The Panasonic TM900 Users Thread

[Carol Berman]

Tom - Thank you for the excellent feedback. Let me make sure that I understand your recommendations correctly:

I tested the 30x with the tripod that I returned, and you think that with the monopod I will need to limit to the 20x setting. Except that if the only way to get the shot at all is with 30x, then break the rule.

The only filter that I am bringing is the polarizing filter for the built-in lens, but I should use that judiciously. (Are you also saying that if really needed, I could put the adapter on top of the polarizing filter?)

With the adapters, I have to balance limits on zoom (6600Pro) against slight distortion (W4607) which will mainly show up at the widest shots. Since it is always preferable to shoot without the adapter, I think that I will stick with the 6600Pro and limit using it to situations where I really need the extra width, e.g. taking shots of our group, in the car, or for panoramic scenery shots.

I can't wait for everything to get here so I can start testing with everything put together! I've been doing test videos every day - they are definitely improving but not there yet. I've signed up for a digital photography composition in the field class in a few weeks. I would prefer a workshop geared towards video but can't find any in the San Francisco area, but I think this workshop will still benefit me.

I am actually familiar with the camcorder review link you sent - that is one of the main sources I used in choosing the TM900.

Carol

[Tom Hardwick]

The more telephoto you use the more it will test your tripod, the legs and head. Stills photographers use 1000 mm lenses sure, but then they generally use very high shutter speeds like 1/1000th sec and shorter. You'll be filming with a shutter speed of 1/60th sec and you could well be on a none-too-stable platform with a diesel engine underneath it. Me? I'd be content with the 20x zoom but as I say, pictures dictate, not pixels.

Yes, you can put the Raynox on top of the polariser and you'll need to to maintain image continuity. But before you do, check out the possible vignetting. The W4607 (Wide, 46 mm 0.7x, see?) is almost guaranteed to vignette the image corners if you do this as it's physically smaller than the 6600 Pro.

Good girl - that's exactly how a wide-angle converter should be used - when you need to see wider. If you want to shoot at 15mm, take the converter off, don't simply leave it in place, zoom and shoot at that focal length. Unless the hippo is charging, that is.

Remember that wide-angles are really all about perspective distortion, not about 'getting more in the frame'. They're at their best when used to exaggerate perspective with unusual povs, when they're used to frighten the audience as you hand-hold the camera as it careers across the plain (see note re hippo charging, above)..

tom.

[Bill North]

Where can I get a good price on replacement batteries for the tm 900

[Ian Cope]

Hi Bill and welcome.

Got mine here: Panasonic VWVBN130 Battery Pack HDC-TM900 HDC-TM900 NEW | eBay

[Carol Berman]

Hi -
I am trying to download some video that I shot to my PC from the SD Card in my TM900 using HD Writer AE 3.0. I am connecting to my computer with the USB cable. HD Writer is not recognizing any of the videos that I have on the SD Card. It shows 2+GB of data but says there are no pictures.

Most of the video on the card is 1080/60p with two AVCHD clips. I have no trouble playing this media back using the camera or playing on my Viera TV.

I previously taped and downloaded a few videos from this SD card, mostly AVCHD, and did not re-format the card afterwards. I've been recording lots of tests on the card and deleting most of them. It is a 32GB card and I am only using 2-3GB of space.

When I hook the camera up to my Windows PC, Windows Media Player comes on and requests that I set up the device. This seems to hang. I've also tried to upload the video by just cancelling the media player. I am not sure if I need Media Player or if it is causing the problem because it hangs.

After I connect the camcorder to the PC, I select the PC option on the screen. After that, it displays a READ ONLY msg on my camcorder.

My understanding is that the only way to download the 1080/60p video off of the camcorder is to use HD Writer.

I am running Windows Vista Home Premium.

Does anyone have any idea about what is causing my problem?

