Mixing footage of different formats, different camera makes

I have a colleague who wants to mix footage of different formats, from different camera makes. I recommended against it but, I have a feeling he thinks I'm making up the rule. Can anyone point me to some authoritative sources on this standard.

It's pretty much common sense, really. Ideally you'll want to use identical cameras with identical settings. You can get away with certain differences, but those differences will add varying degrees of difficulty to your wok flow. Here's the priority you should be working towards.
1. Same model camera, with all settings identical.
2. Same resolution, frame rate and format, but different model cameras.
3. Same resolution and frame rate, but different formats.
4. Same resolution, but different frame rates.
5. Different everything.

Similar Messages

Can FCPX cut together footage from different cameras/recordings?

I used to use Sony Vegas, but I switched to Mac recently (so I have no experience with Final Cut in any form) and I want to know if FCPX can do something that I found tricky in Vegas.
I'm a drama teacher, and we often video productions and exercises from multiple angles, either two (or more) cameras on the same event, or more often one camera in different positions with the event repeated.
Can FCPX easly allow the different camera angles to be cut toegether? Or is this the "missing multicam feature" that I keep hearing about?
Yes, I am new to Final Cut, no I am not a "noob", yes this is a genuine question. If FCPX cannot do this, what is a recommended alternative?

Yes, Final Cut Pro X can handle footage from a variety of cameras and formats, all in one timeline. You can choose upon Import to transcode or optimize the files (this will create new versions that will play better within Final Cut), but I have personally begun using it WITHOUT transcoding (I'm approaching FCPX as a Beta Tester with actual projects that I am working on for clients while I learn the software). In the future, I will probably tinker with using transcoding and optimizing, but for now I am primarily working with footage from an HDV camera and footage from an AVCHD camera.
You can sync them up in a project and edit them. Yes, the MultiClip function from FCP7 is MIA for now (Apple has officially stated it will be added back in later). I personally only used multiclip on certain productions that used more than 3 angles. If it is just 2 or 3 angles, FCP X will most likely work fine. It isn't as time-efficient as using multiclip, but I found multiclip to be lacking when it came to using different formats.
I just finished editing a 2-camera wedding ceremony in FCPX. After the initial learning curve, I appreciated FCPX ability to scrub video and audio easily in the timeline (it felt way more efficient in identifying immediate cuts like camera position movement, zooms and pans to new framing, etc.) Once I figured out its differentiation between the "Primary Storyline" and Grouped Clips and Compound Clips (all new to me in this version), I kind of liked it.
The short answer to your question is...FCPX will probably suit your needs based on the projects and workflow I've used and what you are working on based on your description. I also shoot weddings, drama productions and graduation ceremonies, which are my primary events. FCPX I believe will suit my needs just fine.

SHOOTING COMPATIBLE FOOTAGE WITH DIFFERENT CAMERAS SONY VX2000 & CANON H1

I have an event happening Saturday with footage being shot on several Sony DCR VX2000 cameras and a Canon H1. I am concerned about how to properly set up the cameras so the footage is compatible and will play well together in FCS2. We will be shooting in SD mode (4:3) but I am confused with 30i 60i and 29.97. My understanding is that the Sony shoots 30i at 29.97 fps but have read there is no such thing as 30i? I have read the Canon specs and they state 60i at 30 fps. Just want to get it right. Thanks.

Thanks David, I guess there is a 30i in some prosumer models like the VX2000. I read the manual and it speaks to the progressive frame mode taking a full frame every 1/15 of a second... from that I get 30 interlaced frames per second.
Can anyone offer suggestions for integrating 30i and 60i DV footage? Also, if a camera is in NTSC DV SD mode at 30i or 60i, will this be at 29.97 dropframe? One site states 30F another states that 30 is actually 29.97.
Will 30i and 60i footage work together in FCP2? What about 30F and 29.97?

