Fujifilm X-T3 Premiere Pro Not Importing HEVC H.265 Files

[matthewuscenes]

When I try to import the .mov files into the latest version of Premiere Pro it only imports them as audio files...

I'm shooting in 4K UHD, 24FPS, 10 Bit 4.2.0 HEVC 265 HLG at 200mbs and I have also tried 400mbs

I upgraded to the latest version of PP today.

I did a search and people either recommended using Media Browser to import video clips, which worked for some people but not me, or transcoding the files which I am not prepared to do, as they import fine into DaVinci Resolve.

Is there any support for this type of footage or do I need to use Resolve? The threads I saw were in April so this isn't a bug to report.

Please help.

[Sumeet Kumar Choubey]

Hi matthewuscenes,

Sorry to hear this. Please right-click the imported file in the Project panel and select Properties. Let us know if you see any video properties listed (like Image Size, Frame Rate). This will help us in isolating if the file is just getting imported as audio or if it's getting imported properly but not generating the preview. Please also let us know the exact version number of Premiere Pro that you are using.

Thanks,

Sumeet

[grantnz1111]

Hi. I'm using PP 2022 Version 22.4. I have to transcode my XT3 footage. Currently into QT- Apple Prores 422. Problem is, a 1GB file takes ages to transcode in 'Me' and ends up around 3-4-5GB. What would you recommend I use that won't take hours or sometimes overnight to transcode my footage and file sizes that are close to the original file?

[trashcaneron]

What is your computer spec? RAM, Hard Drive, GPU? 

Shouldn't take ages. How long is your file? 

You will not get file sizes close to your original size. HEVC is compressed and tiny. 422 is less compressed. You should get an external hard drive if you neeed more space! 

[grantnz1111]

Macbook pro 16" 2019

2.3GHz 8 core i9

32 RAM 5500m * GFX

and ext HD

[trashcaneron]

Just finding this thread. It is an Adobe problem. It runs fine in Resolve. If you want to use it in Premiere / After Effects, you have to transcode it first using AME or Resolve. Though: I'm not sure exactly why but AME takes 2-3 times longer to do the transcode process. It really creeps so much more slowly. 

Something about the HEVC 4:2:0 coming from the Fuji XT3 doesn't play nice with Adobe + Mac OS. Stutters and struggles. Even if you convert directly to HEVC you end up with functional material (though HEVC is not a good edit codec, it does playback properly). Point being, I believe that the HEVC coming out of the Fuji universe is some kind of sub-codec that is decoded differently than the HEVC that does decode properly in the adobe universe. I see no reason why Adobe can't decode this file format. It absolutely should. 

I've been using Resolve just to do the transcode and it works great. BUT note that you seem to need the studio version if you're shooting above 3840x2160 16:9. I made the mistake of shooting 4096x2160 17:9 and am now stuck with transcoding everything in media encoder which as I've said above, is 2-3 times slower. 

It's fairly consistent that AME is the slowest conversion tool and I'm not exactly sure why. Handbrake, Resolve and even good old FFMPEG are better. I think AME uses FFMPEG so that's confusing, too! Though I don't want to use something like Handbrake to do my Apple Pro Rez conversions (if it even has those capabilities). I'm wondering if it's getting to be time to fork over the dough for Resolve studio, or try out compressor which has the added benefit of HEVC + Alpha. Alternatively, AME could step up it's game. 

[trashcaneron]

Just a quick note here. In Big Sur, the files playback in finder and in Premiere. Some sort of system wide change. 

I'll check conversions shortly, but good to know there's a decent foundation finally.