GH2 Long-form project, GH2 and sequential .mts numbering

[mr bill]

Hi there,
beginning to plan post for a project shooting in the spring. Now all the stuff I've shot on GH13 cameras so far has been for relatively shortform projects where file numbering hasn't really mattered. On this job, I've upgraded to a GH2, and I'll need sequential .mts numbering from zero into the thousands. As I recall, the way to preserve sequential file numbering on a GH1 was to copy files from the card to your NLE, then delete the media from the card but NOT the folders. I believe the thought was, there was some kind of flag in the folder structure that helped with the file naming. Am I going to have to follow the same route with the GH2, or is there a better way to get the camera to do what I need by way of sequential .mts numbers?

Thanks in advance.

 

[JackBayer]

Interesting, I will subscribe to this thread, even though I´ve got nothing to contribute

 

[greeches]

yea, I would really love to be able to have continuing numbering on the mts files. Having hte same 0001.mts file every time I put in a new card is not a good thing. Come now Panasonic!

 

[DevonH]

+1

 

[Matthew P]

Yes, it's possible. Can't write it down right this second, but I'll upload a quick tutorial this evening. It's dead easy.

Okay, here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTQDGYDpCPI

Simple

 

[Phenixone]

I use NextoDI NVS2500 to transfer my cards, it stores the whole content of the card in a dated folder like 20111214.000 for the first card shot on December 14 2011. next card would be 20111214.001 and so on.

Then in my NLE I store the name of the enclosing folder as reel names.

 

[greeches]

Yes, there are simple ways to get them in sequence, but here is where my problem arises...

I have a card that I keep in the camera... I shoot some video and offload.... I shoot some more video on another card and offload...the new files are renamed (2),(2)...etc... I put the original back in and shoot some more....

When I go to offload the first card, a second time, I will end up with lots of duplicate files. When I do this process on my canon, I can dump whenever I want and because the filenames are different, I dont' have the duplicates issue....

 

[Phenixone]

Understand.
Well every time you make a dump, create a new folder.
Also why do you switch from one card to the other before its full?

 

[Lucas Adamson]

Matthew P - thanks for this. I attached your video, and even though I'm on a mac, I downloaded "ANT re-namer," and opened it in "Wine" just like PTools. I haven't used it yet, but it installed ok and started up fine, so thanks!

 

[Phenixone]

Matthew P - thanks for this. I attached your video, and even though I'm on a mac, I downloaded "ANT re-namer," and opened it in "Wine" just like PTools. I haven't used it yet, but it installed ok and started up fine, so thanks!

There is a mac app for that (I doubt the wine application would work for the finder) http://renamer.com/ Great tool for all batch renaming. You can even create a set of rules and automate the action if you want to save some time on set.

 

[j1clark@ucsd.edu]

Yes, there are simple ways to get them in sequence, but here is where my problem arises...

I have a card that I keep in the camera... I shoot some video and offload.... I shoot some more video on another card and offload...the new files are renamed (2),(2)...etc... I put the original back in and shoot some more....

When I go to offload the first card, a second time, I will end up with lots of duplicate files. When I do this process on my canon, I can dump whenever I want and because the filenames are different, I dont' have the duplicates issue....

While I agree there is a problem with the XXXXXX.MTS naming at the deep directory level... I have chosen these days to not 'reload' a card. I treat a card like a can of film... I don't reload film... so I don't reload
a card... Even when I had limited numbers of cards, like back in the olden days of Compact Flash, that is about 2000/2001... I would shoot a card to full, then offload the contents in a named directory, usually date, hour, minutes, then reformat the card, for subsequent use.

These days I just keep the 'fully shot' card as is, and it goes into a slide page pocket for the archives.

Since I always copy the entire card contents into a new directory for my working copy, I can at that point rename the directory appropriately, using the date,H,M convention.


A month ago or so, I checked out a few media management tools, and was somewhat disappointed with several suggestions. I still think I may end up writing my own.