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Final Cut and Canon XL1s sync problems.
Using a Canon XL1s to import footage into Final Cut Express. I’m importing either 30 minute clips or 60 minute clips using the “Capture Now” function. However, when I do this the audio and video drift out of sync. I know in earlier versions of Final Cut Pro there was a feature in the preferences that dealt with this problem and Jerry Hoffman in his DVD “Final Cut Pro 100” states to check this box if using Canon camcorders; why should Canon camcorders be any different? and why am I getting this problem and how can I fix it?
It has always done this from Jaguar to Panther and now Tiger.
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3 Replies
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[iMan] “why should Canon camcorders be any different?”
You’d have to ask Canon… because they ARE different… and not in a good way.
But, you should definitely NOT be using “Capture Now” if you are having any audio sync issues.
To cut down on these sync problems, break your captures into sections no longer than about 10 minutes each.
You can then “reconstruct” the full tape’s recording (or any longer takes) quickly if you need to.
Mark (and log) your first clip to End (Out-point) about 10 minutes or less from its In-point.
Continue to mark (and log) your clips this way throughout the rest of the tape.
Just make sure the In-points of the subsequent clips are EXACTLY ONE FRAME LATER than the Out-points of the previous clips.You can do all this while actually scanning the tape(s) or just by inputting arbitrary TC numbers, logging them… then use Batch Capture to bring in all of your clips.
Its very easy to then “reconstruct” the shorter clips back to any “continuous” length you want on the timeline by just “clicking” them on in order.
EVEN FASTER… select ALL successive clips at once in the browser (with the browser column-order set to “Media Start” highlight all clips) and drop them, all at once, on the timeline… they’ll all pop up in continuous order. -
Okay, I know all that, but it is a workaround for a problem. It still hasn’t solved why I can’t import a 30 minute clip. I can with DVCAM formats?
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It’s because Canon cameras do not record the audio at exactly 32k or 48k, depending on what you have it set at. DVCAM on the other hand, does record at exactly those numbers. Versions of FCP earlier than v.4 indeed had a setup just for this issue. However, later versions are apparently supposed to auto-detect any Canon camera connected and make the appropriate adjustments without the user’s intervention.
Having said that, I regularly capture all my Canon and Sony footage through one small Canon camera and I’m not seeing any out of sync issues whatsoever. And I have to say that my video captures are in chunks a heck of a lot longer than 10 minutes. I suspect it just boils down to making sure you have the right sequence presets when it’s time to capture. If you’re already doing that then anything else I suggested would just be a guess.
Hope this helps.
– Don
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