FCP and Canon 5d3 movie footage

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Level 1

48 points

FCP and Canon 5d3 movie footage

Please bare with me while I try and explain my situation.

I am not a video person..but last year, I was asked to film a 'stage show' put on in a local hall by our local Young Farmers Club...because I had a 'big camera' and someone knew I did a bit of still photography.

Since I had heard the Canon 5D 3 was a tool often used for pro videos, I thought , heel why not, I'll give it a go.

Well I did it in Final Cut Express, but there were issues. I was initially going to use just basic iMovie, but for some reason, that I was recommended on one of my questions here to use FCE.

Turned out the trouble with FCE , was that it could not handle the Canon 5D3 files directly, so I had to transcode them, then I think they needed to be done again to go on to the DVD. Either way the final quality was not that great in playback. The people I did it for were happy enough, but I was not, it was a bit blocky , not as sharp as the original footage etc.

I created the whole project in FCE and only then did tI appreciate I had issues. My mate said 'Ah, you should have used FCP X..that is what I use, it handles Canon 5D3 video files directly with no transcoding needed. Unfortunately, as I then found out, there is no way to export an FCE project to FCP X...so the choice was to either do the edit again from the raw camera footage..or leave as is. Since I had spent the best part of 3 weeks doing the edit, doing it again was not an option

So this year, my mate who has gone travelling the world, has told me to use his Mac, with FCPX ...10 .08 . It think it is..maybe 10.0.9.

He is out of contact, so of no help to me.

So before I start again, will my 5D3 footage be able to be used direct import to FCP X?

any other words of advice on the settings to use to shoot and import 1920 ALL-I camera setting I'd guess ? but how about the import and further file handling

I know it is a bit of a vague question, but any pointers would be appreciated.

Many thanks

Neil

Mac Pro (Early 2008), Mac OS X (10.6.8), FreeNAS servers and Other Windoze and Linux machines

Posted on Mar 6, 2015 4:33 AM

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Answer 1

Mar 6, 2015 6:13 AM in response to Neil Paisnel

If I understand correctly this camera records in mov format with h264 codec - I fail to see why you'd have to convert that in order to use it in FCE.

Regarding FCP X, it should have no trouble importing from the camera. Shoot 1080p (that is 1920x1080).

Connect the camera or a card reader to your mac and import. Simple.

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Answer 2

Neil Paisnel Author

Level 1

48 points

Mar 6, 2015 6:30 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

That is what I thought Louis, but there was an issue. I had to transcode before FCE would use the footage.

Umm, maybe the problem here is my lack of knowledge of the correct terminology. Maybe "Transcode" is wrong word. But certainly does need to be converted from the .mov format the camera puts out to AIC that FCE needs, see these links.

I have been told that with the New FCPX, this is not the case

http://www.transfermyvideofiles.com/import-5d-mark-iii-h264-mov-to-imovie-fce-av id-fcp/

http://blog.vincentlaforet.com/2009/11/02/converting-that-h264-footage/

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Answer 3

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

151,089 points

Mar 6, 2015 6:38 AM in response to Neil Paisnel

TThe first one is a spam site for a lousy converter. The second is obsolete information from 2009 according to the URL.

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Answer 4

Neil Paisnel Author

Level 1

48 points

Mar 6, 2015 6:49 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

Hi Tom, so have the details changed ?

Will I have to buy a new version of FCE to work with the h264 mov files form my Canon ? last year it was not working, so have they updated to make it work? that would be good news for me, as with the help of your book I have a good grasp of FCE.

I'd never click on a link that said 'Free Download' as guaranteed that it is not free software

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Answer 5

Neil Paisnel Author

Level 1

48 points

Mar 6, 2015 6:49 AM in response to Neil Paisnel

I was not planning to buy the software form those links, I had used Squared 5's MPEG Streamclip, to convert before,

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Answer 6

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

151,089 points

Mar 6, 2015 7:02 AM in response to Neil Paisnel

SSorry I thought you were talking about FCPX. FCE stopped development a long time ago. It hasn't been sold since 2011.

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Answer 7

Russ H

Level 7

22,432 points

Mar 6, 2015 7:08 AM in response to Neil Paisnel

To ypur FCP X question, I'd echo what Liuid said. The Canon files can be imported and edited natively or you can optimize (transcodes) them. Your choice.

AS an experienced photographer, you should get gorgeous results from the Mark 3.

RUss

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Answer 8

Neil Paisnel Author

Level 1

48 points

Mar 6, 2015 7:16 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

Well talking about both really.

I originally used FCE, but had to convert/ transcode. So this time I'd like to use FCP X, but all the searches I have come up with all say it still needs converting.

Yes I can just dive in and try, but i'd like to get a 'workflow' of what I need to do and what will work and what won't ideally before I start.

