EX1 w/ HyperDeck Shuttle 2

[valladao65]

I'm considering purchasing the EX1 w the Hyperdeck Shuttle 2 (or the HPX250).
If the cameras both have 10bit color, 4:2:2 sampling and similar s/n ratio, my biggest questions would be in how much of a pain is it to add the HyperDeck into the workflow.


For any of you who may have this set-up I have a couple questions to pose...

Is there an easy way to attach the recorder to the EX1 where it isnt in the way and the camera can still be used both hand-held and on sticks? I've seen the plate they sell, but reviews of it seem to say that it stinks and isn't worth the trouble. So I'm curio9us if anyone has used it or found other options.

The other big question I have is with the CODEC. I'm using Adobe CS6 masters collection on a PC and I'm curious if people are having issues editing and exporting within either Premiere or A/E. Are you using the ProRes HQ or the Avid DNxHD CODECs and are there issues with using either one? It seems like the forums have all had issues until recently so Im wondering if they have it al worked out?

If you have this setup...
are you happy with it? and would you go the same route if you had it all over to do again?

I'm fully entrenched in P2 with HVX200's, cards, batteries, adapters...etc So it'd have to be a fairly easy and uneventful process for me to go outside of the P2 workflow.

Thanks for any insight!

Mike

[Dustin Moore]

I have a few EX1s and a Shuttle 2. The workflow on windows platform is a bit complicated. The Shuttle records to a Mac HPFS formatted
disk so you have to use special software (~$50) to format and read the disk. Such software isn't always compatible with other DTE equipment
you may be using. I found that it conflicted with/prevented use of Focus tech firestores.

One you can get data off the SSD you discover that DNxHD in .mov containers can only be read in 8 bit mode by Premiere and most other
windows NLE. If you want the 10 bit data you have to of recorded the data in .mxf format and then you can open it in the free version of
Resolve. Sadly, the free version of resolve can't output to anything that is easy to edit in Premiere like Cineform. I tried outputting Cineform
wrapped in .mov container from Resolve and it spit everything out at 30000 frames per second rather than 29.97. Generally a failure and
I couldn't find anyone that could help me.

I did some A/B testing between the SXS MPEG-2 and the 8bit DNxHD and the SXS is really good. Unless you are shooting really complicated
material and color correcting the hell out of the footage, the SXS is much more practical.

If you are just making commericals or Bluray's of events, I think it would be foolish to put up with the Shuttle. I would say don't bother with the
shuttle unless you are want to fight tedious software battles or you have to fight the battles because you are doing special effects work or
making cinema and can't afford a better recorder.

[valladao65]

Thanks Dustin,

i'm shooting a lot of green screen- so the color sampling is important to me. I also am doing a project with lots of low light situations- my current camera isn't great with low light (HVX200s). I've seen lots of footage from the EX1 and it simply looks more clean to my eye- granted I dont know how much color correcting and tweaking that the footage was subjected to..but still. I wish the Panny's had a 1/2" sensor camera in the mix as I've got a lot of P2 gear.

I was worried about the HyperDeck Shuttle 2 being a pain to work with- and it seems you have confirmed my suspicions that it's not worth the trouble. Thanks for taking the time to explain your experience.
I guess I'll just stick with the P2 format for now and try and get my hands on the HPX250.

Cheers!

Mike