Canon .mxf files FCP Problems at DVinfo.net

Hermann Nietszche · June 28th, 2011, 10:36 AM

Hi-
I am about to begin editing a film shot on Canon xf300.

I have a hard-drive onto which all of the raw files were dumped, and am now trying to find a way of working with the files.As far as I can make out everything was copied as it should be (i.e with the directory structure intact):
CONTENTS>
CLIPS001>
AA0684>
AA0684.cif
AA0684.xml
AA068401.mxf
AA068401.sif

I have installed the Canon Xf plugin for FCP. Problems arise when I try to use Log & Transfer to transcode the material. I have tried Native/Pro Res 422/ ProRes LT/in fact all of the options from the drop down destination menu, and keep getting the same problem: namely, that about 80-90 percent of files are only transcoded in part. What I mean is that a 5 minute clip ends up as only 10 seconds.

Having researched other means of transcoding the material, I tried doing a transcode using the XDCAM Transfer software from Sony; initially it seemed to work, but then I realised that the transcoded clips are out of sync. Back to the drawing board.

I've tried both methods on 2 computers:

a osx 10.6.6, 2x 2.26Ghz quadcore intel xeon with 10GB DDR3
b osx 10.6.4, 3.06Ghz Intel core 2 duo with 4GB DDr3

both with FCP 7.0.3 and the relevant Canon xf plugins...

Now I'm at a loss as to what to do...

Anyone have any suggestions as to how I can start editing this film on FCP?

Thanks!
E.L

Michael Horn · June 28th, 2011, 12:07 PM

I've found that I must do this overnight, or during a break, with no other programs running except FCP. It basically renders my computer unusable during the transcoding process. Otherwise the same thing can happen where a 5 minute clip comes out short.

Larry Hatteberg · June 29th, 2011, 01:36 PM

This isn't going to help you much...but it is interesting. I use the Canon XF305 with an AVID Media Composer 5.5. I bring the material in through AVID's AMA, transcode to AVID's DNxHD codec and it transcodes the Canon 305 material from a 32 gig drive in less than an hour. It's pretty efficient. I wish I could help with FCP, but I can't!

Robert Turchick · June 29th, 2011, 04:43 PM

I have a bad habit of trying to use up all my cores on my MP and when I try to L&T my XF files while doing several other things, I get errors. I have learned it's faster to just let it do it's thing and check my email and surf on my phone instead!

Nigel Barker · June 29th, 2011, 11:46 PM

The best & safest way of doing this is to first use Log & Transfer to create a disk image of the card. Then you have a full backup of the card & can mount up that disk image to use for Log & Transfer. I have never had a problem with incomplete copying of clips when importing from a disk image.

Hermann Nietszche · June 30th, 2011, 04:11 AM

Thanks for your replies.

Problem seems to have been other processes using up the RAM somehow affecting the Log & Transfer.

I reinstalled the OS and now allow Log & Transfer to do it's work alone, and it seems to work fine.

So much for Quadcore whatever!!!

Cliff Elliott · July 10th, 2011, 07:39 AM

Hi Herman, please forgive me for pointing this out and as I have been absent from this forum for a while I may be repeating something already covered but hear goes anyway.

Premiere Pro CS5 handles Canon XMF files natively, no rendering just bring them into the time line and edit to your hearts content.

I have been editing up to three tracks of video shot on a XF300 in Prem CS5 on my iMac i7 without any need to render.

Just a thought.

Regards, Cliff Elliott

Nigel Barker · July 10th, 2011, 08:09 AM

You don't need to render MXF files in FCP either. I just import using Log & Transfer & then edit the native files.

BTW How does Premiere Pro CS5 handle long clips being in multiple 2GB files?

Cliff Elliott · July 10th, 2011, 04:32 PM

No problem with the 2GB files. Once imported into Premiere just select all the files as a group then drag them to the time line and they all line up frame accurate ready to start editing.

I record a weekly meeting for a customer which ranges in length from one to two hours.
As described above the files all drop into line with each other ready for editing, no missed frames, no rendering required it just all works.

Same for multi camera edits.

This is probably sounding like I worship Adobe, couldn't be further from the truth.
Up until six months ago I was using CS3 and no a happy person.

I knew I had to upgrade my hardware and decided to upgrade the software for 64 Bit, I agonised over which way to go, stick with Premiere, look at Avid, maybe Final Cut Pro.

Well after lots of reading about the merits of the new Premiere CS5 I and considering I new the software from the inside out I decided to go with it.

Now coupled with my Canon XF300 cam I could not be happier the two go hand in hand.

Both Canon and Adobe had learnt from the past and offered great new versions of their products.

