-
Output HVX200 P2 Footage from FCP Question
I’ve imported about 60 minutes Panasonic HVX200 – P2 footage shot at 480p / 30fps into FCP. My utimate goal is to remove some of the really bad takes and dead air to provide my client with a final file that he can take to his editor to work with on the finished product. He doesn’t want to sit through watching all the raw footage – just the better takes.
My editing sequence is 720×480 (NTSC DV) / 29.97 and Compressor setting DVCPRO5-NTSC, Quality 100%. At this setting all the footage and audio comes in fine with no rendering needed. The scenes in the canvas are super sharp.
My question concerns how to output the footage. When I use the same settings (DV/DVCPRO50) as the footage was imported, it’s somewhat blurry and flat. In fact nothing looks as good when I output the footage with no compression. But the file sizes are HUGE. A 2 minute segment is nearly 4 gig. The same clip imported into FCP is only 2 gig.
Could someone help explain what I’m missing here? I can’t figure out what settings I should be using to keep the output quality maximized but not have the files as large as they are getting to be.Thanks so much!
Martin Reuben
-
6 Replies
-
Is your client also using Final Cut Pro? If so, just create a new project with only the good takes and hand your client the raw footage with the project.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.comDirector, “The Rough Cut”
https://www.theroughcutmovie.comNow Posting “Good Eats” in HD for the Food Network
“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters
-
[walter biscardi] “Is your client also using Final Cut Pro? If so, just create a new project with only the good takes and hand your client the raw footage with the project.”
Unfortunately he’s not using FCP (that would be too easy!)
I’m still trying to get a handle on an output format for the footage. The footage all imports as DVCPro 50. What should I be using for the best quality output? If I use any compression except for None or Animation it doesn’t look nearly as good. But at those settings the output file sizes are twice the sizes that FCP imported
Martin Reuben
-
[Martin Reuben] “If I use any compression except for None or Animation it doesn’t look nearly as good. But at those settings the output file sizes are twice the sizes that FCP imported”
None or Animation will greatly increase the file sizes. I honestly don’t have any ideas for you other than to say that you really should just stay in the codec you shot in.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.comDirector, “The Rough Cut”
https://www.theroughcutmovie.comNow Posting “Good Eats” in HD for the Food Network
“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters
-
What is your client using?
The best way would be to transfer the
original .mxf files if they could read them.
We usually provide PhotoJpeg’s from the
original DVCPRO files.
You might have to play around with gamma
if they are on PC.
Or have them try to edit in FCP somewhere.Mike Schrengohst
http://www.MotionZoneHD.com -
Why not hand him what you have and give him the time code of what he can trash?
-
I haven’t tried it, but I heard that AVID opens .mxf files in their native format. If you have the original P2 information, give that to him with an EDL that includes clip names. Not perfect, but should work.
It might be possible to play the timeline directly to the HDX200 via firewire, using a mini-DV tape set to DVCPRO-50. Then bring the camera over to your client and have him digitize it into his system.
Steve Eckelberry
Stephen Eckelberry
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up