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Hi,
IMO, you would be much better off just getting three or four PS3 Eye cameras. Trying to synchronize three or four consumer video cameras with frame accuracy is nearly impossible without special (in another word, expensive) hardware. You could get close to sync by assembling the footage in post, but it will probably not be exact, making it less than ideal for tracking by iPi DMC. (It should be fine for 'roto-capture' by hand, which is what we did before we got into creating and using professional motion capture where I work.)
The main advantage to using suitable USB webcams over consumer video cameras is that, since they are all feeding into a single computer simulataneously, Recorder can do a very good job keeping them in sync. You just plug the webcams into a suitable computer and they're synchronized automatically. Recorder also formats your output video properly for iPi DMC. You can reproduce this format manually using Fusion or AfterEffects, but that's way more trouble in time and expense than it's worth. Also, the PS3 cameras are pretty cheap; at $30 or so per camera, it's significantly less expensive than buying three or four matching video cameras.
Regarding Fusion, I've used it to make video layout corrections and image optimizations to my Recorder footage, and it works great. I mainly use it to remove unwanted reflections and shadows, but I'm getting good at keeping my footage 'clean' to begin with so I don't have to do this. I've also used it to optimize my calibration video by tracking and enhancing my maglite, but if you shoot your calibration session correctly to begin with, this step is not necessary. By the way, Fusion is indeed VERY expensive, and I would not recommend getting it just to assemble video footage for iPi. However, if you do a lot of fx compositing for movies and commercials, Fusion is one of the best programs available. (It's what I use almost daily at Rhythm & Hues.)
To me, what's been more handy for post editing Recorder footage (which can run very long) is Vegas Pro, which lets me easily trim all my footage into shorter and more manageable clips, and then save the data without recompressing it. You can probably do the same with Virtual Dub, which is free, but Vegas helps me keep things better organized and it's easier to edit the footage with. I think the cheaper 'consumer' version of Vegas may let you do the same (save trimmed footage without recompressing,) but I haven't used that version to be sure. Again, I wouldn't get this software just to edit Recorder clips, but if you don't already have a video editor, Vegas is a good choice.
Hope this helps.
Greenlaw
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