Panasonic's P2 cameras don't write a clip as a single file. Video and each audio channel are separate files, tied together by a small XML file, and the card has a fixed folder layout that Panasonic tells you to leave alone. This is what's on the card and how to copy it so nothing is left behind.
The short version: a P2 card stores video and each audio channel as separate .MXF files under CONTENTS/VIDEO and CONTENTS/AUDIO, tied together by an .XML file in CONTENTS/CLIP. Copy the whole CONTENTS folder and LASTCLIP.TXT together, with the structure intact, and format the card in the camera.
What's on the card
The open-source Ingex project documented the layout of P2 cards (its tests used an
AG-HVX200E): a
CONTENTS folder with VIDEO and AUDIO subfolders holding
the .MXF essence, a CLIP folder with an .XML file
describing each clip, and an ICON folder with a small .BMP
thumbnail. At the card's root sits LASTCLIP.TXT, whose first line holds the
prefix of the last clip written. Every file that belongs to one clip shares the same
six-character identifier in its name, and each audio track is its own MXF file, so related
files have to stay together when they're moved or copied.
CatDV's camera-format reference lists the same pattern: CONTENTS/VIDEO/*.MXF,
CONTENTS/AUDIO, CONTENTS/CLIP and LASTCLIP.TXT. Newer
cameras may add other folders, so treat this as the baseline rather than the full list.
The safe rule: copy the whole CONTENTS folder
and LASTCLIP.TXT together, with the structure intact, into your archive.
Reorganize only on a second copy.
What Panasonic says
The manual for the AG-CX350E tells you to transfer each CONTENTS folder along
with its LASTCLIP.TXT file, to copy them at the same time, and not to operate on the
folders inside CONTENTS. It also warns against erasing folders or files on the
card from a computer, since that can make the card unreadable in the camera, and says to
format the card in the camera. That manual is for one camera; Panasonic's guidance for other P2
models may differ in the details.
A practical workflow
- Copy
CONTENTSandLASTCLIP.TXTfrom each card into its own dated folder in your archive, and let your copy tool verify the result against the source. - Keep that copy untouched. Don't delete or rename anything inside it.
- If your editor handles bare MXF files, work from a second copy organized by date or camera, and keep the untouched backup for the XML.
- Format the card in the camera, not on the Mac, once both copies are verified.
Where ShotGrab fits, and where it doesn't
ShotGrab builds each file's destination from a folder template (date, camera, client), so it
doesn't recreate the CONTENTS tree. MXF files are treated as video;
.XML files are in the sidecar category, which is copied only if you
include it or add the extension by hand. Other file types, such as the .BMP
thumbnails or LASTCLIP.TXT, aren't in a category and need to be added by
extension. If your workflow depends on the original P2 tree, copy
CONTENTS and LASTCLIP.TXT with a tool that preserves it, and check
the result in your editing software before you rely on it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the folder structure of a Panasonic P2 card?
A CONTENTS folder with VIDEO and AUDIO subfolders holding the .MXF files, a CLIP folder with an .XML file per clip, an ICON folder with .BMP thumbnails, and LASTCLIP.TXT at the card's root. Newer cameras may add other folders.
What should I copy from a P2 card?
The whole CONTENTS folder together with LASTCLIP.TXT, at the same time and with the structure intact. Panasonic's AG-CX350E manual says not to operate on the folders inside CONTENTS.
Why is P2 audio in separate files?
P2 cameras write each audio channel as its own MXF file, linked to the video by the clip's XML file. Every file of one clip shares the same six-character identifier, so they have to stay together.
Can I delete clips from a P2 card on my computer?
Panasonic warns against it: erasing folders or files from a computer can make the card unreadable in the camera. Format the card in the camera once your copies are verified.
What we couldn't confirm
The most detailed layout we found comes from the Ingex project's notes on an older
camera, and Panasonic's page we read covers a single recent model. We didn't find a Panasonic
page that describes every subfolder, such as PROXY and VOICE. Check your
camera's manual for its exact tree.