Wrapping Canon XF MXF for editing in Final Cut Pro

The most significant difference between Canon XF models and their current competitors is the use of Canon's MPEG-2 codec with a data rate of 50Mbps and 4:2:2 colour sampling. However, if you are the user of Canon XF series (Canon XF100/XF105/XF300/XF305), you will encounter the problem while importing Canon XF .mxf videos to Final Cut Pro 7/X.

Q1: I got Canon XF105 recently and it output MPEG-2 MXF files. I tried to import the MXF videos to Final Cut Pro 7, but it did not recognized. Any suggestions?

Q2: I am working on a project shot on the Canon XF300 and want to import into Final Cut Pro X and I know that the Canon MXF Codec isn't supported in FCP X so what is best way to import the XF MXF footage without losing quality of the HD 1080 25p footage?

To fix the incompatible issues above, here offers 3 easy solutions with handy tools for Mac users to make Canon XF MXF compatible with Final Cut Pro 7/X:

Solution One. Use Canon XF Plugin for Final Cut Pro – Free

Canon has introduced Canon's XF Plugin for Final Cut Pro along with the Canon XF Utility. This is a plug-in software for Final Cut Pro. This plug-in allows you to use the Log and Transfer function to edit movies captured with the XF camcorders. Later, it also developed Canon XF Plugin for Final Cut Pro X, wihch is a plug-in software for importing media from compatible XF and Cinema EOS cameras XF305, XF300, XF105, XF100 and C300 directly into Final Cut Pro X.

Users of Final Cut Pro 7.0.3 and later can use it to playback movie clips in all movie formats supported by the compatible models, and to download native or Apple ProRes 422 files. For Final Cut Pro 6.0.3 to Final Cut Pro 7.0.2 users, it is possible to playback all movie clips and download these files in native or Apple ProRes 422 format (excluding files recorded in 50 Mbps (4:2:2) 1280×720/30P, 50 Mbps (4:2:2) 1280×720/25P, and 50 Mbps (4:2:2) 1280×720/24P modes).

Download Canon XF Plugin for Final Cut Pro | See workflow

Solution Two. Install Pro Video Formats– Free

Pro Video Formats will appear as a software update in the Mac App Store if you downloaded your version of Final Cut Pro, Motion, or Compressor. When you download the update it will automatically install the following items:

• MXF Reader for importing
• AES3 Audio Codec
• MXF Export including AVC-Intra
• Compressor settings for exporting MXF files

After installing, you can create more custom Share settings for MXF export using Compressor.

Get Apple ProVideo Formats | See workflow

Solution 3. Free Try Canon MXF to FCP Converter for Mac

If the Canon XF plugin cannot be installed or Pro Video Format do not work properly with some .mxf clips, Dimo Video Converter Ultimate for Mac will be another third party piece of software that you might try. It is highly recommended on many forums.

With it, you are able to wrap Canon XF MXF to FCP native supported Prores. mov format for importing to Final Cut Pro. It supports all MXF recordings shot by Panasonic P2 camcorders, Sony XDCAM camcorders, Canon XF series camcorders, JVC camcorders to formats compatible with your video editing software like Final Cut Pro (X), FCE, iMovie, Avid Studio, Adobe Premiere, After Effects, DaVinci Resolve, iPhoto, Kdenlive, Keynote, etc. Windows version also prepared the Prores codec and other friendly codec for Windows Movie Maker, Sony Vegas, Pinnacle Studio, etc.

Besides, it also provides simple editing functions for you and allows you to set the video/audio output parameters to get customized video effect. High quality conversion with zero quality loss, unmatchable converting speed, humanized feature design, user-friendly interface and simple operation, all these are reasons why this MXF Converter for Mac worth a try.

Try before you buy with a free trial, you can benefit from the paid version – $45.95 for Registration:

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So, what does the workflow look like?

Step 1: After the installation of the Mac MXF to FCP Converter, you can launch it and import your Canon XF MXF files copied from computer to it by clicking "Add file".

