Lossless DV transfer; tape to computer

[Kalles Kaviar]

Hi all, new here and to all things video, hoping for some advise

I have a huge bunch of miniDV tapes that I want to transfer to my computer (I have FireWire and lots of space). At this stage I'm not going to do much editing so it's mainly for back-up and for convenience of having easy access to them. Later on I will do some minor editing. (There is a lot of emphasis on capture but atm all I want to do really is transfer...I think)

As back-ups I want lossless files but not sure if I need to convert them or I can keep them as DV? Lossless compression? Opinions?

If I can keep them as DV, what software is appropriate to do a simple transfer?

If I need to convert, what lossless file format is recommended (future proof, ease of use, compatibility etc) and also what software is recommended?

Since there is lots of video I would like to have some sort of video manager software (like Lightroom or similar?) with strong metadata features. It would be good to have some editing capabilities here too I guess for later. With limited RAM, Premier Pro CS6 is out but what about CS5 or Final Cut Pro X? Is this a good program for what I need.

Is there any program that can do everything I want (FCP, PP CS5?)

Thanks

Edit: not sure why my sig doesn't show but here's what I'm using

iMac (10.6.8): 3.06 GHz Intel Core Duo, 4GB RAM
MBP (10.6.8): 2.3 GHz Intel Core i5, 4GB RAM

[Dr Gonzo]

I make transfers over Firewire from my DV Camcorder to my desktop and laptop Mac's using Vidi, a freeware program that will backup your recordings onto the Mac as a DV file. This will be completely lossless and as such identical to your original tapes and you can then make further backups and stash them away safely. You can also use iMovie to accomplish this but imho Vidi has a lower system overhead and greater flexibility.

If you're interested, you can check it out here: http://www.mitzpettel.com/

Regarding the questions about FCP, that aspect isn't my field so I can't offer much advice but hopefully other members should have some suggestions for you.