Cineform and Final Cut Pro X at DVinfo.net

Kris Haamer · June 1st, 2011, 08:02 AM

I'm thinking of switching to a Mac as from videos the new Final Cut Pro X looks very impressive.

Does Cineform support Final Cut Pro X from day one or will there be an update later on?

Thanks.

Craig Davidson · June 4th, 2011, 09:39 AM

Apple has not revealed any details about FCP X. They will need to support QuickTime files, so importing into FCP X will be possible. What is not clear is how their "optimizations" will burn in any metadata changes, and how much control you have over that.

Kris Haamer · June 22nd, 2011, 04:06 AM

FCP X is out. Would love to get an update once you can test it with Cineform.

David Newman · June 22nd, 2011, 08:11 AM

We haven't tested it yet, it is harder to purchase software instantly now that we are big company :). However customers have reported that CineForm is one of the few third party not broken by FCP-X. We will do our analysis over the next few days, but the news today seems positive for CineForm users.

Kaspar Kallas · June 22nd, 2011, 03:37 PM

Tere Kris

It seems to work, my one generation old Macbook Pro 2.66 is struggling with 2K SI stere footage but seems to work better than it was in FCP, just make sure You disable ALL background rendering tasks. But the CPU usage is full 400% when in playback - so that is an improvement actually!

Thank You
-Kaspar

Andree Markefors · June 23rd, 2011, 04:48 AM

How do you set it up?

I can import CF files just fine, but that's about it...?

All internal rendering will be to a ProRes flavor of your choice, or 10 bit uncompressed.

Same for sharing. Even if you choose "same as current", and you imported a CF file, it will use the internal render settings (see above).

I don't see any way to import, edit and spit out a CF file with FCP X at the time.

I'd be happy to be corrected, though.

PS. Exporting to 10 bit uncomp. and then recompressing that to CF doesn't count as a solution.

Kaspar Kallas · June 23rd, 2011, 02:24 PM

That is true, I just wish I could export plain old EDL as I use Iridas tools anyways, guess back to old school hand written TC's, like we used to do for film jobs....

Hopefully there will be the XML soon enough....
I really would like to use this instead of PP, I love PP playback engine but editing in it is even worse than avid.
-Kaspar

Steve MacDonald · July 14th, 2011, 08:48 PM

Andree is correct, there is no way to export a Cineform file out of FCPX. Cineform's site also lists support for iMovie. I haven't looked to see if it's possible to export a CF file out of iMovie, which wouldn't do me any good anyway. I guess I'm figuring if it works in iMovie, it can't be that difficult to bring that function into FCPX.

Craig Davidson · July 20th, 2011, 03:45 PM

Oddly, iMovie gives you more options on export, and supports the QuickTime codecs. Because of that, it will export to CineForm. FCP-X does not use QuickTime (32-bit) for export, so it is limited in the formats supported.

We have heard that it may be possible to export using Compressor, and will look into that.

Steve MacDonald · September 25th, 2011, 07:03 PM

Yes, you can indeed export to Cineform from FCPX utilizing Compressor 4. Send to Compressor, apply a job, and under the Summary tab, click on the video settings. Here you can choose from many codecs including Cineform.

June 1st, 2011, 08:02 AM	#1
Kris Haamer New Boot Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Tallinn, Estonia Posts: 7	Cineform and Final Cut Pro X I'm thinking of switching to a Mac as from videos the new Final Cut Pro X looks very impressive. Does Cineform support Final Cut Pro X from day one or will there be an update later on? Thanks.

June 4th, 2011, 09:39 AM	#2
Craig Davidson Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Solana Beach, CA Posts: 142	Re: Cineform and Final Cut Pro X Apple has not revealed any details about FCP X. They will need to support QuickTime files, so importing into FCP X will be possible. What is not clear is how their "optimizations" will burn in any metadata changes, and how much control you have over that.

June 22nd, 2011, 04:06 AM	#3
Kris Haamer New Boot Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Tallinn, Estonia Posts: 7	Re: Cineform and Final Cut Pro X FCP X is out. Would love to get an update once you can test it with Cineform.

June 22nd, 2011, 08:11 AM	#4
David Newman CTO, CineForm Inc. Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California Posts: 8,095	Re: Cineform and Final Cut Pro X We haven't tested it yet, it is harder to purchase software instantly now that we are big company :). However customers have reported that CineForm is one of the few third party not broken by FCP-X. We will do our analysis over the next few days, but the news today seems positive for CineForm users. __________________ David Newman -- web: www.gopro.com blog: cineform.blogspot.com -- twitter: twitter.com/David_Newman

June 22nd, 2011, 03:37 PM	#5
Kaspar Kallas Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Estonia Posts: 142	Re: Cineform and Final Cut Pro X Tere Kris It seems to work, my one generation old Macbook Pro 2.66 is struggling with 2K SI stere footage but seems to work better than it was in FCP, just make sure You disable ALL background rendering tasks. But the CPU usage is full 400% when in playback - so that is an improvement actually! Thank You -Kaspar

June 23rd, 2011, 04:48 AM	#6
Andree Markefors Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Zürich Switzerland Posts: 81	Re: Cineform and Final Cut Pro X How do you set it up? I can import CF files just fine, but that's about it...? All internal rendering will be to a ProRes flavor of your choice, or 10 bit uncompressed. Same for sharing. Even if you choose "same as current", and you imported a CF file, it will use the internal render settings (see above). I don't see any way to import, edit and spit out a CF file with FCP X at the time. I'd be happy to be corrected, though. PS. Exporting to 10 bit uncomp. and then recompressing that to CF doesn't count as a solution.

June 23rd, 2011, 02:24 PM	#7
Kaspar Kallas Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Estonia Posts: 142	Re: Cineform and Final Cut Pro X That is true, I just wish I could export plain old EDL as I use Iridas tools anyways, guess back to old school hand written TC's, like we used to do for film jobs.... Hopefully there will be the XML soon enough.... I really would like to use this instead of PP, I love PP playback engine but editing in it is even worse than avid. -Kaspar

July 14th, 2011, 08:48 PM	#8
Steve MacDonald New Boot Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Pleasant Hill, CA Posts: 17	Re: Cineform and Final Cut Pro X Andree is correct, there is no way to export a Cineform file out of FCPX. Cineform's site also lists support for iMovie. I haven't looked to see if it's possible to export a CF file out of iMovie, which wouldn't do me any good anyway. I guess I'm figuring if it works in iMovie, it can't be that difficult to bring that function into FCPX.

July 20th, 2011, 03:45 PM	#9
Craig Davidson Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Solana Beach, CA Posts: 142	Re: Cineform and Final Cut Pro X Oddly, iMovie gives you more options on export, and supports the QuickTime codecs. Because of that, it will export to CineForm. FCP-X does not use QuickTime (32-bit) for export, so it is limited in the formats supported. We have heard that it may be possible to export using Compressor, and will look into that.

September 25th, 2011, 07:03 PM	#10
Steve MacDonald New Boot Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Pleasant Hill, CA Posts: 17	Re: Cineform and Final Cut Pro X Yes, you can indeed export to Cineform from FCPX utilizing Compressor 4. Send to Compressor, apply a job, and under the Summary tab, click on the video settings. Here you can choose from many codecs including Cineform.