sharronsuss
Level 1 (13 points)

Q: Testing FCE 4.0 importing/editing Canon G 20 footage

I want to evaluate my newly-upgraded FCE 4.0.1 (on late 2007 Intel dual-core MBP running Snow Leopard) with footage from a Canon G20 before I buy one.  I have the opportunity to get test clips on an SD card fresh from the camcorder of a friend.  I think the G20 will create a large variety of clips, and I'd like to know in advance which formats would be of possible use.

 

From what I have read online, I gather that FCE 4 will edit AVCHD but not MPEG4 clips.  Is this still true of FCE 4.0.1?

 

If possible, I'd like to check out 1080p clips as well as 1080i.  Is this possible?  Desirable?

 

Anything else about file formats acceptable to FCE 4.0 that might be relevant would be greatly appreciated! 

 

Thanks,

Sharron

Posted on Mar 12, 2014 9:41 AM

by Alchroma,Solvedanswer
Alchroma Alchroma
Level 6 (19,086 points)
Video
A:

Sharron,

 

My suggestion is to use an AVCHD camera and set the camera to record at the highest data rate for interlaced footage.

 

Progressive will not really work with FCE, however, one can sledge hammer "square footage into a round NLE hole" if you get my meaning.

As you know it means mega rendering.

 

Interlaced high quality AVCHD will slot exactly into the Timeline like a glove; no rendering except for transitions, effects etc.

 

As Ian pointed out this footage will be converted to AIC on ingest to around 40 gig an hour.

The conversion is so FCE can see each video frame as a full frame rather than a compressed form relying on other adjacent frames to fill in the gaps. This compressed form is designed for watching NOT editing.

All HD video is large and if you try to get around large files you end up with large render times.

 

Al

Posted on Mar 12, 2014 4:56 PM

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sharronsuss

Q: Testing FCE 4.0 importing/editing Canon G 20 footage

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Ian R. Brown,Helpful

    Ian R. Brown Ian R. Brown Mar 12, 2014 12:39 PM in response to sharronsuss
    Level 6 (18,660 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 12, 2014 12:39 PM in response to sharronsuss

    Officially FCE 4.0 won't edit .mp4  but I've just done a test and it will.

     

    However, when it goes in the timeline the footage needs to be rendered before you can work on it properly, so it's not ideal.

     

    The .mp4 footage I tried also happened to be 1080p and seemed to work OK as mentioned above.

     

    Where possible you should use supported formats that don't need initial rendering.

     

    I think you will find that the AVCHD footage is converted to AIC (Apple Intermediate Codec) when you ingest it from the camera or SD card.

     

    AIC creates huge files  ......  typically around 40+GB per hour of video but puts less strain on your processor.

     

    When you have finished editing you convert it to the format of your choice for delivery.

  • by sharronsuss,

    sharronsuss sharronsuss Mar 12, 2014 2:47 PM in response to Ian R. Brown
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Mar 12, 2014 2:47 PM in response to Ian R. Brown

    Hi Ian - I've been fiddling around with an MP4 clip shot on a Hero (not mine) because I won't be getting my G20 samples till tomorrow and it was the only alien video I had sitting around.  I had reached a point where the clip loaded onto the timeline and unexpectedly demanded rendering. When I couldn't pick the right render settings after a few desultory attempts, I gave up.  Your reply on the Forum fired me up to return to the scene and try harder!

     

    It's rendering now, looks like it will be about 45 minutes for this 4-minute clip.  Can't wait to see what it looks like, but I already know mp4 is not one of the G20 output formats I want to use routinely... 

     

    There has to be a best choice!

     

    Thanks,

    Sharron

  • by Alchroma,Solvedanswer

    Alchroma Alchroma Mar 12, 2014 4:56 PM in response to sharronsuss
    Level 6 (19,086 points)
    Video
    Mar 12, 2014 4:56 PM in response to sharronsuss

    Sharron,

     

    My suggestion is to use an AVCHD camera and set the camera to record at the highest data rate for interlaced footage.

     

    Progressive will not really work with FCE, however, one can sledge hammer "square footage into a round NLE hole" if you get my meaning.

    As you know it means mega rendering.

     

    Interlaced high quality AVCHD will slot exactly into the Timeline like a glove; no rendering except for transitions, effects etc.

     

    As Ian pointed out this footage will be converted to AIC on ingest to around 40 gig an hour.

    The conversion is so FCE can see each video frame as a full frame rather than a compressed form relying on other adjacent frames to fill in the gaps. This compressed form is designed for watching NOT editing.

    All HD video is large and if you try to get around large files you end up with large render times.

     

    Al

  • by MartinR,Helpful

    MartinR MartinR Mar 12, 2014 6:52 PM in response to sharronsuss
    Level 6 (14,891 points)
    Mar 12, 2014 6:52 PM in response to sharronsuss

    Hi Sharon,

     

    If you intend to edit G20 video in FCE, you should only shoot in the G20's 60i mode.

     

    Do not use Canons's PF24, PF30, or 24P modes if you intend to edit in FCE.  These are Canon variants that do not work well with FCE.  The PF modes are Canon's implementation of "progressive over interlaced video." Plus FCE does not support 24fps in any mode.

  • by Ian R. Brown,

    Ian R. Brown Ian R. Brown Mar 14, 2014 7:15 AM in response to Ian R. Brown
    Level 6 (18,660 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 14, 2014 7:15 AM in response to Ian R. Brown

    Today I tried to open Aperture 3.5 but it refused.

     

    A google search quickly revealed that the installing of FCE 4 can kill off Aperture 3.5 and the usual "cure" is to completely reinstall the OS X operating system.

     

    You have been warned!

  • by sharronsuss,

    sharronsuss sharronsuss Mar 14, 2014 7:55 AM in response to Ian R. Brown
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Mar 14, 2014 7:55 AM in response to Ian R. Brown

    Thanks for the warning Ian.  I never used Aperture 3.5 so won't miss it, but nothing surprises me at this point!

     

    I did manage to "edit" the Hero mp4 clip - it rendered as a single clip in the Timeline, from which pieces could be cut & pasted into the browser and made into master clips.  They would open into the Viewer (played kinda slow & jerky)  & could be placed in a new sequence in the usual way.

     

    The new sequence, however, needed total render, and at that point I paddled out of the workflow, tidied up, saved & closed the entire "FCE 4 Clip Test Project."   Don't think I'd ever do it for real!

     

    I now have 4 Canon clips shot at 60i and two at 30p, and will see how that Log & Transfer window works!

     

    (I hope...)

     

    Sharron