Mixing Footage shot on Wide Screen Camera with Non

Dear All
Firstly, thanks for your help and apologies for posting perhaps an amature question on this forum.
I'm trying to create a sequence which is using footage which was shot on two cameras. One wide screen, and one normal. As you can imagine, when it flips to the wide screen footage there are the black marks top and bottom. Question is, can I confert the wide screen footage to standard?
Many thanks
Al

Use the same tool I recommended to this guy, the DVCPRO HD FRAMERATE CONVERTER:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1437829&tstart=0
See if the tutorial link works for you.
Shane

I am trying to edit footage in PE12 from 2 different cameras and the output looks terrible

I am trying to edit footage in PE12 from 2 different cameras. One is a canon HD video camera taking AVCHD at 1440x1080 at 29fps. I am also using a canon 70D DSLR taking a MOV at 1920x 1080 at 29FPS
I want to make a 2 camera angle video. When i import both videos into PE12 and edit them together (i am dropping in footage and editing them back to back on video/audio 1) and start rendering, the output video is horrible. there are no straight lines and its blurry. the source video looks great...I am wondering if the difference in size of the 2 videos are messing up the project. is there anything i could do to make the final video look better?
I am very new at using this program and any information would be helpful...
thanks in advance,
jason

jason
Both 1440 x 1080 HD anamorphic 16:9 (pixel aspect ratio = 1.33) and 1920 x 1080 16:9 (pixel aspect ratio = 1.0) have the same
display, that is, 1920 x 1080. Whether you use a project preset for either, the space established by the project preset in the Edit area
monitor is 1920 x 1080 for editing. So, we achieve the goal of a 1920 x 1080 Edit area monitor space in selecting the project preset cited
above, that is
NTSC
DSLR
1080p
DSLR 1080p30
On the export side of things, it has long been suggested that 1440 x 1080 HD anamorphic content be exported with preset for 1920 x 1080 16:9
instead of 1440 x 1080 HD anamorphic 16:9 since both give the same display (1920 x 1080) and the choice 1920 x 1080 16:9 avoids the use of
a format that depends on a 16:9 flag to stretch the 1440 x 1080 for display after encoding. The latter has implications regarding issue of the player and recognition
of the 16:9 flag.
So, we should be OK on the import and export choices.
What about what happens between import and export. You wrote
I tried this solution and it seemed like it helped at first but when the final project was done, it looked bad again.
How did the final product look bad....was it the 1440 x 1080 HD anamorphic 16:8, the 1920 x 1080 16:9, or both that presented poorly in the export
which I am assuming was Publish+Share/Computer/AVCHD with Presets = MP4 H.264 1920 x 1080p30?
Depending on your further details, I have some suggestions for the Timeline content prior to export to file.
Please review and consider.
Thanks.
ATR

Importing and editing footage with two different cameras

I am editing a film that has footage caught and imported from two different cameras. Some of the footage is from a handheld HD camera that I have worked with before and use an "Easy Setup of Apple Intermediate Codec, 29.97 fps, HDV Apple Intermediate Codec 1080i60." I want to add some video footage that I shot with my Canon Rebel t2i. I searched a number of threads and concluded that when working with a project shot with the t2i, I should have the the Easy Setup be "HD, 29.97fps, DVCPRO HD 1080p30" (side question: is this correct?). My question is when starting a project where I will be using footage from both cameras, what Easy Setup should I use and is there anything else I should keep in mind?

Shane-- Thanks for the willingness to help. I am in Helena, but travel all over the state for work--I am a fly fishing and bird hunting guide who likes to do some amateur filming and editing on the side. Love Missoula, Bozeman, Flathead area, etc! And since you are willing to be so helpful, I guess I should start with a go Cats!
I am brand new to FCP, having previously worked a fair amount with FCE4. I actually do have FCP 7 and work with it on my Macbook Pro. My handheld camera is a JVC Everio that captures in AVCHD (1920x1080). I had my Easy Setup in FCE4 as Apple Intermediate Codec. If I use footage from this camera in FCP7, should I continue to do this?
So not only am I new to FCP7, but I just bought the T2i and really am not totally sure what I am doing yet. I just got the Canon EOS Movie Plug-in and modified it according to some threads I read so that it works for the T2i. I also found directions on the Canon website on the proper way to Log and Transfer for T2i footage (side question: can I dump the files off my T2i onto an external HD and then Log and Transfer them into FCP7 from the external, and is there anything I need to know about when doing this?)
So now that you know that I am very knew to FCP7 and the T2i, maybe I should start from scratch. When I log and transfer, what format should I use when I transcode? ProRes 442? And then, however you suggest I should transcode, what should my Easy Setup look like for footage from the T2i?
Wow, if you are still reading at this point, and I haven't exhausted you with all of my questions and naivety, my final question is...once I have become comfortable with importing and editing footage from the T2i, what should I do if I want to log and transfer and then edit footage from both cameras? Do I need to change the Easy Setup? Do I need to make other changes?
Thanks again in advance for all of your help and patience!!!

