Viewing C300 Metadata in FCPX at DVinfo.net

Mark Dobson · July 8th, 2012, 12:44 PM

I've been round in circles trying to access the metadata generated by the C300 and embedded in the XF files from within FCPX.

I've come to the conclusion it's not possible and hope I'm wrong.

It is possible to view the C300 metadata using XF Utilities and it's all there in wonderful detail and includes Shutter Speed, fStop number, focal Length,image stabiliser, ISO, ND, White Balance and Colour Temperature.

So lots of nice juicy information but the bulk of it is not available once imported into FCPX via the camera import facility. All this information should be viewable in EXIF view in the inspector but whilst it correctly identifies the camera serial number and the date and time of the recording that's it.

A bit more information is available in the extended view but nothing very useful because you already know it was shot on a C300 and codec it was recorded with.

Has any one else come across this issue or am I just going about it the wrong way.

Jon Roemer · July 8th, 2012, 01:14 PM

Mark - It's not possible to see the metadata once footage is in FCP X. I think it is just the way it is until FCP X gets upgraded.... The situation is no different than from footage brought in from a 5DM3 or a 1DM4 (the two previous cameras I have experience with.)

FCP7 was similar. You could view Canon metadata during Log & Transfer but once the footage was in FCP7 the metadata was extremely basic.

It should be noted that if you don't backup C300 footage via XF Utility then the metadata viewable within it may be lost. I ran some tests backing up/archiving footage via XF Utility and via FCP X. Both work but the footage archived via FCP X would no longer open in XF Utility.

XF Utility seems to be able to open only footage from a C300 CF card or footage it backed up. Nothing else.

Mark Dobson · July 8th, 2012, 01:38 PM

Hi Jon,

Thank's.

I read your very detailed blog post about this issue which I came across via Google and had thought I might find a way around the issue.

Learning to See | Jon Roemer's Blog

Basically the process of transcoding / converting the files wipes out the information.

What is frustrating is that when one brings in the files via the FCPX camera import some of the information is there.

But until the software develops I will probably revert to my previous method which is to import the files on the CF card via FCP7 log and transfer - as native files.

Great blog by the way.

And then back those files up.

The value of having access to the camera metadata is that one can learn so much about why a shot does or does not work and apply it to setting up the camera on a subsequent occasion.

Jon Roemer · July 8th, 2012, 02:11 PM

Thanks! - didn't realize you had seen that blog post already.

I agree with you 100%. There really is no reason that the metadata should not be visible within FCP X or any other NLE. It would be very helpful to have it travel with the files (which is the point of metadata!)

Same goes for XF Utility - why can it only read what it has backed up?

It's not just the process of transcoding/converting which is wiping out the metadata - when you archive a C300 CF card in FCP X via Camera Import the file structure of the card is retained. It has the original MXF files and the supporting data files within it. But even with that the metadata is gone.

Simon Denny · July 8th, 2012, 04:41 PM

Hi Jon,

Are you using lut's to grade? Also where are you placing your skin tones in regards to zebras.

The grabs look good on ya blog.

Cheers

Simon Denny · July 8th, 2012, 06:19 PM

Hey Jon,

How did you grade those images? Would you share your technique on this.

Cheers

Jon Roemer · July 9th, 2012, 09:32 AM

Simon -

Thanks.

This is the blog post you are referring to - C Notes | Learning to See . No big secret. Grading was done in FCP X. I did not use a LUT. Really just used the waveforms as a guide and then my eye beyond that. I'm working on calibrated NEC PA series displays when I grade.

Initially I set the black point, white point and mid-point of each clip. I add some saturation back into the footage (usually about 10 on FCP X's scale.) I then look to see what else is needed. The graded screen grabs had some vignetting added to draw the eye to the subjects' faces. The first image added some brightening localized to her face, too. The second similar but not quite as much.

The third image (man at podium) only had the vignette added.

In terms of shooting in c-log, I did use the C300 display for the interview setups but not for b-roll (e.g. guy @ podium.) With the C300 display I had the waveform on and in general the image was between 15-20 ire on the low end and ~75 ire on the high end, with the people peaking at about 45 to 50 ire.

For the guy at the podium, I had only the image and zebras to go by. I was shooting with the C300's EVF. I found the clipping point via the zebras, and then backed off of that a bit.

Simon Denny · July 9th, 2012, 01:36 PM

Thanks for the info mate, cheers. I thought you might have added a brightening mask to the lady with the windows behind her.

Great work.

Cheers

Jon Roemer · July 9th, 2012, 08:20 PM

FYI -> turns out I made one mistake in my blog post and in what I wrote above. If you archive via FCP X you can reopen the footage in XF Utility and you can view the metadata.

The key is that you have to move the card structure out of the archive which FCP X creates (right click to "view package contents,") and copy the "contents" folder into a new folder. Then open XF Utility and using the "Set Virtual Media" command navigate to the new folder (in essence a virtual CF card.) It will then open in XF Utility metadata and all.

Good to know because if you use FCP X creating an archive within it feels a bit more solid than the workflow via XF Utility.

