Your amazing! Have had my camera for a year importing horrible quality because i didn't know how! Now all my stuff can start looking professional THANKS!
Many thanks for this. I'm considering purchasing the NX5 camera and you've answered most of my questions with this single video. However, if I ingest the footage at a low resolution to do the editing this way, how easy it then to 'batch capture' (if that's the correct terminology for non-tape) the edit again using the high res mode. With HDV tape, after the project is finished with, I've always got the option of deleting all my render and capture files and recreating it again from scratch.
Hi, just replace the same files with the new 'hi-res' files. Make sure the files are in the same exact location with the same exact names. Final Cut Pro will then automatically link to the new files. I hope that makes sense.
If my professor was only as smart as you. When I approached him with my AVCHD problem he told me I would have to use a conversion program and convert them before using them in final cut. Thanks. Your video was nice and clear.
Yeah it's an intel mac, but running fcp 5, I know there's a program call clipwrap that converts mts files, might have to buy that unless there are any other ways around it?
That sounds like you have some index files from an AVCHD camera. Do you have the original flash memory or hard disc camcorder from where they came? In order to use the Log and Transfer tool, you need the entire 'original' directory structure from the memory card or hard disc.
Very helpful in understanding what is going on during this process. Lots of extra but informative and interesting detail, and very well organized. Thank you for posting this video!
hey, could you tell me an estimate of transcoding 1GB for avchd to prores 422 proxy?
I ask because there's 2 cameras I'm looking at and the one I prefer is avchd but I want to make sure I understand the data rate so that I don't end up filling my hard drive with just a few dozen files.
This is the most informative lesson on archiving AVCHD for FCP I have found on the internet! I personally prefer to use my Macs Disk Utility to copy the Camera's SD Cards "Disk Image" onto my external hard drive for archiving purposes. Once imported and Cut in Final Cut I can make the Large Pro Res files go "offline" to save disk space and then re-transcode the AVCHD off the "Disk Image".
Hi Thanks for the informative video, I'm editing AVCHD for the first time and need help. I logged all of the footage on FCP7 but when I went to cut it on the timeline, it seemed to drop frames and it seemed like the footage was compressed. I think I have to re-render the files as Pro Res? If I do this, will I have to rename and re-log the footage? Any suggestions? Thanks
@GDVTutorials Yeah it's AVCHD (canon hfs10) and it recognises the files when they're on the camera, but when I drag the folders onto another hard drive like you suggest it doesn't. Very confusing.
Okay, you MUST use the Log and Transfer tool in order to use the AVCHD files within Final Cut Pro. Copy the EXACT folder structure from your camera to your hard-drive. Then point the Log and Transfer tool to the folder.
In the Log and Transfer tool you should see a small folder in the upper left portion of the window that will allow you to add a new volume. Just point to the folder and you are good to go.
doesn't that mean that when you log and transfer an AVCHD file it grows in file size horribly? if so, what kind of crazy tech moron at apple thought that would be a good feature in FCP or FCE. all it does is eat your hard drive faster than normal AVCHD files. transfer AVCHD to pro res is hard drive suicide if I understand this.
Media encoded with H264 is a difficult format for any editing system to work with. That's because it's compressed using a GOP (Group of Frames) compression method. By encoding H264 media to Pro Res, you are creating physical frames for each frame of media.
The same goes for working with HDV, it's typically better to encode it to Pro Res. Otherwise get ready for some incredibly long renders as soon as you attempt to do anything sort of effects composting.
@GDVTutorials well could I convert the avchd file to something more compressed and that uses less hard drive space and still keep the HD? I ask because pro res is hard drive rape.
When encoding AVCHD in Final Cut Pro, your only choices are the different choices of Pro Res, or the Apple Intermediate Codec. You could try Pro Res LT, but you'd be sacrificing some quality. Honestly, considering 2 TB of storage is only $99.00 I wouldn't worry about the storage requirements of standard Pro Res 422.
@GDVTutorials well I'm going to be using a macbook pro so the max is 750 GBs but I do have an external hard drive that's intel processor compatible so I'll probably use that too so yeah. thanks for all the help so far.
