Correct workflow for C100 AVCHD at DVinfo.net

Alex Flowers · April 25th, 2017, 07:15 AM

I've just purchased a C100 after years of DSLR videography and I'm getting to grips with the new workflow. I'm a little confused by the AVCHD format.

Currently what I'm doing is connecting the camera to my laptop, dragging and dropping the AVCHD quicktime files from the SD card to the laptop.

Then I right click and select "show package contents", then right click BDMV and "show package contents".

Finally I go into STREAM where I find my video files and then drag those out onto my desktop. These files are in .MTS which I'm not familiar with before. Previously I would convert my files using mpeg streamclip into PRORES format - and this software doesn't recognise the .MTS format.

My question is: is this current workflow correct, and can I work with .MTS in Premiere or should I be converting to PRORES somehow?

Lico Francisco · April 25th, 2017, 07:48 AM

Depends what software you are using. Just put the SD card into a SD card reader and copy the whole folder. From their Final Cut pro X or adobe premiere will recognize it. as a whole folder structure. When I did used a C100 I never had problem with adobe or Final Cut to recognize the .MTS.

Dan Brockett · April 25th, 2017, 07:59 AM

What Lico said or get Clip Wrap and re-wrap them to Prores or DNxHD as needed.

Geoffrey Cox · April 25th, 2017, 11:45 AM

Yeah clip wrap - well worth the few quid it is. Either convert to Prores or just re-wrap as Quicktimes (Lightening fast in the software).

Jim Andrada · April 25th, 2017, 02:15 PM

Hi Alex

Welcome aboard.

The reason you wanrt to aim Premiere (etc) at the whole folder is that IF you have a long recording, the camera breaks it into smaller files, and will be a frame or two or so missing each time. There's an extra file in the folder that essentially has the missing frames. If you JUST copy the MTS files and put them together on the timeline there will be a bit missing. I think clipwrap etc will fix this (although I only record long form to an external recorder, so don't have the worry about this issue.) Just thought I'd provide a little info additional to the good suggestins folks have made.

Ben Moore · April 25th, 2017, 03:55 PM

Using the included "Data Import Utility" will also relink the smaller files of long record times making them one continuous file.

Jim Andrada · April 28th, 2017, 12:23 AM

Thanks Ben - good point.

Bob Drummond · April 28th, 2017, 07:22 AM

What Ben said. I use the data import utility on PC. I much prefer it to copying the folder structure of the SD card. The folders containing the video files are much less cluttered, long takes are merged into single files, and each file has a unique file name ( and you can rename them if you want).

If you copy the folder structure every single folder's video files will be named 0000.mts, 0001.mts, etc.

That could be a nightmare if you do a lot of projects.

April 25th, 2017, 07:15 AM	#1
Alex Flowers Tourist Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: London Posts: 2	Correct workflow for C100 AVCHD I've just purchased a C100 after years of DSLR videography and I'm getting to grips with the new workflow. I'm a little confused by the AVCHD format. Currently what I'm doing is connecting the camera to my laptop, dragging and dropping the AVCHD quicktime files from the SD card to the laptop. Then I right click and select "show package contents", then right click BDMV and "show package contents". Finally I go into STREAM where I find my video files and then drag those out onto my desktop. These files are in .MTS which I'm not familiar with before. Previously I would convert my files using mpeg streamclip into PRORES format - and this software doesn't recognise the .MTS format. My question is: is this current workflow correct, and can I work with .MTS in Premiere or should I be converting to PRORES somehow?

April 25th, 2017, 07:48 AM	#2
Lico Francisco Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Los Angeles, California Posts: 109	Re: Correct workflow for C100 AVCHD Depends what software you are using. Just put the SD card into a SD card reader and copy the whole folder. From their Final Cut pro X or adobe premiere will recognize it. as a whole folder structure. When I did used a C100 I never had problem with adobe or Final Cut to recognize the .MTS. __________________ Learning to become a better videographer.

April 25th, 2017, 07:59 AM	#3
Dan Brockett Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Los Angeles, California Posts: 2,109	Re: Correct workflow for C100 AVCHD What Lico said or get Clip Wrap and re-wrap them to Prores or DNxHD as needed.

April 25th, 2017, 11:45 AM	#4
Geoffrey Cox Major Player Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Huddersfield, UK Posts: 469	Re: Correct workflow for C100 AVCHD Yeah clip wrap - well worth the few quid it is. Either convert to Prores or just re-wrap as Quicktimes (Lightening fast in the software).

April 25th, 2017, 02:15 PM	#5
Jim Andrada Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Tucson AZ Posts: 2,211	Re: Correct workflow for C100 AVCHD Hi Alex Welcome aboard. The reason you wanrt to aim Premiere (etc) at the whole folder is that IF you have a long recording, the camera breaks it into smaller files, and will be a frame or two or so missing each time. There's an extra file in the folder that essentially has the missing frames. If you JUST copy the MTS files and put them together on the timeline there will be a bit missing. I think clipwrap etc will fix this (although I only record long form to an external recorder, so don't have the worry about this issue.) Just thought I'd provide a little info additional to the good suggestins folks have made.

April 25th, 2017, 03:55 PM	#6
Ben Moore Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Vancouver, WA Posts: 190	Re: Correct workflow for C100 AVCHD Using the included "Data Import Utility" will also relink the smaller files of long record times making them one continuous file.

April 28th, 2017, 12:23 AM	#7
Jim Andrada Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Tucson AZ Posts: 2,211	Re: Correct workflow for C100 AVCHD Thanks Ben - good point.

April 28th, 2017, 07:22 AM	#8
Bob Drummond Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 161	Re: Correct workflow for C100 AVCHD What Ben said. I use the data import utility on PC. I much prefer it to copying the folder structure of the SD card. The folders containing the video files are much less cluttered, long takes are merged into single files, and each file has a unique file name ( and you can rename them if you want). If you copy the folder structure every single folder's video files will be named 0000.mts, 0001.mts, etc. That could be a nightmare if you do a lot of projects.