Step 2: Click on "Select Format" and you will get a dropdown menu and then select "Format > Editor > Final Cut Pro X or Final Cut Pro 7, if you give the priority to the quality of the output videos.

In addition, the excellent MXF converting tool has Final Cut Pro native profile with five types of ProRes codecs- ProRes 422, ProRes 422(LT), ProRes 422(HQ), ProRes 422(proxy), ProRes 444.

About Apple ProRes:

ProRes 422 (Proxy): For craft editing or offline editing on a MacBook or MacBook Pro.
ProRes 422 (LT): For projects such as news, sports, and multicam events that require reduced file sizes at broadcast quality.
ProRes 4444: For compositing and digital workflows that require the highest-possible image fidelity.
Apple ProRes 422 (HQ): This codec preserves visual quality at the same high level as Apple ProRes 4444, but for 4:2:2 image sources, and offers visually lossless preservation of the highest-quality professional HD video that a (single-link) HD-SDI signal can carry.
Apple ProRes 422: This codec offers nearly all the benefits of Apple ProRes 422 (HQ), but at 66 percent of the data rate for even better multistream, real-time editing performance.

Step 3: Click Edit button and you can deinterlace Canon XF 1080i MXF footages for FCP via clicking "Effect" tab and choose "Deinterlace" in the Video Editor interface.

Step 4: Click "Start" button to start the Canon XF MXF to Apple ProRes for FCP conversion with the best MXF Converter for Mac OS X. When conversion complete, you can get the .mov videos from the output folder by pressing "Open".

Then it's available for you to import Canon XF MXF to Final Cut Pro on Mac for further editing without any trouble. I can't do much to help you here, though it'd be good if you're new to study up on how to use the program.

Kindly Note:

1. To get a perfect output video for editing in FCP, please click the Setting icon to do some audio/video settings. This converter allows you freely change the video and audio parameters as you need, of course, it can keep the original quality for editing. Here you'd better set the video frame rate as 30fps, video size as 1920 * 1080 to keep the best quality. (For original 50i/25p MXF video, frame rate should be in 25fps.)

2. If you are FCP X users, before you try to do the conversion, don't forget to make sure that you have installed the Apple ProRes Codec manually since the FCP X asks users to install it by themselves.

Compare the 3 Solutions of importing Canon XF MXF to Final Cut Pro

Extend Knowledge

1. Exporting - Important Step After Editing

Exporting the final product can be tricky, and no one seems to be able to give advice properly. So don't listen to them; listen to me!

Your best friend is going to be the "Share" feature. Especially if you've done any effects work on your project, do NOT export a Quicktime master file and then compress it later. Instead, use the Share feature in order to allow the encoder access to the raw pieces of your edit, saving a generational loss.

Before we export, let's open up the Compressor app and set up the settings we'd like to export to. In the bottom left window, you'll find presets for Compressor to encode to. You'll probably want to design your own, to specify what you want your end result to be. You should also save the audio preset, configuring it for what is appropriate for you.

• After completing your video editing, open Final cut pro window.
• Go to "File" option on the option Bar.
• Then go to "Share" option.
• Then select "Master File".
• A small window will appear on the screen with Option "Info" and "Setting".
• After clicking on "Setting" a menu will appear, you can select format for your video.
• After this again go to "File" option and then go to "Share" button.
• Click on "YouTube" to upload and get and output file simultaneously.
• Sign In to your YouTube account by Clicking on "Sign In".
• Then go on the "Next" button.
• On next window Click on "Publish" to upload your video.
• Open YouTube directly into your web browser.
• Get signed in to your account of YouTube.
• Go to "Upload" button and click on "Video Manger".
• Here you can see your video being uploaded.

After taking its required time according to file format, your video will be on YouTube.

More Related: Steps to share FCP videos to mobile devices | Steps to make ISO from Final Cut Pro videos

2. Final Cut Pro supported media formats

FCP supported video/audio formats are the necessary thing you need to know. See the list below:

That's all. Have a good nice.

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