Editing in Final Cut

RichW

RichW

Active member
With the 7D, I capture in H264 and then convert the footage via Compressor into ProRes . Doing this takes 3 hours on my Mac G5.

Plus it still needs to be rendered when dropped on the timeline, even though I set up FCP to bring it in as ProRes. (??) This takes more time (several hours)

Then, once the project is set up on timeline, it will only run in fits and starts!


2 questions:

Am I importing the data correctly?
Do I need a faster computer to deal with ProRes.

Powermac G5, OS X, 1.8 Ghz, 3 gig ram.
Final Cut Studio, FCP 6.04
 
I've never had that issue.

I copy the footage using "image capture" into QT movie files. Then I use compressor to transcode them into ProRes 422 files (keep all other settings the same).

Drop those files into a new sequence - dialogue box will ask if you want to adjust the settings of the sequence to match the clip - say YES.

Then its stutter free, and render free playing from there on out. Those ProRes files are quite large though. I've got my eyes on buying a few 2 TB drives for my tower now.

Hope this helps.

Dillon

RichW said:
With the 7D, I capture in H264 and then convert the footage via Compressor into ProRes . Doing this takes 3 hours on my Mac G5.

Plus it still needs to be rendered when dropped on the timeline, even though I set up FCP to bring it in as ProRes. (??) This takes more time (several hours)

Then, once the project is set up on timeline, it will only run in fits and starts!


2 questions:

Am I importing the data correctly?
Do I need a faster computer to deal with ProRes.

Powermac G5, OS X, 1.8 Ghz, 3 gig ram.
Final Cut Studio, FCP 6.04
Click to expand...
 
dillont said:
I've never had that issue.

I copy the footage using "image capture" into QT movie files. Then I use compressor to transcode them into ProRes 422 files (keep all other settings the same).

Drop those files into a new sequence - dialogue box will ask if you want to adjust the settings of the sequence to match the clip - say YES.

Then its stutter free, and render free playing from there on out. Those ProRes files are quite large though. I've got my eyes on buying a few 2 TB drives for my tower now.

Hope this helps.

Dillon
Click to expand...

Can this be done on FCP 6 or do you need FCP 7?
 
I use the "image capture" utility to copy the files off the camera onto the hard drive.

Never thought to directly capture using FCP. Will try that at work tomorrow.

This is using Final Cut 6 (correction) (Studio 2).

TheDynamoDuo said:
Thats odd, mine go from camera to Final Cut, no problem.

How are you importing them? The EOS utility?
Click to expand...
 
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I have no idea if you are importing properly, but I am going to agree that yes you probably need a faster/newer machine. Well to speed things up you need a faster machine.

As for rendering in the timeline, my guess is you have something incorrect in the settings of the timeline compared to the clips themselves. Scroll through the browser to analyze your clips. you need to have the same settings in the sequence. Same Frame Size, Aspect, Pixel Aspect Ratio, Frame Rate, Compressor, and audio settings. If the clips and sequence match, you shouldn't have to render.
 
I use iPhoto to import on my mac and the EOS utility on my PC and so far it's from import to my editing system no problem.

And also, your Final Cut should display a prompt after you drag a clip into a sequence to inform you of different settings and if you'd like to synchronize the settings.
 
I don't have this camera, but I would think that if it has .MOV files like the JVC HM100, FCP would recognize them natively. I guess this doesn't work?
 
I dont have a 7D as yet, but, and forgive me if I am incorrect, the 7D records to H.264 in a .mov wrapper. Therefor couldnt I just import the clips to a Prores timeline and work with them there?
 
Before buying a new machine you might try editing in the new ProRes formats: LT and Proxy. They produce much smaller files. You could update your software more cheaply than buying a new mac. However, to be honest I find the intel imac's much more speedy than I would have suspected and aren't so expensive either.
 
I use mpeg stream clip to change the clip to pro res and then import files on fcp and works fine.
 
If you still need to render after converting it is an issue o the sequence versus clip settings. Even if you have a slow machine it shouldn't show that you need to render - it won't let you play back full framerate, but needs render has nothing to do with the speed of your machine. With that being said, I would not work in prores with a single processor.
 
Noel Evans said:
I dont have a 7D as yet, but, and forgive me if I am incorrect, the 7D records to H.264 in a .mov wrapper. Therefor couldnt I just import the clips to a Prores timeline and work with them there?
Click to expand...

I hope someone chimes in on this, because I would seriously consider picking up this camera if it could edit natively in FCP like the JVC HM100 does. I don't know what the difference is. Hey, by the way, hello to the Gold Coast from halfway around the world in New Jersey, USA! We were in Surfer's Paradise not too far back. Gorgeous!
 
yoclay said:
Before buying a new machine you might try editing in the new ProRes formats: LT and Proxy. They produce much smaller files. You could update your software more cheaply than buying a new mac. However, to be honest I find the intel imac's much more speedy than I would have suspected and aren't so expensive either.
Click to expand...

LT and Proxy are only available in Final Cut 7 (studio 3) which isn't Power PC compatible...
 
edoubleu said:
I hope someone chimes in on this, because I would seriously consider picking up this camera if it could edit natively in FCP like the JVC HM100 does.
Click to expand...

You need to re-encode the files because despite the fact it's possible to import H.264 to FCP, it's an extremely resource hungry format. Converting your footage really isn't much of a burden though.
 
Euan said:
You need to re-encode the files because despite the fact it's possible to import H.264 to FCP, it's an extremely resource hungry format. Converting your footage really isn't much of a burden though.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Any idea if it is literally the same format as the HM100?
 
NB1 said:
I use mpeg stream clip to change the clip to pro res and then import files on fcp and works fine.
Click to expand...

I tried MPEG Streamclip against Compressor and found that there was a slight color/ gamma shift using streamclip, so I stick with compressor, even though it takes longer and makes bigger files.
 
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