I know there's a way to save the pro res files somewhee besides capture scratch, but I haven't been able to figure it out yet. Could you give me a clue as to how I can save the pro res files in a specific place?
Hi, I don't believe it's possible. Log and Transfer will always create a new Capture Scratch folder and it will always create a folder inside the Capture Scratch based on your project name.
If you have a Mac Pro, and you're having problems transcoding AVCHD files into FCP, check out my Mac Pro Upgrade Video Series where I upgrade an early 2006 Mac Pro with 2 Dual-Core Intel Xeon 5150's (2.66 Ghz each) to 2 Quad-Core Intel Xeon 5355's (2.66 Ghz each)! In 10 short videos I show you the entire process of taking your existing CPU's out, and then reinstalling the new CPUs.
Now i do have another question. coz i can import my files from the PRIVATE folder and those are 232 files... he only takes 72 files in the L&T... and the other ones i can t import... He always imports the same 72 files... and the rest i can t import??
Does anybody know why and how to get the other files on that same SD card as well????
so when you put the fies into a archive, and then use log and transfer does it get put into just final cut pro, then you have to export it into a uncompressed archive, or does it put it into final cut and make some sort of folder?
Hi, it puts the files inside a folder based on the name of your Final Cut Pro project. The physical folder location is based on your capture scratch settings. The capture scratch settings dialog window is under the Final Cut Pro / System Settings menu.
This is brilliant. Thanks for the sterling information. To those just starting out in video a most respectful RTFM nudge and keep on researching - best wishes.
That's strange, what camera do you have? Worse case scenerio, you can ingest the media using iMovie, and then import the media from iMovie into Final Cut Pro.
This video immediately resolved my problem importing video from my Sony HXR NX5U into FCP. I'm still having problems once i import the green screen video into shake but this is a great start. It always automatically makes the settings in FCP so that I can edit my video in FCP without rerendering. Shake may have a problem because I didn't copy the video over. I don't know but Thanks.
SOMEONE PLEASE RESPOND!!!! I purchased a Canon Vixia HF S200 for HD video. I recorded 24 minutes of video in the highest HD setting. But upon Log and Transfer to Final Cut (I have a Macbook Pro btw) at only 30% ingest, the file had alreayd taken 1.5 hours to ingest and was already eating up 10 GB of space. I was ingesting through USB. Is there a way to upload these files faster and in smaller sizes?
Yes, copy the entire folder structure to your hard drive first. Then disconnect the camera and point Log and Transfer to the AVCHD media that you've copied from the camera. It will then transcode much faster.
I wish you would do a video about how to capture from the Panasonic TM700. I realize it's also avchd, but from what I've read, it's a unique version of avchd that is giving FCP editors nightmares!
That particular camera shoots in a video format called AVCHD. It's not a format that can be directly edited within Final Cut Pro. Without going into a long explanation, The Log and Transfer process re-wraps the information into a format that Final Cut Pro can easily work with. That's why the size is so much larger.
The only thing you can control is the codec used to transcode the video. Trying using Apple Pro Res LT. That might help with the size a bit.
I transfer video clips from SDHC 32GB - recorded by AG HMC 41E - to my external storage (Western Digital 2TB My Book for Mac) through final cut pro 6.
In reality it should be not more than 32GB in the external storage, but it has more than 160 GB. Why? Help me please.
And is there any way to store same size on the external storage?
@reddishrose If you haven't found out by now, all you have to do is make a folder in your drive. Then in final cut pro, click on the Final cut pro toolbar at the top, select system settings and change the scratch disks to the folder you made in your hard drive.
Excellent video as always. This is something I've been wondering about for a long time, as I have some files from a shoot last year done on a Panasonic HPX170. I do think there was too much information in this video given the length of it. I think a slower pace would have accomplished more in terms of getting the information to the viewer. As it is now, the'll have to watch the video a couple of times to digest it (this is not a bad thing, actually, in terms of page views). Mark
I'm a little confused about that "saving space" part. Please explain in detail and how-to :)
physcovideos 3 months ago
Your amazing! Have had my camera for a year importing horrible quality because i didn't know how! Now all my stuff can start looking professional THANKS!
