB cards for free.

Alexander Kubalsky · June 17th, 2008, 07:19 AM

I think 6 16GB cards is excessive. It's better to know you have a place to dump footage so you don't stress about using up cards.
Macbook Pro would be good. SxS card goes straight in the slot. Dump it on the Mac and back it up on the Lacie rugged as well.
3 16GB cards, Macbook Pro and Lacie 200GB Rugged.

Nils G. Refstrup · June 17th, 2008, 07:23 AM

Honestly 2 x 8Gb and 6 x 16GB cards is overkill. Unless you really, really, really has to shoot uninterrupted for 7 hours or weight is a major factor.

I have 2 x 8Gb and 2 x 16GB and I have decided to sell the two 16Gb cards. I simply don't need them with my shooting style. I have plenty of time to offload a card to my laptop whenever it is full. But it depends on personal style.

If I was you, I would start with 2 x 8 and 2 x 16 and a laptop. That will give you almost 3 hours of HQ footage before you have to worry about backing up your data and the ability to edit/log in the field.

Craig Seeman · June 17th, 2008, 08:44 AM

I have two 8GB and one 16 GB and a 15" MacBook Pro. Only 2 cards in the camera at any one time so it's always set. It only takes a few minutes to dump a card and you can screen video for the client too. I can also burn backups to DL-DVD although that's on the slow side. That can happen at the end of the day. Client can walk with the DL-DVDs and I have another set on the hard drive. Laptop offers major flexibility.

Gabriel Florit · June 17th, 2008, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Svein Rune Skilnand

I am getting those two 8 GB cards for free.

Remember that Sony sends you the second 8GB rebate card. That takes time.

Magnus Eklof · June 17th, 2008, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gabriel Florit

Remember that Sony sends you the second 8GB rebate card. That takes time.

If they do in Norway as they (Sony) does in Sweden, the card is taped to the box, check with the supplier! Also, I have to agree with Craig et al, I have 2x8Gb & 1x16Gb cards & MacBookPro, the 16Gb card does not see much action at all, shooting 6x16Gb cards without transfer to laptop would make me very nervous indeed, but that´s me...

Hej svejs!

Magnus

Paul Chiu · June 17th, 2008, 12:09 PM

save yourself a lot of money and go with less SxS cards.
as others have suggested, get the apple macbook pro; either with 15" or 17" screens.
the built in SxS readers work so fast you really need not have so many cards.

with the savings, get

1. portable hard drives. usb2 to the macbook pro should be fast enough. they now go to 320gb for under $150 and some up to 500gb for under $200

2. maybe a steadicam pilot for your sony at about $5000 for your outdoor jobs.

3. indoors, get a sachtler system 0650 or 0862 with the savings from not getting the extra SxS cards

4. shotgun mikes, a good one!

enjoy the ex1,

paul

June 17th, 2008, 04:44 AM	#1
Svein Rune Skilnand Major Player Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Fidjeland, Norway Posts: 289	Decided on an EX1 Having gone back and forth between the Z7, the Z1 and the EX1 I have now decided to buy an EX1 as my main camera. Before I place my order I would like to hear what you all think: PMW-EX1 BPU-60 battery UV- filter 6 SxS cards 16 GB 2 SxS cards 8 GB I am going to Canada for a week, shooting a documentary. I will be shooting in HDV for now, as the rest of this project has been shot in that codec, and to maximise recording time. Main concern is will I have enough cards? Is there any way I could buy a Lacie rugged and dump my footage on to that as my cards fill up? I do not have a laptop so direct dumping from camera to the Lacie is what I am thinking. Any suggestions? By the way, I hope I have made the right choice. Svein Rune

June 17th, 2008, 05:27 AM	#2
Craig Seeman Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Brooklyn, NY, USA Posts: 3,841	You won't be able to go directly to Hard Drive. Get a laptop with Express Card port. It'll cost you no more than two 16GB cards and you'll get a lot more storage. I'd base the choice of codec on the material you're shooting. HDV codec can "break" based on what/how you're shooting. Better to down convert nice footage that have shots with artifacts you can't fix IMHO. Tripod, monopod, shoulder brace? Is Audio at all important?

June 17th, 2008, 06:44 AM	#3
Alexander Kubalsky Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Japan Posts: 172	I second that opinion. Save your money on some of the 16GB cards and get a laptop and Lacie Rugged. Much better. Manafrotto make a great monopod with a four leg spread at the base that works really well with the EX1, especially if you are in a run and gun situation in a crowded place.

June 17th, 2008, 06:56 AM	#4
Svein Rune Skilnand Major Player Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Fidjeland, Norway Posts: 289	Thanks for the input guys. You got me wondering about buying a laptop now or Macbook as I am FinalCut based. things is I don`t want to drag to much around when I am travelling. Audio is important to me and I want to buy a Sennheiser MKH416 later on as money permits. I have a decent Manfrotto Tripod today. Do you think I am wrong to buy 6 cards? Expensive enough, though! I am getting those two 8 GB cards for free.

June 17th, 2008, 07:19 AM	#5
Alexander Kubalsky Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Japan Posts: 172	I think 6 16GB cards is excessive. It's better to know you have a place to dump footage so you don't stress about using up cards. Macbook Pro would be good. SxS card goes straight in the slot. Dump it on the Mac and back it up on the Lacie rugged as well. 3 16GB cards, Macbook Pro and Lacie 200GB Rugged.

June 17th, 2008, 07:23 AM	#6
Nils G. Refstrup New Boot Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Denmark Posts: 15	Honestly 2 x 8Gb and 6 x 16GB cards is overkill. Unless you really, really, really has to shoot uninterrupted for 7 hours or weight is a major factor. I have 2 x 8Gb and 2 x 16GB and I have decided to sell the two 16Gb cards. I simply don't need them with my shooting style. I have plenty of time to offload a card to my laptop whenever it is full. But it depends on personal style. If I was you, I would start with 2 x 8 and 2 x 16 and a laptop. That will give you almost 3 hours of HQ footage before you have to worry about backing up your data and the ability to edit/log in the field.

June 17th, 2008, 08:44 AM	#7
Craig Seeman Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Brooklyn, NY, USA Posts: 3,841	I have two 8GB and one 16 GB and a 15" MacBook Pro. Only 2 cards in the camera at any one time so it's always set. It only takes a few minutes to dump a card and you can screen video for the client too. I can also burn backups to DL-DVD although that's on the slow side. That can happen at the end of the day. Client can walk with the DL-DVDs and I have another set on the hard drive. Laptop offers major flexibility.

June 17th, 2008, 12:09 PM	#10
Paul Chiu Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: new york Posts: 231	save yourself a lot of money and go with less SxS cards. as others have suggested, get the apple macbook pro; either with 15" or 17" screens. the built in SxS readers work so fast you really need not have so many cards. with the savings, get 1. portable hard drives. usb2 to the macbook pro should be fast enough. they now go to 320gb for under $150 and some up to 500gb for under $200 2. maybe a steadicam pilot for your sony at about $5000 for your outdoor jobs. 3. indoors, get a sachtler system 0650 or 0862 with the savings from not getting the extra SxS cards 4. shotgun mikes, a good one! enjoy the ex1, paul