I am about to start a documentary project that is being shot on Canon XL2 in 24p 16x9 mode. The question is: what is the best way to digitize the footages without using the XL2 camera?  The team needs to be out there constanly shooting. I can't tie up the camera. What deck is able to digitize the footages in 24p via firewire? I tried with my canon ZR10 camera. It didn't work. Any idea how to do this right.

Note: Our goal is to transfer the finished product to a 35mm film. 

I am working with Avid xpress pro 4.6 PC with Mojo and Avid Adreanline PC.

the DSR-11 is cheep and works great.

b

I face the same issue with my XL2.  I usually shoot 24p/a, so I'm forced to use my camera.  I don't think the DSR-11 will work, as it serves only two frame rates: NTSC and PAL.  To give you an example from the flip side, I shot some footage with the CineAlta HD (Sony--and, NO, I don't own that one!!!;)) at 24fps, downconverted that to NTSC (SD at 29.97), tried playback from my XL2 at 24p, 30p, and 60i, and it was a no-go, as expected.

If you want to capture the footage as 24p, you'll have to use the camera.  Otherwise, you'll need to attach a storage drive to the camera and upload directly into that (look here: http://consumer.usa.canon.com/ir/controller?act=StandardDisplayAct&fcategoryid=165&modelid=10350&keycode=camcorder_accessory), or attach a consumer/prosumer camcorder (via 1394 or component) and sync-record (like some DP's do to review their work, by attaching their own camcorders to the production camera).  Attaching an external device, other than a 24fps recording device, is going to record the footage at NTSC/29.97 (most likely, depending on the device).

As I said, if you want to capture at 24p-p/a, you'll have to use the camera, unless someone knows something that I am not aware of.  Let us know how you decide to go about it.

Thanks.

To add, just in case your Director and DP aren't aware of it, the default setting for 24p in the XL2 is Standard.  They'll have to select the 2:3:3:2 Pulldown Mode for Advanced Recording; in this mode, "24p" appears in orange within the screen display.  Also, I choose to work in VCR STOP mode (under Power Save Function), so that the camera's automatic shut-off doesn't take effect after 5 minutes of inactivity in record pause mode.  It's just something to throw by the Director and DP.  If they're familiar with any of this, excuse me.

Thanks.

first thing to keep in mind is that I believe that camera is shooting 23.97p not true 24p (same as the Pan DVX100) so you should work in a 23.97p project.  I've worked with a lot of 23.97p footage and I'm able to capture it over firewire into a 23.97p project using the DSR11, DSR1500, Pan. AJ SD93 and AJ SD930

I believe you need Xpress Pro 5.0 or higher to capture stuff with pulldown over firewire.  But if you have the Mojo you should be able to capture footage through the mojo

RST wrote:

If you want to capture the footage as 24p, you'll have to use the camera.

You don't need to use the camera. The XL2 (and the DVX100) shoot 23.976 frames/sec., while inserting 6 frames every second to create a 30fps master tape -- playable in any DV camera or deck capable of playing DV footage. If your system is not playing back the tapes, double-check your gear. Perhaps you're trying to play DV tapes in a DVCAM only deck, or vice versa?

The method of inserting these extra frames is either 2:3:2:3 "standard" pulldown, or 2:3:3:2 "advanced" pulldown.

To capture this footage natively, you should create a 23.976 NTSC project (assuming you're in NTSC land, of course). Just about any version of XPro will remove the "advanced" variety of pulldown via direct firewire capture (make sure advanced is selected in the Film and 24p settings tab).

If your footage was shot in standard mode, then you'll have to either use the Mojo to capture the footage analog at an appropriate compression setting, or you'll have to use at least version 5.x of XPro and capture directly thru the firewire port. (Again, make sure that standard is selected in the Film and 24p settings tab).

Chris