Does iMovie '11 support 1080-60p?

Fo what it's worth, http://help.apple.com/imovie/cameras/en/index.html?lang=en_US list the Panasonic / HDC-TM700 AVCHD HDD / Memory as supported.

as for:

And if so, will it convert and bloat the files to several times the original size?

It may have to because highly compressed content lacks the 'every frame data' needed for easy editing.

Careful on your definition of supported .................

The 1080 50/60p footage is a new format above and beyond the standard AVCHD spec. The Panasonic 600/700 range can record in standard interlaced AVCHD, and it is I believe this format this is recognised and supported in iMovie '08, '09, and the new '11.

As there have been very few fanfares for new features etc, I am assuming that to import the highest quality progressive (1080/60p) footage, you will still have to run it through some sort of conversion first - ClipWrap, VoltaicHD or the Rewrap2m4v automater script

I shoot in 1080p/60p and since I used imovie09 for it.. I'd assume it wouldn't be removed.

You definitely did not import 1080p60 directly into imovie 09. either your shooting in 1080 60i, or you are converting before using it with imovie

so does it import 60p? I understand it will convert...but will it even import correctly. With imovie 9 you needed to either convert it ie 60- 30 then import it because imovie couldn't handle 60 full frames. It would only import half footage.

I'll let everyone know tonight. I have a panasonic tm700. I have iLife 11. Haven't installed it yet.

YES thats the camera I was wondering about.....PLEASE thanks!

My friend has the *Panasonic HDC-TM700*.

_ Videos recorded in 1080/60p mode are *NOT supported in iMovie '09 nor iMovie '11*.
_ Videos, which were shot in 1080/60i work just fine.

I hope this helps.

well that's not good.

tx

I have a Panasonic HDC SD600 which can record at 1080/50p rather than 1080/60p. Will this be supported by iMovie 11?

Thanks.

I doubt it if the 60p isn't supported the pal 50p won't be....

I too have the SD600 in the UK recording at 1080/50p. No, iMovie '08, 09, and (whilst I haven't got it the general opinion seems to include '11) do not natively support 1080 at 50p or 60p.

I've always used iMovie 06 or Final Cut Express (which to be fair don't handle that resolution either) so I'm not fully up to speed with what I refer to as the 'iTube Trilogy' - In short, the latest '08, '09 & '11 products should be shipped under a different name than iMovie - They are more for assembling clips and posting them online or by email. IM '06, FCE and Final Cut Pro are movie making software packages.

So, your options .................

Record in lower / 'standard' AVCHD resolutions. These 1080i formats are fully accepted by iMovie '09 /'11, but be warned.... Whilst I have little experience of the iTube Trilogy, the general verdict is that to handle interlaced footage, they remove every other line of resolution, so downgrading your beautiful camcorder footage before you've even started. Fine for Youtube, but not good for DVD's or movies.

Record in 1080p and save your video to an external hard drive for a future day when video editing software catches up.

Record in 1080p and save your video as above - Then use a couple of applications / utilities to get your footage into iMovie. Look through other threads and there are quite a few tips and tricks about getting the best quality from iMovie. In quick summary ......

Movist - A free application that can view mts files. You will need a fast Mac to play them at that sort of speed and resolution progressively

Convert your mts files with a couple of utilities that will allow your movies to be imported into iMovie. ClipWrap, VoltaicHD are inexpensive utilities that will take your mts files and rewrap them in a file format that iMovie understands. There is also a free Automater Utility called rewrap2m4v which I have used very successfully and I think it does much the same thing. Preserves the resolution and frame rate and effectively just renames it as m4v so that iMovie can import it.

I like iMovie 06 at 720p resolution, but this has a limited Frame Rate of 25fps, so effectively removing every other frame of your 50p footage. iMovie '09 / '11 will maintain resolution if keep your footage progressive throughout. This software also likes to work in 25fps but there is a software work-around to increase the frame rate to the original 50fps utilitising a utility called Plisteditpro.

So, as a final answer to your question, iMovie '11 won't accept your footage out of the box. But you can use a utility such as ClipWrap to repackage it as an acceptible movie format at full resolution and frame rate. You can use plistedit to change iM '09 (and presumably '11) to accept 50fps and then you should be able to edit (on a fast mac) your movies. My personal solution is to record at full 50p and save for the future, then rewrap the files and edit them in iMovie '06 at 720p25 where I am downgrading both resolution and frame rate, but they still look beautiful enough for my humble needs.

Good luck and great choice of camcorder.

I was afraid this might be the case. I'm also assuming that iMovie '11 won't handle 5.1 surround sound either. As GuyHolmes suggested, I'll just do what I can with my footage and re-edit the raw footage at some later date once the software catches up. I will probably upgrade with the Family Pack since my wife's laptop is still running iLife '08.

Thank you GuyHolmes sharing your in depth knowledge!

Do I correctly understand that
- ClipWrap, VoltaicHD and also rewrap2m4v all do not affect the quality of original footage?
- iMovie '09/'11 do not cause quality loss either?
- iMovie '09/'11 can play the rewrapped footage in full 50p and/or 60p quality?

Few questions
- does rewrapping increase file size of footage significantly?
- is a 2GHz Intel-iMac white (late 2006) sufficient to cut and play(!) such footage with iMovie
(I lived with std DV cutting on a 400 MHz iMac DV)
- sorry, I can look elswhere but does iMovie '09 run under QSX10.4.11?

This Panasonic 50/60p camera is damned attractive . . . .

THANK you!