Should I back up my original MXF files?

[Scott Hepler]

I have a Canon XF300 and it creates a MXF file format on CF cards. When I import those files through FCPX they are stored on a external HD and then I copy everything once a week from there to another off-line HD. FCPX converts those files to .mov files. I was wondering if I need to save those origional MXF files for any reason. Are they of higher quality, or down the road if FXPX changes will I get better quality from those original files? I don't know technically if they are different than the imported .mov files.

Thanks

Scott

[Eric Olson]

Originally Posted by Scott Hepler

I was wondering if I need to save those origional MXF files for any reason.

I always save the camera files. Your camera and all the other XF100's and XF300's ever sold will always produce the same MXF files. The next generation of software will surely read the files made by these popular cameras. However, the next generation of software may not read all intermediate files produced by older versions of even the same software.