[Carol Berman]

Update to previous post:
I tried transferring the video to the internal storage. That was successful, but HD Writer still did not recognize. Then I found that I could see the video files using Windows Explorer. They showed up as MTS files instead of the M2TS files that I get when I use HD Writer to upload the video.

Are the MTS files still 1080/60p? Is there any reason not to just transfer them directly to my PC? Or am I losing something by doing that?

After I started viewing the files using Windows Explorer and playing them on VLC media player on my computer (directly from the camcorder) and uploading them to MyBookLive using Windows Explorer, all of the files on my camera suddenly showed up in HD Writer.

I've been working on this for 6-7 hours now and did not do anything different that I am aware of. The Windows Media Player device setup is still hung (for >2hrs now).

Can anyone shed some light on this for me?

[Phil Lee]

Hi

You can transfer them directly to your computer by just drag and drop/copy and paste.

Don't try and move/delete the mts files on the camcorder or camcorder memory card from the computer, as this can cause the camcorder problems as it manages the files using other data on the card, for example just deleting the video file on the camcorder means the camcorder still has data on the card elsewhere saying it is there, which can stop the card from working.

VLC on my computer gets the levels wrong when playing AVCHD files so it it looks a little washed out, just something to aware of, Windows Media Player gets the levels correct.

Regards

Phil

[Mark Ahrens]

I don't own this camera but have received it's footage for a project.
Is this the only affordable camera out there shooting 60p 1080?

The quality is great, i love it! BUT. . . . the workflow is atrocious!

Here's my deal . . . getting high school football game footage from a team shooter with this cam.
Gave him an SD card to record to, picked it up, transferred the files, used ClipWrap to convert all 111 plays/clips. No Problem - 20 minutes to transfer the 6GB, 2minutes to wrap them (nice that they're all under 60 seconds so i don't have to purchase ClipWrap).
Here's the kicker, though - it's a 22 to 1 ratio for convert time to ProRes422LT! So, it's going to take about 11 hours to convert 30minutes of footage! Seriously! Using Compressor 3, 8 cores @ 100%.

Is there a better / faster way? Besides Premiere Pro? (i tried editing AVCHD codec and it just was not acceptable - stuttering)

Overnight renders are okay . . .but if i had to deal with this everyday? no way.
Any advice?

If this is mentioned in this ridiculously long thread, i apologize, but my searches came up with nada.

Hoping Canon comes out with a similar product on Nov3rd with a better post recipe.

[Dan Carter]

Originally Posted by Carol Berman

Update to previous post:
I tried transferring the video to the internal storage. That was successful, but HD Writer still did not recognize. Then I found that I could see the video files using Windows Explorer. They showed up as MTS files instead of the M2TS files that I get when I use HD Writer to upload the video.

Are the MTS files still 1080/60p? Is there any reason not to just transfer them directly to my PC? Or am I losing something by doing that?

After I started viewing the files using Windows Explorer and playing them on VLC media player on my computer (directly from the camcorder) and uploading them to MyBookLive using Windows Explorer, all of the files on my camera suddenly showed up in HD Writer.

I've been working on this for 6-7 hours now and did not do anything different that I am aware of. The Windows Media Player device setup is still hung (for >2hrs now).

Can anyone shed some light on this for me?

Hello Carol,

Unfortunately Windows Vista does not have native support for AVCHD files. If your hardware supports it, Windows 7 provides native AVCHD support and will solve all the usual workflow issues.

With Windows 7 you'll be able to import video clips to Windows Live Photo Gallery or Picasa just as you would a JPEG image. Both programs allow viewing and categorizing clips as well. The new Windows Movie Maker also supports basic editing of AVCHD clips.

Good Luck.

[Paul Francs]

Originally Posted by Mark Ahrens

Is there a better / faster way? Besides Premiere Pro? (

I use Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinium 11. It handles 1080 50/60p footage with ease..

It takes awhile to render footage but my PC is 3 years old and was only a middle of the range one back then..