PeronPerfect 5 months ago
I just used Compressor (v 3.5.3). In goes the AVCHD, out comes Apple Intermediate... and I don't have to stop editing in FCP.
dizzydonor 5 months ago
Many thanks for this. I'm considering purchasing the NX5 camera and you've answered most of my questions with this single video. However, if I ingest the footage at a low resolution to do the editing this way, how easy it then to 'batch capture' (if that's the correct terminology for non-tape) the edit again using the high res mode. With HDV tape, after the project is finished with, I've always got the option of deleting all my render and capture files and recreating it again from scratch.
barryjwale 5 months ago
Hi, just replace the same files with the new 'hi-res' files. Make sure the files are in the same exact location with the same exact names. Final Cut Pro will then automatically link to the new files. I hope that makes sense.
GDVTutorials 5 months ago
This is helpful.... Good work sir
EditMonsterKurt 7 months ago
If my professor was only as smart as you. When I approached him with my AVCHD problem he told me I would have to use a conversion program and convert them before using them in final cut. Thanks. Your video was nice and clear.
jaybirrd84 7 months ago
ARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGG there is no log and transfer on my version of final cut pro on mac???????????????
easzlee 7 months ago in playlist Final-Cut Pro
Hi, are you using an intel based Mac? Unfortunately, Log and Transfer is not available on a non-intel Mac.
Also, you must be running a minimum of Final Cut Pro 6.0.
GDVTutorials 7 months ago
@GDVTutorials
Yeah it's an intel mac, but running fcp 5, I know there's a program call clipwrap that converts mts files, might have to buy that unless there are any other ways around it?
easzlee 7 months ago
Hi,
That sounds like you have some index files from an AVCHD camera. Do you have the original flash memory or hard disc camcorder from where they came? In order to use the Log and Transfer tool, you need the entire 'original' directory structure from the memory card or hard disc.
GDVTutorials 9 months ago
Final Cut says it cant work with the .CPI or the .MTTI format of the clips. how did you import from the AVCHD with those files?
to7susano 9 months ago
Very helpful in understanding what is going on during this process. Lots of extra but informative and interesting detail, and very well organized. Thank you for posting this video!
gxcad 10 months ago
hey, could you tell me an estimate of transcoding 1GB for avchd to prores 422 proxy?
I ask because there's 2 cameras I'm looking at and the one I prefer is avchd but I want to make sure I understand the data rate so that I don't end up filling my hard drive with just a few dozen files.
hobocamptheater 10 months ago
This is the most informative lesson on archiving AVCHD for FCP I have found on the internet! I personally prefer to use my Macs Disk Utility to copy the Camera's SD Cards "Disk Image" onto my external hard drive for archiving purposes. Once imported and Cut in Final Cut I can make the Large Pro Res files go "offline" to save disk space and then re-transcode the AVCHD off the "Disk Image".
level2789 11 months ago
I've got sony sr 11 too....
BetesdaIE 11 months ago
Hi Thanks for the informative video, I'm editing AVCHD for the first time and need help. I logged all of the footage on FCP7 but when I went to cut it on the timeline, it seemed to drop frames and it seemed like the footage was compressed. I think I have to re-render the files as Pro Res? If I do this, will I have to rename and re-log the footage? Any suggestions? Thanks
YoGhostface 1 year ago
When I drag my files from camera to an external hard drive, FCP doesn't recognise the files. Any reason why?
JackHoward 1 year ago
Hi Jack:
Are you working with an AVCHD camera? if so you must use the Log and Transfer tool to encode them in order to use the files within Final Cut Pro.
GDVTutorials 1 year ago
@GDVTutorials Yeah it's AVCHD (canon hfs10) and it recognises the files when they're on the camera, but when I drag the folders onto another hard drive like you suggest it doesn't. Very confusing.
JackHoward 1 year ago
Hi Jack:
Okay, you MUST use the Log and Transfer tool in order to use the AVCHD files within Final Cut Pro. Copy the EXACT folder structure from your camera to your hard-drive. Then point the Log and Transfer tool to the folder.
In the Log and Transfer tool you should see a small folder in the upper left portion of the window that will allow you to add a new volume. Just point to the folder and you are good to go.
