How to Import and Edit a 60i video to Final Cut ProX

Question

Hi Final Cut ProX community,
I just recently purchased a Sony HDR - JP650V Camcorder which shoots 24p, 60i and 60p. I've been shooting long video's and the only frames per second I can use is 60i for this specific camcorder.
Recording mode
Recording time
HDR-PJ650E
HDR-PJ650V/ PJ650VE
[60p Quality ]/ [50p Quality ]
2 h 30 min
(2 h 30 min)
2 h 15 min
(2 h 15 min)
[Highest Quality ] 60i /24p
3 h
(3 h)
2 h 40 min
(2 h 40 min)
[High Quality ] 60i/24p
4 h 5 min
(4 h 5 min)
3 h 40 min
(3 h 40 min)
[Standard ] 60i
7 h 15 min
(5 h 30 min)
6 h 30 min
(4 h 55 min)
[Long Time ]60i
12 h 30 min
(10 h 15 min)
11 h 15 min
(9 h 15 min)
I've been trying to shoot in 60i and then import it to Final Cut Pro X and edit it for YouTube but everytime I import it the inspector tells me it's a 1440x1080 | 29.97 fps. I know I have the camera set to [Long Time ]: 1440 1080/60i quality, AVC HD 5M (LP).
How can I get Final Cut ProX to recognize the 60i fps when importing the video vs the 29.97 fps?
Reading some forms and being new to the video world could this be because of the i stands for "interlacing" which is 30 fps x 2, so FCPX only registers 30 (29.97fps).
Could that be the issue?

Answer 1

Brandon,
I also use Sony's HDR-PJ50V camcorder to record seminars at remote locations. These seminars are four days long, with some presentations lasting up to 1.5 hours or more.
Each evening, I back-up the days proceedings to an external hard drive.
I record in the 60i mode as it only takes up half the cameras hard drive space. The photos and videos that I use for my outros are recorded in 60p and appended to the end.
I export video to QT7, process it in Compressor, and send to YouTube. See the excellent link below.
I also drag the QT7 file to Toast for DVD burning.
http://vimeo.com/27929472
Also see this YouTube link, especially the the 60p ending.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEVwOv6d5RA&list=UUpqHQ2t8Q1AQWO64ljNwn_g&index=7