Hi,
Sorry for the long post. I have encountered problems with my workflow, and want to give as complete a description as I can... I'm relatively new to HD. Thanks in advance for your patience and any help that can be provided!
I use final cut express and will probably be using final cut pro x in the future as final cut express has been discontinued.
I used to record with 2 (non HD) mini DV tape based cameras. Now I am using 2 HD cameras to replace the tape based cameras. A Canon Vixia HF S10 -2009 model and a Zoom Q3HD. I am having problems with the HD cameras with final cut express and have questions. First I want to explain my previous workflow that I wish to duplicate.
Using the mini DV tape based cameras here is the work flow I used and wish to duplicate with the HD cameras.
1. I record drum-set instructional video performances with two cameras. Usually I record 55 minutes to an hour straight.
It is critical that the Audio/Video on both cameras are not altered or out of sync in any way as I use the audio to sync both cameras and a pro audio stereo aiff file (Mixed and bounced to a single aiff file from simultaneously recorded multi channel audio in Digital Performer 5).
The first camera is on the main or top part of the drum-set and a second camera on my feet (where the pedals are).
For Audio, again I am recording with Digital Performer 5.
2. After recording I import the the hour long footage from both cameras, sync the videos from both cameras, add & sync the stereo audio (aiff file) exported from DP5, mute the camera audio from both cameras, make the second cam footage (the foot cam) smaller using picture in picture, mark then splice the best takes (all within a single sequence), create new sequences for each individual example, copy each marked/spliced example (best take of each example) from the main sequence into the new sequences made for each individual example, apply fade-ins and fade-outs for each and then export to smaller files for delivery.
This was no problem at all working with mini DV tape. It even worked well with the Canon HD as the main cam and a mini DV tape based cam on my feet.
With the same workflow as above, here are the cameras and settings I am trying to use now and a list of problems I am encountering.
Canon Vixia HF S10 on the main or top part of the drum-set and a Zoom Q3hd on my feet (where the pedals are).
The Canon records in AVCHD. I am using the highest quality setting MXP 1920 x 1080 in Cinema mode. In the manual it says it outputs in H.264(?) - this doesn’t seem right to me, but it is what the manual says. Log & transfer works fine and after one render seems to be OK.
The Zoom q3hd files when copied from the camera to my hard drive are in 1280 x 720 H.264, linear PCM format. Once adding the Zoom q3hd files, any time I click or try to make a change in the sequence it needs to render again. it's constantly needing to render.
1. What should be the set up in the easy set up menu in Final Cut Express?
2. I want to preserve the 16:9 wide screen on the Canon and it is importing to final cut express kind of squished or narrower if that makes sense. I also want to preserve the 16:9 on the zoom. Can this be fixed with a setting in the final cut express easy set up window? Or is it a setting within the camera? I think both of the cameras are set to 16:9.
3. Do I need to convert the video from both cameras or just the Zoom?
4. If so, what software do you recommend that is best for this situation? Also what format and settings should I be converting to within said converting software to achieve my goals, keeping all audio/video from the camera footage being converted 100% preserved maintaining absolutely perfect sync after conversion? I tried converting to Apple Intermediate Codec using Quicktime 7 Pro, and the audio was very slightly out of sync with the video, and the file size went from 115 Mb to close to 700 Mb for a 2-minute clip.
5. Would Final Cut Pro X make all of these problems go away?
Sorry for the long post. I have encountered problems with my workflow, and want to give as complete a description as I can... I'm relatively new to HD. Thanks in advance for your patience and any help that can be provided!
I use final cut express and will probably be using final cut pro x in the future as final cut express has been discontinued.
I used to record with 2 (non HD) mini DV tape based cameras. Now I am using 2 HD cameras to replace the tape based cameras. A Canon Vixia HF S10 -2009 model and a Zoom Q3HD. I am having problems with the HD cameras with final cut express and have questions. First I want to explain my previous workflow that I wish to duplicate.
Using the mini DV tape based cameras here is the work flow I used and wish to duplicate with the HD cameras.
1. I record drum-set instructional video performances with two cameras. Usually I record 55 minutes to an hour straight.
It is critical that the Audio/Video on both cameras are not altered or out of sync in any way as I use the audio to sync both cameras and a pro audio stereo aiff file (Mixed and bounced to a single aiff file from simultaneously recorded multi channel audio in Digital Performer 5).
The first camera is on the main or top part of the drum-set and a second camera on my feet (where the pedals are).
For Audio, again I am recording with Digital Performer 5.
2. After recording I import the the hour long footage from both cameras, sync the videos from both cameras, add & sync the stereo audio (aiff file) exported from DP5, mute the camera audio from both cameras, make the second cam footage (the foot cam) smaller using picture in picture, mark then splice the best takes (all within a single sequence), create new sequences for each individual example, copy each marked/spliced example (best take of each example) from the main sequence into the new sequences made for each individual example, apply fade-ins and fade-outs for each and then export to smaller files for delivery.
This was no problem at all working with mini DV tape. It even worked well with the Canon HD as the main cam and a mini DV tape based cam on my feet.
With the same workflow as above, here are the cameras and settings I am trying to use now and a list of problems I am encountering.
Canon Vixia HF S10 on the main or top part of the drum-set and a Zoom Q3hd on my feet (where the pedals are).
The Canon records in AVCHD. I am using the highest quality setting MXP 1920 x 1080 in Cinema mode. In the manual it says it outputs in H.264(?) - this doesn’t seem right to me, but it is what the manual says. Log & transfer works fine and after one render seems to be OK.
The Zoom q3hd files when copied from the camera to my hard drive are in 1280 x 720 H.264, linear PCM format. Once adding the Zoom q3hd files, any time I click or try to make a change in the sequence it needs to render again. it's constantly needing to render.
1. What should be the set up in the easy set up menu in Final Cut Express?
2. I want to preserve the 16:9 wide screen on the Canon and it is importing to final cut express kind of squished or narrower if that makes sense. I also want to preserve the 16:9 on the zoom. Can this be fixed with a setting in the final cut express easy set up window? Or is it a setting within the camera? I think both of the cameras are set to 16:9.
3. Do I need to convert the video from both cameras or just the Zoom?
4. If so, what software do you recommend that is best for this situation? Also what format and settings should I be converting to within said converting software to achieve my goals, keeping all audio/video from the camera footage being converted 100% preserved maintaining absolutely perfect sync after conversion? I tried converting to Apple Intermediate Codec using Quicktime 7 Pro, and the audio was very slightly out of sync with the video, and the file size went from 115 Mb to close to 700 Mb for a 2-minute clip.
5. Would Final Cut Pro X make all of these problems go away?
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