GDVTutorials 1 year ago
@GDVTutorials Thanks a lot! I now know how it works. You were a great help :)
JackHoward 1 year ago
doesn't that mean that when you log and transfer an AVCHD file it grows in file size horribly? if so, what kind of crazy tech moron at apple thought that would be a good feature in FCP or FCE. all it does is eat your hard drive faster than normal AVCHD files. transfer AVCHD to pro res is hard drive suicide if I understand this.
hobocamptheater 1 year ago
Media encoded with H264 is a difficult format for any editing system to work with. That's because it's compressed using a GOP (Group of Frames) compression method. By encoding H264 media to Pro Res, you are creating physical frames for each frame of media.
The same goes for working with HDV, it's typically better to encode it to Pro Res. Otherwise get ready for some incredibly long renders as soon as you attempt to do anything sort of effects composting.
GDVTutorials 1 year ago
@GDVTutorials well could I convert the avchd file to something more compressed and that uses less hard drive space and still keep the HD? I ask because pro res is hard drive rape.
hobocamptheater 1 year ago
Hi,
When encoding AVCHD in Final Cut Pro, your only choices are the different choices of Pro Res, or the Apple Intermediate Codec. You could try Pro Res LT, but you'd be sacrificing some quality. Honestly, considering 2 TB of storage is only $99.00 I wouldn't worry about the storage requirements of standard Pro Res 422.
GDVTutorials 1 year ago
@GDVTutorials well I'm going to be using a macbook pro so the max is 750 GBs but I do have an external hard drive that's intel processor compatible so I'll probably use that too so yeah. thanks for all the help so far.
hobocamptheater 1 year ago
I know there's a way to save the pro res files somewhee besides capture scratch, but I haven't been able to figure it out yet. Could you give me a clue as to how I can save the pro res files in a specific place?
MobileMediaProducts 1 year ago
@MobileMediaProducts
Hi, I don't believe it's possible. Log and Transfer will always create a new Capture Scratch folder and it will always create a folder inside the Capture Scratch based on your project name.
GDVTutorials 1 year ago
@GDVTutorials Hmmmmm, could you specify the location of the capture scratch folder beforehand?
MobileMediaProducts 1 year ago
@MobileMediaProducts
You can change your capture scratch settings under the menu: Final Cut Pro / Systems settings.
GDVTutorials 1 year ago
If you have a Mac Pro, and you're having problems transcoding AVCHD files into FCP, check out my Mac Pro Upgrade Video Series where I upgrade an early 2006 Mac Pro with 2 Dual-Core Intel Xeon 5150's (2.66 Ghz each) to 2 Quad-Core Intel Xeon 5355's (2.66 Ghz each)! In 10 short videos I show you the entire process of taking your existing CPU's out, and then reinstalling the new CPUs.
MobileMediaProducts 1 year ago
Thanks for the great video!
Now i do have another question. coz i can import my files from the PRIVATE folder and those are 232 files... he only takes 72 files in the L&T... and the other ones i can t import... He always imports the same 72 files... and the rest i can t import??
Does anybody know why and how to get the other files on that same SD card as well????
Thanks :-)
MysticViewVideo 1 year ago
What version of FCP do you have? i have 5 and there is no "Log and Transfer" under file, only "Log and Capture." PLZ HELP!
OvrThHillProductions 1 year ago
@OvrThHillProductions
There is no 'Log and Transfer' capability with version 5.0. You must have 6.X with an intel based machine.
GDVTutorials 1 year ago
so when you put the fies into a archive, and then use log and transfer does it get put into just final cut pro, then you have to export it into a uncompressed archive, or does it put it into final cut and make some sort of folder?
sowers25 1 year ago
@sowers25
Hi, it puts the files inside a folder based on the name of your Final Cut Pro project. The physical folder location is based on your capture scratch settings. The capture scratch settings dialog window is under the Final Cut Pro / System Settings menu.
GDVTutorials 1 year ago
This is brilliant. Thanks for the sterling information. To those just starting out in video a most respectful RTFM nudge and keep on researching - best wishes.
mishinka 1 year ago
This is what it used to happen but it stopped working.
BlueEarthProductions 1 year ago
my camera doesn't show up in the log and transfer, but it does in imovie, and i can see it on my wallpaper
help me!
