Canon vixia HF M40 frame rates changing on import

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Canon vixia HF M40 frame rates changing on import

Hi All,

I purchased the Canon Vixia HF M40 camcorder and I am unable to import my footage while retaining the frame rate I chose on the camera. The Canon is capable of recording footage (24Mbps AVCHD) at 60i, 30p (recorded at 60i) and 24p (recorded at 60i). When I select a frame rate and record footage, it plays back correctly from the Canon. 60i footage looks like a soap opera, 30p looks like prime time TV, 24p looks like film quality. However, when I import the footage to my macbook pro using iMovie 11, it seems to convert the 60i and the 24p to 29.97 frame rate...or 30p for short.

Here is what I would like to do:

1. How do I import the footage and retain the frame rate so it looks the way I filmed it while I'm editing?

2. Instead of importing thru iMovie, should I copy the .MTS file to my mac and use a 3rd party software to convert to .mov?

3. I have access to Final Cut Express and Final Cut Pro if needed...would that make this process easier?

4. If I can't retain the frame rate during import, what is the best way to convert back to the original frame rate from 29.97?

5. Should I consider using the HDMI output of the camera to capture from?

I have a couple more days to return the camera (2 week return policy) and pickup a Sony HDR-CX360V which appears to do true 60p, 60i and true 24p. If this conversion is more trouble than it's worth, the Sony may be my answer.

Any advice or help you can provide will be most appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Jordy

Macbook, Mac OS X (10.6.6)

Posted on Apr 26, 2011 2:02 PM

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Answer 1

Apr 27, 2011 5:22 AM in response to jordya

60i does not refer to 60 frames per second. It refers to 60 interlaced fields per second. It takes two of these fields to make a frame. So iMovie is correctly showing your 60i as 29.97 i.

As of now, iMovie will not edit 60P, so there is no reason to go to a 60P camera. 60P takes about 4 times the computing power as 30P.

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Answer 2

jordya Author

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Apr 27, 2011 7:06 AM in response to jordya

Thanks for the info regarding 60i vs 60p. Where I am still confused is when I record 60i on my camcorder and then watch that footage on my camcorder, it has the 60i look (very smooth and live, like a soap opera). The same is true for 30p and 24p on my camcorder. When I import it, the look changes. So if 60i is essentially the same as 29.97 fps, why would the look change? I'm guessing the camcorder is doing something internally to playback the footage correctly as recorded.

What I would like to figure out is how I can I import my footage and retain the look that I set the camcorder to record at. If iMovie cannot retain the smooth 60i look or film look of 24p, should I be looking at Final Cut Express/Pro?

Thanks again.

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Answer 3

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

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Apr 27, 2011 8:17 AM in response to jordya

60i is 29.97. When you say "see in your camcorder" do you mean the viewscreen on the camcorder? This is obviously very compressed and interlaced is thrown out. Final Cut Express does not support 24p media. 60i is designed specifically for display on a video monitor or television set. It is not designed for display on a computer screen ever. It's an interlaced format and needs to be viewed in a interlaced medium. iMovie suppresses interlacing significantly which reduces the resolution of the image.

BTW, your camera does not record 24p. It's 24fps with pulldown added to record at 29.97. This is the Canon spec:

60i, 24p Progressive (records at 60i), 30p Progressive (records at 60i)

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Answer 4

jordya Author

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Apr 27, 2011 9:58 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

When I say "see in my camcorder", I am referring to the view screen on the camcorder, as well as when I view the direct output from the canon to my TV via HDMI.

I did not realize 60i was not designed for a computer screen. That helps greatly...thanks. To test that theory, I just transfered the raw .MTS files from the camera to my windows pc and streamed it to my TV thru Boxee...it is playing back as recorded... 60i, 30p, 24p. When I watch them on the computer however, it quality/smoothness shows as 29.97. From that, I am guessing i cant edit in 60i or 24p since they are in reality, 29.97.

I do understand that the camera is not recording true 24p, but 24p progressive in a 60i shell. Would you say it is better to record at true 24p rather than remove the pulldown of the canon 24p progressive if I want a film quality?

I am considering returning this camera and purchasing the Sony HDR-CX360V which does 60i, 60p and 24p...from what I have read. If I go down this road, I could record at 60i, then de-interlace if I want 30p...plus I would have 60p for slow motion type footage and 24p for film quality.

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