Footage of different formats on one timeline; also different frame rates

I need to edit footage of different formats on one timeline. The end product will be compressed for the web so I do not need to be working in HD.
I have been using the timeline settings for DVCAM (720 x 480) Anamorphic.
I have broll footage shot and captured at 960 x 720 59.95 FPS DVCPRO HD 720p60
And Interview footage shoot in DV Cam -- 720 x 480 29.79 Dv/DVCPRO – NSTC
When I put the HD footage on the timeline and render it, it appears to be in fast-forward – as if I adjusted the speed of the clip. I am wondering if it is caused by the difference in frame rates and also what I can do about it.
Thanks!

The main bulk of your footage is DV and DVCAM, with some B-roll at DVCPRO HD, and you need to deliver HDCAM? Then you either need to have a dub facility use a Terranex to upconvert all the DV to DVCPRO HD, or you need to invest in a Kona 3 and use that to upconvert your footage to DVCPRO HD...and also use that to output to HDCAM.
Shane

IPhoto suddenly doesn't seem to recognize my camera, and essentially freezes. The only thing that makes sense is that another person in my house imported using a different camera and that changed things somehow. Ideas?

iPhoto suddenly doesn't seem to recognize my camera, and essentially freezes. The only thing that makes sense is that another person in my house imported using a different camera and that changed things somehow. Ideas?

Hi There!
The camera is a Panasonic Lumix. I don't have a USB card reader. I did try and different port although not a different cable.
I did remember one additional thing. I plugged my camera in at work to a PC. It was after that, when I came home, that the iPhoto wasn't working when I connected my camera to our iMac/iPhoto at home. I think this may have caused the problem.
Cheers!

How to make a single multi-view clip from different cameras?

Hi,
I recorded one conversation between two people with two different cameras (i.e., a camera per person) and I'd like to create a single video clip where the two clips from the two cameras are positioned side by side, i.e., one clip of the two people talking. I tried creating a Multicam clip but I didn't see an option to export the sequence as a single clip (also there was no option of how to place the clips which suggested that Multicam clip may not be the solution for this).
Is there a way to do that in Final Cut Pro X?
Of course, this would also involve synchronising the two clips based on the audio waveform and then detaching the audio from the non-master clip.
Any advice and recommendations will be highly appreciated.
Cheers,
Katya

This may be helpful.
Russ

Using 3 different cameras on one project ?

Help me understand some things here. I am a little confussed about the p's and i's and mixing them in FCP X .
I primarily use 3 different cameras.
1) Canon MK 5 D MK II at h.264 at 1920 x 1080 29.97 fps or 23.976 fps I assume this is shot progressive, I can't tell from QT 7 inspector.
2) GoPro shooting h.264 at1920 x 1080 P 30 NTSC according to the camera instructions.
3) Sony SR 12 AVCHD at 1920 x 1080 60i according tho the camera manual.
My question boils down to how to handle the 1080 i footage? If my final product is both a DVD and upload to a web host service like vimeo or Exposure Room and UTube.
For the Internet I would export through the share > "X" or share> export movie and convert to 1280 x 720 p and then upload to site. In both cases the 1080i would be deinterlaced.
For DVD I would share> export movie and not convert. The conversion to SD woud be done by the DVD buring software.
In this case what happens to the various formats ? Is the progressive converted to interlaced or is the interlaced converted to progressive.
Should I maybe deinterlace before importing ?
What does my project properties have to do with all of this ?
Any insight would be appreciated.

Apple don't like this.
The simplet method would be to:
1) Make both iPods "enable disk use"
2) Plug in her iPod
3) iTunes will probably ask if she wants to delete all of her songs and replace them with your library, select NO.
4) Open the iPod in Windows Explorer
5) Simply drag & drop the chosen songs from your library onto the iPod in Explorer.
Hope all goes well. Click the relevant box above to let other users know if this post is "Helpful" or has "Solved" the problem.

Totally confused about mixing videos with different field orders.

