XDCAM HD on a Mac

[Joy Kwan]

Thanks Simon. Would you please put the MXF files with its folder (you can zip it) on your website?
http://www.simonwyndham.co.uk/reel.htm
Thanks for your generous.

Originally Posted by Simon Wyndham

First of all Joy Kwan, sorry I haven't been back in touch. Been quite busy recently. The smallest file I have is around 92mb in size. I take it you are wanting XDCAM HD footage?

[Greg Boston]

According to the latest information I have from a contact at Sony, their downloadable application for reading the MXF files is due out at the end of the month. It's also believed from other sources that Apple may have their update to FCP ready by month's end as well.

Apple/Sony are currently doing an XDCAM HD seminar tour and I'll be attending the Dallas session on the 28th of this month.

-gb-

[Bill Pryor]

Do you have a link or any info on that Sony/Apple tour? I'd be interested in attending one.

[Paul Kirby]

Hi Bill,
goto

http://seminars.apple.com/

down toward the righthand side is the Multicity tour link for the
Mobile editing with Final Cut Studio and Sony's XDCAM-HD System.

Regards,

Paul

[Bill Pryor]

Thanks! I signed up for the Chicago one on Aug. 1

[David Mintzer]

Why do I have this funny feeling that Bill is getting ready to pull the trigger on this camera?

[Bill Pryor]

Just planning ahead. In the past, from the time I start getting interested in a new camera, it takes about a year or so before we're actually ready to do something. The ol' DSR500 is still doing just great, and shooting 16:9 with the way I've got the settings tweaked and all, the quality is fine for what we do. Everybody's happy with it.

However, things change. What interests me about XDCAM HD is the tapeless workflow. I was not a proponent of going tapeless until I learned more about the system. There are some excellent advantages over tape for us, and the optical discs are about the same price as DVCAM tape and, from what I've read, are equally rugged, maybe moreso, and you can stick them on the shelf and file them for years, just like tape.

My big emotional problem, however, is going from 2/3" to 1/2" chips. I'm not sure if I'm ready for that. Allegedly the higher resolution format looks better, and keeping everything 24p might save us some significant space on our interactive CD and web stuff. So the tradeoffs might be worth it. The 2/3" chip version will probably be out by the time we're ready, but I dont' know if we can justify the cost. The 500 was only about $15K and lens about the same, so the whole package was $30K, plus another $20K for a couple of DSR 1800 decks. So we went from Betacam to DVCAM for $50K. The 2/3" chip camera and a useable lens would probably get very close to $50K, I'm guessing. But, with the XDCAM flow, we might get by with one deck in the network, and we really wouldn't need the pricey one that also records, because who the heck wants a master in XDCAM HD? Most of our stuff is released on DVD, on CD or web. On the rare occasion where I've done tape to 35mm transfers, we send the lab the show on a hard drive.

So...hmmm...maybe I'll wait for the 2/3" camera. On the other hand, a 1/2" one is a little smaller and lighter, and I could get a better lens cheaper...Damn, you see why I have to start thinking about these things a year in advance. There's also the emotional distress--like, when we went from a BVW camera to a DSR camera--alas, the pain and embarassment of not using a Sony Broadcast camera anymore, the angst of having only a "professional" model, and oh the humiliation of a DV25 format. Of course, the fact that everything looked better sorta made up for all that; still, the ego can suffer tremendously, though I'm accustomed to that because everytime I open up my little white iBook in a coffee house, everybody with the big wide screen Power Books looks at me with lightly concealed scorn, and now that the Professional Photographer Flat Black laptops are out, I'm sliding even farther down the self esteem scale. So hell, I can handle 1/2" chips; I'll just wear all black when I shoot and they'll think I'm an indy filmmaker.

[Simon Wyndham]

My big emotional problem, however, is going from 2/3" to 1/2" chips. I'm not sure if I'm ready for that.

To be honest, especially in HD mode, that doesn't seem to be an issue from my usage of the cameras. The picture quality from these babies is fantastic. Even the half res slow motion. I'd wager most people he wouldn't know. It looks as good as the none slow motion stuff.

On the other hand, a 1/2" one is a little smaller and lighter,

Wouldn't bet on it. These cameras are roughly the same size and weight as the SD XDCAM's.

alas, the pain and embarassment of not using a Sony Broadcast camera anymore, the angst of having only a "professional" model,

Why so? The BBC still uses the 500 and 570 as a mainstay of many of its productions. Make no mistake. the 500 is a true broadcast camera.

[Steve Connor]

Simon,

so let me get this straight, I can output 35mbs HDV through the HD-SDI port in the 350 straight into my Decklink HD card using whatever compression I choose in FCP.

If that's true I'd be interested to see how the picture looks using DVCPro HD compression. Hopefully when Alister is back from chasing storms I'll be able to test it!

[Greg Boston]

Originally Posted by Steve Connor

Simon,

so let me get this straight, I can output 35mbs HDV through the HD-SDI port in the 350 straight into my Decklink HD card using whatever compression I choose in FCP.

If that's true I'd be interested to see how the picture looks using DVCPro HD compression. Hopefully when Alister is back from chasing storms I'll be able to test it!

It's not HDV per se, it's MPEG2@HL. You should be able to capture to DVCPRO HD if you wish. Some folks have already been doing that with other cameras that are not native DVCPRO HD cameras.

-gb-

[Bill Pryor]

Simon, I was being sardonic about the "broadcast" issue, since the DSR500/570 was not sold by the "Broadcast Division."