Is the Firestore ready for action out of the box?

obendega

obendega

Active member
I am getting a Firestore fs-100 in this Thursday and we are using it to shoot a music video on Saturday and Sunday. Is everything it needs to work with and attach to the camera inlcuded in the retail package, or do I need to go out and buy a couple extra things? I should probably get an extra battery.

I'm sure i'm not thinking of everything though so if those of you who have used it in the field can give me some advice that would be awesome!

:dankk2:
 
Well, you'd better learn the thing first. Even if it were ready out of the box you won't be. You need to follow the proper steps of how to set up, shoot, prepare and ingest the footage you take with it or you'll lose it. The manual is, in my opinion, fairly useless in preparing you for use in the real world. Go to the Focus website, or find Matthew McEwen's posts elsewhere, and download the Quick Start guide, it will help, though there is a bit of mis-information in the FCP white paper they published. They do make an extended battery that is really worth the money and a camera mount for the extended battery and Firestore. It mounts to the hotshoe adapter. The belt clip thing is a waste of energy trying to make it work as the Firestore will take a tumble and the cable will need to be secured (I used some artistic Velcro work) to both the camera and Firestore or you'll use cuse words you didn't know you knew. Don't bother with the reel assignment thing as it doesn't work. MAKE SURE it has the latest firmware update as it fixes a major drop out issue. Don't bother calling tech support as so far, they've proven to be untimely in their responses and sort of worthless in their solutions. Good luck with it and let's hope improvments are soon and we first adopters are taken care of. PM Matthew if you need any real answers from Focus as he is the go to guy these days.

Best of Luck,

Don Wilson
AmericanaMediaInc.com
 
I would not recommend the on-camera mount since the mike will pick up noise from the fan. I have a Jimmybox. We've been debating about that solution since it obscures the LCD of the FS100. But on-camera gives you noise and the belt clip is absurd. The only real downside that I see of FS-100, in fact, is the fact that it is pretty bulky and awkward. Once you get beyond that, I do think it is a solid piece of gear.
 
Focus themselves don't recommend the camera mount. They recommend the JimmyBox. And the FS-100 is not hard to learn. I had it mastered in about 20 minutes. And for what it's worth, I've had great experiences with their tech support.
 
We also used an Israeli Arm from Film Tools to mount the FS100 when mic noise may have been an issue. but in the end it wasn't. We have a good shock mounted shotgun and, to be honest, rarely had it mounted on the camera, used mostly on the boom pole. The Israeli Arm is a great thing to have as it is stable and we use it to mount our 7" on camera LCD for focus issues as well. The hot shoe mount served us well but we had to make a shade box for the FS as it's very difficult to see in daylight. I wish manufacturers would use the black and white scheme of film cameras on their LCDs. With a good directionall mic I just don't buy that the slight fan noise is an issue unless shooting in super quiet venues which we never did. Make sure you follow the steps of Organizing the P2 media before ingest/copying. Our first unit had to be sent back as the battery posts on the unit itself tore apart the first day and the battery is such a tight fit that we treat the changing of it very seriously. I understand Focus is delaying shipping new units to fix that issue and maybe a few more. I see Ned and Ben have had good experiences with the Firestore, I can't say the same as it fast became the least favorite piece of gear for my crew as I don't actually shoot but am there directing and lending a hand at every step. The Fat32 file limit has us cursing in edit every time we have to hunt for the rest of a broken up clip. If the reel numbering worked as the manual says it does it would be a bit easier to figure out. We've got 53 hours of material we shot plus 22 more of stock footage and amature shot footage and trying to weed through it all to find the rest of a clip is a bad waste of our time. I'm sorry to gripe so much about this but I spent 2500 bucks with accessories for this and wish it was proving it's worth.

Don Wilson
AmericanaMediaInc.com
 
Sell it and buy some 8GB P2 cards. The FAT32 limit is also there on P2 cards, too. It's a Panasonic thing, we wouldn't understand...

I'm shooting a large documentary and with a little pre-planning, we aren't really having media cataloging issues. Although I do wish Panasonic had a way to insert identifying information in the clips in-camera. But thankfully, with P2 Genie, and now P2 Log, that's a non issue at this point.
 
I have P2 cards and love them though we usually use them for shorter take stuff. The Firestore is used when we don't have shore power so to say. We opted mostly for the direct to FCP method. We too are fans of P2 Genie.

And to Cynic821, people like you are the main reason I try and not waste my time on these forums. I'm trying to help and have gotten help from others here. You waste space on this forum and most likely in the Universe.

Don Wilson
 
Thanks for all your input!

The camera might be on a mini jib so I think attaching the Firestore to the camera might be the only way to go. We won't be using the sound from the camera mic anyways so the fan shouldn't be a problem.

I feel yah, Don, on the Firestore shortcomings, but unfortunately it is a necessary evil.

Thanks guys!
 
Does the battery the Firestore comes with last 90 minutes from the second you turn it on, or is it 90 minutes of recording time?
 
The battery is theoretically 90 minutes of "on" time. I found myself getting less than 90 minutes so now have the 180 minute battery. I have yet to run it on a long shoot but the next three weeks will tell the tale. I like the Firestore. The weak links, IMHO, are its bulk and power requirements. I honestly much prefer the Cineporter from at least its specs. And the fact that it uses the same batteries as the HVX is another major plus.
 
Get the longer life battry for sure!

The mount kit is the old FS-4 kit, but if I were you, I'd really look at the JimmyBox first.
 
If you can afford it, then a mix of P2 cards, P2 store and Firestore is ideal.

We find the Firestore an invaluable alternate recording medium. Yes it has issues that cannot be ignored, so I would NOT reccomend it be the only choice. When the P2 store fills up and we are on location without a laptop to dump, the its the firestore. Lond interviews: Firestore. P2 cards for all else.

Last month we were on location and a P2 card failed (yes, that happened) probably because of old firmware and our only choice was to switch to the firestore. Yep, its not perfect, but it is solid and the only long recording tiome solution we have.
 
I agree with Randy. 1st choice P2 cards, 2nd FCP direct, 3rd Firestore. I have to believe the Firestore is going to mature into a good device and the editing systems will catch up. Mine is going to be replaced with a third new one as soon as the new shipments arrive at the vendor. Wish it had a tally light so, like Obendega, when shooting with a jib you can insure it's recording.

DW
 
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