Sony NXCAM Product Workflows in Apple Final Cut Pro 7
Table of Contents INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................1 HXR-NX5E and the NXCAM Product Line .....................................................................1 Flexible Selection of Recording Media .........................................................................1 Dual Memory Card Slots.................................................................................................
Sony NXCAM Workflows in Apple Final Cut Pro 7 INTRODUCTION The HXR-NX5E is Sony’s first NXCAM branded camcorder. This document explains how to edit video recorded by this camcorder using Apple Final Cut Pro. HXR-NX5E and the NXCAM Product Line NXCAM is Sony’s newest product line designed for professionals. NXCAM provides powerful features for professional video production, such as HD-SDI output, flexible media selection, and stunning AVCHD picture quality.
Sony NXCAM Workflows in Apple Final Cut Pro 7 HYBRID Recording with the Sony HXR-FMU128 The Sony HXR-FMU128, an optional flash memory recording unit specially designed for the HXR-NX5E, mounts to the camcorder without the need for any external cabling. Built around a 128 GB solid state flash memory drive, the HXR-FMU128 offers significantly longer recording time than a single memory card.
Sony NXCAM Workflows in Apple Final Cut Pro 7 Flexible Recording Format Selection HD (AVCHD) Video Compression ♦ FX mode (1920x1080 or 1280x720, 21 Mbps*) ♦ FH mode (1920x1080 or 1280x720, 16 Mbps) ♦ HQ mode (1440x1080 or 1280x720, 9 Mbps) ♦ LP mode (1440x1080 or 1280x720, 5 Mbps) *Including audio and ancillary data the total data rate is 24Mbps Frame Rate, 50i models ♦ 1080/50i ♦ 1080/25p ♦ 720/50p Frame Rate, 60i models ♦ 1080/60i (59.94i) ♦ 1080/30p (29.97p) ♦ 1080/24p (23.98p) ♦ 720/60p (59.
Sony NXCAM Workflows in Apple Final Cut Pro 7 Audio ♦ AC-3 only Recording Time Refer to the charts below to determine the approximate maximum recording time for each media type and quality setting.
Sony NXCAM Workflows in Apple Final Cut Pro 7 .MTS file This is the high quality AVCHD video stream data. During long recordings, the clip is automatically divided (spanned) into 2GB segments. Spanned files are seamlessly merged while transferring to Final Cut Pro via the Log & Transfer window. .MPG file This is the SD quality MPEG2 file. During long recordings, the clip is automatically divided (spanned) into 2GB segments. Note: Final Cut Pro does not currently support MPEG2 files in the timeline.
Sony NXCAM Workflows in Apple Final Cut Pro 7 Archiving Original NXCAM Media Final Cut Pro 7 imports clips from either memory card or HXR-FMU128 via the integrated Log and Transfer utility. Upon ingest, the camera-native AVCHD clips are automatically converted to a user-selectable Apple ProRes422 format, and spanned clips are seamlessly joined. Performing an archive of all camera-original material is highly recommended.
Sony NXCAM Workflows in Apple Final Cut Pro 7 KEY WORKFLOW FEATURES IN FINAL CUT PRO 7 Supported NXCAM Recording Modes The following NXCAM recording modes are supported: ♦ AVCHD: 1080 50i/60i/24p/25p/30p, 720 50p/60p System Requirements ♦ Apple OS X 10.5.6+ ♦ Apple Final Cut Pro 7 (included in Final Cut Studio 3.0 package) For more details about Final Cut Pro, please visit the Apple website. ♦ USB 2.
Sony NXCAM Workflows in Apple Final Cut Pro 7 Workflow Overview Creating a Final Cut Pro Project 12- Launch the Final Cut Pro application. 3- Save the Project to the computer hard drive. The standard location for this is in the /Users/username/Documents/Final Cut Pro Documents/ folder. During the Save process, change “Untitled Project” to something meaningful. 4- Verify the FCP Scratch Disk location and set according to your preference. Press Shift + Q to access this menu.
Sony NXCAM Workflows in Apple Final Cut Pro 7 Log and Transfer Overview Final Cut Pro requires that AVCHD clips be converted to ProRes422 QuickTime Movie files and copied (typically) to the designated Capture Scratch location. This is accomplished with Final Cut Pro’s integrated Log and Transfer tool. A brief overview of the interface is below. Log and Transfer provides native support for AVCHD without the need for any additional plugin software.
Sony NXCAM Workflows in Apple Final Cut Pro 7 As part of the transfer operation, Final Cut Pro 7 can use the embedded clip metadata to create custom file names. Custom names are typically more recognisable to the user than the NXCAM-generated file names. Custom names are set and/or selected via the Logging pane’s Name Preset drop list. Select a Preset from the list, or choose “Edit” or “New” to create a custom setting. The Naming Presets window will open.
