Buy Final Cut Express?

Question

I have Mac OS X 10.5.8 and am considering buying Final Cut Express on Ebay. The Imovie on my system won't import the HDV from my new Canon HV40 Camera. and I have been told that Final Cut Express will work for me. Is this true?

Answer 1

Your Canon should wrok OK.
First thing to establish with HDV cameras such as the HV30 is what type of footage is currently being output from it.
That's because if the camera shot HDV it can be set to downconvert to DV in which case FCE should be set up to recieve DV or it won't work.
Start thinking about HDV cameras as a split personanity (two cameras), only one of the personaltities (cameras) will work with FCE at any given setup.
If as you suggest that your camera is outputting DV, then, the first step in FCE is to set the Easy Setup to match the output from the camera.
DV can be different flavours, 12 or 16 bit matching FCE Easy Setups 32 or 48 kHz respectively.
Also 4:3 or 16:9 matching FCE Easy Setups, DV or Anamorphic respectively.
Only one Easy Setup is correct, so you must know what is coming out of your camera.
The HDV/personality requires a completely different Easy Setup that matches, you will see these in the Easy Setup drop down list.
Here's the cruncher: If you have the wrong Easy Setup for the camera you will get a Cannot Initialize warning.
Easy Setups must be changed before starting a New Sequence/Project or the changes will not apply. Existing Sequences cannot be changed by selecting a New Easy Setup.
BTW: DV and HDV must be captured over firewire. USB with your camera will only transfer stills.
Al