[MacDV] Re: Video Import Problems

[Richard Brown]

When you step out of the consumer ranks, the problems noted here 
essentially disappear. Just going to prosumer DVCAM makes a big 
difference as the DVCAM spec provides locked audio to picture.

Additionally, our experience with things Canon are quite different:

The Canon XL1 and XL1s can have wildly different recording specs 
between cameras, as in what one camera shoots another might not play 
back,  and lack of locked audio (not to mention constantly variable bit 
rates which further confound sync) with Canons is another nightmare. We 
are posting an all-Canon indie feature shot on XL1 and XL1s cameras, 
and find only professional JVC decks can play back all Canon-shot 
footage effectively. Our Sony DSR series DVCAM decks cannot play back 
but perhaps one out of fifteen (maybe 1:30) Canon XL1/XL1s tapes, and 
the difference between the unreadable versus readable tapes is beyond 
astounding. NEVER subject a director to seeing, or rather, NOT seeing 
Canon XL1 footage on Sony pro decks. We had this experience, and thus 
were compelled to buy JVC for this edit. This speaks to the wild 
variance even TAPE to TAPE on the SAME Canon camera. Hammering a 
consumer camera as a VTR makes little sense, and is impractical in 
commercial facilities where every tape needs to be handled.

The JVC decks, which are DV rather than DVCAM (even though DVCAM should 
play back DV fine), are vastly forgiving of the recording variance in 
XL1 footage, tape to tape, and camera to camera, and are thus highly 
recommended for posting all things Canon. You can get some of the basic 
JVC models for under $3000. The JVC's seem to play back ALL things 
Canon perfectly (so far, knock on formica.) Just DO NOT try to dub to 
DVCAM, JVC played back XL1 to Sony DVCAM, for example, as this will 
result in ever increasingly out of sync material. Unlocked to locked 
audio is a NO-NO... hence the "sync adjust" feature of Final Cut Pro's 
log and capture. The problem with this: Canon XL1 tapes are not easily 
archived or cloned, thus the camera tape is the fragile, solo master 
for many. DVCAM can easily be archived to DigiBeta or another DVCAM.

Richard Brown
www.go2rba.com

On Mar 22, 2004, at 11:56 AM, R B Williams wrote:

> We see many more Samsung & JVC cameras that need adjustments over time,
> while Canon units stay within specs even after a fall. Not an 
> endorsement, just an
> observation.
>
> R.B.