How do I tell Final Cut Pro X that my DV PAL Anamorphic video is anamorphic?

...I normally use iMovie to edit my anamorphic DV footage and iMovie shows this footage with correct aspect ratio. Now I just imported the iMovie events into FCP X ...FCP X imported the footage from iMovie, but doesn't show it in the correct anamorphic aspect ratio. And there seems no way to correct this in FCPX.

Thanks, I was about to ask this question on the forum, but having found this thread, it looks like there is no real solution.

Briefly, I capture from my miniDV camera using iMovie, the footage looks perfect in iMovie (720x576 16:9). In FCPX I "Import iMovie Event Library" but it goes on to show the video in 4:3 ->

The captured footage in iMovie (top); the same footage imported into FCPX "import from iMovie..." (below)

I really wanted importing in iMovie to work this way because it would mean I could uninstall FinalCutExpress - which I still need to capture video from my camera.

I'm sitting here, with my mother who is waiting for a video, and I have some baby footage (above) explaining to my family that my new "professional" video application can't handle it but iMovie can! This doesn't look good ;-)

Have there been any further deveopment with regards to thid problem? At present I am using a PC for my video editing and have no problem with output in a 16:9 aspect ratio. I bought a MAC thinking that if I obtained FCP my videos could be even better, but not if this remains a problem.

What's the problem you're talking about? Anamorphic material is anamorphic. You can output it in a variety of ways. How you output it controls what result you get.

Maybe I am misunderstanding but when I load my video clip,s which are in 16:9 format into iSkysoft to convert them to a format that FCP recognizes, the FCP output is in 4:3 format.

I don't know what your video clips are, or what iSkysoft is doing, or why you're converting it. All standard definition video is 4:3 in resolution, some of it is anamorphic, 16:9 squeezed into the 4:3 frame.

So is there a setting in FCP to change the video created to 16:9 rather than 4:3?

Why don't to say exactly what your video is? Real hard information about what you're talking about, like exactly what it says in the movie inspector in the QT player, would make it easier to understand what the problem is. What are you doing in the converter? Why are you converting it, from what to what?

A videos propertites can be controlled in the inspector. It's spatial conform can be set there, but it depends on exactly what the meia properties are and what you're trying to do.

The video format is MPEG 4. In the "Inspector" area the settings are 720P HD, 1280 x 720, 25 fps and Spatial Conform is set to "Fit"

So this isn't standard definition, and it isn't anamorphic. I'm at a loss to know what you're talking about. What is the problem? Where does iSkySoft fit into this? When you import the clip into the event browser and look at it in the event is not widescreen?

iSkysoft converts the video from a format that FCP doesn't support to MPEG4. I am using a Canon FS100 camcorder. The clips in the event browser appear to be in widescreen format.

From what I tell from Canon's dreadful web site, this is a standard definition camera that records in some unspecified format. You should not be scaling this media up to HD. You should not be converting it to MPEG-4, which is a heavily compressed format. You need to convert it to some type of QuickTime, but it's hard to tell exactly what without know the exact specifications of the original media, which Canon is very relunctant to share.

To give you some background, I am retired and have been editing videos on my PC, primarily of our grandchildren, as one of my past times. Three of my sons (engineers) told me Mac is the way to go. So I got one. Now after a couple of weeks, I have made most of the transition but this FPC is definitely stretching me as you can tell. I am tempted to buy one of the cameras that FCP lists as being compatable if this would cure the format problem. I also realize I have a steep learning cuve with the software.

Here is what I learned from a review of my existing camera:

The video recording format maybe one of Canon FS-series very few weak points, as non-technical users will be very frustrated to deal with the non-popular .MOD video file format (MPG2 + AC3 audio) utilized by Canon here.

Link: http://www.masternewmedia.org/news/2008/06/13/the_ideal_camcorder_for_small.htm# ixzz1cm6iXLBo

This media should be converted to QuickTime using MPEG Streamclip. The software can batch convert the media. I don't know what frame size or frame rate the caema uses as Canon has withheld that information on its specifications page. The frame size will be either 720x480 or 720x576. The frame rate will be either 29.97 or 25, respectively. It's more likely 720x480 at 29.97. Using Streamclip the media is converted to that size and frame rate, using one of few different codecs, with uncompressed, stereo 48k audio. Normally this media would be converted to standard definition DV, which is OK. You could also convert to DVCPRO50, which is higher quality, but takes twice the drive space. Another option is to convert using the Apple Intermediate Codec. In the Streamclip interface, next to the Compression popup, is a button for Options that allows you to select whether it's 4:3 or anamorphic 16:9.

Is there going to be an update for FCP X for importing 4:3 anamorphic fotage ?

In FCE and FCP7 you where able to flag the fotage so the the program interpreaded it as 16:9.

I am very greatfull for an thorughly and exhausting answer the group and of course from Apple Corp.

Brgds Erling Asker

Is there going to be an update for FCP X for importing 4:3 anamorphic fotage ?

You should be able to do this if you import from a camera.

You might want to use feedback to request aspect ratio controls.