"Hi, I'm using Sony SLT-A57 footages on a MacBook Pro. I need to upload these videos to iMovie so that I can edit them later. But it seems iMovie does not like to work with my videos, I think I'm just missing something that is pretty simple. Can anyone help?
As the successor to the SLT-A55, the Alpha SLT-A57 includes advanced features such as translucent mirror technology, a 16.1 MP resolution and BIONZ processor, 12 fps continuous shooting, Full HD movie at 60p (50p) and the world's first Auto Portrait Framing. With the DSLR, you can record 1920 x 1080 pixel movies at either 60 or 24 fps (50 or 25 in Europe).
However, here comes the problem. The AVCHD codec allows people save large extraordinary videos without quality loss, but the output video size is pretty large correspondingly. It's not easy for permanent preservation. Meanwhile AVCHD is not a Mac friendly video codec, and the .MTS format is not support by many nonlinear editing programs on Mac, such as Final Cut Pro, iMovie/Final Cut Express, Avid Media Composer, etc. What's more, iMovie can't import 60p AVCHD footage from Sony A57. What should we do to make Sony A57 AVCHD footages working with iMovie/FCE on Mac?
Since iMovie/FCE work best with Apple Intermediate Codec, the easy workaround to upload Sony A57 60p AVCHD footage to iMovie or Final Cut Express is to convert A58 files to AIC MOV. Using third-party software like Brorsoft AVCHD Converter for Mac (free, clean and safe to install and use), this can be done effortlessly. Below is how:
How to transcode Sony SLT-A57 (60p) AVCHD footage for iMovie/FCE
Step 1. Connect your Sony SLT-A57 to Mac and turn it on; launch Mac Sony MTS/M2TS Converter, click top left two icons to load your footage.
Tips: This program supports batch conversion, so you are allowed to add multiple files to convert at a time. Meanwhile, if you wanna combine multiple MTS/M2TS clips into a single AIC encoded .mov file, you can put a checkmark in the checkbox "Merge into one file".
Step 2. Click on the dropdown menu of "Format", and then follow "iMovie and Final Cut Express” > “Apple InterMediate Codec (AIC) (*.mov)".
Tip - You can Click “Settings” button, then you will enter the following interface, on which you are allowed to customize size, bit rate, frame rate, sample rate, and audio channel to your required ones.
By the way, the Mac AVCHD Converter also supports output Apple ProRes format for using in Final Cut Pro, you can visit how to convert AVCHD footage to Apple ProRes 422 encoded files for Final Cut Pro to learn more.
Step 3. Finally, press the big "Arrow" button to start the Sony A58 to iMovie conversion process.
When the conversion is finished, you can click "Open" button to get the generated AIC .mov files ready to be imported into iMovie. You're done.
Related Guides: Convert Sony 60p/50p AVCHD to Avid Media Composer
Panasonic1080 60p AVCHD and FCP workflow
Converting Sony 60P MTS files to edit in iMovie
How to ingest Sony 50p/60p AVCHD footage to Premiere Pro
Great articles and for more deatils about AVCHD conversion, you can go Aunsoft MTS/M2TS Converter for Mac
ReplyDelete. Good luck!