AVCHD: benign PsF and malignant PsF

I hope this helps someone. I'm re-posting this from a thread I orginally began at a Creative Cow forum. The links are worth a read if you are using AVCHD especially from a recent Canon camcorder (it appears that the files from the Canon DSLRs are genuine 30p and don't have this issue). I shoot with the Canon Vixia HF S100.
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"I spent what may have been too much time last night researching this, but here's what I came up with:
Writer Allan Tépper has a series of articles on just this issue and it's essentially new info as of the last month or so.
In part 1 here,
http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/atepper/story/psf8217s_missing_workf...
...he defines two new terms, benign PsF and malignant PsF. It appears that most of the Canon prosumer video camcorders like my Vixia HF S100 create the "malignant" type PsF file. In a nutshell, the camera creates a progressive file, but mis-tags it so that even the most recent versions of PP 5.5 and FCP X mistake it as an interlaced file. Here's more from Allan on this:
http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/atepper/story/empsf8217s_missing_wor...
http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/atepper/story/psf8217s_missing_workf...
It's explained that this file must be modified slightly so that the editing program can correctly identify the file as progressive. Otherwise, FCP X will try to de-interlace a file that doesn't need to be de-interlaced and will ultimately result in unwanted artifacts and lack of sharpness.
At this point, there appears to be two solutions:
http://www.rassoc.com/gregr/weblog/2011/12/02/editing-canon-30p-pf30-footag...
Solution 1 for Canon PF30 - Malignant PsF- Simply import into FCPX twice:
-Use Import From Camera to import your footage into Event 1.
-Then, use Import Files, and import the files in Final Cut Events / Event1 / Original Media – and put them into a new Event 2.
Solution 2 for Canon PF30 - Malignant PsF- Use ClipWrap to pre-wrap the .MTS files and FCP X will recognize them as Progressive.
http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/atepper/story/psf8217s_missing_workf...
http://www.divergentmedia.com/blog/fullpost/announcing_clipwrap_244_update
I will likely go with the ClipWrap solution as the free solution is just too many hoops for me to jump through to get work done. Once I've gotten the PF30 file correctly tagged as progressive, I will set up my new Project as 1280x720 HD, 29.97p and get to editing."
================================================================================ ===========
I did end up buying the full version of ClipWrap yesterday and have started to re-wrap my files with the .MOV extension and it not only solves the PsF issue, but now allows me preview the files in QT 7, toss the not-needed files, and then re-name the needed files before importing into FCP X (which ultimately works better for my brain and workflow). Also, no more artifacts from my FCPX mis-interpreted 29.97p files. I have never been a big fan of the Camera Archive mess, so this also allows me to file away all my footage in a more understandable manner without having to first open FCP X.
Dave

Tom Wolsky wrote:
Rather than double importing why don't you just change the field dominance of the imported clips in the event.
Tom,
I didn't test it myself, but according to the 2 different article sources, it doesn't work correctly:
"When I was trying to find the difference between the first and second import, I noticed the second had the Field Dominance Override set to “Progressive”. Aha, I thought…one could simply change this setting on the original first-import footage, and it will be interpreted as 29.97p. And at first glance, it appears to work. However, if you take this footage and put it in a 29.97p timeline, it will have to render, and this should be unnecessary. Just using a second import step eliminates this problem."
http://www.rassoc.com/gregr/weblog/2011/12/02/editing-canon-30p-pf30-footage-in- fcpx/
I did try the double import method, but it was too much of a pain to plan to do for every file I need to use, so I ended up going the ClipWrap route. Although, Rafael Amador did bring up the same point about changing the field dominance at the CC FCPX Techniques forum. I would have rather not spent the extra money, but I'm glad I did for the improved quality and ease of filing original media.
Thanks,
Dave

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    Message was edited by: gvimuser

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  • AVCHD, Panasonic SD9, and Final Cut Pro FRAME RATE! crashing!

    Ok - I am still getting nowhere with hidef - esp AVCHD!
    I purchased a brand new iMac, totally spec'd out, AND Final Cut Studio YESTERDAY.
    I am trying to import AVCHD files - to no avail - crashes FCP.
    I tried the work-around of using Voltaic, which converts to the AIC, and when I import THOSE files the video shows as 10fps. I cannot seem to get the correct settings to get the video to play back up to speed. The audio sounds correct, but the video is in slow motion. Can someone help me figure out how to use $3,300 of a new computer and software -that I bought in order to use a $800 camera? Am I crazy or what?
    ALSO, iMovie 08 will NOT run AVCHD files - OR convert them, I tried, and that crashed TOO!
    Apple has let me down, even though their tech assistant was very nice on the phone - there is STILL no solution. I cannot use FCP OR iMovie. How ridiculous!
    HELP PLEASE!