When I did this video for the Yong Faarmers Club last year, I started recording and editing WITHOUT ask gin advice, and ended up in a mess.

This time I wanted to check what I am doing is correct BEFORE I start, and that the files the camera kicks out will work directly with FCP X 10.09>

Louis said he thought they would, but the only links I found, that you correctly point out are old, mention that they wont work.

I'd just want to clarify all of this before I start. And what else I' d need to do, if they wont work directly.

I don't have instant access to the the borrowed Mac today, so can't just fire off some footage to check.

Really trying to get some ground work research done now, so i can 'hit the floor ' running when I have footage and the mac to hand.

The camera will be a fixed position wide shot of the stage, with audio feed from a mixer desk. I don't have access to separate audio recording kit, so will use the Canon 5D3 recording with a Line input from the mixer. It is as good as it gets ..and far better than they had in previous years.

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Answer 9

Neil Paisnel Author

Level 1

48 points

Mar 6, 2015 7:23 AM in response to Russ H

Thanks Russ.

great if it works natively.
I was lead to believe that it was the transcoding and using FCE last time that caused the quality issues. I don't know,as I said, I am just going on what I was told and read previously.

I'll go and shoot some general footage today and try and get hold of my mates Mac tomorrow.

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Answer 10

Russ H

Level 7

22,432 points

Mar 6, 2015 8:47 AM in response to Neil Paisnel

TThe old version of FCP and FCE did not really support h.264. FCP transcoded h.264 to Pro Res if you used Log & Transfer while FCE converted it to AIC. Although AIC. Is inferior to Pro Res, it's still a decent editing codec and should give acceptable results. FCP X is a more modern app and can work with a much wider range of formats and codecs.

RUss

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Answer 11

Mar 6, 2015 8:57 AM in response to Neil Paisnel

FCP X came out in 2011. Your links from 2009 do not apply to it.

Note that although it shares the name, Final Cut Pro X was written from scratch and is very different from older versions of Final Cut Pro, and is very different from FCE (which was an abridged version of FCP, sharing the basic structure of the application but omitting most professional features).

But you need not take my word for it. Just try it out.

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Answer 12

Neil Paisnel Author

Level 1

48 points

Mar 6, 2015 10:06 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

that is all good info guys,thanks

I can't try it for myself as yet, as outlined in my previous posts, as I don't have the Mac with FCP X. I had been given a torrent for a cracked version, but I'd rather leave that alone and use my mates real copy on his machine. He is not using it , and has let me use his machine, but I can't get it till later this week

All those link I brought up are the most recent links on he subject that Google brings up. I just did a basic Google search, and those two where within the first three or four links.

I have been down the farm reservoir this afternoon and shot a few bit of random ducks and BBQ smoke etc, so will have a play at importing it to FCP X later this week.

Have the Canon set to 1920 25fps and All -I which is the best quality setting. i'd be happy with the 1280 setting..but the only option for that is 50fps

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Answer 13

Mar 6, 2015 10:20 AM in response to Neil Paisnel

Choosing between 1080p at 25fps and 720p at 50fps depends on what you are going to do with the footage. The 50fps are great if you want to use slow motion on your videos. Otherwise you may want to stick to the larger frame size of 1080p. Whatever you choose, don't mix different formats *in the same card* - it is perfectly all right to use different formats at the same time in FCP X, but importing from a card containing mixed formats is a big problem; so stick to one format per card.

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Answer 14

Neil Paisnel Author

Level 1

48 points

Mar 6, 2015 10:32 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

There is only one reason I was hoping to go for the smaller size of 1280x720 , and that was because of memory card restrictions, I don't have enough . But I don't need the 50 fps no slow mo required. But the CANON does not do 1280x720 @24 or 25fps. This is just to record a local Young Farmers Club stage show, two cameras (hopefully ) over 3 to 6 nights. I'd like two cams, but it may only be one this timer. but ideally two, a constant Wide shot and a second camera for mid a close up shots...all still a bit vague on how I am going to shot it..depends on what kit I can scrounge/beg borrow.

Have been Googling around the subject and seen a post or two from Tom on Creativecow,about the lack of Bins and the new way of organising clips...no idea how I am going to get my head around that lot..seems massively complicated as opposed to begin able to just drag and drop clasp to relevant bins...but till I get my hands on FCP X ..no idea yet.

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Answer 15

Mar 6, 2015 10:59 AM in response to Neil Paisnel

Then definitely record in 1080p.

This way you can edit in 1080p OR you can edit in a 720p and take advantage of the extra pixels in your footage to zoom or reframe, as needed.

I record in 1080p and most of my projects are done in 720p. I can zoom in parts of the video. I have even done a 3-way multicam, even though I shot with only one camera: took three copies of the footage, each zoomed and reframed differently (one wide shot, two medium closeups on each of the "actors").

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