Please help - confusion over HVX purchase...!

[fritz]

Ok guys, I really need some sage advice here.

I've been thinking about upgrading from my DVX to the HVX for a few months now, and have been spending a lot of time reading these workflow forums to try to figure things out. But I'm still a bit confused.

My set up will probably be: HVX camera (PAL version), 2 x 16GB cards, MacBook Pro 17" and FCP 5.1.4. From reading various threads it seems that I will need to buy an expresscard adaptor to be able to plug the P2 card into the laptop. Does Apple sell these, or is it best to get one from Duel Systems?

Now, can I just dump my footage straight from the P2 card (via expresscard adaptor) onto the mac desktop? Obviously I'll be putting it all onto external drives later on, but out in the field I won't have power for external drives. What I'm worried about is that I read a thread saying that the camera needs to format the drive and it creates a new partition for every card and you only get 15 partitions....is this only if you are connecting an external drive directly to the camera, not going from a P2 card direct to a laptop? I don't want my laptop drive wiped!

Sorry for the ignorance, I'm sure someone's thinking "RTFM!" but I don't have the camera yet and it's really quite difficult to picture all this stuff remotely. I want to make sure I know exactly what I'm getting into before I lay down the cash.

Another thing I don't understand is if I need any of these 3rd party P2 import programs. I've read about P2 Genie, Raylight, P2 Log and a couple of others. Are these programs essential, and if so, which one is best to work with FCP?

One last question, I'm in Australia and as usual everything is considerably more expensive here. I have found the camera at an online shop in NZ for around the $6k mark, whereas the normal price for us is $9k. I'm aware that if I buy from this place I would be unlikely to receive any service under the warranty, so my question is: how likely do you think it would be that I'd need $3k worth of service in the first year of owning the camera? (Manufacturer's faults only, I'll be getting insurance to cover anything stupid I do to the camera!) If I only need $2k worth of service, I'm still coming out ahead by buying the cheaper camera....what do you reckon?

Sorry for the long post, but I really value the opinions of everyone on this forum. To me, this forum is one of the camera's most important features - it's up there with solid state recording!

[wgzn]

ok. lets start from the top:

yes - you will need an expresscard adapter. dunno how many different manufacturers there are. and to my knowledge apple does not offer one of their own.

yes - the P2 card will appear on the desktop just like any other removable or external storage device.

NO - the camera does NOT reformat the drive. (that might be true for some of the various hacks people have developed to dump straight to a drive - but when connected to your computer or a drive connected to that computer its just like any other removable device - as stated above)
here is MY workflow for that. before the shoot i create a folder on my laptop called "projectname_P2" and in that folder for each card i dump, i create a sub folder called "card_01" and then copy the full content of that card to that folder. then do the same for each additional card dump naming each folder "card_02" _03, _04 and so on. after each dump i do a quick import of a random clip into FCP to test the transfer. if it passes i put the card back into the camera, format it and go!

before the last 2 versions of FCP. i lived and died by P2 LOG. but the newer versions of FCP have a p2 viewer built in. HOWEVER, the built in viewer is not as powerful as P2 LOG (or P2 LOG PRO, or HD LOG) and i'd still HIGHLY reccommend one of them.

lastly. i personally do not suggest buying from ANY unauthorised panasonic dealer. you might save some money. but at best you wont get warranty recognization and and worst you may open the box and find no camera in it!

hope all this helps

- wG

[THoff]

The only instance in which the camera can format the drive is when you connect a SBP2-compliant Firewire drive directly to the camera in IEEE HOST mode. You can't record directly to that drive, but the camera can offload the contents of the P2 cards to the drive without having to go through a computer.

When you connect the HVX to your computer and put the camera into MCR mode and then establish a Firewire connection, the P2 cards appears as removable drives on your desktop (provided you installed the drivers that come with the camera). This doesn't require formatting or partitioning of your computer's hard drive.

[Barry_Green]

1) yes you'd need an adapter, and the only one in existence is the one from Duel Systems.

2) Yes you can just transfer it directly. No partition limit when working that way. You could also transfer directly from the HVX to an external firewire hard disk, and that's where the 15-partition limit comes into play.