Sony NXCAM Workflows in Apple Final Cut Pro 7 To create a custom preset, drag metadata labels from the “Include:” pane to the “Format” line. If the camera-original NXCAM file contains the corresponding metadata, the file name of the converted ProRes clip will be set to match.
Sony NXCAM Workflows in Apple Final Cut Pro 7 Importing AVCHD Data Files Using Log and Transfer Log and Transfer automatically scans for the presence of mounted card media (or the HXRFMU128), and displays clips in the Clip List. Additional AVCHD media folders (such as those created when archiving from card to hard disc) may be added to the Clip List by selecting the Add Folder button, located in the top left corner of the window.
Sony NXCAM Workflows in Apple Final Cut Pro 7 To create and import a subclip, do the following: 1234- Select a clip from the Clip List. Navigate the clip in the Preview Window. Set In and Out points. Click the Add Clip to Queue button.
Sony NXCAM Workflows in Apple Final Cut Pro 7 Sequence Preparation Although not mandatory, it is typically best to set the FCP Sequence Settings to match the clip settings associated with the majority of your media; putting less demand on the computer’s CPU and reducing rendering time. As mentioned in the previous section, NXCAM-native AVCHD files are converted to a user-defined Apple ProRes format during import.
Sony NXCAM Workflows in Apple Final Cut Pro 7 For 1080/24p media: For 1080/30p media: For 720/60p media: 4- If unsure of the proper settings to use, FCP will configure the Sequence automatically. For empty Sequences only, FCP analyzes the first clip that is entered in the Timeline and compares it against the current Sequence Settings. If there is a mismatch, the following will be displayed: In most cases, select Yes.
Sony NXCAM Workflows in Apple Final Cut Pro 7 Adding Clips to the Timeline There are a variety of methods for placing clips in the Timeline. For purposes of illustration, below are just a few methodologies: To add a clip to a Sequence without trimming, simply drag the clip from the Bin to the Timeline. To trim a clip prior to adding it to the Sequence: 123- Double-click on a clip in the Browser. This will load the media into the Viewer window.
Sony NXCAM Workflows in Apple Final Cut Pro 7 PROJECT OUTPUT The finished project may be output in a variety of ways. ♦ To Blu-ray™ Disc ♦ To a high quality movie file ♦ To an HDV video tape ♦ To an HD recorder via HD-SDI A general overview of the output process for each of the above follows on the next few pages. For more detailed information, please refer to the Final Cut Pro 7 Operations Guide and/or the Operations Guide for the specific output device or interface.
Sony NXCAM Workflows in Apple Final Cut Pro 7 Blu-ray Disc 1- Select File > Share. The Share window will open. 23- Choose “Blu-ray” and check the “Create Blu-ray disc” option. 45- Insert a blank BD-R/BD-RE disc into the drive. Confirm the Output Device and other settings, as appropriate, for the project. Click Export.
Sony NXCAM Workflows in Apple Final Cut Pro 7 High Quality Movie File Export Final Cut Pro supports the creation of high quality movie files in QuickTime format, as well as movies compatible with the iPod and YouTube. 1- Select File > Share. The Share window will open. 2- Choose “Other” from the drop-down list. The Setting window will open. 3456- Select an appropriate preset, then click OK. If the selected preset includes any options, set the check boxes as required.
Sony NXCAM Workflows in Apple Final Cut Pro 7 HDV Video Tape Export 12345678- Connect an HDV deck to the computer with an i.LINK® cable. Select File > Export > QuickTime Movie. Choose an HDV preset from the Setting drop-down list. Specify the destination folder and output file name. Click Save. A Final Cut Pro movie file will be created in the HDV format. Create a new sequence in the current project. Import the created movie file to the project. Drag the movie file to the timeline.
Sony NXCAM Workflows in Apple Final Cut Pro 7 Output to an HD Recorder via HD-SDI Final Cut Pro is compatible with several series of HD-SDI card interface cards, supporting high quality output of the project timeline to an HD deck, such as XDCAM HD®, HDCAM® etc. The procedures for output vary with the specific interface product installed. Please refer to the operations guides of the specific interface product and/or the Final Cut Pro Operations Guide for detailed setup and operational procedures.
Sony NXCAM Workflows in Apple Final Cut Pro 7 NOTES © 2009 Sony Electronics Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Sony, NXCAM, DVCAM, XDCAM HD, HDCAM, Memory Stick PRO Duo, Memory Stick PRO DUO HG, Blu-ray and i.LINK are trademarks of Sony. HDV and the HDV logo are trademarks of Sony Corporation and the Victor Company of Japan. CompactFlash is a trademark of the CompactFlash Association.
