I really would like to purchase Final Cut Pro X but I would like to check one thing. I need to know if Final Cut Pro X will import .MTS AVCHD files. These were recorded on a Panasonic 1080p Camcorder. I also have 1080i footage. I understand the methods of importing into Final Cut but I don't know if FC will work with these files. I would like to import then edit and then output to bluray.
Many thanks in advance.
Steven
Mac OS X (10.6.7)
Hi,again.
To sum it up:
When working with AVCHD you have two options.
1. You can import directly from the SD Card — go to import from camera for that.
2. You can copy the full — with all folders, exactly everything that is on the card — contents of the SD card to a folder on your hard drive an archive it that way. If you want to import an archived SD card later on you can go to import from camera and then go for the open archive button, then point to the folder where you keep the back up of that specific card.
It is not possible to import .mts files on their own.
AVCHD on Final Cut needs camera data that is included in the other folders of the SD card.
That's why it's called "Import from camera", even if you only insert the card directly.
If you only backed up the .mts files and that's all you have you will have to convert them outside of Final Cut beforehand. I recommend to make the best of the situation and just download the free tool called "Handbrake".
With Handbrake simply convert the .mts files to mp4 with the same bitrate. You won't lose that much quality. It's really no big deal.
So, if your camera records with AVCHD 17 Mbit for example, convert to mp4 with 17 Mbits. And then import to Final Cut.
In the future be more careful of what you do: read the documentation before you delete something and try to keep a full backup of your cards. I always have a card backup in the project folder, because AVCHD doesn't need that much space anyway.
Hope that helps.
Photo Ninja:
AVCDH officially doesn't support 1080p60 yet, as far as I know. Final Cut supports the full AVCHD standard. So you should have no problem. Maybe you mistake it for 1080i60?
Your xXaBdua.mov is fine to import and edit in fcpx, but what did you do with it: it´s bitrate is just 16 MBit/s, far to low for 1080p50 footage. My Sony captures with 28 MBit/s.
I have both rewrapped and transcoded 60p and 50p AVCHD media with ClipWrap without problems.
Good it works with my Panasonic SD900 (1080p)... FCP accept the news .M2TS files...
Not sure what your problem is but FCP has been importing AVCHD media since about 2009.
No question at all. Just a comment disputing other posters who reported that FCPX can't import individual .MTS files. It can.
Hi.
Final Cut Pro X fully supports AVCHD.
But it is not possible to import single .MTS files.
You will have to back up the full contents of your SD card, with all directories and files and the use the import
from camera and then go to archive.
That is necessary, because AVCDH is a stream and there's additional info saved on the card.
Anyway: if you backup AVCDH, back up the full card with all directories. I always do this for every project.
If you've already thrown everything aways and only kept the .mts files, maybe you could convert them with handbrake to mp4 to at least be able to use them. I don't know of any other method right now out of my mind.
Maybe somebody else can help?
Remux seems like a great free tool, but just like Aunsoft or Rewrap2M4V there is an issue with FCP: the rewrap works fine, as does the import into Final Cut. The problem seems is that there is a green frame at least once per second in playback. This could be a Panasonic AVCHD 1080p 60fps only issue... it may work fine for other MTS files. But no go for those of us struggling to get the Panny footage in.
The Photo Ninja wrote:
What happens if you plug the Panasonic directly into the computer?
I tried this with my Panasonic HDC-SD900... it doesn't appear in the "import from camera" pop-up, but it does show up as an attached SD card, so you have the same problem where FCP X won't allow you to import the footage. In my case, I've been filming in 1080p50, which is the highest quality for the European version of this camera.
There are plenty of interim solutions mentioned above, but when I use these, I lose the 5.1 sound from my clips. Best bet is probably to wait for the official AVCCAM Importer from Panasonic, which will be a free download "this summer". It's a Quicktime plugin, so should work with Final Cut Pro X no problem.
http://www.panasonic-broadcast.com/en/news/archive.php?we_objectID=4260
I tried Media Converter with MTS files from a Sony Z7U CF card. Seems to work well as it doesn't create large files like ClipWrap. Seems like it simply strips the info and puts a .mov wrapper around it.
My workflow under ML is to open the Sony Camcorder package in a folder, then show the AVCHD then the BDMV contents. This will expose the STREAM folder with all the stored MTS files. I copy them into a desktop folder then convert them into HD MP4 files using the Elgato Turbo264 HD USB plugin. Works great for me.
Dick
Regarding the quality question you have, ClipWrap doesn't degredate AVCHD video quality at all, and its super quick! You should try it out. That app is a godsend!
If you don't care for the AVCHD file structuring and just want the raw AVCHD videos (.mts files) to backup. Just browse your memory card down to the "Stream" folder (private>avchd>bdmv>stream) and the .MTS files all live there.
Personally, when I do my editing, I do it the individual .MTS re-wrapped way, not the FCP import method (which needs the private folder structure). I guess you can say I'm impatient and cannot wait for the FCP importing / transcoding job to finish before editing. Takes too long imo.
Clipwrap was updated and is now sold as EditReady https://www.divergentmedia.com/editready and I find it really useful. The re-wrap option makes for zero loss of quality. I prefer to re-wrap my MTS files and import them into FCP as MOVs. Works great for my situation.
No it's not Cool. Remux or Media Coverter create a .MP4 file but for these files, FCP X play the movie with a green picture every seconds...it s like a stoboscopic movie or artifacts as you want.
I'm disapointed, wainting for FCP X for my Pana SD900 and I have to use Handbrake trancode movies to import them.
I'm going to use Sony Vegas to make the job 😟
Check out iVI in the App Store. It will re-wrap MTS videos to M4V without transcoding the file. At $4 it's an amazing deal. Just enable passthrough in the preferences to get it to rewrap. It takes less than a minute to do each file.
Import of AVCHD .MTS files
