PsF’s missing workflow, Part 3: Sony’s AVCHD & NXCAM cameras

In part 1 of PsF’s missing workflow, we introduced the new terms benign PsF and malignant PsF (Progressive Segmented Frame), reviewed their vital importance and fragility in post-production, and clarified the PsF status of two Panasonic professional AVCHD cameras (branded as AVCCAM). In part 2, we clarified the PsF status of the Canon XA10 professional AVCHD camera. Now, in part 3, we’ll clarify the PsF status of Sony’s professional AVCHD cameras, some of which carry the NXCAM brand.

PsF’s missing workflow, Part 2: the Canon XA10 camera

At US$1,999 street price including balanced XLR audio inputs, the Canon XA10 AVCHD camera is quite interesting from several perspectives, and that’s probably why so many of my consulting clients who favor 25p or 29.97p and need balanced audio have chosen it. The XA10 reminds me of a shrunken, sexier-looking Panasonic AG-HMC40. The XA10’s CMOS sensor is larger than that of the AG-HMC40, and rather than oversampling with higher than 1080p resolution, Canon decided to make it native 1920x1080 and skip the 720p modes altogether, so there is no scaling and better sensitivity than the HMC40. But this article is not a review about the XA10s specs and feature set, but how it stands in terms of PsF status, and how that unfortunately complicates —or jeopardizes— its ideal post workflow for those producing 25p or 29.97p.

PsF’s missing workflow Part 1: BENIGN PsF versus MALIGNANT PsF

Here in Part 1 of PsF’s missing workflow, I’ll define two new terms I’m introducing: benign PsF and malignant PsF. Fortunately, both Adobe Premiere CS5.5 and Apple Final Cut Pro X handle benign PsF (progressive segmented frame) automatically in the most desired way. Unfortunately, neither of these programs can handle malignant PsF properly. This means that —even with the latest software— it is your responsibility to avoid the multiple pitfalls of misinterpreting malignant PsF. You must be aware of it and take the necessary steps to counteract it. This article will cover Panasonic’s AVCHD/AVCCAM PsF status. Upcoming articles in this series will reveal the PsF status of other cameras and recorders, and the workflows & workarounds with popular editing software.

Mac Mini for pro video editing: a field report from Guatemala

Many readers of ProVideo Coalition magazine may recall my recent article Mac Mini w/Thunderbolt: preferred platform for many new editing systems. However, some of the readers had doubts, and one naysayer even dared to comment via LinkedIn: “This is hilarious garbage. No serious editor, in their right mind, would do this.” Another commenter via LinkedIn supposed that it would stand up for standard-definition video editing only, but would never work for HD 1080p editing. Fortunately, here is a detailed report from a very serious commercial production company in Guatemala, that has recently replaced two MacPro towers with Mac Mini i7 with Thunderbolt, together with a Thunderbolt RAID5 disk array, and a Thunderbolt-based professional audio/video i/o device. Here you’ll see the exact software and hardware configuration used, performance, and enthusiastic comments from the editor. On the other hand, you’ll even learn where not to use a Mac Mini.

DaVinci Resolve training at Staff/HDTV in Guatemala

I just returned from the Republic of Guatemala in Central America, where I interpreted a class for David Catt, the original product manager at DaVinci Systems. (Since then, DaVinci Systems was purchased in 2009 by Blackmagic Design). David Catt taught 7 Guatemalans how to perform grading, including color correction and more using DaVinci Resolve. The client who recently purchased the new Mac-based DaVinci Resolve system is Julio Borrayo, president of STAFF HDTV/Alta Definición, which produces high-end TV commercials in Guatemala. This article explains the details of the system they purchased (hardware + software), installation and preparation, main points covered in the class, and the students. David Catt has agreed to join us on an upcoming episode of TecnoTur to discuss grading and the differences between different DaVinci Resolve configurations.

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