You know those really odd names you get when shooting with the HVX-200? 0001HG, 0002T5, 00035C…etc. Well, there is SOME rhythm to them…the first number is the clip number shot on that card, or sometimes set of cards. 0001, 0002, 0003…and so on. The other numbers are random, and SUPPOSED to be so random, that you can shoot with one camera for years and not get the same number twice. At least according to the people at Panasonic I spoke with.

Well…

On this most recent project we are using the Varicam as the main camera, and an HVX for B-Cam. The SAME HVX for all the shoots, as we own it. It thus far…for this project, seen three days work. In those four days it has shot 808 clips.

And in those 808 clips, I have TWO with duplicate file names. Yup…two. 00029X and 0012TK. I figured I’d see duplicate names one day, but not in the same project and not with only 3 days under it’s belt.

So there goes THAT little safety factor.