Hi,

After a discussion last night on editing Canon 5D Mark II movies, I converted a short movie (180 MB) from native (H264) to Apple Prores 422 using Quicktime player. The transcoded movie (no compression, 10 bit:4.2.2) ballooned to 6.1 GB (roughly 30x file growth).

I want to do movie editing in Final Cut Express. But I am concerned about the file size growth and whether any reasonable movie can be edited on 'normal' computer equipment. I am using a Mac Pro quad 2.66 with 10 GB RAM. Hard drive space is 1 TB+.

Are there any other converters (open source rather than FCP's Compressor) that will yield smaller files for editing? Also, will the software just spool the excess to disk as needed. My prior video experience is slight.

Bob

You are going from a fairly compressed format, H264, to an uncompressed format, thus the huge change in size
There is little need to export as Uncompressed 422 video unless you are doing major manipulations and/or intend using the footage in broadcast. This format will also make your editing particularly cumbersome. Try exporting using the AppleProRes 422 (not HQ) codec at 1920 x 1080. This should result in easily handled files in FCP Express, no loss of detail and the size will be about 5 x the originals.

Hi Bob,

just to confirm what Chris was saying, the non HQ version is a lot smaller than the HQ version and is virtually indistinguishable, here is a link that provides some info and testing on prores that might help.

http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/app..._a_closer_look/



Cheers John

My suggestion is Mpeg Streamclip

http://www.squared5.com/

Excellent utility, free, allows batch processing, converts to and QT codec you have installed - I convert directly from the card to the computer - 1 step

It is the front end workflow for my 5DII movie work - indispensable.

All the best,

Michael Schoenfeld

Michael,

What settings do you use for Streamclip?

I'm looking at doing some basic editing in Adobe Premiere Elements 7

thanks!

Stewart

Prores is NOT uncompressed.

Hi Chris,

A follow up to our discussion yesterday.

Attempts to install the Apple Quicktime Prores decoder 1.0 from dmg file failed on all four drives in my Mac Pro. This was not a surprise as the decoder codec was present in QT 7.5, according to Apple. I am using QT 7.6 (472). This decoder install failure was expected.

To verify video functioning I changed video cards from ATI 3870 to 1900. Same result - expected. The video card is not the problem. The ATI 3870 is an aftermarket card while the 1900 is Apple sourced. Drivers for both cards are present in 10.5 and later.

My QT Export options window shows a variety of codecs. Prores 422 is not among them. To verify that my system was not behaving erratically I installed the AVID codec. The codec list in QT Export added the AVID format options. I have attached the screen capture as Picture 1.

MPEG Streamclip has a more extended list of available codecs when exporting to QT. I have attached the codec list as Picture 2.

It appears that there is no way to get the Prores 422 or Prores 422 HQ codec into my machine except by buying FCS 2 or later. I cannot find a source of the codec or of Compressor 3 available on the web.

I am not sure how you got the codec onto your Macbook Pro except by using FCP. Is there another codec (preferably one from the Streamclip list) that you can recommend for editting 5DII files in FC Express?

Obviously the No Compression, 10 bit 4.2.2 codec is not an option.

Thanks for spending the time yesterday. The Epson sessions were generally excellent.

Bob

You could try Apple's Intermediate Codec. I have used it with some success as an editing codec going from HDV when mixing in other formats. Try a short piece and check the quality carefully.