Regard, Cliff Elliott

June 28th, 2011, 10:36 AM	#1
Hermann Nietszche New Boot Join Date: May 2010 Location: London UK Posts: 5	Canon .mxf files FCP Problems Hi- I am about to begin editing a film shot on Canon xf300. I have a hard-drive onto which all of the raw files were dumped, and am now trying to find a way of working with the files.As far as I can make out everything was copied as it should be (i.e with the directory structure intact): CONTENTS> CLIPS001> AA0684> AA0684.cif AA0684.xml AA068401.mxf AA068401.sif I have installed the Canon Xf plugin for FCP. Problems arise when I try to use Log & Transfer to transcode the material. I have tried Native/Pro Res 422/ ProRes LT/in fact all of the options from the drop down destination menu, and keep getting the same problem: namely, that about 80-90 percent of files are only transcoded in part. What I mean is that a 5 minute clip ends up as only 10 seconds. Having researched other means of transcoding the material, I tried doing a transcode using the XDCAM Transfer software from Sony; initially it seemed to work, but then I realised that the transcoded clips are out of sync. Back to the drawing board. I've tried both methods on 2 computers: a osx 10.6.6, 2x 2.26Ghz quadcore intel xeon with 10GB DDR3 b osx 10.6.4, 3.06Ghz Intel core 2 duo with 4GB DDr3 both with FCP 7.0.3 and the relevant Canon xf plugins... Now I'm at a loss as to what to do... Anyone have any suggestions as to how I can start editing this film on FCP? Thanks! E.L

June 28th, 2011, 12:07 PM	#2
Michael Horn New Boot Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Meriden, CT USA Posts: 20	Re: Canon .mxf files FCP Problems I've found that I must do this overnight, or during a break, with no other programs running except FCP. It basically renders my computer unusable during the transcoding process. Otherwise the same thing can happen where a 5 minute clip comes out short.

June 29th, 2011, 01:36 PM	#3
Larry Hatteberg New Boot Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Wichita, KS Posts: 10	Re: Canon .mxf files FCP Problems This isn't going to help you much...but it is interesting. I use the Canon XF305 with an AVID Media Composer 5.5. I bring the material in through AVID's AMA, transcode to AVID's DNxHD codec and it transcodes the Canon 305 material from a 32 gig drive in less than an hour. It's pretty efficient. I wish I could help with FCP, but I can't!

June 29th, 2011, 04:43 PM	#4
Robert Turchick Trustee Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 1,389	Re: Canon .mxf files FCP Problems I have a bad habit of trying to use up all my cores on my MP and when I try to L&T my XF files while doing several other things, I get errors. I have learned it's faster to just let it do it's thing and check my email and surf on my phone instead! __________________ The older I get, the better I was!

June 29th, 2011, 11:46 PM	#5
Nigel Barker Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Norwich, Norfolk, UK Posts: 3,531	Re: Canon .mxf files FCP Problems The best & safest way of doing this is to first use Log & Transfer to create a disk image of the card. Then you have a full backup of the card & can mount up that disk image to use for Log & Transfer. I have never had a problem with incomplete copying of clips when importing from a disk image.

June 30th, 2011, 04:11 AM	#6
Hermann Nietszche New Boot Join Date: May 2010 Location: London UK Posts: 5	Re: Canon .mxf files FCP Problems Thanks for your replies. Problem seems to have been other processes using up the RAM somehow affecting the Log & Transfer. I reinstalled the OS and now allow Log & Transfer to do it's work alone, and it seems to work fine. So much for Quadcore whatever!!!

July 10th, 2011, 07:39 AM	#7
Cliff Elliott Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Melbourne Australia Posts: 71	Re: Canon .mxf files FCP Problems Hi Herman, please forgive me for pointing this out and as I have been absent from this forum for a while I may be repeating something already covered but hear goes anyway. Premiere Pro CS5 handles Canon XMF files natively, no rendering just bring them into the time line and edit to your hearts content. I have been editing up to three tracks of video shot on a XF300 in Prem CS5 on my iMac i7 without any need to render. Just a thought. Regards, Cliff Elliott

July 10th, 2011, 08:09 AM	#8
Nigel Barker Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Norwich, Norfolk, UK Posts: 3,531	Re: Canon .mxf files FCP Problems You don't need to render MXF files in FCP either. I just import using Log & Transfer & then edit the native files. BTW How does Premiere Pro CS5 handle long clips being in multiple 2GB files?

July 10th, 2011, 04:32 PM	#9
Cliff Elliott Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Melbourne Australia Posts: 71	Re: Canon .mxf files FCP Problems No problem with the 2GB files. Once imported into Premiere just select all the files as a group then drag them to the time line and they all line up frame accurate ready to start editing. I record a weekly meeting for a customer which ranges in length from one to two hours. As described above the files all drop into line with each other ready for editing, no missed frames, no rendering required it just all works. Same for multi camera edits. This is probably sounding like I worship Adobe, couldn't be further from the truth. Up until six months ago I was using CS3 and no a happy person. I knew I had to upgrade my hardware and decided to upgrade the software for 64 Bit, I agonised over which way to go, stick with Premiere, look at Avid, maybe Final Cut Pro. Well after lots of reading about the merits of the new Premiere CS5 I and considering I new the software from the inside out I decided to go with it. Now coupled with my Canon XF300 cam I could not be happier the two go hand in hand. Both Canon and Adobe had learnt from the past and offered great new versions of their products. Regard, Cliff Elliott