AVCHD editing in FCP without the CMU? at DVinfo.net

Michael Liebergot · March 2nd, 2011, 10:40 AM

I posted this for the most part in the FCP section, but wanted to add some additional questions here, as it really centers around the NX5 and FCP both.

I am about to upgrade my FX1s to Sony NX5Us.
FCP can obviously handle native editing HDV footage and my workflow has been painless thus far. I import HDV footage from MRC1K (I have been recording both tape and CF card), rewrap using ClipWrap. Change my sequence setting to render in ProResLT, then edit as needed. When finished I export as QT ProRes LT file and encode as needed for DVD in Compressor.

But, since I'm switching to totally tapeless now, I will be recording in AVCHD. FCP can't edit native AVCHD, thus the footage has to converted to an intermediate I-frame codec. I would use either ClipWrap to convert the files or FCP via Log and Transfer. My onlu concern with Log and Transfer is that FCP might not join spanned clips properly. Clipwrap lets you join spanned clips and it seems that it doesn't lose any data like audio of frames.

For those who are shooting AVCHD and editing in FCP, which is your preferred method. Due to file size I might have leaned towards AIC over ProRes. But he addition of ProResLT almost makes the file sizes even.

So basically it's this...

1. What's your workflow...
a. AVCHD footage and transcoded footage on main drive and AVCHD footage external backup.
b. AVCHD footage and transcoded footage on both main drive and external backup.

2. How do you capture footage into FCP, Log and Transfer or other encoder?

3. How do you join spanned clips, as one file or place on the timeline and edit as desired.

4. Are you able to use the CMU on the OSX platform. this seems to be the best way to make sure that all of the content is present (frames and audio).

Before anyone says it, I know that there are other programs like Edius, Premiere, Vegas etc. that can edit native AVCHD footage. But most of those apps are PC only, and I made the switch to MAC. I do have bootcamp and Vegas 10. so I could edit natively in Vegas. But I prefer to keep my entire worflow on one operating system. And I really have grown to like FCP over Vegas. There are some things that Vegas is better at, like audio, but surprisingly I have found that FCP has more tools for me to edit with. I prefer DVD StudioPro to DVD Architect. And I can't encode DVDSP files on the PC side.

And yes I do, have Adobe products such as Photoshop etc. on the Mac side, but I don;t want to drop the money right now to upgrade to Premiere, and also have to learn another new program in Premiere.

Hopefully, the upcoming version of FCP will address some of my issues, like maybe native AVCHD editing.

Come on Apple step up.

Krystian Jones · March 4th, 2011, 03:52 AM

Hi Michael.
When i first joined here I dealt with some simular issues, here are my threads:

Regarding spanned clips:
http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/sony-nxc...questions.html

Regarding space efficient FCP workflow using ProRes Proxy:
http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/sony-nxc...res-proxy.html

I hope this helps =)

March 2nd, 2011, 10:40 AM	#1
Michael Liebergot Trustee Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,505	AVCHD editing in FCP without the CMU? I posted this for the most part in the FCP section, but wanted to add some additional questions here, as it really centers around the NX5 and FCP both. I am about to upgrade my FX1s to Sony NX5Us. FCP can obviously handle native editing HDV footage and my workflow has been painless thus far. I import HDV footage from MRC1K (I have been recording both tape and CF card), rewrap using ClipWrap. Change my sequence setting to render in ProResLT, then edit as needed. When finished I export as QT ProRes LT file and encode as needed for DVD in Compressor. But, since I'm switching to totally tapeless now, I will be recording in AVCHD. FCP can't edit native AVCHD, thus the footage has to converted to an intermediate I-frame codec. I would use either ClipWrap to convert the files or FCP via Log and Transfer. My onlu concern with Log and Transfer is that FCP might not join spanned clips properly. Clipwrap lets you join spanned clips and it seems that it doesn't lose any data like audio of frames. For those who are shooting AVCHD and editing in FCP, which is your preferred method. Due to file size I might have leaned towards AIC over ProRes. But he addition of ProResLT almost makes the file sizes even. So basically it's this... 1. What's your workflow... a. AVCHD footage and transcoded footage on main drive and AVCHD footage external backup. b. AVCHD footage and transcoded footage on both main drive and external backup. 2. How do you capture footage into FCP, Log and Transfer or other encoder? 3. How do you join spanned clips, as one file or place on the timeline and edit as desired. 4. Are you able to use the CMU on the OSX platform. this seems to be the best way to make sure that all of the content is present (frames and audio). Before anyone says it, I know that there are other programs like Edius, Premiere, Vegas etc. that can edit native AVCHD footage. But most of those apps are PC only, and I made the switch to MAC. I do have bootcamp and Vegas 10. so I could edit natively in Vegas. But I prefer to keep my entire worflow on one operating system. And I really have grown to like FCP over Vegas. There are some things that Vegas is better at, like audio, but surprisingly I have found that FCP has more tools for me to edit with. I prefer DVD StudioPro to DVD Architect. And I can't encode DVDSP files on the PC side. And yes I do, have Adobe products such as Photoshop etc. on the Mac side, but I don;t want to drop the money right now to upgrade to Premiere, and also have to learn another new program in Premiere. Hopefully, the upcoming version of FCP will address some of my issues, like maybe native AVCHD editing. Come on Apple step up. __________________ Michael www.lvpvideo.com

March 4th, 2011, 03:52 AM	#2
Krystian Jones New Boot Join Date: May 2010 Location: London, UK Posts: 23	Re: AVCHD editing in FCP without the CMU? Hi Michael. When i first joined here I dealt with some simular issues, here are my threads: Regarding spanned clips: http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/sony-nxc...questions.html Regarding space efficient FCP workflow using ProRes Proxy: http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/sony-nxc...res-proxy.html I hope this helps =)