XF Utility: What's the use with FCP?

[Erik Norgaard]

Hi:

Got a chance to play with the XF Utility and the FCP plugin. With the plugin, is the utility really of any use? For what I've learned, I have to go through the log&transfer step regardless, and any meta-data that I might add is not readable from FCP. Also, FCP allows me to backup the flash card either to a folder or create a disk image.

One thing I haven't tried yet is log&transfer of clips that are split in multiple files or even on two cards. How does FCP handle this, or do I need the utility in these cases?

Thanks, Erik

[Philip Lipetz]

Without the utility you have to go to each clip folder, load the clip, change it to a mov, and load it to FCP individually. A real pain.

[Erik Norgaard]

Originally Posted by Philip Lipetz

Without the utility you have to go to each clip folder, load the clip, change it to a mov, and load it to FCP individually. A real pain.

Well, no, that's actually what I found out. When the plugin is installed you got to Log & Capture and import the clips to the scratch disk. FCP will do all the file handling and renaming. By default it will convert to Apple ProRes 422, but you can change that too to keep it in native format. But you don't need the XF Utility (application) to import the clips.

Supposedly you can add more metadata using XF Utility, when that data is not readable from within FCP I find it of little use.

One thing I do have doubts about is if the plugin will join multifile clips.

And a related question: I've got a card reader but then I can only read one card at a time. If a clip is split on two cards will either XF Utility or the FCP XF plugin notice that and join the files?

Thanks, Erik

[Philip Lipetz]

the instructions say that it will join multiclip files, but I have not tried it.

[Reinhard Kungel]

Hi Erik,

you are right, there is no need, to use XF-Utility. But who knows, what format is common in 20 years?
Therefor I decided to go this way:

transfer clips with card-reader from CF-Card to Macbook-Pro on location via XF-Utility
transfer from same CF-Card onto a second harddisk (for safety-reason)

In Final Cut I´m importing this clips natively as mov.
So I have booth: original MXF-Clips + native movs.

Maybe it makes sense in 15 years to have booth, mxf and movs.

Unfortunatelly XF-Utility is not able to relink MXF-Data from other computers.
I don´t like to program at all, but I don´t see an alternative.

Reinhard

[Erik Norgaard]

1st: I just tried to fill one card and let the camera switch to the other, neither the Canon XF Plugin or the XF Utility join the clips when split across multiple cards, or I'm doing something wrong.

2nd, Reinhard: I like to avoid switching between applications, so, from FCP, Log&Transfer:

1. backup with either Archive to Disk Image or Archive to Folder
2. transfer to FCP project

I don't know which is better, Archive to Disk Image creates an image exactly as on the CF card, but being an image if there is a file corruption this affects all files. On the other hand, Archive to Folder, a disk error will only affect one file.

In FCP Log&Transfer, mounted disk images automatically appear, whether they are backup disk images, or mounted CF cards. Click that toothed wheel and you can add a custom path, I suppose to transfer from the folder you previously archived to.

I think, Archive to Folder is my preferred solution for backup.

BR, Erik