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FCP Log&Transfer: XDCAM to ProRes is bust!
My FCP workflow, combining XDCAM EX and 7D footage.
1. Log&Transfer all footage to ProRes422
2. Work in ProRes 422 sequence
3. export
4. doneThis workflow is crucial for fast editing, since we’re starting the edit during the shoot already. Organizing bins and footage all in prores 422 straight away.
PROBLEM
But… until recently this worked fine, now it seems I can’t set the Log&Transfer preferences to transfer the XDCAM to ProRes anymore. Consequently it ends up as XDCAM in my project. All other preferences are still available, e.g. RED and Canon EOS plugin.EFFORT TO SOLVE
I’ve re-installed my official FC Studio 3 (fcp 7), reinstalled xdcam plugins. Doesn’t work.What to do? Anybody know how to resolve??!
Specs.
MacBookPro, Intel processor, OX 10.5.8, Final Cut Studio 3, FCP 7, … -
10 Replies
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Hi Veen,
I could be wrong but trans-coding XDCAM-EX to ProRes with Log and Transfer has never been possible. You can do this with the 7D footage no problem but XDCAM EX, no.
Strange that you say that it used to work. Everything I have experienced with my XDCAM (and 7D) working with FCS3 tells me that this is not possible through log and transfer, but I will be watching this thread with interest…Richard Cooper
FrostLine Productions, LLC
Anchorage, Alaska
http://www.frostlineproductions.com -
I’m interested as well…I’m in agreement that u cant transcode xdcam footage in log and transfer.
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I’m a bit confused here myself now too… and I should excuse myself posting a wish as a problem on this forum 😉
We’re also working with RED, 7D and occasionally Panasonic… All of these are transfered, except for the XDCAM. Too bad actually, but you guys are right indeed.
Typically ‘over-preparing’ ourselves here. Thanks for the quick feedback though!
Cheers, Veen -
Ahh, I see… I misunderstood your post. Yes it would be a nice option when working with multiple formats to include XDDCAM to ProRes conversion on import.
Richard Cooper
FrostLine Productions, LLC
Anchorage, Alaska
http://www.frostlineproductions.com -
FCP supports native editing of MPEG2 media. Any camera format that can be edited natively FCP simply rewraps as .mov. This is the case with both XDCam and DVCProHD.
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maybe use aja ki-pro to create an apple prores file?
OSX 10.5.7; MAC Book PRO (EARLY 2008); Camcorders: Sony Z7U, Canon HV30, Sony vx2000/PD170, Canon xl2; Pana, Sony, and Canon consumer cams; FCP certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.
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BUT…
There is a SERIOUS issue here. Yes, FCP can edit XDCAM HD and EX natively (after the Quicktime wrapper) but at 1440×1080. ProRes422 is a full raster codec at 1920×1080. Therefore, you’re forcing a non-square 1440×1080 into a full raster 1920×1080 timeline.
Here’s the issue. EVERYTHING has to be rendered. Yes, it looks good but at a rather lengthy render time and if you change anything, re-render.
This is a very very slow workflow and had caused lots of crashes when using any plugins on the clips. All of my software is up to date and active. My system works perfectly with DVCProHD but has extreme difficulty with XDCAM HD and ProRes422.
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Wayne Carey
Schazam Productions
https://web.mac.com/schazamproductions
schazamproductions@mac.com -
If you’re editing native XDCam than you need your timeline to match the codec and frame size. Dropping XDCam footage in a ProRes timeline will force you to render everything. If you need a ProRes final deliverable… edit in XDCam then transcode the final seq to ProRes. Don’t try to work in ProRes from the beginning. There is a setting that forces renders (titles, effects, etc) to ProRes if you are worried about further MPEG degradation.
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I’m sorry… I should have clarified myself before posting. I was in a hurry whiel editing and rendering.
My sequences are a combination of XDCAM HD and HDV converted to ProRes422 (1440×1080). The HDV footage is the predominate footage, so I chose to edit in ProRes422. That makes my XDCAM HD footage the secondary. XDCAM and ProRes work well together in it full raster format (1920×1080). But as you know, XDCAM HD and HDV are both in the 1440×1080 non-square aspect.
One would expect that converting HDV to ProRes422 would make the footage full raster. This is not so. Thus, the added renderings and lengthier render times.
Apple needs to address this issue. Its only been two years like this.
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Wayne Carey
Schazam Productions
https://web.mac.com/schazamproductions
schazamproductions@mac.com -
How are you converting HDV to ProRes?
I suspect you’re using the HDV-ProRes firewire preset. Given the CPU has to do an MPEG2 HDV decode and then a ProRes encode, Apple decided to forgo the scaling to make this work in realtime. The alternative would be to capture HDV, then transcode to full raster ProRes using Compressor. I would do the same for your XDCam footage. Nothing beats a consistent codec to ease workflow.
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