Re: P2 LOAD & ARCHIVE

Folks,
To edit Panasonic P2 footage, does one simply load all footage onto a hard drive via the camera itself, with FCP log and capture & firewire? or is the process more complicated?
Also, shooting on tape, it's great to have that as the archival footage.
What is the best way to dump from the P2 cards to save all your raw video?
Output from FCP?
Thank you,
JR

Steve ... should have googled... first... found plenty including Ken's article on this site.
Ken... Jim thank you.
Also, the specs on the 200A (on B&H) indicate it retained the mini-dv tape mode from the 200.
Is that spec sheet correct? (something tells me they abandoned the tape w/the 200A).
if so ... can you dual record material? as in record hi-def both to the p2 card and the mini-dv tape simultaneously and get your tape backup/archive there?
Thank you all,
JR

Hi JR,

The 200A does have a tape drive, The new HPX 170, due out this fall does not have a tape drive.

--ken

The tape drive is for DV(standard NTSC or Pal) only. No HD recording on tape.
The 200 camera is based on 720p shooting. It can record 1080i but is limited to 60hz. Shooting different speeds entails the 720PN formate. It works great, it is an amazing camera for the money. I'm working with the 500. The Panasonic 3000 has excellent spects.

Jim,
What's the nutshell on the 500?
Are you happy w/it? What lens did you buy?
I've read different reports on the focus function, do you like it?
Thank you,
JR

I do like the camera. We went with a Fuji standard lens, the budget was restrictive. I have a call into my rep because when I shoot something black with texture I can see noise in the blacks. The worse of this problem was shooting a talent with a black shirt. It is a great camera and I encourage you to consider it for purchase, even with the black issue, it could be my machine. Review the specs of the 3000, it has the same features as the 500 at resolutions at 1080. I did work at a shop with the 200. It is an excellent camera for the money, it has the same record structure as the 500. I didn’t care for the small image chip that put everything in focus. A workaround for the 200 is to use fcp to add soft filter to some areas of the frame.

I’m using the P2 system and you have the basic idea.
Here are a few tips.
When shooting have an assistant hold a cinema camera slate with the scene and take number, start rolling with the slate as full frame as possible, that first frame is now a thumbnail with the script information in plain view. Now pull the slate away and start the performance.

When capturing and logging you can rename the clip in fcp, again all of this information is on the thumbnail you made with the slate but the rename will be on the file name.
It is nice to do back-up while on location, have the assistant capture to a hard drive and make data DVD’s of the footage.
I know many people do eng style but if your budget can handle an assistant it will greatly relieve you to your duties of shooting and directing.

Do review the workflow papers.

Jim