owyheeriver
Level 1 (6 points)
Mac OS X

Q: Does anyone have experience with using a Canon Vixia HF M52 Camcorder with Final Cut Express?

I'm looking to purchase a new camcorder that is compatible with my Mac OS X (10.6.8) that will work well with Final Cut Express 4.0.1  I have downloaded the camcorder support info from Final Cut Express that list many capital camcorders.  I've used Sony tape based camcorders in the past.  I'm looking for High Definition.  I can stick with a tape based camcorder, but thought I would look at the Canon Vixia HF M52 as an alternative, which is listed as compatible.  I would like to download directly from the camera to FCE.  I film in the wilderness, like having an optical zoom of 20 or greater (yes, I use a small tripod). Does anyone have experience with the Canon Vixia?  And if not, but you really like another camcorder that you can recommend, what is it?

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.8), Using FCE 4.0.1

Posted on Dec 20, 2014 2:57 PM

by MartinR,Solvedanswer
MartinR MartinR
Level 6 (14,891 points)
A:

Well, compression rates and frames-per-second (fps) are not the same thing.

 

In general 30fps material should work fine in FCE but it also depends on what mode you used when you shot the video in your camera. Some modes are compatible with FCE and others are not.  That is the reason I recommended using the AVCHD 1920x1080i60 mode.

Posted on Jan 4, 2015 7:32 AM

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owyheeriver

Q: Does anyone have experience with using a Canon Vixia HF M52 Camcorder with Final Cut Express?

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  • Helpful answers

  • by MartinR,Helpful

    MartinR MartinR Dec 22, 2014 8:12 PM in response to owyheeriver
    Level 6 (14,891 points)
    Dec 22, 2014 8:12 PM in response to owyheeriver

    The Vixia HF M52 is an AVCHD camcorder and should work perfectly fine with Final Cut Express 4 (4.0.1).

     

    The published "camcorder support list" has never been up to date and I would not take it to be a definitive list of compatible camcorders.

     

    One note, however, the Vixia HF M52 supports a number of different shooting modes.  I suggest sticking with the AVCHD 1920 x 1080i / 60 fps mode for use with FCE.   FCE does not support progressive modes except in 720p25/30 (which the M52 does not seem to shoot anyway); nor does FCE support any 24 fps modes.

  • by owyheeriver,

    owyheeriver owyheeriver Dec 23, 2014 4:17 PM in response to MartinR
    Level 1 (6 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 23, 2014 4:17 PM in response to MartinR

    Thank you Martin. I particularly appreciate the recommendation for sticking with the AVCHD 1920 x 1080i shooting mode of 60 fps.  I'm wondering then, when you export a movie using a codec of 30 fps as in a quicktime movie, is this going to cause a problem?  Or are exported compression rates not an issue.

  • by MartinR,Solvedanswer

    MartinR MartinR Jan 4, 2015 7:32 AM in response to owyheeriver
    Level 6 (14,891 points)
    Jan 4, 2015 7:32 AM in response to owyheeriver

    Well, compression rates and frames-per-second (fps) are not the same thing.

     

    In general 30fps material should work fine in FCE but it also depends on what mode you used when you shot the video in your camera. Some modes are compatible with FCE and others are not.  That is the reason I recommended using the AVCHD 1920x1080i60 mode.