need an expert opinion on FCP tape compatibility

I'm getting conflicting advice, need someone to clear this up!

We've shot a documentary in all HD (Sony f900 23.98) so far, but are going to several small towns where photographers don't have the experience or access to this camera. What will be most compatible in FCP for online editing... they have access to Panasonic HX500/ p2 cards, DVCpro cams, digibeta.

help! we have interest from a network and they said HD only, but we can't afford to fly in a crew at this point, need to hire local...

I don't even understand your question? You shot video at 23.98 on a Sony F900 camera (High Def) So why not use that codec in Final Cut Pro? HPX500 with P2 cards is also High Def and has a codec in FCP as well.

So, what is the question?

sorry if I didn't make it clear... I'm not sure which local crew to hire. The only crew that's even familiar with HD in the small W VA town we're going to has access to the Panasonic, but have never used it. They've used SD DVCPRO and digibeta. The last time I edited with mixed formats, HD and SD it was a mess. I'm just trying to avoid headaches in the edit room again, thanks for your help, sorry I'm a bit naive on this!

Well, i would suggest to use DVCPRO HD. But even if you use SD format, you could blow it up via a card that can make conversion like the AJA KONA.

the hpx shooting dvcproHD at 23.98 will be just fine.

I think you're talking about networks requiring so much footage be shot with a broadcast camera not just HD (although you would want to keep it all HD, right?) In other words, the PVX Panasonic camera shoots HD but isn't technically a broadcast quality camera. I second the DVCProHD. The quality and color can be great. I've worked with HVX footage but never in a mixed timeline. Good luck.

merci!

Hang on a sec. I think there are a couple nuances here that have been overlooked so far.

The Sony F900, which is a great camera, shoots on HDCAM. There's no codec associated with HDCAM; it's an "uncompressed" (that's a figure of speech) format like Digibeta. The output on the back of an HDCAM deck is an HDSDI spigot. When you capture that footage for editing, you're going to have to put it into some codec. Good choices would be 8-bit uncompressed and ProRes 422.

But if you go out and shoot other segments of the show on DVCPRO HD, you might not be happy with the way the two types of footage cut together. HDCAM is 1440x1080 at 135 Mbps; DVCPRO HD is 1280x1080 at 100 Mbps. Setting aside the obvious lens differences, the two types of footage probably won't look exactly alike.

If you're going to shoot some of your documentary in DVCPRO HD anyway, you should consider whether you want to just downconvert everything to DVCPRO HD when you edit. That won't solve all the look problems, but it'll at least scale all your footage down to the same raster size and pixel aspect ratio.

You should definitely do some tests to be sure. Send one of your HDCAM tapes out and have it captured both in ProRes and in DVCPRO HD. Cut those together with some of your DVCPRO HD footage, and see which you prefer. Or, indeed, even if you can tell the difference.

FWIW Francis Coppola is shooting his next film using the F900 and Walter Murch is using the Pro Res codec for editing. Not HQ either. So far he says it's "magnificent." Especially on a 50" Plasma.

Last film (Youth Without Youth) they used the DVCPRO HD codec.

Michael Horton
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appreciate that, my gut instinct has been to insist on using the same camera throughout but
we're shooting in several different cities, hiring crews, and many are trying to talk me into dvc pro
or panasonic hx500 camera, telling me 'it won't be that different' because they can't get/don't have experience with sony f 900.

so I wonder, do I go with the camera and a seasoned, yet unfamiliar-with-the cam photog or
do they shoot with what they have/are familiar with and adjust in the edit room....
hmmm

I would get round most of the issues of HDCAM vs DVCproHD in post in the grade - I have even mixed HDV (spit, grrr) successfully into that mix with no-one ever spotting the difference without me showing a massively zoomed image of the artifacting.

However, and to answer the question:

If its a choice between Camera Ops who know the DVCproHD camera(s) or Ops who don't know the F900 then I would recommend the former.

Several projects I have worked on have had inexperienced F900 HDCAM Ops who shot awful images (over/under exposed or out of focus) or in one case managed to capture 25PsF on 29.97p Timecode!!!

Additional comment:

With the different crews you really ought to send out an example of the style of interview, lighting and shots you want before you get them to shoot otherwise you'll end up with not just a marginal difference due to lens/CODEC issues but major differences in shooting style.



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another opinion

Its not that big a deal going with different cams with FCP. What does make a difference is the shots you are going for. For example I'd sure like a F900 if shooting wide landscapes and distant objects. Choices of lenses are diverse here. An DVC Pro Cam is just fine for people indoors and out. Hard to find anyone with experience who uses a F900. Except in major markets. Plan on spending the big bucks if you do.

And you will save a bundle of money using DVC Pro cams. If budget is no problem go out and get the big boys with their F900s and stay with them. You'll weep at the image on a big screen. If budget is a consideration, then try and stick with a DVC Pro Cam or equivalent. But don't worry about different cams with FCP. Just pick a codec like Pro Res or DVC Pro HD and you are good to go.





Michael Horton
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