How to Import Canon XA30 video to Final Cut Pro for further editing

Summary: This article shows you the best workaround for editing Canon XA30 videos in Final Cut Pro by transcoding Canon H.264.mp4 to Final Cut Pro native editing format - Apple ProRes Codec.

Combining a compact form factor and professional video features, the Canon XA30 is well-suited for event coverage, wedding videography, independent and documentary filmmaking, and other applications that require a compact, professional camera. That new sensor makes both cameras portable and capable of capturing high-quality video in low light usage scenarios. Like the previous models, they record AVCHD or MPEG4 format video at resolutions up to 1080p and at frame rates of 24, 30, or 60 (23.98, 29.97, 59.94) fps.

However, when people try to import their AVCHD MP4 videos recorded from the Canon XA30 camcorder into Final Cut Pro for making some modifications before sharing with friends or family, they usually encounter the rendering problems. For example you may can import AVCHD files to timeline and play the video in real-time, but when you change the opacity or apply effects, you will notice the strange and it is rendering in FCP X. That's because MP4 encoded AVCHD video is highly compressed, good for transporting, but poor for editing. By the way, in order to play AVCHD videos on PC or mac smoothly, your processor must be very powerful. In a word, if you want to make a short film from AVCHD footage with Final Cut Pro and prefer fluent playback, you’d better to do some work in advance. Here is an easy way to solve this problem.

Here is a nice AVCHD Converter application named Brorsoft MTS Video Converter for Mac for you. The program converts AVCHD footage to editable formats not only for Final Cut Pro editing, but also for filmmakers and video enthusiasts to use in different NLE apps, such as Adobe Premiere Pro, iMovie, Final Cut Express, Avid Media Composer and more. Just follow the step-by-step guide below to get the work done smoothly.

How to convert AVCHD files from Canon XA30 for importing and editing with FCP X/7/6?

Step 1. Add Canon XA30 Full HD AVCHD/MP4 files to the program

Run HD Video Converter for Mac .As soon as its main interface appears, click the ‘Add Video’ button to import your source files into this program, no matter directly from your Canon XA30 camcorder/camera or load from hard drive.



Step 2. Choose the Output Format and Storage Path

Choose “Apple ProRes 422 (*.mov)” as output format from “Final Cut Pro” option as the best codec with editing AVCHD footage in FCP X, and meanwhile click “Browse” button to specify a destination folder for the final output files. The output file format will be preserved and recur as default settings automatically at next run.



Step 3. Change output profile parameters.

Click “Settings” icon to adjust audio and video parameter. You can change the default codec, bit rate, frame rate, sample rate and audio channel according to your needs and optimize the output file quality.



Step 4. Click “Convert” to start AVCHD to FCP conversion.

Once the conversion is done, you can click “Open” button to find out the generated files with ease.