Workflow for fcp at DVinfo.net

David Slingerland · October 9th, 2012, 01:31 PM

I have fcp 7 and the new canon 5D3, and when I start log and transfer I get no info or files in the window.I dont even see the camera as a symbol on my HD?
I can however directly import the files in to fcp. They are however encoded to h264. They are that already because when I connect the camera to the computer, they show up in EOS Utility and I can then download them. On the forum I read that I need to transcode them to 422 proress for better edit and quality. Could somebody tell me if this is the workflow (H264) or do I need to transcode them? and how? Also the orignal file has a speed of 80 to 100 Mbit/s when downloaded to the computer but in fcp only between 9 and 10 Mbit/s
I shot everything in 25P 1920x1080.

Dave Farrants · October 9th, 2012, 03:11 PM

Don't know exactly what your problem is, can you take the card out and use a card reader? do you have the EOS plugin loaded into FCP(S)?

Workaround is to use Mpegstreamclip (free) - transcodes perfectly to ProRes, even has a batch mode.

Caleb Reynolds · October 10th, 2012, 04:15 PM

Whats the file name extension show as? I've always transcoded...from what I remember you have to transcode to edit in fcp 7 and before. I'm now on fcpx.

David Slingerland · October 12th, 2012, 07:14 AM

hello ,

my problem is that i read everywhere that to edit in fcp you need to transcode to Proress. But because of the EOS UTILITY it is already encoded to H246, Extension Mov. file. I can directly import in to fcp no problem. But is the best workflow? and if so how do I go from there? as what should I export the finished edit?
thanks

Dave Farrants · October 12th, 2012, 08:02 AM

I think perhaps you are confusing filetypes and codecs.

Your camera shoots in H264 codec, filetype mov

FCP likes mov filetypes but not H264 codecs. Yes, you can import H264 directly into FCP but it will run very slowly, occasionally lock up, maybe crash - it is not recommended.

H264 is a delivery codec not an editing codec (as far as FCP 7 is concerned anyway), the EOS Utility or Mpegstreamclip will convert from H264.mov to ProRes.mov which FCP 7 DOES like - It is the best workflow (again as far as FCP 7 is concerned).

Your final edit can be exported to anything you like depending on your intended audience or medium - DVD, Web etc, it is best exported as a Self Contained movie in the ProRes format from FCP 7 - THEN converted using Compressor (which comes with FCP 7) to your delivery format.

John Carroll · October 12th, 2012, 08:35 AM

If you want to use log and transfer in FCP, you need to make sure you have the correct plugin installed.
Here is a link:
Canon U.S.A. : Support & Drivers : EOS 5D Mark III

the plugin your looking for here is:
EOS MOVIE Plugin-E1 for Final Cut Pro 1.3

Without it, you'll see nothing in your F&T window.
I do this all the time and it will work.

MPEG Streamclip works too, but I personally don't like to batch transcode since that means everything is transfered. The ProRes files are quite a bit larger than the h264 files and you can quickly eat up a lot of disk space storing files you may not need.

The great thing about file and transfer is that in forces you to go through your footage and really get to know what you have. Also you can rename your footage to make it easier to find the clip you need and loose the number files.

David Slingerland · October 18th, 2012, 02:55 PM

thanks.I am trying compressor now but it takes a lot of time loading all the files. How does eos utility do it? I dont see any transcode options?

John Carroll · October 18th, 2012, 05:19 PM

After installing the EOS plugin, open FCP Log and Transfer. You just transfer only the footage you want/need, or you can just drag everything over all at once. Set to transcode to file format of choice in the Log and Transfer preferences and your good to go. Works like a champ. Compressor is slow and clunky... life is too short to deal with that.

Make sure you copy the entire contents of the card from the camera (keep the directory structure intact)... don't just copy the movie files. Otherwise FCP won't recognize it.

:)

Dan Brockett · October 22nd, 2012, 01:05 PM

I have been doing a lot of shooting with my 5D MKII this year and decided that I needed to explore workflows for FCP 7.04. I did some pretty extensive testing and comparisons and by far the best and only utility you should be using is 5DtoRGB by Rarevision 5D to RGB Batch. It only costs $50.00 and is pretty slow but no other post workflow retains as much information from the original H264 files from the Canons. I compared it's output to Apple Compressor, the Canon I/O, MPEG Streamclip and the 5D to RGB Batch is superior to all. The only better workflow would be using Premiere Pro, FCPX or some other editing program where you don't have to transcribe the H264s to anything else.

Compressor was actually not that bad but still suffered from a loss of resolution and gamma shift. MPEG Streamclip was awful, massive amount of softening, huge gamma shift and a considerable amount of color change as well. The EOS Plug In was so so, it still puts the gamma shift into effect and it softens the image quite a bit too.

For me, the 5D to RGB Batch utility is the only way to go for professional use, just make sure that you give yourself enough time to do the conversions. Fine for short form but if you have a LOAD of footage, you will spend may hours, possibly days or weeks converting it all using the 5D to RGB Batch. If I needed something faster, I would go back to Compressor.