I have PPcs5 on the pc.
I edit for many different shooters. As such I get everything: Progressive, upper field , lower field . Not to mention from a zillion different cameras & different resolutions.
I output 95% so far to dvd ntsc, 5% BR.
I get dv tapes on some & HD files also.Many times I get a mixure of both on each job. Also Iphone HD files too. Going crazy trying to fiquer out how to set up my sequence when I have upper field or progressive by themselves & also when they are mixed with lower field dv foot...Do I force everything into a lower field seq if going to dvd?
Do I have to deinterlace anything?
If I drag a clip to the new "create seq" icon, it will match the clips properties but is that correct if its a progressive only project or an Upper field project going out to dvd ntsc?
Do I need to RT click on the clips in the project window & "interpet Footage" & force it into a lower field there 1st? Is there a difference between setting up a seq to be played on a progressive DVD player hdmi to a prog TV as apposed to setting up a seq for a non hdmi or non progressive tv?
Does outputting to dvd automatically force it to lower field ?
If my seq isnt set up correctly I notice a big interlace problem when the cams pan from side to side, especially when there are multiple cams with different field orders. Have been unable to find any good discussions or articles on the topic.
How do you guys do it without going crazzzzzzzy?Are there rules? What are the rules? A rule book would really help:-) I Yern for the old DVCAM/DV days:-)

DV is always lower and HD is upper or progressive.
As you are having all fields in one timeline i would make it progressive.
Premiere does a good job in deinterlacing.
Only use Interprete footage when the footage is interprete wrong.
Set up a progressive timeline and drop everything in it. If a clip does not behave correctly you can change fields in the Field Options.
Export from Premiere and import into Encore. That is what i would do......

Two different Cameras premiere E4 questions

Please help! I recorded my friends band and I used two different cameras to do the recording. One stationary recorded a wide shot of the band and the other mobile I had with me. I used the mobile one to do closeups then used the audio and video from the wide shot and did clips of just the lined up video of the mobile one. It looks great! So what is the problem. Well a couple things, I am using Premiere Elements 4. How do I save this project at a high resolution for the web (YouTube) also how do I save it to burn it to DVD?
Finally the really tricky question, the one camera was shot in widescreen format the other full screen. I would like to be able to crop and enlarge the full to make it a wide. I don't want to make the wide a full if I don't have to, because it will crop out band members.
(I don't really understand the whole picture/pixel/ratio thing)
Keep in mind this was my first shot at something like this I am trying to get down the actual technical process and I have Ideas of how to approach the shooting aspect in the future to improve it. Any input would help. Here is the link to what I have uploaded so far: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfzjeHwKf38 I don't get why it is so small with crappy resolution, in premiere Elements it looks good. And here are the specs on the cameras:
Fuji Film Finepix S1500 (moving Camera)
Movie recording
640 x 480 pixels, 30 frames/sec. (I had it set to this one)
320 x 240 pixels, 30 frames/sec.
With monaural sound (Sound wasn't used)
* Optical or digital zoom function can be selected during movie recording.
Movie:
AVI (Motion JPEG) with sound
Audio
WAVE format, Monaural sound
Canon Mini DV ZR900 (Still Camera)
Digital Video
Standard Definition or High Definition
Standard Definition
Power Consumption
2.3 W
Image Sensor
1/6" CCD
Total Pixels
Approx. 680,000 pixels
Effective Pixels
tape: 16:9 - approx. 360,000 pixels (ADV.Z off)
16:9 - approx. 450,000 pixels (ADV.Z on, wide)
16:9 - approx. 360,000 pixels pixels (ADV.Z on tele)
Tape Format
MiniDV
Maximum recording time
SP: 80 min.; LP: 120 min. (80 min. cassette)
Lens
Zoom Ratio 41x Advanced Zoom
37x Optical / 2000x Digital
Focal Length f = 2.6 - 96.2mm
Zoom Speed Variable / 3 Fixed Zoom Speeds
Max F/Stop f/2.0 - 5.2
Focusing System
TTL (through the lens)

For YouTube settings, I'd go to the FAQ sub-forum, found on the right-hand side of the main forum page. There are suggestions there. Note: YouTube will re-encode whatever you upload, and they change their requirements monthly, if not sooner.
Now for the Widescreen vs Standard question. I assume that you used WideScreen, when you set up your Project. Is that correct?
First thing that I would look at would be to use Interpret Footage for the Standard Clips. Do one first, and choose 16:9 in Interpret Footage. How does this look? Only you can make that call.
If the band looks too fat, then we'll move on to Plan B. Go to one of your Standard Clips, and Select it. Go to Effects, and then Edit Effects. Look for the fixed Effect>Motion. Twirl it open and then go to Scale. Increase this, until the Frame fills the width of the Frame. This will also effectively Crop the vertical. If you need to alter how that Crop is seen, go to Effect>Motion>Position, and move the Frame up, or down to suit.
Good luck,
Hunt

Using a different Camera

I want to use a different camera to take a picture in Photo Booth. I connect the camera and the mac recognizes it. I can download pictures but I want to take a good quality picture with the effects. Any ideas?