July 8th, 2012, 12:44 PM	#1
Mark Dobson Major Player Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Horsham / United Kingdom Posts: 328	Viewing C300 Metadata in FCPX I've been round in circles trying to access the metadata generated by the C300 and embedded in the XF files from within FCPX. I've come to the conclusion it's not possible and hope I'm wrong. It is possible to view the C300 metadata using XF Utilities and it's all there in wonderful detail and includes Shutter Speed, fStop number, focal Length,image stabiliser, ISO, ND, White Balance and Colour Temperature. So lots of nice juicy information but the bulk of it is not available once imported into FCPX via the camera import facility. All this information should be viewable in EXIF view in the inspector but whilst it correctly identifies the camera serial number and the date and time of the recording that's it. A bit more information is available in the extended view but nothing very useful because you already know it was shot on a C300 and codec it was recorded with. Has any one else come across this issue or am I just going about it the wrong way.

July 8th, 2012, 01:14 PM	#2
Jon Roemer Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Princeton, NJ Posts: 123	Re: Viewing C300 Metadata in FCPX Mark - It's not possible to see the metadata once footage is in FCP X. I think it is just the way it is until FCP X gets upgraded.... The situation is no different than from footage brought in from a 5DM3 or a 1DM4 (the two previous cameras I have experience with.) FCP7 was similar. You could view Canon metadata during Log & Transfer but once the footage was in FCP7 the metadata was extremely basic. It should be noted that if you don't backup C300 footage via XF Utility then the metadata viewable within it may be lost. I ran some tests backing up/archiving footage via XF Utility and via FCP X. Both work but the footage archived via FCP X would no longer open in XF Utility. XF Utility seems to be able to open only footage from a C300 CF card or footage it backed up. Nothing else.

July 8th, 2012, 01:38 PM	#3
Mark Dobson Major Player Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Horsham / United Kingdom Posts: 328	Re: Viewing C300 Metadata in FCPX Hi Jon, Thank's. I read your very detailed blog post about this issue which I came across via Google and had thought I might find a way around the issue. Learning to See \| Jon Roemer's Blog Basically the process of transcoding / converting the files wipes out the information. What is frustrating is that when one brings in the files via the FCPX camera import some of the information is there. But until the software develops I will probably revert to my previous method which is to import the files on the CF card via FCP7 log and transfer - as native files. Great blog by the way. And then back those files up. The value of having access to the camera metadata is that one can learn so much about why a shot does or does not work and apply it to setting up the camera on a subsequent occasion.

July 8th, 2012, 02:11 PM	#4
Jon Roemer Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Princeton, NJ Posts: 123	Re: Viewing C300 Metadata in FCPX Thanks! - didn't realize you had seen that blog post already. I agree with you 100%. There really is no reason that the metadata should not be visible within FCP X or any other NLE. It would be very helpful to have it travel with the files (which is the point of metadata!) Same goes for XF Utility - why can it only read what it has backed up? It's not just the process of transcoding/converting which is wiping out the metadata - when you archive a C300 CF card in FCP X via Camera Import the file structure of the card is retained. It has the original MXF files and the supporting data files within it. But even with that the metadata is gone.

July 8th, 2012, 04:41 PM	#5
Simon Denny Trustee Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Australia Posts: 1,409	Re: Viewing C300 Metadata in FCPX Hi Jon, Are you using lut's to grade? Also where are you placing your skin tones in regards to zebras. The grabs look good on ya blog. Cheers

July 8th, 2012, 06:19 PM	#6
Simon Denny Trustee Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Australia Posts: 1,409	Re: Viewing C300 Metadata in FCPX Hey Jon, How did you grade those images? Would you share your technique on this. Cheers

July 9th, 2012, 09:32 AM	#7
Jon Roemer Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Princeton, NJ Posts: 123	Re: Viewing C300 Metadata in FCPX Simon - Thanks. This is the blog post you are referring to - C Notes \| Learning to See . No big secret. Grading was done in FCP X. I did not use a LUT. Really just used the waveforms as a guide and then my eye beyond that. I'm working on calibrated NEC PA series displays when I grade. Initially I set the black point, white point and mid-point of each clip. I add some saturation back into the footage (usually about 10 on FCP X's scale.) I then look to see what else is needed. The graded screen grabs had some vignetting added to draw the eye to the subjects' faces. The first image added some brightening localized to her face, too. The second similar but not quite as much. The third image (man at podium) only had the vignette added. In terms of shooting in c-log, I did use the C300 display for the interview setups but not for b-roll (e.g. guy @ podium.) With the C300 display I had the waveform on and in general the image was between 15-20 ire on the low end and ~75 ire on the high end, with the people peaking at about 45 to 50 ire. For the guy at the podium, I had only the image and zebras to go by. I was shooting with the C300's EVF. I found the clipping point via the zebras, and then backed off of that a bit.

July 9th, 2012, 01:36 PM	#8
Simon Denny Trustee Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Australia Posts: 1,409	Re: Viewing C300 Metadata in FCPX Thanks for the info mate, cheers. I thought you might have added a brightening mask to the lady with the windows behind her. Great work. Cheers

July 9th, 2012, 08:20 PM	#9
Jon Roemer Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Princeton, NJ Posts: 123	Re: Viewing C300 Metadata in FCPX FYI -> turns out I made one mistake in my blog post and in what I wrote above. If you archive via FCP X you can reopen the footage in XF Utility and you can view the metadata. The key is that you have to move the card structure out of the archive which FCP X creates (right click to "view package contents,") and copy the "contents" folder into a new folder. Then open XF Utility and using the "Set Virtual Media" command navigate to the new folder (in essence a virtual CF card.) It will then open in XF Utility metadata and all. Good to know because if you use FCP X creating an archive within it feels a bit more solid than the workflow via XF Utility.