FCPX + 5DmkII video on mini / 13" mbp

[slitherjef]

I recently got into Mac actually trying to give up windows. I already replaced a notebook with a 13" base model MBP 2011 and I am thinking about a Mac mini 799 model to replace my 2.08ghz quad core i7 desktop. I don't edit much 5d video because I almost always having problems. One being I set up a 32bit system and adobes software required 64bit.

Anyway I am tired of windows and want to move onto something else.

Will FCPX work on a 13" base model mbp as well as the 799 Mac mini? I realize I will have to beef up my ram. I know I can download a trial and check it out for my self but I wanted to get input from anyone who might have used this setup.

I doubt I can set up FCPX on more then one computer at a time. Most editing would be done on a desktop

 

[arjen92]

Setting up FCPX on more than one computer shouldn't be a problem. It's not a problem with iWork, iLife or Lion, so it shouldn't be a problem with FCPX.

FCPX runs really bad on my iMac from 2008. But my younger brother who has a macbook pro mid 2011 says it runs great on his mac. He uses HD video from his canon powershot (so that's not Full HD). He also upgraded his RAM to 8 GB. I can get it for €35 these days.

 

[cgbier]

Transcode your footage on your import. Get a fast external drive with FW800 and 7200RPM. A RAID setup will make it a bit faster. Don't edit from your system drive.

Keep Projects and Events on the external drive, and you can use them on different computers. The App Store lets you install one license onto several machines.

The 13" screen is a bit small for editing, but it's doable. 15" would have been nicer. I got both... FCP X works fine, but slow on the 2009 13", but beautifully on the 2010 15".

 

[Boe11]

It'll run smooth as silk, so long as you "create optimized media" when importing your 5d footage.

 

[slitherjef]

Thanks for the replies. I crunched the numbers and starting to think perhaps a 21" imac may be a better purchase, though I am not 100% sure yet. On the other hand I am not going to be cutting video that often either.

Got a bit to think on it while I am waiting for a tax refund

 

[Zwhaler]

iMac will work better with video than the Mini, it's just a matter of deciding if it's worth the extra cost.

 

[slitherjef]

Still deciding / researching. I looked at thunderbolt drives, well, one for a nice 215 bucks from a brand I never heard of. G-Technology G-DRIVE. It was 2tb had decent ratings on amazon but I did not read them yet.

perhaps FW 800 would work just as well.

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Whilst doing research I took at look at the mini and it looks like it packs some power at a price lower then the base iMac but lacks the GPU the iMac has and the CPU runs about 500mhz slower. BUT It packs the two extra cores.

I am sure, however that the GPU will piggyback off the system ram like the 599 base mini does, is this correct?

 

[sk8ordie]

If you get the mini, please report back on how it handles the video from your 5dmkII. I'm in a similar boat... about to buy a Canon 60d and need to update my computer... not sure if the mini is up to task. New minis are rumored as early as spring/summer and should have a spec bump with new intel chips.

 

[diamond3]

Honestly, I've been using Final Cut Pro X heavily the last few days with footage shot on a Sony HD video camera that uses miniDV tapes. I've got a 2011 13" i5 with 8 GB of ram. The one limitation with the macbook pro and mini is the lack of a dedicated graphics card. 8 GB of memory is an absolute minimum working with FCPX as well. If I were you I'd really consider getting a new iMac for several reasons. It has the dedicated graphics card instead of the integrated, and then there are 4 memory slots making it cheap to upgrade to 12 GB (adding 2x4 GB) compared to only getting 8 GB with the mini/mbp. 2x8 GB is running $120-160 vs 2x4 GB as cheap as $25. I know the $799 has a dedicated graphics card, I'm just not sure how capable it is compared to the iMac.

You can create optimized and/or proxy media to help with playback. My issues right now involve using a USB external HD. I'm kind of stuck in limbo right now deciding whether to upgrade to SSD or hold out and upgrade to a new 15" mbp when they're released next. Messing around with effects, motion etc really slow down the system. This could be do to the USB drive as much as anything, so take that into consideration.

 

[nateo200]

I have a 2010 13" MacBook Pro with 8gigs of RAM...I edit HD DSLR video from my Canon 550D so pretty much the same file size/type as you. I personally like to transcode everything to ProRes before I import but its not necessary as most say. I think the RAM upgrade really helps....FCP X can actually utilize all that RAM too which is nice.