I've read everywhere and can't seem to find a way to split the files:

I'm on a MAC
I've used the MVCtoAVI (files are huge - 53 MB converts to 3 GB x 2)

Please help, I have a shoot coming up.

Thanks,

Tony

I am not aware of a splitting tool for the Z10K. Maybe there is mvctoavi only, beside the converter below.

For the size - seems to be that you work uncompressed. Maybe it would be possible to use other codecs? Maybe the now free Canopus HQ codec - now also available for the Mac?

You need to generate a free account, to get the codec package there:

Login | Grass Valley (http://www.grassvalley.com/support/downloads/products?product=&download=626)


If you would have at least an older version of Grass Valleys Edius or Neo, you could also use the AVCHD file conversion utility of Grass Valley - but that needs one of the versions in your system (Edius v3 or Neo v1). This utility can converge s3D files to L and R, both to mpeg but also the Canopus HQ and HQX codec.

There's no real workflow for the Z10000 natively on the Mac (or any camera using MVC) at the moment.

Choices for handling MVC are basically Sony Vegas or Edius 6.5 both of which are Windows 7.

I use Edius 6.5, running Win 7 under Parallels 7 on an iMac and it's excellent. Edius is a wonderful editor, fast and stable with great native stereo editing capabilities. I went with it originally just to be able to split my Z10000 footage for use in FCP7 but after 5-6 months I have to say I don't use FCP anymore except for legacy projects, I do everything in Edius. I'm just discovering it's colour grading capabilities at the moment, which approach DaVinci resolve in some respects. Superb software and it's not expensive.

Hope that helps

Neil

Guys, thank you very much for your feedback!

People keep mentioning the files as MVC, but mine are MTS.... am I doing something wrong?

Thanks

Tony

There is another option... GoPro Studio Pro or Premium ($299) will transcode the MVC files into Cineform.

Cineform opens up a world of options, such as:

1. You can move to a deeper color space (http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/cineform-software-showcase/506809-how-i-clean-video-cineform.html) for color grading without the level crushing that typically happens w/ 4.2.0 color.

2. You can work with the muxed 3D files in any 2D workflow

Are you saying that the GoPro Studio will take my MTS files, then I can export the Left and Right eye files?

I've tried the trial version and I have not been able to get it to take my MTS files.

Thanks

Tony

Are you saying that the GoPro Studio will take my MTS files, then I can export the Left and Right eye files?

I've tried the trial version and I have not been able to get it to take my MTS files.

Thanks

Tony

Requires the Pro or Premier version of GoPro Studio to read MVC files. You can get 30 trial versions of either one @ cineform.com. I'm not suggesting that you transcode yet again, however. I'm suggesting that you stay in Cineform 3D muxed format for your entire workflow, until final render.

I just tried several times to import and it quits every time.

I open the app
Click add files
Locate my AVCHD folder with my files
Click open
Then it quits each time

Help?

Tony

Guys, thank you very much for your feedback!
People keep mentioning the files as MVC, but mine are MTS.... am I doing something wrong?
Tony
Nothing wrong, Tony. It's just a combination of overlapping terms. Had me confused for awhile, too.

MVC is the Multi-View Codec, which allows L/R views to be muxed into one stream.

The stream itself is an MPEG Transport Stream, or .mts for short. Some cameras also use .m2ts, which is an MPEG-2 Transport Stream. But they're still MVC.

Are you saying that the GoPro Studio will take my MTS files, then I can export the Left and Right eye files?

I've tried the trial version and I have not been able to get it to take my MTS files.

Thanks

Tony
The nice thing about Cineform is that it has a muxed L/R schema, as well. You don't need to do the splitting stage, at all, but rather just go from one muxed stereo file to another one, the latter which can be edited in FCP and elsewhere. This can help in terms of avoiding the eyes getting out of sync with each other, which is probably the single most painful stereo error.

The normal GoPro studio is only designed to work with files from the GoPro cameras. As David pointed out, you have to go with the Pro and Premiere suites to work with MVC files.

I can't thank all of you enough for all your help.

After discussing this with a Cineform rep, here is my workflow for using the files on a MAC:

1: Capture
2: Put card in SD slot
3: Open Cineform Studio PREMIUM
4: Click import new files
5: Locate the FOLDER on the card - AVCHD
6: Click open
- Cineform will add all 3D footage -
7: Click "add clip to conversion list"
8: Click "convert"
9: Click on File, Export to .mov - There you can select Current Eye (Right Eye)
10: Transcode all exported files with MPEG Streamclip to prores 422
11: Open FCPX and drag all those transcoded files to the event
12: Start editing with Dashwood's LE plugin

I tested this and it works perfectly, and I can work solely on my iMac

Cheers,

Tony

Or you can drag it all into Edius on an iMac and do it in one step with no transcoding ;)

Just kidding. Glad you got a flow sorted, it is useful to know you can do that with Cineform Studio, which I have anyway for the GoPro3D. And it's free of course...

Cheers

Neil

After discussing this with a Cineform rep, here is my workflow for using the files on a MAC:
10: Transcode all exported files with MPEG Streamclip to prores 422
I was following your workflow up until this point, but there you lost me. As I understand it, one advantage of Cineform 3D is that you don't have to transcode. Cineform is a wrapper for containing the original file, and making it editable as an .mov (or .avi, if you prefer).

But if you transcode at this point, with MPEG Streamclip, then you lose all metadata, and you lose the advantage of a muxed file. Whereas, if you remain in Cineform, you should still have all camera metadata, keep L/R views muxed, and lose no quality to transcode. And, you should be able to edit the Cineform files in FCP, without any problem.

