Sony EX3 into FCP

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Level 1

112 points

Sony EX3 into FCP

I've got a docu to shoot. I'm using the Sony EX3. I'm trying to plan how many HD's I'll need to take with my on the trip. I've misplaced my converter app. What would I be looking at - shooting at full XDCAM HD422 1080p 24fps – in terms of gigawattage per hour?

Wondering also if I should be editing in XDCAM, or converting everything to ProRes? In terms mainly of quality. Looking for the highest quality output at the end.

B

MacBook Pro 2.16 Intel Core Duo, Mac OS X (10.4.11)

Posted on May 17, 2010 1:25 PM

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Answer 1

Andy Mees

Level 6

12,610 points

May 18, 2010 2:13 AM in response to Ben Low

Its a bit of a confusing post Ben. The EX3 does not shoot XDCAM HD422 1080p 24fps ... at best it shoots full raster XDCAM HD at 4:2:0. Regardless of the frame rate and frame size you choose, the highest quality setting on the EX3 is the "HQ" setting, which records using the 35Mb/s VBR (variable bit rate) codec .... so you are looking at about 4 minutes per gigabyte, although depending on the subject matter the variable bit rate compression will offer some advantage.

Re editing in XDCAM EX/HD, I'e had great success editing natively with that codec on a MacBook Pro, however I would advise setting your interim render codec to ProRes (that's a good combination of taking advantage of the smaller source clip file size / data rate and FCP's camera native codec support for XDCAM EX in the timeline, together with the benefit of the quality and speed of ProRes as a render codec) .... and never master back to the XDCAM EX/HD codec (mastering to ProRes is my choice). Depending on the power of your laptop you might consider the option of editing directly with the XDCAM EX source clips in a ProRes sequence. This is an approach favored by many with more powerful systems and does confer some advantages if and when mastering out to ProRes eg all interim renders can be used for export.

Hope it helps
Andy

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Answer 2

Ben Low Author

Level 1

112 points

May 18, 2010 8:05 AM in response to Andy Mees

Thank you Andy,

I remember shooting with the EX3 in the past ... but it was all set up when I arrived and I just handed the memory cards to the producer. So I never got a chance to actually understand the camera.

Thank you for your suggestions re: editing. I'm going to bring everything back to the cutting room after the shoot, where I have a tower with lots of power and speed. I've been mastering everything to ProRes lately, so I'm with you there. When I'm editing with the XDCAM EX in a ProRes sequence, does this mean I can be chopping away without having to render anything till I start to add dissolves, effects, etc.?

B

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Answer 3

Jim Cookman

Level 7

23,447 points

May 18, 2010 8:31 AM in response to Ben Low

I dunno where you're off to, but I'd think a case of memory cards would sure be easier than taking a case of hard drives!

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Answer 4

Andy Mees

Level 6

12,610 points

May 18, 2010 8:39 AM in response to Ben Low

Hey Ben

Yep, you'll find that XDCAM EX/HD is quite happy in a ProRes sequence with "preview" quality playback (its possible a beefy machine like your will manage "full" quality). For mastering then of course you do have to render, but this should not impact your basic editing, especially with Unlimited RT enabled ... and anything you might render along the way will save time during the sequence native export/mastering.

Conversely, ProRes (renders or media) in an XDCAM EX/HD sequence will always give you "full" quality playback rather than "preview" quality ... but anything you render along the way will always be discarded and re-rendered during export/mastering to ProRes.

In either case, the render process (XDCAM to ProRes) is the same and the final quality of your mastered edit will be identical.

Hope that helps
Andy

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