Mag circulation

[Deanan]

How are people putting mags back in to circulation?

[Mark L. Pederson]

How are people putting mags back in to circulation?

Most jobs we use a small number of cards - as few as 4 - each card getting used 5 or more time in one day - we copy to two drives with checksum and currently re-format on camera - however - we want to move to a "never format on camera - only format in "copy/verify/database" utility.

If the job has unusually harsh conditions, we will consider just taking enough cards to get though the day or to lunch without re-formating.

With the REDRIVES, we always use TWO, so we can swap between set-ups and offload more often.

[Shawn Nelson]

I strictly format in camera, I thought it was better for the cards.

[Deanan]

"never format on camera - only format in "copy/verify/database"

I would highly recommend always formatting on camera because the camera will do it correctly. There can be differences in the way different tools format fat32 and the only way know for sure that it's being done correctly with respect to the camera is to do it on camera.

[Mark L. Pederson]

I would highly recommend always formatting on camera because the camera will do it correctly. There can be differences in the way different tools format fat32 and the only way know for sure that it's being done correctly with respect to the camera is to do it on camera.

100% agree - I said I would LIKE to move to a "not on camera" format - I don't have the right tool to do it "off camera" ... YET.

I still really want a "copy protect" / clone flag in the magazine profile ....

[Kyle Mallory]

2 drives, swap back and forth. Depends on the project and circumstances, but generally copy to PC/erase from drive, format in camera.

Sometimes we'll keep copy new footage off for backup, and then reinsert the drive, without deleting/formatting, and continue recording on it, appending to the existing clips.

Whacked, I know...

[Cail Young]

Format on the MBP on set once copied and verified to two drives. Instruct the AC to return any fresh card/drive that doesn't come up as 'Unformatted'.

i.e. the DMT makes the call when to empty the mag, not anyone at the camera.

[Harky Jewett]

So what is best to do?

Take the full CF card, copy over the footage, take it back to the camera, format and shoot?

[Paul Lee]

Maybe somebody takes a note, checks a box, etc.? (we like a nice paper trail, just in case we need to track down a problem :) )

PS- Hi Deanan. Edit goes REALLY well. We shot a ton of footage and are in fine-cut now, all at 2K in the suite, and many smiles. Learned some good stuff...

Two cameras rolling almost all the time, high shooting ratio, good old fashioned discipline. I think we hit about 365 reels and not a single problem with cards/data.

[Christopher Nagel]

I notice nearly everyone formats the media every time they put it on the camera. Is this the recommended procedure?

I suppose this could allow the card to rotate the FAT through its address space, but if the cards are not burn-leveling, would it not simply shorten the lifespan?

Chris

[Trevor Meier]

We format in-camera as well but it'd be nice to have a mac utility to keep the data management entirely separated from the camera department.

[Dennis Wilkins]

Format on the MBP on set once copied and verified to two drives. Instruct the AC to return any fresh card/drive that doesn't come up as 'Unformatted'.

i.e. the DMT makes the call when to empty the mag, not anyone at the camera.


If you just delete all the files, the card comes up on the camera as unformatted, so there's no need to format the card on both the mac and the camera. I do use the same rules with the camera operator though, not to use a card that doesn't show up as unformatted, seems to be a good fail-safe -

I agree about having a tool to reformat correctly at the data wrangling position and not at the camera - I would prefer to do it that way -

Cheers,
Dennis

[David Battistella]

I use R3D manager to copy and checksum the footage. I usually copy to three locations.

I go with 15 cards (001-015) and rotate through them. I do not erase a card until it comes back to the camera on the next cycle, by then it's been copied three times and maybe a day or more has gone by too. Why erase until the moment you have to?

I always format in the camera.

David

[Cail Young]

If you just delete all the files, the card comes up on the camera as unformatted,

Doesn't remove the volume label, which I like to do. But true.

[Brook Willard]

In a perfect world, I'd like to erase all data on my computer after I've confirmed and re-confirmed the footage. Then after I put the card into the camera, I'd like it to prompt me with a message stating that an unformatted magazine has been inserted and offering to format. So like it was up until build 14.

[Nils Ruinet]

I still really want a "copy protect" / clone flag in the magazine profile ....
I second that.

That way, if you use a software to make and verify your transfers from CF/Red drive to your backup hard drives, it could increment this clone flag in the magazine profile.

Then, you could check later in this software how many times you've already copied this particular footage, in case you don't remember.

And even more importantly, when you put your media back into the camera, it would know if the footage haven't been transfered yet, and could give you a warning if you try to format.

Nils.

[Jeff Coatney]

In using two Red Drives in studio on a standard 12 hour day and a triplicate back-up scheme, it was best not to fill the drives up past 10% of capacity after lunch. After coming back from lunch, I wanted two drives ready to go back to camera. I found that swapping mags frequently allowed me to keep the triplicate back-up running smoothly with room to attend to a hiccup or two, without getting slammed at wrap with a huge drive to download three times. By keeping the rotation high, I could do everything I needed to do without going into overtime. Electric loved it because they'd been on RED shoots where the DIT got slammed at the end of the day and they had to wait until the download was complete to finish wrap. I'd like to see drives that have less capacity as an option, especially in multi-camera situations.

[Karl Roeder]

Same as Batistella... I go with 20 cards and rotate through them. I do not erase a card until it comes back to the camera on the next cycle, by then it's been copied three times and maybe a day or more has gone by too.

I always format in the camera.

[Brent J. Craig]

...Electric loved it because they'd been on RED shoots where the DIT got slammed at the end of the day and they had to wait until the download was complete to finish wrap.

Excellent point! Let's always try to have our download stations on house power as we approach wrap. No sense making enemies with the electrics!

[David Battistella]

Same as Batistella... I go with 20 cards and rotate through them. I do not erase a card until it comes back to the camera on the next cycle, by then it's been copied three times and maybe a day or more has gone by too.


I always format in the camera.

Hey,

Ottawa is my home town!

David

[RyanKunkleman]

you know my situations. lol