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Maxwell84
Participant
August 1, 2012
Answered

Import MXF file into premiere

  • August 1, 2012
  • 15 replies
  • 260404 views

Hi,

I'm using a canon XF100 and premiere pro CS5 on a Mac Pro.

I would like to know the best workflow so I can get footage from the camera, into premiere so I can start editing.

My attempts so far:

1. Importing the MXF file directly into premiere

Result: When dropping the clip onto the timeline, only the audio appears

2. Using XCam Transfer to import the footage and convert to .mov

Result: The audio and video appear on the time line, but the audio is shorter than the video and skips and jumps

Your advice and patience is greatly appreciated.

Maxwell

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer Ann Bens

    Canon mxf file import is not broken in 2015.

    Copy entire card to hdd and put the CONTENTS  folder in a folder of its own e.g. Video.

    Then import via Media Browser.

    Or use the XF Utility to export so single mxf files.

    15 replies

    Show previous replies
    J
    JerryAimee
    Participant
    January 23, 2014

    UFUSoft MXF Covnerter for Mac is the best software for you to convert Canon XF100 MXF to Adobe Premiere Pro CS5,CS6 for editing with pertect a/v sync,you can free download and try it.

    cc_merchant
    cc_merchant
    Inspiring
    January 23, 2014

    Who converts native format that can easily be edited in PR to some intermediate with whatever software, reducing quality, extending conversion time, increasing storage requirements when it is utterly NOT necessary? Something must be wrong here...

      Shao Lung
      Shao Lung
      Participating Frequently
      February 2, 2014

      I actually have a question.....something weird is going on. I have Adobe PPro CS6 and am having trouble with not getting Canon MXF files into PPro, but getting them imported as on clip. I have tried EVERY method available and discussed and they still show as multiple 5 minute chunks. Also, under properties, they are showing as "XDCAM-HD" movie dlips and not Canon MXF. They are all shot on one of my three Canon XF100's. All 1080p and 50MB/s rates. I use the project setting for Canon MXF 1080p 29.97. I have copied the ENTIRE contents of my memory cards to their own subdirectory(folder)on my RAID Capture drive. It does not make any difference if I use media browser or just file/import - they just will not be joined for editing (or even shown that way) by PPro. The reason this is such an issue is that I use PluralEyes to synch the mutliple angle shots, and though PluralEyes sees them as one clip, Premiere does not, and it is causing import audio/video editors on the clips lasting longer than 5 minutes.....there is no video or audio, and I believe it is because though PE is seeing the clip as one joined file, PPro is not. The only way that I have gotten PPro to see the files as Canon MXF is if I stick the Memory card itself in - and why would anyone ant to import or work with files directly on CF cards? Please, please someone help.

      N
      nission
      Participant
      September 25, 2013

      You need to convert  MXF to H.264 codec MOV format for using MXF files in Adobe Premiere, you can try freeware Handbrake, I have tested converting a short .mxf file to a .mov file using HandBreak. It works  well on quicktime and iMovie. Handbrake also supports to convert video all nearly all the formats. I think it may be your best selection for video converting.

      E
      excited_Genie16B8
      Legend
      September 25, 2013

      You need to convert  MXF to H.264 codec MOV format for using MXF files in Adobe Premiere

      That is simply not true.

      For starters, MXF is nothing more than a container.  Like MOV or AVI, it can hold quite a few video and audio types.  Unlike MOV (but like AVI), it is strictly a container format, and is not subject to being a 32 or 64 bit process, bugs, it doesn't need be installed or updated, or other irregularities.  Of the three, MOV is the worst choice for a container.  MXF is the best, and AVI second best.

      Having said that, what determines whether or not a particular MXF file will work in a specific version of PP is whether or not support for that video format is included in that version of PP.

      If you find that your version of PP doesn't handle that video, then conversion may well be in order, but another MXF, an AVI, or even an MP4 if using H.264, is a better option than MOV.

      H
      heypunk
      Participant
      August 10, 2015

      Hi Simon, I have the latest PP version on my iMac at home (my personal licence). Here at work i have a work licence for PP version 8.0.0. At home i have no issue for importing the Canon MXF files, but here at work i dosen't work. I can't import the files. I get a file Import Failure message saying "File format not supported".. Du you or anyone else have any suggestions?

      W
      waynewhite1
      Participant
      September 25, 2012

      In order to import MXF to Adobe Premiere Pro CS5/CS4, you can convert MXF to MPEG-2 HD or MP4 HD to import to MXF Premiere Pro CS5/CS4 for edit. Here is a step-by-step guide:

      http://www.techisky.com/how-to/convert-mxf-to-1080p-720p.html

      Ann Bens
      Community Expert
      Ann BensCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      August 1, 2012

      The camera comes with the XF utility program.

      Have you tried that to get the files on to the computer.

      I am on windows and no trouble editing the files.

      D
      DaveTrayers
      Participating Frequently
      August 1, 2012

      There are two ways I have been successful:

      1. Copy just the MXF files from the memory card to the computer and import those files into your project.  PPr will create PEK files, but not conform them.  You will have to arrange them manually (join the spanned clips yourself).  Even with this method the audio sometimes disappears and you have to restart PPr to get it back.
      2. Use the Canon XF Utility to create a single MXF file of your spanned clips on the memory card and import the new file into the project.  PPr will create a PEK file and not conform.  I have not lost the audio with this method (yet).

      I prefer method 2 even though it takes a little longer to create.  I can name the file to whatever I want.  Keeping all the spanned clips straight with the default camera naming scheme is difficult sometimes.

      Regardless of the above methods, once I have the video arranged on the timeline, I'll render and replace the audio.  It's another added step, but it guarantees the audio won't disappear.

      E
      ExactImage
      Participating Frequently
      August 1, 2012

      We run with multiple XF100 cameras ona regular basis (on both Mac Pro and Windows).  Here is what I do.

      1) Copy the ENTIRE card to a folder of its own.  We tend to name them XF1, XF2, XF3 but you can call them what you want.

      2) In the Premiere Pro media browser navigate to where these folders are and choose one of the folders.  The thumbnails should appear in the media browser and you simply select them and drag them to the project window. 

      Job done.  Premiere Pro will correctly join all the clips where required, so you only have as many clips as the number of times you hit record.

      Now drag them to the sequence and go.

      It's a while since I used CS5 (we're now on CS6 via CS5.5) but I don't recall having any problems.  Make sure you updated to the latest version of CS5 though because I do recall an early bug where MXF files caused Pr to eat up lots of memory.

      UlfLaursen
      UlfLaursen
      Inspiring
      August 1, 2012

      Hi Maxwell

      There has been reportet audioproblems reg. MXF-files here:

      http://forums.adobe.com/thread/1022632?tstart=0

      Apparently Adome is working on a fix.

      If you copy the content of your memory card onto your harddrive before you import it, be sure to copy everythning in the same folder structure, to ensure correct import.

      Have you tried the media browser inside Premiere or just the import command?

      /Ulf

      al_bergstein
      al_bergstein
      Inspiring
      September 25, 2012

      I am on W7  64, have both an xf305 and 105 and no problems importing mxf into Pr 6. I believe you may need to upgrade to 5.5 to solve the problem, as the 300 came out about the time of 5.0. They worked on 5.5 with no problems for me.

      Once there, You can use the backup function in the utility or Export to MxF which allows you to rename the files in batch mode and export w/othe file structur. Much more useful!

      I think, it seems to me that the Mac platform is having more problems than Windows, but it's only a guess.

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