David Cole works in Cineform a lot; hopefully he can weigh in.

it is useful to know you can do that with Cineform Studio, which I have anyway for the GoPro3D. And it's free of course...
Unfortunately, I don't think it is free. The free software, as I understand it, only works with original GoPro footage. You have to spend a cool $1G to get the Cineform Premiere, which is the software that will do all the above with MVC footage.

Premium is $299 Cineform (http://cineform.com/products/gopro-cineform-studio-premium#features)

I was following your workflow up until this point, but there you lost me. As I understand it, one advantage of Cineform 3D is that you don't have to transcode. Cineform is a wrapper for containing the original file, and making it editable as an .mov (or .avi, if you prefer).

But if you transcode at this point, with MPEG Streamclip, then you lose all metadata, and you lose the advantage of a muxed file. Whereas, if you remain in Cineform, you should still have all camera metadata, keep L/R views muxed, and lose no quality to transcode. And, you should be able to edit the Cineform files in FCP, without any problem.

David Cole works in Cineform a lot; hopefully he can weigh in.

I bought the premium version, and I think the pro is the one that does what you say. I didn't feel like shelling out another $600 to gain the features you mentioned.

Honestly, I have little idea of what I'm doing. I'm a 2D guy and took this project because a client asked me to... so I bought the camera with no idea how to process the files. I will say, the Z10000 is a very capable camera, and the auto features will carry me through the learning curve.... Oh, I've had the camera for a whole week and I'm flying out for my first paid shoot on Monday. That gives me the weekend to do a crash course.

Cheers,

Tony

The most important point with he Z10K is to be aware what you do with the convergence control.

There are two possible ways: you adjust the convergence to the object - so choose object convergence. If the objekt is near and the farpoint is far away, shooting with a low convergence number could mean that the disparity in the farpoint becomes too huge. The danger for that can be high if you go to low figures like C10 or even below.

The other way would be - and tends to give you more freedom in the postproduction - to shoot with parallel axis. You can do that with the Z10K, by adjusting the convergence manually to C99, even if that will need some croping in the postproduction.

The format depends on the presentation target. For 3D-Blu-ray it is the best to shoot in 1080 24p, since the other modes cannot be authored to 3D-Blu-ray without conversion. For other presention ways it could be possible to shoot in 1080 50i/60i too.

I'd also throw in avoid playing with the telephoto - try and work with the lens as wide as possible and move the camera not the zoom. When you zoom in you reduce your stereo depth and everything starts to go all flat and cardboardy.

If you're new to it you can avoid a lot of editing headaches by *not* getting carried away with the convergence control - cutting between shots with wildy different convergence is not for the faint hearted so either go easy or shoot parallel as Wolfgang suggests.

In Cineform's product grid (Cineform (http://cineform.com/product-grid)) they say the MVC support is Windows only. Have they since added that support for Mac?

I checked with the folks at Cineform re MVC support on Mac. Interesting results. On a Mac, only Panasonic is supported, and that's only in progressive modes. On Windows they support both Sony and Panasonic. No JVC support at all currently.

I'm not seeing that ANY MVC support is offered on the Mac version of GoPro Studio Pro (or Premium) at the moment. I'm using 1.2.0.127 (latest released version) of GoPro Studio Pro Mac, and it does NOT import native files from the Z10K... I think supports the dual-stream Panny AG-3DA1.

Since MVC isn't working in the Mac version yet, the good folks @ Cineform provided me a long-term trial license on the PC version. Works PERFECTLY with Panny Z10K and Sony HXR-NX3D1.

I bought the premium version, and I think the pro is the one that does what you say

Tony - both Premium and Pro support MVC, but, only the PC versions at the moment. I suggest using a trial of a PC version for now. If you ask nicely, Cineform might give you a long extension on the PC trial of GoPro Studio Premium, as you are already an owner of the Mac version.

... Export to .mov - There you can select Current Eye (Right Eye)


I'd certainly consider NOT transcoding again back to a DCT-based codec like ProRes! Finish in Cineform... it's a GREAT codec.

All, thanks a lot for all the replies.

I just flew back last night from a shoot out of state, previewed the footage in anaglyph on the hotel's tv, and I love it!

Upon getting home, I hooked it up to my 47" Passive, and it's even better!

The only thing I need to do in my next shoot is lock in the white balance, but I can fix this in post this time...

Keep the suggestions coming, I greatly appreciate any advice I can get.

Tony

So... I shot some footage, loaded the card in my MAC, clicked import, and GoPro quits.... I haven't done anything, but now it doesn't work. I updated the app, and same thing.

I am so F***ing sick of apple not getting on board with the latest cameras (Canon 6D for example), I am about to throw all my MAC's out the window!!

So I'm back an square one!!!!

Any advice would be great. I've had it and hope I never shoot 3D again!

Sorry to hear you're having a rough time, Tony. Wish I had some advice for your workflow.

I definitely agree about the Mac/PC question. I've been Mac my whole computer life, but stereo has convinced me to move over.

So... I shot some footage, loaded the card in my MAC, clicked import, and GoPro quits....

MAC version still does not have native MVC support. I'm guessing you don't have a PC available or you would be using the Panasonic app to split the files. Hopefully, GoPro Studio 2 will fix this.

If it's just a few shots you need converted, contact me @ dc@next3d.com and I'll use GoPro Studio PC to mux them for you.

-- David

After some time with the GoPro people, they realized that they gave me a faulty app... it's fixed now.

MAC version still does not have native MVC support. I'm guessing you don't have a PC available or you would be using the Panasonic app to split the files. Hopefully, GoPro Studio 2 will fix this.

If it's just a few shots you need converted, contact me @ dc@next3d.com and I'll use GoPro Studio PC to mux them for you.

-- David

David,

Thank you for the offer to help. I didn't see your post till now.

I have a few hours of video to convert, and I doubt you'd want to convert it for me -> :-)

Tony