Compared functionality between Canopus and FCP?

M

Malcolm Wright

Well-known member
Ok folks,

I confess, my credit card finger is getting itchy. I get these compulsions to call up the Canopus dealer in Melbourne and order Edius Broadcast.

My remaining concern is functionality: is there anyone here who has used both programs extensively enough to judge, who could say what functionality Canopus lacks compared to FCP at this point in time?
How responsive has Canopus been in developing new plugins requested by their user base?

I'm also curious as to whether Canopus happily ingests all the multiple frame rates the HVX can record.

Thanks!

M.
 
Sorry folks, but I need to vent a little.
I called Multimedia Technology, the only distributor of Canopus products in Australia-Pacific region, around noon today.

The person I spoke to had no idea what I was asking him for but finally discovered he did indeed distribute the product. He refused to give me any pricing info for Edius braodcast and said I'd have to talk to a reseller.

Naturally, I then asked him for a few names of resellers so I could shop around for a deal. That wasn't going to work for him either: he said all he could do was to get a reseller to call me back this afternoon.

At a quarter to 6pm, he calls back and gives me the number of ONE reseller in Sydney. I call them and get the same initial response: the guy has never heard of Canopus. He initially thought I was asking for cannabis. Yeah, you might laugh, but its not really that funny.
So I spell it out for him, and then I spell Edius for him too. He asks with a hopeful voice: "Are you sure you aren't looking for Let's Edit?" I had to disappoint him. Bottom line, this so-called reseller doesn't sell Edius.

I don't feel like I'm getting off on the right foot with Edius: this is doing nothing to allay my fears related to the software's small user base...

Grrrr....

:)

M.
 
Apples and Bananas

Apples and Bananas

Both fruit, both good for you, neither will do everything you need.

My experience with Canopus is that Japan ignores its user base (almost) entirely. And tech. support (although good) comes at a premium. We depend heavily on the users forum for answers. We get by with the tools given, so creativity is limited.

On the other hand Canopus still prioritizes realtime playback and lag-free preview with the proper card. I'm glad they havn't compromised here. Everyone on the Edius forum is waiting with baited breath (and some grumbling) for v4.0 to make an appearance. Talk of 8 track multi camera playback in real time keeps our credit cards poised.

With Thompson spreading some money around the broadcast industry has really taken notice. And with their own flavor of Varicam footage, I'd bet you can work with just about anything.

With FCP the only limitation is your imagination (and render time)

Rusty
Here's some locals...
Check out this monster... http://www.anzt.co.nz/products/edius/edius_hdv.shtml
I purchased his Peak Program Meters, nice folks and spiffy programmers to boot!
I'm surprised you havn't been lurking on the Canopus forum more.
 
Last edited:
Hey Rusty,

Thanks for the response.
Its a shame they ignore their user base at Canopus. That's supposed to be the trade off for a small user base: the company is supposed to open their ears to that small user base in proportion.

When I first started in VFX, I used a piece of software called Houdini. An outstanding program with a very small user base. Sidefx listened to its users, and even worked closely with them... and that's the way it should be when a the client base is small.

As tempting as Edius is at this stage with its good playback performance, I'm hearing all the wrong noises right now and I don't think I'm going to buy it. I CAN'T buy it until someone accepts to sell it to me, and meanwhile, I've been put off...

I appreciate your advice. I think I'll stick to the original plan, buy a mac and dunk FCP on it.

M.
 
I disagree with ignoring the user base. There are many features in there that came from user feedback.

Just because some folks didn't get everything they wanted, doesn't mean that they got nothing they wanted either.

That's a matter of individual perspective, I suppose... I'm sure there are lots of people who have put in requests and feel similarly.

Brandon
 
I am nowhere near versed enough in either FCP or Canopus to compare their overall functionality, but I can compare their MXF input/output now.

CANOPUS ROCKS.

Canopus has absolutely NAILED the MXF/P2 functionality. It's nearly perfect. You can import files off the cards, and even have it automatically copy the file to your hard disk during the import. You can sort clips by the metadata, you can export clips back to the cards, it supports 1080/24p and 1080/24pa and 1080/30p...

Canopus did it RIGHT. The MXF integration is so much superior in Edius as compared to FCP or Avid that it's not even worth comparing. FCP lets you bring in the files, yes. But Canopus has fully integrated the P2/MXF experience into their editor. You can even launch the P2 Viewer program from within Edius. You can export to the cards and annotate the metadata to the file as you create it. You can export to a "virtual card" on your hard disk. It works RIGHT.

Now, I don't know how they compare AS NLEs, that's for sure. But as far as what I'm seeing with MXF integration, Canopus gets five stars, and all the other NLE manufacturers should go to Canopus school to learn how it should be done.
 
Hi Barry,

Yes, this was part of my very good initial impression with the demo. I just need to figure out if that's worth the lack of functionality I've been hearing about.

True: it sounds like the product will receive plenty of further development but its not something I can afforrd to risk yet. I might wait and see how long version 4 takes to come around, and what it brings - so I can judge how good the company's commitment is to upping the functionality in a timely fashion.

Cheers,
M.
 
I also disagree. I'v been a Canopus NX user for 1 year now. shooting and editing HDV. Eight weeks ago I upgraded to Broadcast and a new HVX 200. As Barry stated This Puppy Rocks. And I have found most of my answers on the Canopus Users Form or called Calif. and talked to Tech.

Mule
 
Malcolm Wright said:
My bad, Bhiga... I somehow managed to completely miss the 'dealers' button: my eyes homed in on the stated of victoria link, which of course was the single distributor. Thank you for pointing me in the right direction!
Click to expand...
No worries - I did the same the first time I looked at the US list, then I realized only the distributors were listed, my eyes moved up and I said "Oh!"

Brandon
 
Thanks everyone!

I've taken the plunge (at least a small plunge) and joined the Canopus website forum. Now that I've found a reseller that can get me the software by Friday, I'm open again to figuring out whether the package will be functional enough for my requirements.
I've just posted a thread there about the apparent absence of ability to keyframe individual paramaters within many of the filters, and the apparent lack of time manipulation filters (time stretching/compressing).

Barry is right: the P2 functionality is perfect. Real time playback is beautiful. But without creative flexibility, I'd rather sacrify the metadata and extra playback speed and go with FCP... There is a good chance however that I simply am not finding these functions rather than them not existing :)

M.
 
Correction: I was informed on the Canopus forum that Edius can indeed stretch/compress clips in time (by right clicking on the clip in the time line).
The person comfirmed the shortcomings of keyframing ability, and said he was looking to v4 with hopes of this being remedied.

M.
 
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