EX3 with Nano Flash Set-Up & Workflow

[Shawn Dooling]

Hello all, sorry if there is already a thread on this.

I was wondering if anyone is using or planning on using the Nano Flash with the EX3 Camera?

This whole setup and option is new to me, so any info you can provide would be a big help. Like sites, threads, opinions ...etc etc.

So my basic understanding is, it gives the EX3 the Upgrade from going from a max 35MB Recording up to 100MB? Is this correct?

Is anyone doing this now and if so what's your setup and workflow in doing so.

Thanks for your time.

Shawn

[Alister Chapman]

There is some information here XDCAM-USER.com NanoFlash – A Quick Review (part of Arizona trip) and here XDCAM-USER.com Convergent Design NanoFlash Review Part 2 – Picture Quality

It's very simple to use. You take the HDSDi output from the camera and feed it in to the NanoFlash. The NanoFlash requires 12 volts and there are various options such as the Swit EX batteries with a 12v D-Tap connector or the Bebob V-lock adapter. The NanoFlash uses the same codec as XDCAM HD recording 4:2:2 at upto 160Mb/s, you can record at lower bit rates if you choose.

[Mike Marriage]

I hope they release a version that sits between the V-mount and battery. With the 350 coming out, they would sell a ton!

[Alister Chapman]

Dan at Convergent Design has the design for a cradle to do exactly that.

[David Issko]

Shawn,

Mine is set on the rear shoe and is powered from:
A: Directly from the D-Tap output built into one of my 2 Swit batteries. The batteries lock in the battery compartment but power to the camera is taken from a built in lead from the Swit to the DC input of the camera.

B: When using the big Sony batteries (I have 2 of those as well), I use my Bebob CocoEX adapter (not the EX3 but the original one that was made for the EX1) that sits & locks in the EX3's battery compartment and the Sony battery sits 'backwards' on the Coco adapter. The Coco has a D-Tap output.

I record @ 100Mbps on 2 x 32Gb Sandisk Extreme III CF cards, which gives me a total of 84 minutes HD recording time. So the nano upgrades the brilliant EX3 from (Long GOP) 35Mbps/4.2.0/16 bit audio to (Long GOP as well) 100Mbps (you can choose less or even a greater rate but CD has suggested 100Mbps as the 'sweet spot'). The nano also records in 4.2.2 colour space and 24 bit, 2 channel audio. The nano has a very wide range of recording formats and bit rates. Check out Convergent Design's web site.

You can set the nano to record in tandem with the EX3 via timecode or manually from the buttons on the unit or from a remote cable, so you don't have to record on the EX3 if you don't need or want to. You can have the EX3 record in HD and if needed, the nano can record in SD (from the SDI o/p of the EX3, which is menu set) as the EX3 does not record SD onto the recording media.

So many options are available and those options grow on a monthly basis as CD offer free firmware upgrades to the nanoFlash.

Hope this brief post helps.
Cheers

[Mike Marriage]

Originally Posted by Alister Chapman

Dan at Convergent Design has the design for a cradle to do exactly that.

Any pics? It would be better to have a different, slimmer & taller design to minimize the extension on the back. It could also take power from the camera battery without any cables.