How to get .MTS in to Final Cut ProX?

Hit cmd+I to bring up the import bos and choose you camera in the pane on the left. It might take a while to recognise it. Then select the clips you want to import and it will convert them for you into an editable format such as ProRess. You cant actually edit with the .mts files themselves. You can import from either the camera or sd card. Hope this helps and enjoy 🙂.

Oh, and I would reccommend you do create proxy media as this will make editing much smoother for you.

Andy.

I use MTS all the time in FCP X. I find it easier and faster to use ClipWrap (about $50) to convert the MTS files to MOV files. I then use the Import function of FCP X to bring the mov file into my FCP X event. I know that FCP X can import from camera, but I find it faster to convert as I described then use the file Import function. It's an extra $50, but there is general agreement among many that ClipWrap is reliable and produces a high quality file from the MTS. Another benefit is that, if you recorded longer than 10 to 12 minutes at a time, your camera will likely split the recording up into several files of 2GB or so. ClipWrap allows you to convert these files using a "Convert Multiple as Spanned" option in its menu. FCP X will then read the converted single file that has all the file segments "stiched" back together properly. FCP X Import from Camera will do the same thing, but in my experience seems to take more time. Note that the MTS file will be around 4 or 5 times smaller than the MOV file that ClipWrap converts it to, but that is the price of working with real high quality video. MTS was designed to allow the most storage on consumer camcorders with reasonable video quality on playback, but MOV, or an equivalent high quality format, is required for editors such as FCP X to be able to work with the footage at a pro level. Hope this helps.

stephen

SaradKad wrote:

Hi, I have recently gotten both a Sony Camcorder and Final Cut ProX. I'm trying to get the .MTS files into ProX, and I'm having no luck. I've tried changing the .MTS to .MOV, and .MP4, and all the info says it should be able to open/import it, but nothing works. Am I doing something wrong? Is there a way to change the file type without a converter program, and if there isn't, is there a converter program that is free and does the job? I'll pay if I have to, but free is better.

Also, is there a way to have my camcorder go directly into Final Cut or my Mac, so I don't have to use my PC every time?

SaraKad,

Does your Sony Camcorder have memory card? If so, you can mount the memory card, through card express reader if you have one, on desktop. Then open Final Cut Pro X. It should detects memory card reader automatically.

Although, I do not know what kind of computer you are using? Is it a MacBook Pro?

Hope this helps.

Brian

SaradKad wrote:

Thanks, but it doesn't have a memory card - just internal memory. (of 64 gb!) And it is a MacBookPro.

Hi SaradKad,

Does your Sony camcorder have this capacity to have memory card slots along with 64GB internal built-in memory? I take it as a no at all, correct?

With my Canon camcorder, it has a internal built-in 64GB memory, plus it also has two slots available for external memory cards such as SDHD cards.

If your camcorder have slots, and you didn't purchase external memory cards, I encouarge you to buy one, and you can transfer these movies onto external memory card from internal built-in memory.

Can I ask for specific Sony camcorder info, so I can look into it and see if I can help further.

For future frame of reference, always a good idea to provide us with specific name of camcorder, type of computer you use and all that specifics, this itself will speed up the information you are looking for. Just a two-cent tip.

Hope that helps.

Brian

P.S. If you decide to go for Clipwrap, that alternate method can be a good workaround solution... but it can be a little inconvience to do this manually and a little time consuming with some steps, then import mov files into Final Cut Pro X.

Your Sony has an internal memory folder structure like the SD cards you could add to the camera. If you use the usb to camera cable and turn on your Sony, it should appear identical to if you had just put an SD card in your computer. Somewhere in the top level of your folders that you will see, using Finder, as you look at your camera, you should see a folder called PRIVATE or AVCHD. Inside one of the top level folders should be a folder for AVCHD and inside that should be one called BDMV and inside that should be one called STREAM. In the STREAM folder you should have your .MTS files. You can copy all those to a folder on your Mac where you want to archive the project you recorded. ClipWrap will work with the .MTS from the camera on your Mac and convert them to .MOV, but you need to select Conver to AIC under the Output Format in the lower left part of ClipWrap. That format will give you the .MOV when you point to the MTS files and hit Convert in ClipWrap. I agree with Brian ... it's cheap to get a 16GB SD card or something (Class 4 or higher) to augment your internal Sony memory, and it makes carrying the stuff over to your Mac easier, but what I have outlined here should work until you get a card. Note that your folders may differ slightly in name or placement, but there's not that many of them there, and the general AVCHD folder structure used among most of the manufacturers of camcorders is either very similar or identical ... it seems to be part of the spec. I have a few cameras from various manufacturers, and the folder structure is usually the same. Best Wishes.

stephen

One other point, import has an additional option to create a 'camera archive' that stores the files in a format that fcpx. can read, but doesn't full import and convert. It would appear that the file size created is very similar to a folder of . mts files. Clearly this won't help for existing .mts clips but might be of use for the future?

does that converted file work in fcp x?

SmartConverter in the App store is free and rewraps 60frame per second AVCHD to a form FCPX can use.

Hugh

This is like Handbrake. It's great for converting to delivery devices. Don't use it for convertint to production formats.

Tom, sorry, I know you are really busy, but I don't understand. I took a piece of 60P AVCHD footage from my Sony A65 dslr, had SmartConverter convert to quicktime as a .mov,dragged that into fcpx and converted to ProRes. That seems to work great, though only for fcpx. Imovie 11 won't use it. And fcpx then used the ProRes to make an absolutely beautiful piece of video, all in 6oP.

If I use the free program to get it to fcpx where it is converted to prores, where is the problem?

Hugh

Converting it to QuickTime doesn't mean much without knowing the details of what you converted it to. QT is just a framework for thosuands of possible video codecs and bit rates. Looking at the Smart Converter screen shots, it looks like it only does convesions for devices. This means your media is being double compressed, compressed heavily in the camera, and then compressed heavily again in Smart Converter. Taking it ProRes in FCP will not do any good. Once the data is lost it can't be recovered.

Ok, but for the meantime it is the only free way to convert my Sony 60P to ProRes that I know of. When I can I will probably spend the money for ClipWrap.

Nice to have options, even if not the best.
FYI, I checked and the conversion is h.264at 1920x1080, ,AAC, 48000hz, stereo L,R, FPS 59.94, Data Rate is 24.77 Mbit/s and the info screen says it didn't have to touch the video, just the audio. Maybe not so bad for a home user like me, who had given up on using the 60P option in my camera.

Thanks for your expertise. For those of us who live far away from Apple stores, this is the genius bar.

Hugh