Enough?

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PhilaDvXphia

Member
I currently have an 2.0GHz Intel iMac (Core 2 Duo) with 1.5GB memory. It's a 250 GB hard drive with an additional Lacie 500 GB external hard drive. I have Final Cut Studio (not version 6).

Will I be able to use the EX1 with this system? Will this be enough memory? Can I just upgrade Final Cut Studio or do I have to have the new version?

I also don't have a slot to import the SxS cards. Can I just use the camera or do I need a laptop now? I do realize that I'll only be able to shoot 50 minutes having only 2 8GB cards and no laptop to offload them, but right now I can't afford it.

Planning on shooting mostly short films, commercials, etc.

Thanks in advance for any help that you can offer!
 
I believe the system you have should be ok. If its intel, then it should work, just make sure you download the software updates from sony and apple that allow you to import the ex1 footage. For best results add some more ram, its pretty cheap nowadays.
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/iMac_Core_Duo/DDR2/
You can purchase the sony card reader to plug into your imac or use the cameras usb port.
 
Thanks moviemaker. It seems that, like everyone else, it's between the HVX200 and the EX1. I'm definitely leaning toward the EX1 because of the higher res image though.

It seems that very often the colors just look WAY too oversaturated from the footage that I see from the HVX.
 
I wouldn't base my choice of ex1 or hvx over saturation levels because I'm sure an Ex1 can look just as saturated. One thing about this discussion is that the ex1 is about 30% more $$ than the HVX, but the ex1 does deliver an awesome image(it seems) if you use it within the borders( rolling shutter ,skew,cmos issues,) and understand its limits. If I could purchase A camera right now it would probobly be the EX1 because it seems to have more dynamic range and obviously more res., low light capabilities, nicer screen, hd-sdi. Obviously it shows how awesome the hvx200 camera is because it has been around a couple of years, its about $1500 less expensive and people are still comparing brand new cameras to it, which is great. Just do your research and rent them both for a day. either of these cameras will do a phenominal job if you know how to work around some of the issues.
 
I'm really mostly basing it on it's higher res (number one reason), low light capabilities, and the crisp LCD. In that order actually. My comment on all the over saturated footage from the HVX was just an observation really. You just see so much footage coming from the HVX that is ridiculously over saturated. Another reason is that from what I've read, SxS cards are capable of holding more footage than P2.

Not that the HVX isn't a hell of a camera. I'm just leaning toward the EX1 for those reasons.
 
Okay SxS technically don't hold more footage. If the HVX had SxS cards it would hold the same amount as p2 cards. If the EX1 had p2 cards it could store just as much if it was using SxS as long as they are the same size card. But Since the EX1 uses a lower bitrate codec 35mb instead of 100mega bytes per second dvcpro hd, it allows it to record longer. It really depends on what codec. So I think it would be better and fair if people would say the EX1 uses a lower bitrate codec which yields longer record times compared to dvcpro hd, instead of saying SxS holds more footage.
I hope that makes sense.
Basically you can record more footage on the EX1 because of its codec and long gop compression.
 
speaking of the codec--how much of an upgrade is it compared to HDV? I'm assuming you don't run into the same HDV issues or people would just stick with the 25mpbs stream. i shot one project on HDV and it pissed me off...fast motion had weird artifacting, and some scenes we had near a river, the water looked terrible. Any of these issues crop up with the 35mpbs stream vs the 25mpbs stream?
 
I have pretty much the Same system as you but I
have 2.5 gb ram which I will be up grading to 4 gb when I get the ex. I will also buy a 2 tb wd external for the footage.
 
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