Scale size issue

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enrico

Well-known member
After converting 7D (in MPEG Streamclip)and XH-A1s (HDV-Apple ProRes 422) 30P footage to ProRes 422, dropping them into a ProRes 1920x1080 30P sequence, the scale size in the motion tab for XH-A1s clips is 133%! Is this normal and the best resolution size fit for the 2 cameras?
 
Yes, it's normal and a big reason I don't like using the capture HDV to ProRes function. It keeps the native frame size of HDV so you end up with a 1440x1080 ProRes file. And, at least in my experience, Apple's apps don't like non-full raster ProRes clips so whenever I get HDV and need to convert it to ProRes I just use Compressor.


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I appreciate your feedback. Ya, I was really surprised to find the size difference. The XH-A1s is being used as a B camera and the scale offset definitely doesn't help as a multiangle match against the 7D, to start with. I don't use Compressor much, so how exactly would I capture, set up the 30P 1920x1080 ProRes (HQ) conversion in Compressor from the XH-A1s?
 
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Maybe I'm doing something wrong in Compressor.

I'm still getting the 133% scale size when I drop either the HDV-Apple ProRes (HQ) or the HDV captured clip into Compressor's preset Quicktime Apple ProRes 422 (HQ), also Apple ProRes 422 for progresive material HQ setting.

Can't seem to find a workflow for the XH-A1s that will deliver 100% scale in a 1920x1080 ProRes sequence to match with the 7D?
 
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Wondering if this a situation that I should just accept or is there a solution if the XH-A1s does record in 1920x1080 (which is what it seems to states on the camera recording setting)?
 
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I don't have any HDV footage in front of me to test but in the past I've successfully transcoded HDV into ProRes. I might have tweaked the settings though. When you apply the ProRes preset to the HDV footage you can adjust the settings using the Inspector window. In the Inspector window go to the Geometry button and change the frame size to 1920x1080

Also, ProRes HQ is also way overkill for the XH-A1. Using regular ProRes will be more than sufficient.

The native pixel dimensions of HDV is 1440x1080 and when it is displayed the display device/player stretches it out to 1920x1080.


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Since most of the footage in the project sequence is 7D and the presentation format is large screen, I thought that HQ would provide max resolution. But after reading your response about the XH-A1s B camera footage in ProRes HQ, I also found this article, http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/apple/story/prores_a_closer_look/P0/ , and it seems like HQ may not be helping.

The difficulty I've been having is trying to establish a smooth 30P workflow, matching footage from the 7D and the XH-A1s.
 
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Last night I converted the HDV clip to Apple ProRes 422 in Compressor and changed the dimensions to 1920x1080 in Inspector Geometry, as well as selected "Default for size," and got a 100% scale size in the FCP sequence. Thanks very much for your help!

Finally, what is the best capture preset in FCP for the XH-A1s footage before converting it in Compressor?
 
Yes, I am capturing via firewire. So Capture Preset is HDV (in FCP 7.0.3 there doesn't seem to be a 1080i60 option) and device preset would be HDV Firewire (not Basic Firewire)?
 
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When you open Easy Setup make sure that the "Format" drop down menu is set to "HD", the "Rate" menu is set to "29.97" and then you should see an "HDV - 1080i60" option under the "Use" menu. Basically when you are capturing via FW you can only capture the frame rate and format that has been recorded to tape. So, if in the future, you use an HDV camera that records 720p60 you'd have to use the HDV 720p60 preset.


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Thank you for your help with my set up. I was going directly to Audio/Video Settings and missed the Easy Setup. With HDV-1080i60 in "Use," the Device Control Preset lists Sony HDV Firewire. I looked up the difference between Firewire and Firewire Basic, and it says that "Basic" is for Canon cameras and regular Firewire is for Sony. Perhaps I should use the HDV-1080i60 Firewire Basic with the XH-A1s?

Then I'll change the Sequence Preset to Apple ProRes 422 1920x1080 30p 48kHz (from HDV-1080i60) for editing, since the HDV will be converted to 1920x1080 ProRes in Compressor?

The 7D material I've been converting in Mpeg Streamclip. Should I be using Compressor here too? Although I've heard that Mpeg Streamclip is faster, I'm more concerned with image quality.
 
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No need to use Firewire basic. It's a legacy option in there that came around when DV cameras were brand new. Yes, you are correct in changing your Sequence settings and I'm not sure if there is a significant difference, or any difference, in quality between using MPEG Streamclip vs Compressor. There is also a plug-in from Canon that allows you to use FCP's Log and Transfer function to transcode 7D footage into ProRes.


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Looking at my last entry, sorry, I probably asked too many questions at once. Just trying to get some closure on the workflow. Should I capture with regular Firewire or Basic? Change the Sequence Preset to Apple ProRes 422 1920x1080 30p 48kHz (from HDV-1080i60)? Then convert/enlarge the HDV in Compressor for editing? I very much appreciate all of your feedback, learning in the process. This is my first HD project, coming from an SD background.
 
enrico said:
Should I capture with regular Firewire or Basic?
Click to expand...
Use regular.

Change the Sequence Preset to Apple ProRes 422 1920x1080 30p 48kHz (from HDV-1080i60)? Then convert/enlarge the HDV in Compressor for editing?
Click to expand...
Yes. You might have to make a new sequence though because once

I very much appreciate all of your feedback, learning in the process.
Click to expand...
No problem, learning is why we are all here, right? :beer:


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Yup. I must have been writing when you were responding to the last entry. Thank you so much for all of your help!!! And I just downloaded the Canon Plug in.
 
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