Well, that depends on his workflow and other factors that we don't know about. It might be better for HIM but in general, it is not better for most people. I've been editing XDCAM since spring of 2006 and have never once used ProRes. It's a waste of time and storage space if you're shooting on XDCAM. ProRes was created for the benefit if people who don't have XDCAM.

The good news is that he won't do any harm to the footage by converting it to ProRes (assuming he does it properly). He will spend a lot of time doing it and he'll end up with files that a 2-3 times larger than the native XDCAM files. For what benefit? Probably none.

It's too bad he can't be bothered to learn the workflow, but that's his business. At least ProRes won't hurt your footage, and maybe for his workflow there is a reason to convert that we don't know about. I guess he doesn't have online access so can join DVi and discuss it directly, so let him do it anyway he wants. Just don't take anything he says about the workflow as fact. I guess that's my reason for posting. I don't care what he does, but I don't like to see misinformation about the workflow just hanging out there on the thread. The XDCAM / FCP workflow is excellent, and people can only mess it up by not following directions.

Hi Doug

is there a step by step guide that shows how to do it properly, so that I can get him up to speed for next time

I looked at several after google search but they all describe how to get the footage off the camera via Ilink and FAM mode

I can imagine that it is a similar simple workflow when compared to Windows, but I am green behind my ears when it comes to Mac so I can't advice him

This would be a good place to start.
I don't endorse everything it suggests, but like I said, it's a good place to start.

Sony | Micro Site XDCAM

thanks, I will pass it on