Hello again, dumbo275
Thanks for letting us know you found the info above helpful.
You probably cannot (or, at least, should not) disconnect your built-in iSight. Here are some alternatives that you can consider.
(1) Unless you are an Apple Service Technician, trying to disconnect your internal iSight will likely void any warranty or Apple Care. Even worse, you might damage something while trying. There are no user serviceable parts for iSight. If you decide that you want your built-in iSight disconnected, see your Apple Authorized Service Provider. He can disconnect it for you in such a way that it could be reconnected should you eventually want to use your built-in iSight again.
(2) Rather than disconnecting your built-in iSight, you could use the instructions in this article to disable it. (It is generally a bad idea to move, modify, rename, or delete any item outside your User > Documents folder unless you are an experienced OS X user.) Once your built-in (USB) cam is disabled, Photo Booth can use your Firewire cam. Because removing the QT component file disables every USB cam connected to your system, this workaround is only useful for users who have an external Firewire cam. If you decide to use this method to disable your built-in iSight, be sure and keep the file in a safe place so you can put it back when you want to use your built-in USB cam again.
(3) If you do not need to make multiple pictures quickly, here's an alternative that does not endanger your Mac's hardware or software integrity. It doesn't use Photo Booth at all. First, make a normal image with the higher-quality camera of your choice. Then, if you used a digital camera, transfer the image to your Mac. Next, open the saved image and modify it using an image editing software application like PhotoShop (PS) or PhotoShop Elements (PSE) to simulate the Photo Booth effects you want. Although it is impossible to EXACTLY DUPLICATE a specific Photo Booth "effect", it is easy to use the various "Filters" and other menu commands in PS or PSE to make an image that most viewers would assume was made with Photo Booth. After a bit of practice, you can do this editing fairly quickly. Although never, of course, as simple as clicking the Photo Booth button, this approach may be worthwhile for those cases where Photo Booth image quality is inadequate for your needs.
EZ Jim
PowerBook 1.67 GHz w/Mac OS X (10.4.11) G5 DP 1.8 w/Mac OS X (10.5.1) External iSight

I would like to import two different cf cards from two different cameras into the same project/folder and have them be in order of the times they were taken, is there a trick?

I would like to import two different cf cards from two different cameras into the same project/folder and have them be in the order of the times they were taken, any ideas on how to do this?

Just import them normally and sort the project by date. They will fall into place. If you tried this and it isn;t happening then make sure the data and times on the two cameras are identical and make sure you are sorting by date and time and nothing else.

Comparing images from different cameras

I recently tried to compare images taken with a Nikon D300 (12.3 mgapixel-small sensor), D800 (36 megapixels-large sesnsor) and D4 (16.1 megapixels - large sensor) using the LR4.1 Compare function with not very satisfactory results (iMac 27, Lion). I took 4 images each of the same subject with a 60mm f2.8 Nikon lens on a tripod at F8, at 200,400,800 and 1600 ISO and imported the images into LR. Selecting images of the same ISO and using the Compare function, they all looked pretty much the same so I viewed them at 1:1 and 2:1 trying to get a closer look at the fine details to check for sharpness and noise. Regardless of how I cropped the images, I couldn't get any of them from the different cameras to be the same size on the screen in the closeup views. I presume the combination of sensor size and megapixel capture on the sensors caused this problem but I don't have the technical expertise to either understand (or care). Is there a way in LR to overcome these differences? If so, how? Thanks for any help.

Obviously, Lightroom was not designed to handle this specialized situation. This comparison would be a piece of cake in Photoshop (or Photoshop Elements or most any other true editor), but I cannot think of a way to make this happen in Lightroom.

Mixing footage of different formats, different camera makes

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