Workflow: Why keep an A1? Let's discuss.

C

Cinetastic

Member
I am interested in shooting a 90 minute film on the XH-A1.
One workflow has the camera purchased for a leisurely paced shoot (as much as possible anyhow), and then sold to buy the editing MAC/PC. This MAC/PC is then, in turn, sold to create the Digi Master/distribution costs outlay.
Has anyone experienced such a workflow?
There will inevitably be a XH-A2 equivalent, and this workflow 'enables' one to keep up with the next-gen kit - be that, as it may, that we have seemingly fallen in love with our A1 camera, and it is hard to 'let go'. Can anyone imagine working to this workflow, and what would be the downsides?
 
I would think the downsides of something like that are losing money invested as you'll never get as much as you paid for on each eventual sale. Might not be a biggie to you though but it's a downside.

The other downside might be (to me at least) having no camera on hand at all after selling it off. That is like me leaving home without a wallet, I just don't feel complete. lol

I have to admit though, that "project workflow" sounds really cool/interesting.
 
Well, you're going to have a problem if you sell off the XHA1 to buy the editing system, in that you can't capture the footage unless you capture it from a Canon HDV camcorder.
 
You'll have to add one more piece of equiptment. After you shoot and then sell your camera to buy an edit comp you'll need a way to capture the footage you shot either a deck or cheap HDV cam.

You could always rent a camera if you had to reshoot a scene or some b-roll.
 
Seriously though there are a lot of professionals that never own thier equiptment. They rent for the job at hand. I doesnt make sense for someone to spend 65,000.00 on a Vericam for only a handfull of shoots until the next better camera comes out.

So this I guess is just a riskier form of renting.
 
Thanks for all your thoughts so far. Perhaps I could update to the 'sales' don't necessarily have to immediately preceed the purchases i.e. you could first capture rushes to MAC/PC, and then sell the camera, etc.
But sticking to the workflow 'rules' hard and fast, if before selling the A1 camera one could capture to an already owned basic home PC via fiewire to a cheap external Hard Drive. This is now possible (I'd be hanging on to this basic PC that I am typing on now!), and a USB 2.0 320GB drive is now less than £90.
So, back to the workflow - sell the camera to buy a powerful editing MAC/PC is where the worklow still aims to be.

I do agree that a short camera hire for any additional required pick ups/capture to MAC/PC is a great way to continue in this workflow. And also a XH-G1 would be hired along with a HD-D5 machine (approximately £300 per day - enough time to dump everything) to clone/transfer the original HDV 25f tapes to HD-D5 tapes via SDI if doing an online conform edit in full HD resolution.

The reason for the purchases (rather than a complete rental) is to 'fully' enjoy the benefits of 'ownership' whilst the project moves from stage to stage.
And yes, I do stand to be holding nothing but a finished film on a HD D5 tape at the end of this workflow.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top