EWOETtv 1 year ago
@EWOETtv
That's strange, what camera do you have? Worse case scenerio, you can ingest the media using iMovie, and then import the media from iMovie into Final Cut Pro.
GDVTutorials 1 year ago
@GDVTutorials i have a dcr sr 15
but if i import it from the folder when its imported from imovie
it looks al squashed to a little video
i tried realy everything :p
EWOETtv 1 year ago
This video immediately resolved my problem importing video from my Sony HXR NX5U into FCP. I'm still having problems once i import the green screen video into shake but this is a great start. It always automatically makes the settings in FCP so that I can edit my video in FCP without rerendering. Shake may have a problem because I didn't copy the video over. I don't know but Thanks.
AVTPro 1 year ago
some one tell me more about the format is it pal 25fps when log and transfering as well just like log and capture?
injahking1 1 year ago
SOMEONE PLEASE RESPOND!!!! I purchased a Canon Vixia HF S200 for HD video. I recorded 24 minutes of video in the highest HD setting. But upon Log and Transfer to Final Cut (I have a Macbook Pro btw) at only 30% ingest, the file had alreayd taken 1.5 hours to ingest and was already eating up 10 GB of space. I was ingesting through USB. Is there a way to upload these files faster and in smaller sizes?
bbtank3000 1 year ago
@bbtank3000
Yes, copy the entire folder structure to your hard drive first. Then disconnect the camera and point Log and Transfer to the AVCHD media that you've copied from the camera. It will then transcode much faster.
GDVTutorials 1 year ago
I wish you would do a video about how to capture from the Panasonic TM700. I realize it's also avchd, but from what I've read, it's a unique version of avchd that is giving FCP editors nightmares!
MobileMediaProducts 1 year ago
cant believe a kid with a laptop can handle AVCHD files in sony vegas natively and me with my high end mac cant. WTF Apple?!
LifeMattersChannel 1 year ago
@LifeMattersChannel
yeah...doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Looks like I'll be getting adobe premiere
FCO0710 1 year ago
That particular camera shoots in a video format called AVCHD. It's not a format that can be directly edited within Final Cut Pro. Without going into a long explanation, The Log and Transfer process re-wraps the information into a format that Final Cut Pro can easily work with. That's why the size is so much larger.
The only thing you can control is the codec used to transcode the video. Trying using Apple Pro Res LT. That might help with the size a bit.
GDVTutorials 1 year ago
@GDVTutorials
Hey thats cool!
Buy, What happend with the quality? Does it keep in 1080p (HD) when you "log and transfer"?
I know, stupid question, but i really need to know :)
PMiyagui 1 year ago
I transfer video clips from SDHC 32GB - recorded by AG HMC 41E - to my external storage (Western Digital 2TB My Book for Mac) through final cut pro 6.
In reality it should be not more than 32GB in the external storage, but it has more than 160 GB. Why? Help me please.
And is there any way to store same size on the external storage?
reddishrose 1 year ago
can you say what version of Final Cut this is? Thanks.
supersovak 1 year ago
THANK YOU!! :)))
fpierre 1 year ago
Thanks soo much, all these tutorials are so helpful and great to know!
lilbitrandom22 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
when i drag the media, it doesnt transfer. it just goes idle and an exlamation point pops up and it doesnt work
gojaysgorush 1 year ago
Thank you very much
andrewnoon 1 year ago
How to transfer AVCDH file direct to external hard disk through final cut pro 6?
I don´t want to save my footage to my MacBook Pro because it has not enough space to store the clips.
Thanks,
reddishrose 2 years ago
@reddishrose If you haven't found out by now, all you have to do is make a folder in your drive. Then in final cut pro, click on the Final cut pro toolbar at the top, select system settings and change the scratch disks to the folder you made in your hard drive.
masterDJ32 1 year ago
Great thanks
reddishrose 1 year ago
Excellent video as always. This is something I've been wondering about for a long time, as I have some files from a shoot last year done on a Panasonic HPX170. I do think there was too much information in this video given the length of it. I think a slower pace would have accomplished more in terms of getting the information to the viewer. As it is now, the'll have to watch the video a couple of times to digest it (this is not a bad thing, actually, in terms of page views). Mark
MobileMediaProducts 2 years ago