P2 vs Firestore.....

Jay Rodriguez

Jay Rodriguez

Coffee Member
I'm about to move back into the Panasonic world but I'm not sure what to invest in when it comes to this issue, P2 vs Firestore....

Anyone care to outline the advantages and disadvantages of these platforms?

Does P2 break longer clips up when recording?
 
P2: Expensive. Must deal with annoying P2 workflow.

FireStore: Potentially noisy due to cooling fan. Will only record clips no larger than a few minutes in duration. Can be a bit cumbersome depending on what/how you're shooting.

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Hey Chris,
I own a FS but it's not compatible with the HXP170 but I've used it alot with other cameras and I have never even heard the cooling fan before.
 
p2 is pretty well priced for what it provides in an excellent workflow. Prices have dropped dramatically in the last 24 months.

FS100 suffered from early firmware issues, has an abysmal menuing system, and is hobbled somewhat by the HVX200's flimsy 4-pin connection.

Things have improved, and it's the best bet for long form acquisition, but more cumbersome that p2.
 
Jay Rodriguez said:
Hey Chris,
I own a FS but it's not compatible with the HXP170 but I've used it alot with other cameras and I have never even heard the cooling fan before.
Click to expand...


When I got mine in the winter up here in NY, I never heard the fan. Then when I shot a feature this summer and had 2 of them going, I HEARD the fans. They are controlled by some kind of thermal sensor so they don't run at the same speed all the time, and they're not always on, but if they get warm, you will hear the cooling fan through a sensitive microphone.

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David S. said:
FS100 suffered from early firmware issues, has an abysmal menuing system, and is hobbled somewhat by the HVX200's flimsy 4-pin connection.

Things have improved, and it's the best bet for long form acquisition, but more cumbersome that p2.
Click to expand...


I used 2 (v4) FS-100's on a feature I shot this summer and they performed flawlessly. I have no issues whatsoever with the menus, (I've seen worse), and when you take care not to stress the plugs/jacks, you shouldn't have any issues.

I still see a major advantage in recording 100GB as opposed to 32GB on a P2 cards for about the same cost.

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The FS-100 system is only as good as its weakest point in my view which is the FW 4-pin port.

I had one for 18 months and used extreme caution at this point.

I guess we disagree on the menuing system.

It isn't the easiest set up to go 24pNative equivalent in the menu system with v.4.

And the manual isn't a picture of clarity.

But that's my opinion.
 
The manual is awful, yes, but I've found that you can get a live English speaking person on the phone from FE when needed even though they might not be a true tech support type.

By the way, the unit itself has a 6 pin jack and of course the other end needs to be anchored to something on the camera.

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For me, I feel the Fs-160 was worth the money when you look at the cost of P2 cards it would take for 160GB.
I got a free 16gig card with purchase of my HVX, and when you consider recording in the native mode (720p24pN) you get a nice amount of recording time.
When I use my FS-160 recording time isn't an issue........ Unless your doing a 4-5hour shoot and you can't off-load the data from your FS..... Gotta have a good off-loading data solution for card and FS. I always bring MacBook Pro with me and non-powered hard drive on location.
Wonder if the HPX has free P2 card with purchase?
If it comes w/ a P2 card, I would get the Firestore anyway (if within budget). There were times for me when either one was the best solution.
 
Whether using the FS or P2 cards you need to continuously of load the data and back it up. My theory is back up the FS once you reach 25% capacity or else you risk loosing the data (it is a HDD after all...).

P2 cards are considerably more durable and you can afford to shoot them up to 100% capacity. Still need to back up all data on the cads once full, so ultimately FS in my opinion is less a desirable work flow. Only advantage is the longer recording time for extreme situations when you need to continuously record and can't backup. As for the menu system once I got used to it I had no problem changing settings and handling the unit. Took me about 1 month to get fully comfortable with the FS100 menu system. I will emphasize one big problem I had with the FS the battery life is not ideal and doesn't last as long as I'd like after being fully charged.
 
Coldpizza said:
Whether using the FS or P2 cards you need to continuously of load the data and back it up. My theory is back up the FS once you reach 25% capacity or else you risk loosing the data (it is a HDD after all...).
Click to expand...


Yeah, that's a good idea. On my recent feature, I regularly went to 50% to 75% capacity on my FS-100's and had no issues at all.

Coldpizza said:
I will emphasize one big problem I had with the FS the battery life is not ideal and doesn't last as long as I'd like after being fully charged.
Click to expand...

I use the extended range batteries and I see the bigger problem being the length of time it takes to recharge the batteries.

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