Does the FS-100 seem like a bad product?

Since I see people still posting on this thread today, I hope my question doesn't get buried. I need some good advice.
OK. I received my FS-100 a couple of days ago and I'm not cheering. In fact, I haven't even opened the box and I'm seriously considering sending it back (No problem with returning it if I don't open the box).
I do documentary work, both for independant film and seminar recording. The interviews I shoot are at least 30 minutes long if not more.
It seems like it would be a MAJOR pain to reassemble 10 to 20 (2 minute) clips in FCP.
Am I missing something? Is there a solution to this using the FS-100. Or do I just send it back and record through my powerbook until the CinePorter comes out?
Not having a suitable and secure mount also seems to be a pain.
 
The hot shoe mount is cool, the file/clip issue is horrible. So far, there is no solution. After struggling with this on our recent doc shoot, we opted to use FCP in a Pelican case with a 500 gig GRaid HD all powered by a big ass Husky battery we lugged around. Worked like a charm. Making a new clip every 2 min 18 seconds is a little secret not disclosed until after I got it and asked the question to Focus. I can't wait to dump this thing and get the CinePorter when it comes out. We to shot interviews that sometimes lasted for 30-40 minutes and the Firestore was not up to the task sorry to say.

Don Wilson
AmericanaMediaInc.com
 
Matthew McEwen said:
I am curious about Jarred's comment of it not being accurate...what are you seeing Jarred?
Matt McEwen
Click to expand...

its not just me others are reporting it as well, i think it could be just a user learning curve combined with a technical limitation rather than a bug.. there is a small delay when you hit record for the feedback and on some instances the firestore needs a few beats between pushes. Patience solves that one.

This isnt just a firestore thing though.. this has happened with most of the firewire recorders i have used in the SD realm. Not really that big of a deal, as long as you can see the screen of the firestore and depend on that. It was actually one of the good things about quickstream device, was the huge red tally light that showed it was recording.

Anyways guys.. for the people asking to buy or not to buy.. i think you gotta figure out what is right for you.. The firestore has some cool features, but a few limitations that to be fair arn't all the Firestores fault.. like the fat32 limitation and camera feedback. Sure, a few things like the manual, the confusing menu gui, mounting options etc... could be alot better but those are all things that can be updated down the road.

I think the biggest issue is that its just hard to use.. its not a pick up and shoot kinda device, you need to learn how to use it, but thats not a negative thing, its just something that needs to be understood.
 
Having used the FS-100 for a couple of weeks, I can echo Jarred's comments. I personally have had good experiences with it. I have shot clips in excess of 2 min (or 2 gb) and FCP has seemed them together fine. It is an awkward device and standard battery life leaves a lot to be desired. It is sturdy and seems to be able to stand up well to heavy field use (I'll tell you more after I have carried it around New York, Jerusalem and London in a few weeks). It takes some forethought to use, some settings on the camera to change and some workflow adjustments. It's kind of like the economics of shooting film. How much is it going to cost me in stock and processing for this shot? In this case, how much precious hard drive space and battery life is this shot costing me? In one run-and-gun project, I did feel it inhibited my style at first but then it made me think a little more about what I was going. With a cheap tape, shooting ratio was not a factor. I could go on and on with positive and negatives, but I'll save it for my articles.

Ned
 
I used it for a shoot recently (think I posted this elsewhere).

Bottom line: It works. But it is a POS of a product, horrible ergonomics and usability. Designed for the engineers that created it, not shooters. I got it from a rental house that couldn't figure out how to get it to work, and after fiddling with it, it did.

The internal battery is pathetic, usability is pathetic, menus are pathetic.

But it works.

Worth $500. Wouldn't pay anything like $1700 for one.
 
nsoltz said:
I'm going to agree with Jan on this one. While I would ideally love to see the screen on the FS-100, when considering the options of carrying it on my belt with the scary, flimsy clip (and it did pop off once on me last week, but no disaster), mounting on the camera with the noise potential, or losing screen, I'd rather have the Jimmybox. Now, the one issue I do have is difficulty in mounting Jimmybox to bottom of camera. I cannot seem to keep it secure and straight at the same time. I had no problem with securing my tripod mount to the bottom of the contraption. In short, while not the most ideal solution, it does the job for hand-held or rig-mounted shooting on the run.

Ned Soltz
Click to expand...
do you really need the grip? what does the grip do? I'm looking at this link:

TIA

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=Search&A=details&Q=&sku=433324&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

((edit -add)

ok, I think I can figure it out. no need to reply unless you really want to. it is a handle. suport thing.
 
I've had my FS-100 for almost 3 months now while using it with my HVX200 and haven't had one problem at all with it. I work with a 2.6ghz MacPro and the images are coming out absolutely perfect.
 
big problem

big problem

i have used my fs-100 for a few months.recently it has started to hang on start up.
i have to take off the battery pack to reset it, and then start it up again.

after recording i always check the result by playing the clip on the Panasonic p2 camera view finder.
when I'm ready to connect to avid i use the "organise p2" function
and two times parts of the recordings have disappeared, i cant find it in avid media tools.
and i cant find it on the disc.

any suggestions?
 
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