Importing 7d footage into FCPX

[Alban Egger]

I never tried 4444, but I was able to import ProResLT (which is also not yet part of FCPX) without problems, so I guess all ProRes files should be accepted.

7D footage: “import from camera”, point at the 7D folder (should be the same structure as on the CF card) and optimize media.It will be 422 and you cannot swap to 4444 (yet)

[Andrew Richards]

Just an aside, there isn’t really any technical reason to use 4444 coming from 7D footage (unless you need the alpha channel). The 7D records 4:2:0 H.264, so all you are doing is taking up a ton of disk space and and gaining nothing in terms of image quality. Transcoding to a codec that can support higher color fidelity doesn’t add fidelity or quality to images that never captured the information in the first place. You can save yourself a lot of trouble and just use 422, which itself is capable of handling double the color fidelity of your camera original footage.

Best,
Andy

[Noah Kadner]

Yup- zero reason for 4444 on 7D footage. HQ is more than enough quality to reproduce what’s in the original H.264. Some folks would argue even in favor of plain ProRes- (the one with no suffix).

Noah

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[Andrew Blackman]

thanks guys, that helps me alot. i was getting so confused since it wasnt accepting the 4444 file. I’ll try importing straight from the camera so the file structure stays intact. I wanted the 4444 for more color depth. I have heard there is more data (the alpha channel) in it to color correct with? maybe i’ve been wrong.

[Oliver Peters]

I’m not sure why you are having the issue, but FCP X definitely accepts all flavors of ProRes including 4444. I have had no issues with Alexa PR4444 files, for instance.

Could it have something to do with frame rate or size? For example, the 7D can record 1920×1080 at 23.98 or 29.97, but also 1280×720 at 60 for slomo purposes. I have had no issues taking 5D files into FCP X (both original 1920×1080 H264 files and converted ProRes files).

I would still recommend external conversion to ProRes or ProResLT for optimum performance. If you want to use the H264 files, you should be able to simply copy the camera card contents to your hard drive and then directly import the .MOV files from that folder into FCP X.

– Oliver

Oliver Peters Post Production Services, LLC
Orlando, FL
http://www.oliverpeters.com

[Rafael Amador]

[andrew blackman] ” I wanted the 4444 for more color depth.”
You start with 8b/420 stuff and you get that packed in whatever codec you chose.
Just bigger files.

[andrew blackman] “. I have heard there is more data (the alpha channel) in it to color correct with? maybe i’ve been wrong.”
Seems that you have no much idea on what is an Alpha Channel and what is for.
rafael

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[Andrew Blackman]

this is what i thought FCPX was supposed to do. Edit with the native files from the 7d in h.264? I’ll have to try and copy the file structure off the camera exactly to see if it works.

So you’re telling me when I import the h.264 files i dont have to click the optimize media box? I import the h.264 file from the camera and work with the bigger file? which is what i would love to do.

[Oliver Peters]

[andrew blackman] “So you’re telling me when I import the h.264 files i dont have to click the optimize media box? “

With my Canon 5D tests, I have a folder of 5D H.264 files that are NOT in the camera folder structure. I’ve simply imported the files as links (keeping original media) – no transcoding to optimized media or proxies and no automatic analysis on import.

– Oliver

Oliver Peters Post Production Services, LLC
Orlando, FL
http://www.oliverpeters.com

[Andrew Blackman]

hhhmmm, i dont know how i’m doin anything wrong then? I simply open a new project in FCPX then file->import->files and i choose the h.264 file from my hard drive. it then imports it and shows that red screen.

[Andrew Blackman]

Nevermind, thankyou so much Oliver! i figured out my problem. I had previously gone into the preferences and changed the playback to proxy’s only. Thats why everything wasn’t working haha

thanks everyone!