P2 Store vs Laptop

We don't use the Firestore for interiors/studio shoots, the laptop tethered to a large HD + large secondary backup HD does the trick. We have two 8gb cards and we've never been in a position where the P2 hasn't offloaded in time for us to replace the card we're working with.

However for exteriors, the P2 store has been very useful. However I can see how a laptop with a large HD (say 80gb) would do a similar trick.

You could then offload the laptop media onto your main media drive just like you do with the P2 store.
 
For my work, the P2 store is an absolute essential. I think a laptop is just great, but really out in the field there is no subsitute for us.

I have mine in a little neoprene optech bag with a secure clip. I have it attached to a 5400 battery which allows me to go all day out in the field. Its either clipped to the left strap on my tortlerig or onto my miller tripod.

I am usually out 12-14 hours in the field at a time. Sometimes longer.

Now, if you're in a controlled environment or on a job where you can stop to dump footage off to a laptop. Then by all means the laptop is your option.

But if you're out in the field or in a sensitive area, especially with no time to hang out with a laptop, the P2 store is where its at. I think the firestore is nice. But we shoot 720/30pn or 24pn and on top of that I do not like tiny cables tethered off the camera when I am in the bushes or water.

We also just finished a 15 minute show for a factory, and it was very much a "working" factory and no place for laptop dumping. Our P2 store and three 4GB P2 cards paid for themselves, once again several times over.

From my point of view, my HVX200 without the P2 store would be like cornflakes without the milk.
 
So for those of you who are using the G4 laptops with the PCMCIA slot, are there any gotchas? I'm selling mine and this seems like a good solution that I'd like to bring up. I don't have an HVX (yet) so I can't test it out.
 
Hey, if you are selling your Powebook to get a newer Macbook Pro or MacBook, the slot on those newer ones don't work with P2 cards. At as far as I know. Maybe someone has put an adapter out there?

We use an older Powerbook G4 15" I have it loaded with FCP, P2 Log and everythng is just great on it for 720/24pn and 30pn. Of course the new intel machines are way faster for doing more intensive stuff, but for straight up editing and transferring your footage from P2 store at the end of the day to external HDDs there's nothing better. Actually any "swapmeet laptop" with a slot is going to do nicely for dumping to drivers.

Of course if you have the P2 store and a new intel MacBook, you can use the P2 store as a kind of P2 card reader. Pretty handy, but that is one damn expensive card reader!!!!! hehehe

Still, when we are out for several days at a time we've got several big ol' FW800/400 drives that we dump our full day of P2 store onto. We dump to two drives simultaneously and wipe the store for the next day. :)
 
Barry_Green said:
It'd make a lot more sense to buy a $400 PC laptop then. If all you're trying to do is replace the P2 Store on the cheap, go cheap and get a Labor Day or Thanksgiving Day weekend sale laptop at OfficeMax or CompUSA or whatever. As long as it's got a PCMCIA slot you're golden; get P2 Genie and you're set.
Click to expand...

I agree fully with Barry on this. Let me tell you... I had absolutely no plans on buying a P2 store until circumstances made me purchase one. I have to admit the P2 store is worth every penny (still could be cheaper). It has saved a number of producers who decided to use other products and my P2 store is currently being rented to a production who also decided to use other products to download P2 cards.

The advantages to the P2 Store become quite clare when one is shooting and thing have to happen fast. In my opinion Panasonic has built a fantastic and necessary P2 device. I am very happy that I purchased one.

P.s. Hopefully Panny finds a way to make a larger capacity version that may also be cheaper.
 
I'm also a big P2 Store fan. With two cards and the P2Store, I've never had to delay for downloads, and it's pretty bulletproof. It's good on the set, and it's fantastic when you are running for that sunset shot from a muni-train with no time to unload cables and laptops.

2 things that would really make it great. More storage capacity (on some shooting days I've run up against it's limit), and a true verification feedback that the card was downloaded bit for bit.
 
I think the P2 stores are pretty solid and consistant but still too expensive. Many people have said they'd be so much better if the display was an LCD with screenshot thumbnails (just like HVX) instead of the current sequencial light BS which is a little fishy when you want to make sure the transfer has gone through.

Maybee OT but Firestore is still looking better from my point of view, especially when the 3.0 comes out
 
Yeah, it is a little on the spendy side for sure, but really I want to see the LED system stay on. The same way I prefer Analog needle to digital display for some things. But I think they need the LCD screen too with the thumbnails. I think that is a good call there Trademark.

But please Panasonic if you're reading this, don't make it touch screen. We need the same solid rubberized buttons and a screen with something in front of it for protection. And please lets keep the LED system whatever you do.


Trademark said:
I think the P2 stores are pretty solid and consistant but still too expensive. Many people have said they'd be so much better if the display was an LCD with screenshot thumbnails (just like HVX) instead of the current sequencial light BS which is a little fishy when you want to make sure the transfer has gone through.

Maybee OT but Firestore is still looking better from my point of view, especially when the 3.0 comes out
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top