How to Transcode Sony PXW-FS5 4K XAVC/AVCHD for iMovie/FCE/FCP Editing

Diana Joan

Sep 29, 2015 05:01 am / Posted by Diana Joan

Sony has just announced the PXW-FS5, the latest addition to its rugged range of professional camcorders with superior creative features and flexible shooting. The camcorder is equipped with 11.6million pixel Super35 Exmor™ CMOS Sensor, enabling 4K XAVC long GoP high-definition video and AVCHD recording. Mac users who are going to get PXW-FS5 will care about the possibility of editing Sony PXW-FS5 4K XAVC AVCHD video with iMovie, FCE, FCP on Mac OS X.

Sony PXW-FS5 to iMovie FCE FCP

It is well know that AVCHD is not an ideal editing format for most NLE editing programs, most program does not support the AVCHD 1080 60p format. As for 4K XAVC format, you will need to download complex plug-in software to assist you to import XAVC video to NLE programs. To edit 4K XAVC/AVCHD on Mac smoothly, the best workaround is to use a comprehensive video conversion application to convert PXW-FS5 XAVC/AVCHD to professional editing program most compatible format or codec.

Pavtube HD Video Converter for Mac (Top 5 best video converter for Mac) is the powerful application that's specially designed for Mac users to encode Sony PXW-FS5 4K XAVC/AVCHD to iMovie/FCE/FCP preferable editing codec with no quality loss. You can use the program to export Apple Prores for Final Cut Pro 6/7/X, output Apple Intermediate Codec(AIC) for iMovie or Final Cut Express editing, DNxHD for Avid Media Composer, etc.

How to transcode and import Panasonic PXW-FS5 4K XAVC AVCHD to iMovie/FCE/FCP?

Step 1: Add Sony PXW-FS5 4K XAVC AVCHD video files.

Launch the program on your computer, add PXW-FS5 4K XAVC AVCHD files to the program by clicking the "Add Video" or "Add folder" button.

Add PXW-FS5 4K XAVC AVCHD video

Step 2: Choose output file format.

From "Format" drop-down option, choose the output format according to your own preference, for iMovie or FCE editing, select "iMovie and Final Cut Ex..." > "Apple Intermediate Codec (AIC)(*.mov) to output, for FCP editing, choose "Final Cut Pro" > "Apple Prores 422(*.mov)" to output.

Set output file format

Tips:
1.When converting video to Final Cut Pro oriented format templates(e.g. Apple Prores), please ensure that your computer has Final Cut Pro installed, otherwise the converted files will have audio only without image.
2.If you are using FCP X, please make sure you have installed ProApps QuickTime Codecs, or you may get files with sound only without video.

Step 3: Customize output video and audio settings.

Open "Profile Settings" window to adjust output video and audio parameter settings according to your own preference. For smooth workflow of PXW-FS5 4K XAVC AVCHD video with NLE programs, you are recommended to downscale 4K XAVC video to 1080p from "Size(pix)" drop-down selection.

Downscale 4k to 1080p

Step 4: Start the conversion process.

After all the setting is over, go back to the main interface and hit right-bottom "Convert" button to start Sony PXW-FS5 4K XAVC AVCHD video to iMovie/FCE/FCP conversion process.

When the conversion is completed, following the guides below to import Panasonic PXW-FS5 4K XAVC AVCHD video to iMovie/FCE/FCP individually.
How to media files to iMovie?
Import Video Files to FCP X and Log & Transfer Files to FCP 6/7


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