MP4 or MOV on new HC-X1500. at DVinfo.net

Syd Hutchinson · May 11th, 2020, 06:32 AM

I have bought the new X1500 and I have found that slow motion and time lapse can only be used in MOV format. Normally I record, edit and export in MP4.
I am using Premiere Elements for editing which will import both formats but Panasonic suggest MP4 is better for general use including YouTube, where I have a channel.
Obviously using MOV gives me access to more facilities on the cam which would be nice. Can anyone think of any reason why I should stick to filming in MP4. I am assuming that I can import MOV into Premiere and then export it in MP4 but should I?

Pete Cofrancesco · May 11th, 2020, 06:49 AM

From what I understand mov mp4 are just containers the video is the same inside. I would use mov if it gives you the options you want. when you upload a video I believe it gets converted anyways.

Syd Hutchinson · May 11th, 2020, 02:05 PM

YouTube accept MOV but why does everyone say MP4 is the preferred international standard? Is it just because the file sizes are bigger?

Pete Cofrancesco · May 11th, 2020, 05:13 PM

It’s kind of a long answer. Mov is Quicktime and owned by Apple. Last year Apple dropped support for it on Windows and is no longer consider secure but that’s an even longer and more complicated topic. But you still can download the free Quicktime player and Adobe Premier still uses it. That’s what makes it less universal and why mp4 is recommended especially when distributing it.

Syd Hutchinson · May 12th, 2020, 05:43 PM

Thanks for the explanation Pete. It makes it even more annoying that Panasonic have made features on the new cam that are only possible in MOV. Slow motion and time lapse. Hardly features that are rare on other cams. It means having to switch formats when I want to use them.

Pete Cofrancesco · May 13th, 2020, 10:58 AM

For simplicity sake I would record everything in mov and not let it bother you. If you’re editing the footage it doesn’t matter what the initial container it was filmed in.

Syd Hutchinson · May 13th, 2020, 11:01 AM

That makes sense. Thanks.

Paul R Johnson · May 17th, 2020, 05:34 AM

I've got the choice and use .mov. Windows 10 however, won't play it using the Windows built in player, which annoyingly gets put back to default on every other reboot or so, or when it updates. Premiere doesn't. seem to care.

Syd Hutchinson · May 17th, 2020, 11:49 AM

It's a pity Apple insist on going their own way. Life could be so much easier.

Graham Laws · May 28th, 2020, 09:11 AM

I always decompress video material before editing, so that I can process the video however I want, without worrying that my computer will run out of horsepower. As I use Edius for editing, it makes sense to use the Grass Valley HQX format (a type of AVI, but these are BIG files !). Once editing is complete I produce an HQX master within Edius, and then process this using Handbrake to reduce to a relatively small MP4 file for playback on my Home Theatre computer, or to send up to Youtube. I usually run the big number-crunching processes overnight.

Best Regards

May 11th, 2020, 06:32 AM	#1
Syd Hutchinson New Boot Join Date: Mar 2020 Location: Eastleigh, UK Posts: 17	MP4 or MOV on new HC-X1500. I have bought the new X1500 and I have found that slow motion and time lapse can only be used in MOV format. Normally I record, edit and export in MP4. I am using Premiere Elements for editing which will import both formats but Panasonic suggest MP4 is better for general use including YouTube, where I have a channel. Obviously using MOV gives me access to more facilities on the cam which would be nice. Can anyone think of any reason why I should stick to filming in MP4. I am assuming that I can import MOV into Premiere and then export it in MP4 but should I?

May 11th, 2020, 06:49 AM	#2
Pete Cofrancesco Inner Circle Join Date: May 2004 Location: USA Posts: 3,005	Re: MP4 or MOV on new HC-X1500. From what I understand mov mp4 are just containers the video is the same inside. I would use mov if it gives you the options you want. when you upload a video I believe it gets converted anyways.

May 11th, 2020, 02:05 PM	#3
Syd Hutchinson New Boot Join Date: Mar 2020 Location: Eastleigh, UK Posts: 17	Re: MP4 or MOV on new HC-X1500. YouTube accept MOV but why does everyone say MP4 is the preferred international standard? Is it just because the file sizes are bigger?

May 11th, 2020, 05:13 PM	#4
Pete Cofrancesco Inner Circle Join Date: May 2004 Location: USA Posts: 3,005	Re: MP4 or MOV on new HC-X1500. It’s kind of a long answer. Mov is Quicktime and owned by Apple. Last year Apple dropped support for it on Windows and is no longer consider secure but that’s an even longer and more complicated topic. But you still can download the free Quicktime player and Adobe Premier still uses it. That’s what makes it less universal and why mp4 is recommended especially when distributing it.

May 12th, 2020, 05:43 PM	#5
Syd Hutchinson New Boot Join Date: Mar 2020 Location: Eastleigh, UK Posts: 17	Re: MP4 or MOV on new HC-X1500. Thanks for the explanation Pete. It makes it even more annoying that Panasonic have made features on the new cam that are only possible in MOV. Slow motion and time lapse. Hardly features that are rare on other cams. It means having to switch formats when I want to use them.

May 13th, 2020, 10:58 AM	#6
Pete Cofrancesco Inner Circle Join Date: May 2004 Location: USA Posts: 3,005	Re: MP4 or MOV on new HC-X1500. For simplicity sake I would record everything in mov and not let it bother you. If you’re editing the footage it doesn’t matter what the initial container it was filmed in.

May 13th, 2020, 11:01 AM	#7
Syd Hutchinson New Boot Join Date: Mar 2020 Location: Eastleigh, UK Posts: 17	Re: MP4 or MOV on new HC-X1500. That makes sense. Thanks.

May 17th, 2020, 05:34 AM	#8
Paul R Johnson Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Lowestoft - UK Posts: 4,045	Re: MP4 or MOV on new HC-X1500. I've got the choice and use .mov. Windows 10 however, won't play it using the Windows built in player, which annoyingly gets put back to default on every other reboot or so, or when it updates. Premiere doesn't. seem to care.

May 17th, 2020, 11:49 AM	#9
Syd Hutchinson New Boot Join Date: Mar 2020 Location: Eastleigh, UK Posts: 17	Re: MP4 or MOV on new HC-X1500. It's a pity Apple insist on going their own way. Life could be so much easier.

May 28th, 2020, 09:11 AM	#10
Graham Laws New Boot Join Date: May 2020 Location: Chesterfield UK Posts: 11	Re: MP4 or MOV on new HC-X1500. I always decompress video material before editing, so that I can process the video however I want, without worrying that my computer will run out of horsepower. As I use Edius for editing, it makes sense to use the Grass Valley HQX format (a type of AVI, but these are BIG files !). Once editing is complete I produce an HQX master within Edius, and then process this using Handbrake to reduce to a relatively small MP4 file for playback on my Home Theatre computer, or to send up to Youtube. I usually run the big number-crunching processes overnight. Best Regards