This may seem a daft question, I am probably mixed up but here goes.....

Referring to P88 in the users' manual I would like to see the Camera data but on tape when captured on the PC if possible.

As I am fairly new and still learning daily, I would like to capture/record data for review purposes. I feel this will allow me to grasp the manual exposure settings etc better.

Your advise is appreciated.

Not a "daft" question at all, Alan.

Just to be clear, I understand that you would like to somehow recover the date/time/exposure data from the DV footage during capture and post-production work. Is this correct?

(BTW, "P88" refers to the XM2 manual, not the GL2 manual. I think the corresponding page for the GL2's manual is page 90.)

1. Yes Ken, I would like to see the F stop - Shutter and dB settings on the footage once captured. Just like you can with the date/time so I can see where posssible problems are. This is a learning tool hopefully and don't expect to use it all the time.

2. Yes it is the XM2 manual, sorry forgot to say so. I am in the U (PAL land).

Thanks

Ken,

Have you got any answers to the Data Code thread?
TIA

Alan,
Sorry to have forgotten this. I am actually surprised that nobody else replied.

To my knowledge there is no way to retrieve that information from the tape. There may well be some little-known tool to do so but I've never heard of it.

I certainly agre that it sure would be nice to have accessible.

Welll . . there maybe something of a solution. We can get the info to display on a tellie - yeah? This I've done . . Now all you need is some form of capture in the line out . . - yeah?

Now, if you've got "another" cammie, that allows the fim stream to be captured IN, then you've got it. You don't capture on the XM2, you capture on the secondary device . . should work . .

Grazie

Alan, I've been reduced to actually reading off the data so that I can hear it on review. "Okay, I've now got White Balance. F is . . I've manual focussed . .! " . . the only drawback is when doing this in a crowded place people think I'm NUTZ! - Well they would be correct . .but it gets me what I want. It also, seriously, makes it very clear to me what I've done . .there IS a type of Brain Feedback for me when I speak out what I've done - yeah? . It was the way I did the IoV Audio File fore the Equalizer gizmo . . yeah? It does work . .part from anything else I do llloooove the sound of my own voice . . HAH!!!

Grazie

Ken,

Thanks, would be nice to have I agree. It is on tape so automatically thought you could capture.

Grazie,

Well that makes us both NUTZZ

I have been doing that since I got the XM2 so a few funny looks but who cares.

Nice to see we are on the same wavelength.

ps going to Wembley on Tuesday, catch U then if you R around and thanks for your

Let's swap Mob numbers . . It'll be easy to make arrangements . .I'm going every day . .too many pople to see and too many things to see and experience - Wooooah Hoo!!!

Grazie

I can tell you that the information is definitely in the files that
you capture on the PC. The problem is reading the information.
To the best of my knowledge no application can actually display
the information beyond timecode and date & time.

Guessed as much Rob, thanks for the confirmation.

Not to worry, I still have speech and don't mind the funny looks from onlookers.

Alan, if the clips are for your own reference, you can have the data code permanently recorded on the tape by turning "CHAR. REC" on under "SYSTEM" menu. I did this when I first received my XM2 and tried different setting to see the result. But only shooting in manual mode, you are able to see full data. In actual shooting, and if situation allows, I would shoot with "CHAR. REC" on for 10 - 15 frames to record my setting first; then turn it off to shoot the rest. You can always clip that part with data code in NLE after capturing the footage onto your HDD.
For Run-and-Shot situation, I think we'd better stick to "GRAZIE WAY"; shout loud to the mic and make people think you are flash gang.
Image when you are shooting in a concert; while the grand orchestra is playing Bach and one of the audience speaks to himself: "Shutter 1/50, aperture 4, WB manual ..... gain ???...."
Rock concert is OK though!

Thanks Colin, this IS what I was after.
I will try this out.

By the way I finally met Grazie today at Wembley Video Forum! He is big enough to do it at a Bach concert too & get away with it ;-D

OT
Grazie, could not get into the White balance seminar (too busy).
Pity I cannot get back this week.

H e l l o . . . Alan . . ah .. Ehm just a wee pussycat! Really!!

Anyways great to see you . . . OT . .Contact for the Senni Closed back HEadphones?

The Forum was great . . the WB thinbgy was so easy to understand, I even understood too!!

Grazie

Yea i thoroughly enjoyed the forum too. Laughed when i read the above because ive been doing the same, out shooting on moors etc, and shouting F 1.6, gain 10 db etc etc! Rather frustratingly the best settings keep turning out to be the same ones that the auto mode selects! With the exception of auto not taking care of the overexposure that my zebra stripes tell me about.
With reference to the above, camera data being stored on tapes. Someone at the conference who sold me some sony premium tapes, 9 for £27, told me that some similar sony tapes next to them, they may have been called excellence im not sure, stored tape data? They were double the price. Indeed he had them labelled 'chipped' whereas my premier tapes were 'unchipped'. I was a little confused here, my understanding of the difference between the grades was that the excellence was better if you use the long play recording modes, which i dont. But this fella reckoned that they stored extra data on them, and said my camera probably already stored timecode so i would only need the unchipped??? Is this anything at all to do with the data were talking about?

Hiyah Michael . . good set of questions . . . I'm listenning too!

Yup forum was terrific . . . suppose I'll have to wait till next year? ANy others you know about going on between?

Grazie

No idea about the Sony data tapes Michael.

Probably is the same "data", am out today shooting so will try the [data code permanently recorded on the tape by turning "CHAR. REC" on under "SYSTEM" menu] as suggested by Colin Sze earlier.

OT - would have loved to spend all 3 days at Wembley Forum but work got in the way. Lucky Grazie lives there!

Don't get the sony data/chipped tapes. They are of no use in
a Canon camera and almost have no use anyway. Almost no
camera takes full use of the chip on in the tape. It can store
things like timecode (so in theory it should continue with the
latest sample even if you start on a blank spot).

All information like timecode, date, time and camera settings
are always recorded on tape in a special data sections in the
data stream. It is in the DV standard. No need for special tapes!

Rob - Nice! Read my signature . . .ah HAH!

Grazie

Exactly grazie!

cheers 4 this. Is good to know the cheapest r the best here! Nope not aware of any other forums. CKE distribution had a few mini forums of their own, but there are no more advertised on their sight. Heres to next year coz that was amazing!

Colin Sze,

Finally checked out the Char Code and yes it works as long as you remember the following:

1. Read the manual ;) (me that is)
2. When in VCR playback press display/data code button in the LCD cubby hole.

That was the bit I forgot (see XM2 manual P88)

Very interesting as I reviewed my 1st tape with the XM2 and what a revelation, I am definitely getting better. I had 18dB set on & off a lot whereas the F stop & Shutter could have helped, leeway available.


I am now sane again.

As long as I can review on Cam I am not too bothered, will try and capture "live" onto the PC. That should work OK, will let you know.

Alan, if what you want is to view the data on built-in LCD (or VF), or TV thru S-video, then you do not need to turn on "CHAR REC". Because when it is turned on when shooting, the data are merged onto your footage, and there is no way to turn it off. I guess you are aware of it.
It is always nice to know someone really makes progress. I am kind of lazy and still stumbling at the low learning curve.

I actually wanted both (LCD & on tape).

Well impressed with the LCD monitoring just with the little button.
This is something I will use as I learn and get more confident, only checking the dodgy bits.

Thanx for your help.