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Editing P2 MXF files in Sony Vegas
I recently witnessed a colleague try to convert HD SDI directly out of his Panasonic Cameras into FCP 422 pro res to hand off to his client to be edited in Sony Vegas. I am curious if this was a good move?
I suspect there might not be sony support of the P2 MXF files? But I also suspect that since his client was not editing in FCP the 422 pro res solution was less than optimal?
Most of my current clients are FCP or AVID users so personally I have not run across this issue. But as a heavy user of P2 I am curious as to the best way to handle a situation like this when I do run across it? -
15 Replies
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Vegas Pro users have to purchase the Raylight Ultra plugin from https://www.dvfilm.com/. With this, you can either edit your P2 footage directly in the timeline or you can convert the P2 MXF files to AVI format with the software that Raylight comes with. Any of your future Vegas clients would need this and I would recommend that they download the P2 Viewer software from Panasonic. Then you could just burn your P2 files onto a DVD to give them. I’ve never used FCP so can’t comment on the 422 pro res but hope that helps.
James
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Thanks its a good start. I am under the impression that Vegas is not Quicktime friendly but it is good to know there is a way to make it MXF compatible. I prefer to hand off MXF originals and keep a back-up copy as a safety. It always seems safer to let the editor make their own conversions…
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Actually I’ve never had a problem with a QT mov and I don’t think most vegas users do so I guess that may be another option. If you were able to do a batch conversion of your P2 footage to a QT movies in FCP. It may be difficult to get a vegas user(or anyone) to buy a $150 plug-in just so they can edit P2 and it’s such a petty thing between Panasonic & Sony. I think it would considerable help the sale of more P2 cams if they allowed Sony to support their MXF codec. They are very nice cams!
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I am under the impression that Vegas is not Quicktime friendly
That impression is incorrect. It is actually Quicktime that is not PC friendly. The problem stems from the fact that Apple has released codecs for Quicktime on Mac OS that they refuse to release for the PC version of Quicktime causing these formats (like the Apple Intermediary Codec) to be proprietary to Macs only.
ProRes422 happens to be a codec that is at least readable with PC Quicktime. You cannot create it on a PC but at least you can read it. So giving a Vegas Pro editor ProRes422 files is fine. They will be able to read them but they just can’t give you ProRes422 files back because Apple forbids it. This has nothing to do with Vegas. It’s all artificial Quicktime limitations on the PC caused by Apple themselves.
~jr
http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com -
ProRes422 happens to be a codec that is at least readable with PC Quicktime.
That’s good to know John. I wasn’t sure if this was just a QT mov or if it kept the MXF codec. Thanks.
James
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I wasn’t sure if this was just a QT mov or if it kept the MXF codec.
Just to be clear… MXF is not a codec, it’s a container called the Material eXchange Format and is a “wrapper” for a variety of codecs. Like other recent standards that are far too broad, it leads to numerous incompatibility issues (IMHO, not much of a standard if it isn’t the same everywhere).
This means that two things are actually happening: The container is be changed from MXF to MOV and the codec is being changed from whatever the native camera shoots to ProRes422. I’ve read that the the free Avid DNxHD codec is the best to use between Mac and PC because it can be read and written to by both so that’s another option.
~jr
http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com -
Oops. I misspoke on that. I was thinking container but wrote codec. Thanks for the correction.
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The situation I witnessed was the shooter completely by-passed recording to the native P2 MXF format and instead recorded directly to Pro res 422 in Final cut by running an HDSDI signal through an AJA iso.
I believe the clients editor had issues with that and they tried to convert the Pro-res to some form of mov files and had even more difficulties. I question if they would not have been better to stick with the original MXF recording and converted them with a plug in like the Ray-light suggested?My personal belief is that cross conversions are always best done later rather than in the field. Leave the shoot with what you know works. conversion to Pro Res would be fine if you were finishing in final cut but Vegas? It made no sense to me, even if you are editing in final cut there is no issue converting the P2 MXF files later I believe he hit a point-of-no -return and couldn’t turn back.
it was an unfortunate situation and I’m not sure if it had a happy ending.
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Vegas Pro users have to purchase the Raylight Ultra plugin from https://www.dvfilm.com/. With this, you can either edit your P2 footage directly in the timeline or you can convert the P2 MXF files to AVI format with the software that Raylight comes with. Any of your future Vegas clients would need this and I would recommend that they download the P2 Viewer software from Panasonic.
Since this thread is from february 2010, I’d like to know if this is still true with Vegas 10?
Thank so much!
Marie-Claude SauvéMarie-Claude http://www.deve.ca
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[Marie-Claude Sauvé] “Since this thread is from february 2010, I’d like to know if this is still true with Vegas 10?”
Unfortunately it still is.
For whatever reason, Sony and Panasonic still refuse to play nicely together 🙁
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