October 9th, 2012, 01:31 PM	#1
David Slingerland Major Player Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Soest ,Holland Posts: 307	Workflow for fcp I have fcp 7 and the new canon 5D3, and when I start log and transfer I get no info or files in the window.I dont even see the camera as a symbol on my HD? I can however directly import the files in to fcp. They are however encoded to h264. They are that already because when I connect the camera to the computer, they show up in EOS Utility and I can then download them. On the forum I read that I need to transcode them to 422 proress for better edit and quality. Could somebody tell me if this is the workflow (H264) or do I need to transcode them? and how? Also the orignal file has a speed of 80 to 100 Mbit/s when downloaded to the computer but in fcp only between 9 and 10 Mbit/s I shot everything in 25P 1920x1080. __________________ D.Slingerland director/cameraman http://www.slingerlandproductions.nl

October 9th, 2012, 03:11 PM	#2
Dave Farrants Major Player Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Gloucs, UK Posts: 216	Re: Workflow for fcp Don't know exactly what your problem is, can you take the card out and use a card reader? do you have the EOS plugin loaded into FCP(S)? Workaround is to use Mpegstreamclip (free) - transcodes perfectly to ProRes, even has a batch mode. __________________ https://www.foxvideo.co.uk

October 10th, 2012, 04:15 PM	#3
Caleb Reynolds Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 113	Re: Workflow for fcp Whats the file name extension show as? I've always transcoded...from what I remember you have to transcode to edit in fcp 7 and before. I'm now on fcpx. __________________ www.TeamKProductions.com Twitter Facebook

October 12th, 2012, 07:14 AM	#4
David Slingerland Major Player Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Soest ,Holland Posts: 307	Re: Workflow for fcp hello , my problem is that i read everywhere that to edit in fcp you need to transcode to Proress. But because of the EOS UTILITY it is already encoded to H246, Extension Mov. file. I can directly import in to fcp no problem. But is the best workflow? and if so how do I go from there? as what should I export the finished edit? thanks __________________ D.Slingerland director/cameraman http://www.slingerlandproductions.nl

October 12th, 2012, 08:02 AM	#5
Dave Farrants Major Player Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Gloucs, UK Posts: 216	Re: Workflow for fcp I think perhaps you are confusing filetypes and codecs. Your camera shoots in H264 codec, filetype mov FCP likes mov filetypes but not H264 codecs. Yes, you can import H264 directly into FCP but it will run very slowly, occasionally lock up, maybe crash - it is not recommended. H264 is a delivery codec not an editing codec (as far as FCP 7 is concerned anyway), the EOS Utility or Mpegstreamclip will convert from H264.mov to ProRes.mov which FCP 7 DOES like - It is the best workflow (again as far as FCP 7 is concerned). Your final edit can be exported to anything you like depending on your intended audience or medium - DVD, Web etc, it is best exported as a Self Contained movie in the ProRes format from FCP 7 - THEN converted using Compressor (which comes with FCP 7) to your delivery format. __________________ https://www.foxvideo.co.uk

October 12th, 2012, 08:35 AM	#6
John Carroll Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 156	Re: Workflow for fcp If you want to use log and transfer in FCP, you need to make sure you have the correct plugin installed. Here is a link: Canon U.S.A. : Support & Drivers : EOS 5D Mark III the plugin your looking for here is: EOS MOVIE Plugin-E1 for Final Cut Pro 1.3 Without it, you'll see nothing in your F&T window. I do this all the time and it will work. MPEG Streamclip works too, but I personally don't like to batch transcode since that means everything is transfered. The ProRes files are quite a bit larger than the h264 files and you can quickly eat up a lot of disk space storing files you may not need. The great thing about file and transfer is that in forces you to go through your footage and really get to know what you have. Also you can rename your footage to make it easier to find the clip you need and loose the number files.

October 18th, 2012, 02:55 PM	#7
David Slingerland Major Player Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Soest ,Holland Posts: 307	Re: Workflow for fcp thanks.I am trying compressor now but it takes a lot of time loading all the files. How does eos utility do it? I dont see any transcode options? __________________ D.Slingerland director/cameraman http://www.slingerlandproductions.nl

October 18th, 2012, 05:19 PM	#8
John Carroll Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 156	Re: Workflow for fcp After installing the EOS plugin, open FCP Log and Transfer. You just transfer only the footage you want/need, or you can just drag everything over all at once. Set to transcode to file format of choice in the Log and Transfer preferences and your good to go. Works like a champ. Compressor is slow and clunky... life is too short to deal with that. Make sure you copy the entire contents of the card from the camera (keep the directory structure intact)... don't just copy the movie files. Otherwise FCP won't recognize it. :)

October 22nd, 2012, 01:05 PM	#9
Dan Brockett Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Los Angeles, California Posts: 2,109	Re: Workflow for fcp I have been doing a lot of shooting with my 5D MKII this year and decided that I needed to explore workflows for FCP 7.04. I did some pretty extensive testing and comparisons and by far the best and only utility you should be using is 5DtoRGB by Rarevision 5D to RGB Batch. It only costs $50.00 and is pretty slow but no other post workflow retains as much information from the original H264 files from the Canons. I compared it's output to Apple Compressor, the Canon I/O, MPEG Streamclip and the 5D to RGB Batch is superior to all. The only better workflow would be using Premiere Pro, FCPX or some other editing program where you don't have to transcribe the H264s to anything else. Compressor was actually not that bad but still suffered from a loss of resolution and gamma shift. MPEG Streamclip was awful, massive amount of softening, huge gamma shift and a considerable amount of color change as well. The EOS Plug In was so so, it still puts the gamma shift into effect and it softens the image quite a bit too. For me, the 5D to RGB Batch utility is the only way to go for professional use, just make sure that you give yourself enough time to do the conversions. Fine for short form but if you have a LOAD of footage, you will spend may hours, possibly days or weeks converting it all using the 5D to RGB Batch. If I needed something faster, I would go back to Compressor.