GH2 Transcoding GH2 files?

akivisuals

akivisuals

Well-known member
Ok, so I'm a bit of a newbie to shooting with the GH2. I've shot for a few years on Canon DSLRs and have a GH3 that produces .mov files for me. Now I bought a pair of GH2s for B & C cams and am trying to figure out how to get the footage transcoded. On one camera the file produced was called "PRIVATE" and the other camera produced a file called "AVCHD". Both cameras have the Sanity 5.1 hack. Can 5DtoRGB Lite convert the files or MPEG Streamclip? I've tried both but can't seem to figure it out... Any help will be appreciated! :)
 
For AVCHD, go through the private folder until you get to the Stream folder and paste files onto hard drive. If you are shooting continuously at an event and "spanning", the files get broken up into 4GB chunks that first need to be stitched together as one file in an *editor or freeware tsmuxer before transcoding (important).

*If joining in an editor, not just placing side-by-side, but using the function in the editor for "joining AVCHD". For example, Sony Vegas has a Device Explorer function and, with Vegas (not sure about other editors), you have to join the files from the card reader or over USB connection from camera to PC. Vegas won't allow you to join the files that were pasted on a hard drive, although tsmuxer will (and perhaps other editing software).

If you don't join the files, a glitch will appear when the files go from one to the other and, if you are matching to an audio source or GH3, the timing will be off. If all your files are under 4GB/not shot continuously, you don't have to join them.

Are you using Windows? I found the 32-bit version of 5DtoRGB better when transcoding to DNxHD, even with a 64-bit machine.

You need to download and install the Avid DNxHD codec and 5DtoRGB. In 5DtoRGB, click open, navigate to file you want transcoded, select and click open again, choose an output format. (If you select "uncompressed" the files may be unmanageable, but that's up to you. You can experiment with the settings.)

Click "convert" and browse to where you want to put the transcoded file. Make a separate folder and name the transcoded to something else.

My settings: mts (AVCHD) file to mov (note the 23.976 frame rate for a 24p file. Change this is you have a different framerate, like 30fps):

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The 64-bit Windows version permits use of Apple ProRes codec, if you want to transcode to that instead.
 
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Look for the files ending with .MTS -- those are the movie files.
5DtoRGB Lite can only convert them one at a time, and it's a hassle. Since you're going to be shooting on two GH2s, you should buy 5DtoRGB Batch. It's worth the money. With Batch, you just drag all the .MTS files into the batch window.

I've had the best results with GH2 footage using the 709/Broadcast popups. The conversion is superior.

Good luck!
 
akivisuals said:
Ok, so I'm a bit of a newbie to shooting with the GH2. I've shot for a few years on Canon DSLRs and have a GH3 that produces .mov files for me. Now I bought a pair of GH2s for B & C cams and am trying to figure out how to get the footage transcoded. On one camera the file produced was called "PRIVATE" and the other camera produced a file called "AVCHD". Both cameras have the Sanity 5.1 hack. Can 5DtoRGB Lite convert the files or MPEG Streamclip? I've tried both but can't seem to figure it out... Any help will be appreciated! :)
Click to expand...

What NLE are you using? Most of them will handle the import of the material from the card structure.
 
I can't see the .mts files. I've converted those before from my Sony NEX-7 but the files I get from the GH2 have a quicktime logo on them (on my Mac) and no dot 3 letter ending. 5DtoRGB Lite doesn't recognize those files...
 
akivisuals said:
Using FCPX and Premiere 6.
Click to expand...

Did you subscribe to the Creative Suite? Download either Media Encoder or Prelude. Both of those programs will transcode your footage, with the latter being excellent for adding in metadata if you want to keep organized.

Also note that Premiere CS6 can import and work with .MTS files.

Can you post a snapshot of the files you're seeing?
 
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