[Keith Moreau]

Originally Posted by Mark Ahrens

Here's the kicker, though - it's a 22 to 1 ratio for convert time to ProRes422LT! So, it's going to take about 11 hours to convert 30minutes of footage! Seriously! Using Compressor 3, 8 cores @ 100%.

Is there a better / faster way? Besides Premiere Pro? (i tried editing AVCHD codec and it just was not acceptable - stuttering)

You might try using Mpeg Streamclip in multiprocessor mode, I think its faster than compressor for this kind of thing, 11 hours seems excessive. Not only that your footage blows up to 5 to 6 times the original size - a lot of hard drive space.

I do use Premiere Pro 5.5 and I find it handles the 1080 60p footage well. It was one of the reasons I switched from FCP to Premiere was how well it handled the AVCHD footage and saved me all that wrapping and transcoding time. The stuttering isn't happening too badly unless I do a lot of multiclip work, but I'm on a 8 core mac Pro.

Oh, another thing by the way, don't use the Clipwrapped footage with .MOV extension in Premiere Pro, it chokes on this for some reason, I think because if it sees a .mov it starts using quicktime to decode the footage, maybe that's your problem. Native MTS files work pretty well.

[Peter Phelan]

Another option is to convert to a Cineform .avi format. There is a demo of the standalone Neoscene so you can see how this works for you. I use this for all my Canon DSLR footage.

Peter

[Mark Ahrens]

Keith, thanks . . . i'll try the native files - i probably used the clip wrapped last time i tried.
By MultiProcessor mode in Streamclip, do you mean the "amount of instances" drop down option?
I've never seen a "multi processor mode" on Streamclip. Guess i'll have to look closer. That app just amazes me . . . it can do so much and it's free . . . gotta donate to that one!

I guess if this is the direction editing is going, my Final Cut Suite is headed for the backburner. ugh.

[Alastair Traill]

Edius 6 or Premiere Pro CS 5.5?

The discount offer on Premiere Pro expires very soon and the details of the Edius 6 discount are yet to be announced. A bit of fiddling with TM 900 clips and an FCP X trial copy shows that there are serious shortcomings in actually getting the material into the program. There are also storage issues for the transcoded footage. Regrettably FCP X is out..

In short I am trying to decide between Edius 6 and Premiere, as an iMac user (3.06 GHZ, Intel core 2 duo, 4 GB) I have the added expense of buying Windows 7 Pro and maybe Parallels if I go for Edius. However that is a minor consideration

My question is, is there a compelling reason (or reasons) to go for one of these programs rather than the other? I also have an EX3 to consider. As I see it both programs have a lot to recommend them but Premiere is possibly more flexible. However my needs are fairly basic and the ease of use and a gentle learning curve are both highly desirable. I would appreciate any comments.

[Andy Wilkinson]

I went the Adobe CS 5.5 Production Premium route. Main reason is flexibility and what promises to be a relatively easy switch in workflow from FCS2. I say promises - I've been so busy the last few weeks with existing FCP projects and clients wanting new versions of older films that I've only had a couple of chances to open CS5.5 to have "a general look around" so I can't personally verify what I've read. Looks like it'll be OK though! Can't wait to be able to easily mix Canon 7D, Sony EX3 and Panasonic TM900 (1080p50 footage) all in the same project....without tedious transcoding and re-rendering, not to mention seeing all 8 cores on my Mac Pro and all that RAM hard at work! Up until now I've been using Vegas Pro 9E on a Windows 7 Core i7 PC for TM900 stuff (which it handles well). Adobe's After Effects and Audition should be superb tools to have in my editing bay too! After years of using Photoshop Elements it's also great to have the full version.

Adobe does have some great on-line resources for FCS2 switchers and I'm totally confident it is the right choice for me but I won't be using it for commercially critical projects until I'm up to speed. But until then, FCS2 is running just fine alongside it.