Is there any reason I shouldn't work this way?

Question

Given the lack of batch capture in FCE is there any reason why I shouldn't work in the following way:
1. Import video in large chunks using capture now
2. Use DV start stop and Make sub-clip
3. Export just the sub-clips I want as self-contained movies
4. Close the project and delete the original capture files and the FCE project file
5. Start a new project and import the movies I saved in step 3.
My reasons for wanting to do this are mainly to save disc space but also to reduce clutter in the bins. So far as I can see this works fine. The only downsides I can see are:
1. The extra time it takes but this is offset against the chore of capturing individual clips instead of using capture now.
2. The fact that reimported clips have their audio tracks set to mono mix but it seems easy enough to correct this. (As an aside, if I import a .mov file saved from Quicktime it imports into FCE with the audio set to stereo - why the difference?).
I'd be happy enough working this way, I think, provided I could be confident that I'm not going to lose quality by saving and then re-importing. Will I? Are there any other downsides I've not thought of?

Answer 1

You shouldn't lose any quality in the audio or video, but you may lose the timecode track. I'm not sure if you'll lose it, but if you do, you won't be able to recapture the project clips from the original tape because the timecode would be required. This isn't an issue, if you don't ever need to recapture. The timecode may even be retained... I'd have to do an export to see. As a matter of workflow, you may want to think seriously about keeping the timecode, because you can back-up your project file and have some assurance that you can recover from a chatastrophic failure simply by restoring the project file and recapturing from the original tape.
Regarding your audio and video; unless you were to add effects to the video, there should be no loss in exporting and importing. Losses in DV are incurred when you add filters (alter the image) and recompress. The audio is uncompressed PCM, so no losses to be had there, unless you change the sampling rate.