View Full Version : Do I have enough P2?
Steve Laramie
08-13-2008, 03:45 PM
Im wondering if I have enough p2 for shooting wedding ceremonys and receptions. I have 1 16gb card and 1 32gb card. I shoot 720/24p so I get around 2 hours and 10 minutes. I have done 2 weddings so far and had no problems but they were pretty short weddings. Also if I do need more whats the best approach. Ie. MBP for offloading a firestore or more cards? I dont like spending money so id only do those if you really thought 48gb wasnt enough.
jetaddiction@mac.com
08-13-2008, 03:51 PM
if your not shooting slowmo . use 720 24pn. longer record time.
Shooter
08-13-2008, 03:52 PM
You have plenty of P2 only until the moment that you run out...
This call can only be made by you but it would be very embarrassing to run out at the wrong time.
Steve Laramie
08-13-2008, 03:59 PM
Im sure brides and grooms dont know the difference between dvcproHD and dv. So worst case sceneario I can always pop in a tape.
David Saraceno
08-13-2008, 04:31 PM
However, you know the difference.
:)
What I'm saying is it isn't worth a lost gig to skimp on video, especially in weddings.
Get a MBP, which adds both another editing station and offload capabilities with a duel adapter.
Weddings, brides and the mothers of brides are factors that must be taken into account
Shooter
08-13-2008, 05:15 PM
...and you cant shoot 720p on a tape.
Steve Laramie
08-13-2008, 05:35 PM
I know
dude! if youre shooting weddings "what if" is NOT AN OPTION. THIS IS (well, in theory anyway) is a once in a lifetime situation. you cant say - "sorry, no more room on the cards. sorry i missed aunt betty on fire" what if youre shooting 1080 - a 16 and a 32 aint a lot of room
the fact that youd even ask this scares me!
get a dvx100 or a firestore. if someone shooting MY wedding only had a 16 and a 32, id ask, "do you have an assistant to transfer one while you shoot to the other? and what do you do when you shoot to the 16, its suddenly full and the 32 isnt yet finished transferring?"
this is one of the better examples of where matched pair p2 cards comes in handy. you cant just stop the shennanigans while your card transfers.... get AT least another 32
OR a firestore.
Steve Laramie
08-13-2008, 08:30 PM
Im not far enough in the busness to be spending 1500 on precautions thats my problem What do you meen about getting a dvx100?
Steve Laramie
08-13-2008, 08:32 PM
Let me ask this anyone here who shoots weddings how many cards/sizes do you have and whats the average you can expect to shoot if shooting 720/24pn
the dvx100 is an ongoing solution for those shooting weddings = shoot to tape + better lowlight performance + most wedding clients dont need hd anyway
Steve Laramie
08-13-2008, 08:34 PM
I had both for a while and HVX200a is deffinetly better in low light on 0db gain then the DVX. I sold my DVX a while back. I had the 100a.
Steve Laramie
08-13-2008, 08:35 PM
Main reason I chose the HVX is because most wedding clients see HD and are immediately turned on.
p2 card capacity doesnt change for wedding shooters. 16gig card holds what, i forget - 32, 35, 39 min of 720pn?
the problem youre going to run into with 2 mismatched cards is there may likely be situations where you are shooting to the 16 and it fills up, but the 32 isnt yet done transferring...
Steve Laramie
08-13-2008, 08:39 PM
Do you meen transfering to the card or from the card to the computer if I were dumping it? Anyway I want to look into the firstore fs-100 that would probably solve most my problems. Only thing is where can I get extra batteries because it only has 90minutes battery time which is stupid because it can record up to 100 minutes of 1080.
I had both for a while and HVX200a is deffinetly better in low light on 0db gain then the DVX
okay, but now youre mentioning the 200A. its definitely WAY better than the 200. but still not reportedly better than the dvx...
Steve Laramie
08-13-2008, 08:41 PM
Yeah I had a vx2100 before the DVX and HVX which would kill both of them in low light. But it recorded to 4:3 which I hated and I was tired of hooking the beachteck up to use mics. Not to mention 60i only
Do you meen transfering to the card or from the card to the computer if I were dumping it?why (or what) would you transfer TO the card? of course i mean transferring from the card to the computer...
the biggest, fastest and most reliable (at leats in my experience) transfer method (on set) is to have two (or more) equally sized cards and an assistant with a pcmcia equipped laptop to transfer one card while you shoot to another. matching the cards in size just helps to assure that by the time you fill one card the othe ris through transferring content to a laptop (or destination device)
Steve Laramie
08-13-2008, 08:46 PM
one problem I noticed with my HVX that you just reminded me of. My camera doesnt fill up one card at a time if I have 2 in the camera. It will do one clip on my 16 then another on my 32 and switch up like that all the time.
yeah, i NEVER use two cards at once. if i even close to suspect that i need to roll non-stop for more than 30min. i just go for the firestore from the get go.
Steve Laramie
08-13-2008, 08:51 PM
why would you be able to record to two cards if it was that bad theres got to be a setting to fix that. Im not insured on my p2 just my camera so theres no way im puting a card in my pocket while I walk around shooting. Also can you send me a link to a place where I can get batteries for the firstore fs100?
Shooter
08-13-2008, 09:13 PM
What others do and manage with has no true relevance to your situation.
My suggestion to you is simple business advice. ie. Do not run before you can walk. It will bite you in the *rse and get you a bad rep.
Solution: Do not shoot 720p . Shoot DV to your cards (or tape) until your business builds enough to invest in the hardware.
Steve Laramie
08-13-2008, 09:16 PM
why not shoot 720p and if I run out which I really doubt I would shoot to tape in sd?
dantewaters
08-13-2008, 09:19 PM
I agree soo much with Shooter... A single 16gig p2 card can work (ONCE YOU HAVE A WORK FLOW FOR IT). You have to know what you are doing, and how to work around it.
For example I shoot with 2 16gig cards and I know that no ceremony will exceed 85mins, and if it does I have a 2nd camera rolling, but the point is anything can work. Heck back in the day when an 1hr tape is full you have to pause about 5 -7 secs to switch (which could be the kiss)
The main question is what is your work flow for a 16gig 32gig p2 card setup.
All in all it's what works best for you.
why not shoot 720p and if I run out which I really doubt I would shoot to tape in sd?
sure, that might be ok. but if your client paid for an HD production and you deliver uprezed SD - how's that gonna pan out? not well id guess...
Solution: Do not shoot 720p . Shoot DV to your cards (or tape) until your business builds enough to invest in the hardware.THAT is exceptionally good advice : )
if you cant afford to shoot HD reliably. you cant afford to shoot HD. change your pricing structure or just save up.
A single 16gig p2 card can work (ONCE YOU HAVE A WORK FLOW FOR IT). You have to know what you are doing, and how to work around it.one camera and ONE card? you have GOT to be kidding me? what do you do while that one card is transferring? miss 8+ minutes of the event?