Will Final Cut Pro X fully support Panasonic TM700's 60fps/1080p shooting mode for import?

Shane Ross wrote:

All I'm saying is why shoot and edit 1080p60 when the technology to play it doesn't exist in the low end?

So what you're saying is that it's true...you'll only use Final Cut Pro X for the low end...

I'm sorry, but that sounds like telling audio pros not to master at 96K or photographers not to shoot at 16 bits per channel, since no consumer delivery systems support those specs. Which is, of course, not the right way to think about any of this.

>you'll only use Final Cut Pro X for the low end...

You can't use it for high end. It lacks all the tools necessary for high end work. All these things we use in FCP 7 are gone in FCP X. SO I can't use it for high end work.

>but that sounds like telling audio pros not to master at 96K

Yup. Audio pros wouldn't be caught dead mastering to that format. Well, only under extreme duress, and if paid well. But they wouldn't like it.

> photographers not to shoot at 16 bits per channel

If I knew photography better, I might know what that meant...But if it is lower than low quality...then yes, I mean that.

I am able use the Panasonic software file to import the MTX files and meta on i7 windows and then stream it (hard wired) directly to my panasonic TV via media server. The footage is incredible. Also Corel VideoStudio can edit the footage but not export to 60p. I typically convert to 720 for ipad and iphone. For the low price - you get incredible results. Even if you are not going to playback in 60p it does not hurt to use the dense data to convert to another format.

I'm not sure what other option you have with TM700 but in my FZ-150 if I want 1080p footage 1080p60 is the only option. The other HD is the interlaced 1080i/30 that is unusable for 1080p projects. If you try to use that footage with chroma keying you get a very jittery image. So for me the bottom line is I do not care for 60 fps I would like to get a1080p. I still export it to 30 fps.

Well said. I concur completely.

I am wondering what is the best intermediate codec to use With the MTS files for Version 7.. Also, I read recently that you are supposed to be able to work with the AVCHD files if you bring them in as log and capture from the card in a card reader. I did not have such luck. Is there anybody out there that knows how to get this done?

An Apple Tech insisted that Final Cut 7 can import the entire AVCHD file structure from A Panasonic P2 using a card reader. So that you may view the footage within Final Cut.

I have not been able to accomplish this. Help! Anybody???

I have a coast to coast reality shoot that is just way to much footage to use Apple Pro Res 422. One card alone yielded 264gig. We want to be able to maintain full 1920 HD. This is all action and needs to be able to be broadcast and retain the quality for slow motion and fast motion.

I understand that there is an intermediate codec that works well if you want to later upres to the original quality.

Suggestions?????

FCP will directly import 1920x1080 60i and other variants. It just will not import and convert 1080 60p. For that, clipwrap does a very nice job.

If you have FCP7, you could aways convert to ProRes Proxy for an initial editing then recapture as ProRes422 for the final output.

x

ok, i've seen a lot of discussion about this, so I'm just going to throw this out there. I recently got the new Sony A57, and it shoots in 1080 60p, 60i and 24p in AVCHD, and 30p in .mov as well as 720 formats.

What are the best options to use these different formats in FCP X. I'm a newb at most of this, still trying to learn. At school, we have Panasonics that record in 1080 60i AVCHD, and I've been able to import (from camera) the shots from a SD card directly, but if i copy the card to the HD and try and import, it gets greyed out. So whats the difference between the card and the HD?

I know FCP X will be adding support for RED editing natively, so why cant they add support for a more consumer oriented option AVCHD?

Did you copy the footage off the card EXACTLY as it is on the card? By that I mean, keep the full card structure. Make a folder, copy the entire contents of the card into that folder. FCP only works with the card footage if the full structure is intact.

Here's the workflow for tapeless in FCP:

http://library.creativecow.net/ross_shane/tapeless-workflow_fcp-7/1

i only pulled off the video files out of the stream files to my Hard drive. Your tutorial is for FCP 7, is that different than FCP X. As I said, I'm new...learned a bit about FCP7, but jumped to FCP X in Dec/Jan since I'm still learning...might as well learn where apple is going.

I was able to get a 60p clip into FCP X, but it does NOT like it. I pulled the mts files off the camera for this one (using the usb) and then I converted the mts to .mov using handbrake (using h264) imported fine....I re-timed to footage to 50%, thinking it should bring it down to 30 fps....BUT!!!!

if you go to change anything, the viewer goes green screen (or if you're using scopes histograms or waveforms empty out, or it completely loses the information).

Thanks

The first part of the tutorial works for ANY editing software you use. Do not just pick and choose what files you want to grab...you have to copy the whole card...everything. FCX needs everything. Avid needs everything. Adobe...not so much. But you never know what the future may hold...and the present requires the full card.

Thank you so much.

Have you put together any tutorials for FCP X, since it imports differently and uses events?

Sorry, I don't use FCX. The editing language it uses is very foreign to me, and it can't do a few things I need to do. (Apple seems to think that tape capture, beyond firewire, is no longer needed. They are wrong). Mainly I don't like the way it works.

Problem with the TM700 is that it's really a one trick pony, 1080p60 or nothing! Sure it has the other modes but they are INTERLACED!!!

Why oh why couldn't there of been a simple 24p mode or 720p24 (think the tm900 has this) I love this little camera but I would not of paid full price for it - I got mine for $500 on CL and with the 250gb hard drive but dealing with the footage is a pain. I sugges premiere pro 5.5 / 6 and FCPx is a pain.

My dual core Mac mini i7 struggles to play it back after unwrapping in clipwrap and I don't want to have to Transcode....

I love the built in HD even though it's impossible to get the footage off the HD to the mac wihtout it timing out over usb.

I own the sony a57 also...here is my two cents. I tested handbrake, clipwrap and toast to see which one worked fastest and was also the most compatible. I'm still using FCP7 but I think my conclusions will be the same no mater what version you're using.

Handbrake - too slow and you still have to convert it again with MPEG SteamClip just to bring it in FCP

ClipWrap - easy to use but did not allow me to conform clips with cinema tools to get the silky smooth slow motion we all dream of. I'm still editing on a 29.97 timeline. I tried it on a 60p timeline but the render and export times were too long and you can't put 60p on a blu ray soooo..... I had to re- export any clip that I wanted to bring into cinema tools

Toast - worked great.

I didn't see a difference in quality on any of the 3 apps I tested.

That being said, I would still love to see an app that did it faster

although, clipwrap converted the clips faster....

49 clips totalling 19 minutes of footage

clipwrap - 40 minutes

toast - 59 minutes