I'm looking at moving from tape-based shooting to an EX1 and find the alternative low cost of SDHC setups appealing. But given the increased risk, I'd like to know if one of the two memory slots in the camera can mirror the other simultaneously while camera is turning over?

It'd be reassuring if it did. For the cost of these cards, you could always have a back up for the duration of the shoot, or at least for as long as it takes to verify all the footage is there.

Mickey

But given the increased risk

There is no increased risk. As someone who started in the waning days of 2" there is DECREASED RISK. Good quality SDHC cards don't fail.

Maybe there's increased human error because people don't understand the workflow or the technology but having seen oxide particles flake off tape as well as poorly stored tapes or newbies leaving tapes next to degaussers, I find SDHC MORE RELIABLE and EASIER TO HANDLE than tape.

Sandisk and Transcend SDHC cards have proven very reliable IMHO. Even when someone does get a media error, nothing is lost in my experience. I'll never have to worry about a tape dropout again.

Follow a secure workflow. When it does come time to backup do a double backup. Hard drive and optical disk would be a good combination. Given that 16 GB Transcend cards are down to almost $25, they're not much more than XDCAM disks so you can save them if your budget allows. You'd certainly be doing that if you were shooting straight to XDCAM disk.

Yeah the only risk I can see is warehouses full of SxS cards pulling down Sony's stock price. :)

-Noah

Good to hear. I am well aware of potential fragility of all media incl tape, neg and cards and have followed the SDHC development with interest. A few issues there. Eg a mate of mine is unable to mount his adapter and cards which were formatted in an EX3 in another's EX1 BUT I do not know the exact details of the cards...

As for me, I've been shooting to a 32gb transcend compact flash card on the back of my Z7 without any problems but am now also used to the insurance of a tape back-up.

Any tips on buying SDHC cards in bulk and getting sub $20 unit rates?

I love the idea of the cards costing the same as HDV stock and so becoming consumables. Tiny little things that they are, there'd have to be an environmental saving there, no? Or are there precious metals in the cards whose sourcing and manufacture outweigh the enviro costs of tapes???

Some of the data isn't transferable from an EX3 to an EX1 and visa versa.

Not sure if you would think this is more reliable but the Convergent Flash XDR could be rigged up to record the HDSDI output of the camera while still recording on the internal cards. A less expensive two card version is supposedly coming down the pike soon. Certainly not an inexpensive solution yet but maybe soon