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Shooting double system doco on Canon 5D


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Plural eyes is as reliable as timecode. When providing proper scratch (mix from your bag) it will sync flawless. When not you can have some trouble (depending on on camera mic). In all those years I am using it, since '09 it was always user error if it didn't work. Just like timecode. Perfect if you jam with corresponding settings, if no jam or some other user error you are as f*cked as well.

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+1 for Vincent... I did a TV doco series last year with a mono hop from my 664 to track 1 and camera mic on track 2.

The post used plural eyes to sync and because the mono track was the same on both camera and 664 then it worked perfectly....

where you use a camera mic and try to sync the recorder then problems can arise...

 

BVS

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I guess, on a broader scope, the point I was trying to make is more about relying on gear/software vs relying on a cam op to self-slate.

I'd always rather rely on gear/software fed the right data.

 

All the "shoot a TC display" or "hand clap" suggestions rely on the cam op to actually do this. They have other things on their minds, and on a doco shoot you'll often have to tail slate (or "tail shoot the TC") because they see something, roll on this, and there is no time to do a head slate of any kind.

 

The technical solutions do exist, be it TC or cam hop w/ Pluraleyes.

 

I think the same arguments pro TC (how easy the workflow is and all) can be made for a PluralEyes/Audio-on-cam-only workflow. With the added benefit of instant playback with good sound, and without the TC noise. I would suggest that this is particularly useful on a doco shoot.

Unless there is a way to set up your camera in such a way that it will always playback only one channel, I think actually the TC route is not ideal.

PluralEyes overall works very well, but there are times when it doesn't, of course.

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Feed audio to cam. and use Plural eyes-----If they want timecode,they need to buy a real cam.-----seriously !

 

                                                                                    J.D.

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One reason PluralEyes can be better than TC in todays file based systems is that it is a continuous sync check.  Unless you are recording LTC on an audio track on all the devices you are only getting a starting time stamp with TC.  It's great for getting your start's lined up but it's basically useless for running sync.  With matching guide tracks post can tell if there is drift in an instant and how much that drift is.  So you get positional sync AND running sync.

 

Post places that did mostly video and worked with tape should be familiar with TC.  Sound post back in the 90's when I worked at a number of big post facilities in the Bay Area, of the big three only one actually had a TC reading DAT player.  Every one else transferred based on slates and had assistants "phase in" the production sound.  Even the one that did use TC still had assistants Phase everything.

 

We all used TC all the time because picture was on tape and you needed to sync ProTools to the tape deck.  And PT used TC to sync to the stage, etc.  But hardly anybody was using TC for syncing production tracks.  As I understand it the reverse was mostly the case with all video workflows for TV etc.

 

Having worked both ways, and really loving watching analog machines chase sync (a really fascinating mechanical ballet) I would recommend TC in only a few situations and none of those would involve DSLR's.  A bunch of cameras (that are built for TC) where you have short turnaround and slates are not practical would be one.

 

With file based systems you can get rough positional sync by just getting all the clocks to be the same.  Then something like PluralEyes will do the fine work and you don't run a chance of having the TC get wonked for some reason and leave you trying to visually sync everything, or having the TC bleed on to your audio tracks.  The later should not really be a possibility with digital but I have heard it bleed across on a interleaved stereo track on rare occasions.

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I don't know if someone brought this up, but with the initial firmware on the 5Dmk2, controlling audio levels manually is not possible. You need to update the firmware to version 2.1.2 to do so.

 

Over here: http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/support/professional/professional_cameras/eos_digital_slr_cameras/eos_5d_mark_ii#DriversAndSoftware

But do read this on page 2: http://www.learn.usa.canon.com/resources/articles/2011/eos5dmarkiifirmware_article.shtml

 

Oh, and if you're still looking for a post guy, I'd like to offer my services!

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TC to audio track is good idea in theory, but Production would better off getting better cameras that have TC input. But that's probably not going to happen. Since you're in a position to design and test the post workflow - at least the sync part of it- and you have the Nomad/Erx - go for it!

Note taking:

I would suggest a little paper notebook and use it in addition to your meta data entries. Sometimes it's faster to scribble a note to self on paper rather than fiddle with correcting the meta data notes mid-take , at the same time trying to be ready for the next shot, while running and gunning in a parade.

Later you can review your paper notes and edit the meta data.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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