PLEASE HELP - Capture Settings

Disclaimer: I am a novice at shooting on a nice camera, although I have worked with smaller consumer handheld DV Cams. I have used FCP extensively, though I probably don't know all the ins and outs.

I've spent several days shooting interview-style footage on a Sony DVCAM I am unfamiliar with. The DV record mode on the camera was set to DVCAM, 48k, which is what I was told to set it to by my film school graduate brother. Using the easy setup in FCP (version 5.1.4), he told me to choose HDV 1080i60.

FCP says it is unable to find the device.

The camera is connected to my backup drive through a 6-4 Zip-linq firewire cable. Nothing fancy. Then my backup drive is connected to my computer through a 6-6 firewire cable.
I had messed around with it last night and imported using the regular old NTSC setting in FCP, and it recognized the camera fine.

I have a feeling I am just choosing the wrong capture setting in FCP, but I have tried a few others and have had no luck, other than the NTSC setting.

Other camera settings that might help with a solution:
VCR HDV/DV - Auto
DV REC MODE - DVCAM
Component - 1080i/480i
i.Link CONV - OFF
DOWN CONVERT - LETTER BOX

Please help I am up against a deadline and about to pull my hair out. Thanks.

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The DV record mode on the camera was set to DVCAM, 48k

This is fine.

Quote

he told me to choose HDV 1080i60

This is not. If you shot DVCAM, then you have to tell Final Cut to set itself up for DVCAM. Like you yourself said, you have to use the correct capture preset; in this case, it sounds like that's DVCAM NTSC.

Is that a low quality mode? Will any of the other capture options give me better quality?

You said "The DV record mode on the camera was set to DVCAM." Assuming that's correct, then that's the format you shot. Not knowing what kind of camera you used, I can't say whether you could have shot in HD instead, but that's beside the point anyway. If you shot DV, then DV is what you have.

okay, I didn't phrase my question very well. I don't mean can I get what I shot to be better quality. I mean is that the best import setting I can use. I also thought you could see what kind of camera I used since I put it in my information, but I guess not. I have a Sony DVCAM HVR-V1U. Not that it makes a difference. Thanks for your help.

It's not a question of the "best" capture preset. You can only use the one that corresponds to what you shot. (This is not true of analog or SDI systems, but you're evidently on Firewire.) If you shot NTSC DVCAM, then you must use the NTSC DVCAM preset, period.

From what you're saying, bshorey, it sounds like you didn't shoot HDV. You actually shot DVCAM. That also explains why the camera is recognised under the DV NTSC setting.

Try capturing in DV. If that works, because your downconvert is off, you must have shot DV, not HDV.

[It's not a question of the "best" capture preset. You can only use the one that corresponds to what you shot. (This is not true of analog or SDI systems, but you're evidently on Firewire.) If you shot NTSC DVCAM, then you must use the NTSC DVCAM preset, period.]

Not quite true. I regularly capture HDV 1080 downconverted to DV anamorphic ProRes422 via HDV FireWire, using one of Andrew Balis' handy capture presets.

Here's another take on the same thing, already over 2 years old:

[library.creativecow.net]


- Loren

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