Canon Mark2 DSLR in FCP

[Glenn Sakatch]

I’ve just done two jobs with this camera.

We tried using compressor, but with over 2 hours worth of footage, and a client breathing down my back, I switched to mpeg streamclip.

Did a batch list conversion to prores 422, and imported those into final cut.

Mpeg streamclip did approx 5 or 6 clips for every 1 clip that compressor did.

[Ivan Lakshinsky]

I’ve tried but the video after convertion to 422 lost it’s vibrancy lost the quality of footage… maybe I neet to set up something in preferences, can you share your set up in mpeg sreamclip?

[Ron Craig]

When you say that you tried using the “Canon codecs”, do you mean that you used the Canon PlugIn for FCP, which allows you to log & transfer as ProRes? That has worked well for me. I’ve used it for footage from the Canon 5D and the Panasonic Lumix GH1. If that is, in fact, what you’ve tried without success, I’d propose investigating further why the PlugIn didn’t work. It really is the fastest, easiest way to deal with that material.

[Ivan Lakshinsky]

I don’t know, I’ve tryed to use log and transfer, but there I have to connect my camera, and I don’t have it, I just have files, and I can’t import it there, thats the whole problem. Maybe I have to set it up for my format?

JJRIGO

[Ron Craig]

Oh, you’re just working with files that someone took off the memory card and sent to you. Yes, if they weren’t properly saved then, yes, you probably have to make use of the applications mentioned above to make them usable.

But if you have the original memory card with the data in-hand you don’t need the camera. If you have it, plug it into your computer with an adapter and Log & Transfer directly from the card with the Canon PlugIn.

In the future, if someone is just going to give you files from the card, tell them to send you a disk image of the disk, rather than copying the files. It’s very quick procedure to use FCP on a Mac laptop, along with the Canon plugin, to make a disk image.

[Ivan Lakshinsky]

Yeah, I know its a pain, is there any other converters how to recompress MOV. to 422?

JJRIGO

[Glenn Sakatch]

we didn’t do any major tweaks to the basic settings.

Are you talking about a difference in the original movie vs a prores 422, or a difference between compressor output and streamclip out put.

There is a difference from the h264 movie, but I assumed it is unpacking something, and giving me the raw file settings upon import. I color corrected my piece in a DS and it looks amazing.

as far as streamclip vs compressor:
We did 1 file on both systems and checked them against each other, and couldn’t see a difference.
your other option is to import the files straight and render your timeline. H264 is a pain to work with though.

[Gino Kalkanoglu]

What are your computer specs? I have MAc Pro 3.2GHZ late 2008 with 8GB RAM. Just ave them copy and paste the entire content on a usb stick or something and dump it on your computer. Log and TRansfer will automatically prores those files. Here is a lot of people ignore. Until they come up with a RAW codec, you are dealing with 4:2:0 sampling. You have no luma in there. I cut a lot of AVCHD files like that and best way to do it is the log and transfer as prores and cut it on an AIC timeline. It will keep your black levels in a whole a lot better shape and you won’t have smothered footage. Colors will be more vibrant and the contrast will be better. Anytme you deal with 4:2:0 sampling cut it on AIC. I have done a lot of test with these files. AIC holds better with AVCHD files. Even with Canon 5D footage or Canon HG10’s.

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