So I purchase an ATI Radeon HD 5770 graphics card for my new editing suite on eBay and although I pay less than retail I have to wait...
The card arrived today, so I installed it and it doesn't work, I check the box and find that it does not have the (Mac specific) PCIe 6-pin power cable... So suddenly my day is spent scouring the internet for local suppliers and you'll never guess what, there are none! I'm now an expert at wasting my day and although I have emailed the seller I'm just not patient enough to wait for a response and I managed to find a new cable on eBay. Another $12.66 (NZD) later and I'm left waiting AGAIN.
There is a lot to be said about buyer beware where second-hand items and auctions are concerned, and also checking all the information before buying. Although I've re-read the auction and the seller never actually specified the card did not come with the cable, but then again his auction description doesn't state that it does either. Should I be up in arms about this?
The wonders of ever changing technology see us, as consumers, forever upgrading. But what happens when you're content with some of the technology you already have or own? And worse your initial investment was expensive but the re-sale value is far less than you anticipated resulting in a lower trade in or second hand sale value than you could have dreamed!
This can be said of most household items, and some people insist on having the latest and greatest, but in the world of video production a camera is a constant cost from the onset as all pro and intermediate DV and HDV cameras also require regular servicing and drum alignment. Now I've found lately that Sony are the worst company to deal with for post consumer services, this wasn't always the case, but they've hit a huge downward slide and I'm now at the point where I refuse to deal with them.
At this point you are probably sitting reading your screen wondering what this has to do with you, especially if you aren't in New Zealand, but I haven't actually gotten to my point yet...
I've been keeping an eye on products which aleviate the need for tape media, without having to upgrade or trade in gear. And from all of my research I think I've found the perfect solution which is both inexpensive and cost effective.
Atomos are, as far as I can tell, an Australian/Hong Kong company who have come up with the ultimate solution for mid level videographers using HDV Cameras which support HDMI, and that solution is:
The Ninja is specifically marketed at both SSD, Digital Media and DVTape media consumers as both a complete tape replacement or back up recording medium. Now the unit comes with two drive caddies which do not come with drives so it is recommended that if you're shooting indoors and tripod mounted, you can easily use 2.5" SATA HDD's (no greater than 750gb), but if you're going handheld or potentially going to be knocked or knocking around, it is advised that you use 2.5" SATA SSD/HDD's (but these are still overpriced in the southern hemisphere). Current list of supported drives.
Now, I'm not about to review a product which is currently on my "Next Purchase List", but I will say that this unit should have a remarkable knock on effect for customer and client based videographers especially if there is no longer a requirement to charge for media, and if you're anything like me you refuse to re-use HDV and DV tapes. But not only that, there is no longer a requirement to import footage, which as we all know is a slow process and can only be done in Real time! So not only do you spend an entire day filming, but you spend another day importing the footage. Tape importing is something that is both wearing/damaging to the heads of your deck or camera, if you use your camera as an importation device, but also costing precious time while Final Cut is rendered useless as your tapes import one by one!
Check out this demonstration video (please note this is not my video):
If you're still not sold then I implore you to do the research yourself, personally I'm using a Song V1P HDV camera, as it actually shoots in true progressive and not that retarded Sony interpretation of Progressive, now although my camera is not on the supported camera list, I still think the benefits outweigh the negatives, especially considering the purchase price for The Ninja. However, I discussed this product with the local distributor over two weeks ago now who were going to email me that day and have since sent follow up emails, but I'm still waiting for their response to my request for an RRP, and it would seem I can't order from an international supplier so personally I'm already encountering additional problems and I haven't even used or purchased the product.
The Ninja - Manual - I especially like the anti-bricking on Page 17! Very Cool!
Obviously I am not affiliated with Atomos, unless they want to give me a unit for free, in which case I'd be their dancing monkey boy in the Southern Hemisphere immediately... But remember it's a buyer beware market these days, so always do your research and never trust the first review you stumble upon. There are several video reviews of The Ninja on You Tube as well as benchmark tests and output comparisons. This is more than enough information for anyone to make an informed decision, but based on all the other units I've looked at this one has the most pro's for me and my company.