    Thanks for your reply - but Perian 1.1 does not solve it at all - FCP still crashes upon attempting log and transfer..
    My system is this: 10.5.2 OS
    iMac 2.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
    2GB 800 MHz DDR2 SDRAM
    And I have TODAY'S latest version of FCP.
    Are you using the exact same camera? Or are you confusing it with the Panasonic HDC-SD5? I'm using the SD9 - tech support just sent me this article:
    Final Cut Pro, Final Cut Express: Unexpected quit with Panasonic HDC-SD9 AVCHD
    Thanks again - I sure wish I could use my 800$ camera and 3,300$ hardware and software!
    Best,
    Paul

  • Pre-purchase help – AVCHD/Motion JPEG and Panasonic TZ7...

    Having searched, I've found a number of posts (and an Apple KBase article) highlighting the "incompatibility" of AVCHD format files (.mts) with iMovie.
    I have been contemplating upgrading our compact "family" camera, and the new Panasonic DMC-TZ7 seems to fit the bill, as it appears to be the best 'hybrid' stills/video camera currently on the market (for me anyway). My old Fuji F30 had excellent low-light performance, so I was very interested in their latest F200EXR, but it's the added HD video capability (with zoom, stereo audio, wind-cut etc..etc.) on the Panasonic that wins it for me.....
    I've had a DV camcorder for years (several in fact), and have never really used them to capture the kids growing up liked I'd hoped – mostly due to the 'inconvenience' of having carry both a stills and a video camera, and it ends up only coming out for 'special occasions'. Needing to replace the F30 prompted me to re-visit the possibility of a hybrid camera, and to me, the spec of the recently released TZ7 almost makes it a no-brainer!
    I'm no stranger to video editing/encoding/transcoding etc.. (it's my day job!!), or creative apps (it's my night job!!), but as I can't get hold of a TZ7 in my local Jessops, I'd appreciate help from somone who has one.....
    My understanding is that AVCHD (Lite) support is currently flaky both in iMovie and FCPro. I was certainly unable to directly import one of the posted sample .mts movies, or view it in Quicktime without conversion (to be expected). Hopefully (presumably?), Apple will add this support in Quicktime at some point down the line, or Panasonic will make a codec/plugin available.
    Obviously, the AVCHD Lite files are going to be quite small, but the TZ7 can also record in a 'Quicktime friendly' Motion-JPEG format, 1280x720@30fps (albeit in a larger file size) which could either be viewed in the Finder, or ingested into iMovie or FCPro for editing as required.
    I'd really appreciate knowing:
    (a) what difference – if any – is there in the quality of the 2 formats off camera? and
    (b) what are the different file sizes for a minute recording (noting that AVCHD format can be at 17, 13 or 9Mbps).....?
    Hoping someone can help with this.

    I use two (fairly) similar Panasonic cameras with iMovie, and have no problems at all.
    One's the small Lumix LX2 (..and before that, the LX1..)
    and the Panny FZ28..
    I just take out the SD card from the camera and put that into a card reader, and import the images and movies into iPhoto. From there, I can import the movies into iMovie. Or I can just drag the movies off the card onto my Desktop, and then import from there into iMovie. (I find it's faster to read the images via a card reader rather than by connecting the camera(s) with their own special USB cord.)
    The movies from the LX1/LX2 aren't hi-def, but are perfectly acceptable - except when the 'digital' zoom is used beyond the limits of the optical zoom, and then the movies look rather poor.
    The FZ28 movies are hi-def (so-called) though only at 720p, not the "full-size" hi-def of 1920x1080. Nevertheless, they also look good.
    The feature which drew me to the Panny cameras is that they can shoot stills, and movies, in 16x9 (widescreen) format at a 30fps frame rate ..so they can be "mixed'n'matched" with material shot by 'proper' camcorders, if required.
    I'm in a rush at the moment, so I can't go into file sizes and all the rest, but you can download an instruction manual for the camera from the Panasonic website, and that'll list all the technical details you may want.
    I use 8GB SDHC cards in my camera(s) and that gives about 33 mins recording time with the FZ28 (depending on complexity of the scene, amount of movement, etc). In fact I've just shot a wedding with the FZ28, and that's come out OK! (..Though I've used iMovie09's video adjustments to brighten up some of the material shot in a darkish room ..the low-light performance of these cameras, for video, doesn't match a proper 3-chip camcorder like the Sony FX1, though low-light stills can be excellent at 1600 ISO).
    I haven't used the model you ask about - the TZ7 - but it's similar in spec to the two (three) mentioned above which I have used.
    For your info, here's a short movie of material I shot with the LX2 and the FZ28, so that you can see what sort of quality they deliver: the image stabilisation's good, the video quality's good ..they're very good all-round performers for stills and video!

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