3) None are essential, all are extremely helpful. P2 Genie is a simple offloader that automates the whole process. P2 Log is more complex and adds logging features and metadata manipulation. Raylight adds realtime editing directly from the cards or from the transferred files, avoiding the FCP import process entirely.

[fritz]

Well, that puts my mind at rest a lot - thanks very much everyone for your informative replies! By the sound of it, all I need to get started is the camera, the P2 cards and the Duel adaptor. I'll see how I go using the Panasonic drivers before I buy any of the 3rd party software options. Now I just need to get the best price I can on the camera and the cards!

Thanks again.

[Joe Lawry]

Dont buy from Global Media Pro, its not worth the risk if issues should arise. Buy from a Panasonic dealer.

[lipslide]

Have a talk to the guys at Lemac. Not only do are they doing me a great price on a HVX/case/battery and 16gb card, but there service, both before and after sale is invaluable.

As well as having service centres, they also offer rental HVX's and P2 Cards, and you can only rent their P2 cards if you bought a HVX from them. They also offer greatly discounted rental on the camera if they have yours for repair. That kind of support is invaluable in my line of work, where not having a camera available can get very costly.

I told them about the international sales and they did a better price to try and get as close as they could. Understand that it's Panasonic Australia that are making the killing on these camera's at the moment. Most retailers I have spoken to have said that places like Global Media Pro are killing them at the moment, they are selling the camera's cheaper than Panasonic Australia are selling it to the retailers.

Somethings got to give sooner or later. . .Maybe it will take us writing to Panasonic en masse.

[fritz]

Thanks for the words of advice. I was seriously considering Global Media Pro since it's such a big difference, but I think I'll take your advice and go with either Lemac or John Barry's. I got a quote today from Lemac and the guy I spoke to certainly seemed a bit peeved by being constantly undercut by Global Media Pro. Which I can understand, totally. He was only going to change his price if I had a better price from a local dealer - and in writing. I just don't understand why GMP is able to buy the cameras so cheaply, but I guess it's not worth wasting time wondering about it.

Thanks also for pointing out the extra services Lemac offers, lipslide. The guy I talked to today didn't mention them, but it would be great to know the discounted camera rental and P2 card rental are available. Are you getting one of the cameras on backorder that's coming in at the end of June? I need mine for mid July, so I guess I'd better get on with the order!

[eureka]

Try also Amber Technologies and ask for Michael Sanders also try videoguys.com.au Online store ask for Michael also.
You can buy a HVX202en for around $8400AUD.
Thats the going rate...but because of the earthquake in Japan you'd be hard pressed getting one, thats what I was told 2 weeks ago.

good luck

[Joe Lawry]

I just don't understand why GMP is able to buy the cameras so cheaply, but I guess it's not worth wasting time wondering about it.

From what i've been told by a number of NZ dealers GMP import their product in from Russia..where they somehow are able to buy it extremely cheap.

[lipslide]

From what i've been told by a number of NZ dealers GMP import their product in from Russia..where they somehow are able to buy it extremely cheap.

In Russia, camera buy YOU! :D

Oh and Fritz, yes, I am in line for one of the cameras coming at the end of June.

[fritz]

I've never heard of Amber Technologies, so thanks for that tip. So far John Barry's (shop above Panavision in Artarmon) is the cheapest on the camera at $8200, but the cards are more than at Lemac.

I actually rang Global Media Pro last week and I had thought that the guy I spoke to sounded eastern European...maybe they do have connections in Russia. Why would they even be making the Aussie/NZ version of the camera in Russia, that's what I don't get? It's not like it's even the European version. Anyway, don't worry, I'm not buying from them so it's a moot point.

As long as I get it by early July I'll be happy. From what I'm hearing it sounds like the cameras should start arriving soon.

I bet you can't wait to get your hands on that camera lipslide!

[lipslide]

I bet you can't wait to get your hands on that camera lipslide!

That is a severe understatement. I will admit to having had recurring dreams about getting my hands on said camera lately. I feel comfortable saying that here too, I am probably not the only one! :)

[fritz]

Don't worry about it, it's completely normal to dream about your gear. Camera gear that is! My partner already thinks I love my DVX more than him...wait till I get an HVX!!!