Support for Sony's new PMW-EX1

[stelch]

Hi
Do you guys know if VideoStudio11plus can support the formats new Sony PMW-EX1 is outputting?
I read that the Sony Clip Browser exports to .mxf files. Well are these .mxf files supported by Ulead VideoStudio11+ ?

Stelios

[Ken Berry]

It doesn't show up as one of the permitted formats in VS11.5+ -- unless the open-ended list of mpeg formats in VS's 'Insert media' will cover at least long GOP mpeg-2 wrapped in the .mxf container format which I understand is one of the possibilities with .mxf... But I am merely speculating here.

I had thought there were problems in uniformity in the .mxf standard with the two manufacturers I was aware of that use it (Sony and Panasonic) applying different parts of the standard and managing to produce .mxf files which were unreadable by the other... And I seem to recall -- though possibly a couple of years back -- that only the Avid editing program at the time could handle one or the other variety, though I can't quite recall which.

If you don't have VS11/11.5 yourself to be our guinea pig, hopefully someone else with the necessary camera might...!

[etech6355]

Yes, you can use some of the videos from that camcorder. It has a HDV compatibility mode. The highdefintion mpeg2 video can be used in VS.

That is a professional based camcorder. It shoots progressive / interlaced , a few selectable framerates & compression schemes.

Why on earth would you buy such an advanced professional camcorder and try to use a $99.00 consumer based video editing product
for that much money you should be able to negotiate a professional editing package in with the total price.

Buy a MAC with Final Cut Pro.
Your camcorder is simply to professional.

[stelch]

Thanks Steve and Ken.
Well at the moment I haven't got the EX1 yet. I am using the Sony HDR-FX7 but next year (if my part time videography goes well) I will purchase the EX1. From what I read is an excellent camera. Steve you are right about getting a more professional editing software but I really do like VS and its so easy to use. I am scared to venture in something more complicated. I tried Vegas 7 once and I found it very difficult to use. Perhaps you can suggest something for me to try that its easy to learn.

Stelios

[etech6355]

Steve you are right about getting a more professional editing software but I really do like VS and its so easy to use. I am scared to venture in something more complicated

I'm not Steve.
I assumed that if you knew how to use a pro cam like that you would expect VS to be able to handle all it's formats.
Especially if you shoot in one format and want to put the videos onto dvd, say if you recorded in the 23.xxx frame mode (progressive) and wanted to put this on a dvd. That may sound easy but it's actually not easy to properly convert over to dvd containers.
If you like VS then by all means go with it. VS will be able to handle all of it's Standard HDV modes. That cam is really nice. I wonder if I would have to buy new card readers to read these new 16gig memory cards.

The HDR-FX7 you own now is a consumer based HDV cam, the EX1 is a professional XDCAM, not the same. You may need to purchase an adapter for HDV compatibility for firewire. Not sure how that works because the files are stored on card media, but use a different codec.

I suggest you download and read this pdf technical brochure on the EX1.
The EX1 is far superior to the consumer FX7. I suspect you may have to go with some expensive software to utilize it's capabilities.

http://bssc.sel.sony.com/BroadcastandBu ... aper_F.pdf

[stelch]

Thanks etech 6355. Sorry for calling you Steve. I though, for a moment, that I was writing to sjj1805 (that Steve). Thanks also for the link concerning the EX1. As I said before, I am happy at the moment with my FX7 but I am hoping next year to get the EX1.

Stelios

[etech6355]

stelch,
Check out the sizes of the 3 CCD's in the EX. Extreme quality, nice to have one of them.
Good luck if you buy one.

[stelch]

Here is a nice first look of this fantastic camera. I am sure that in the not to distant future we will see consumer camcorders following this trend, ie flush card recordings with no moving parts.

http://www.dvuser.co.uk/content.php?CID=171

Stelios

[Honnett]

Hi.

I got my EX1 a week ago, and it's a very nice cam! Pro as it is.
If you're buying one, go with the 16 GB cards. 8 GB won't get you enough time! (50 min for 2*8 GB at HQ 1920*1080)

I like to use VS because it's simple and fast. I shoot quite a lot of local happenings including weddings, and I can't take the time to use a pro software for that. I do shoot some theater and shows, and I use Avid for that.

You can get a signal on the i.LINK (FireWire) output but it seems only to HDV format (1440*1080) and the cam is capable of true HD (1920*1080).
You also have the ability to output a standard video signal on the A7V port, but that's not HD at all. You can get HD from the component output or the SDI output, but I haven't tried this yet.

But I think the best way to use the cam is to transfer the files via USB to your computer. In that case you get in in MP4 format or .mxf format.
I have only used the cam for a day or two so I don't know what can be used in VS. Right now I upgraded to VS 11 + but my Vista is closing it down on start. But when I get it working I'll try to se what can be used.

Note: I am not a pro on this cam at all, so I might be wrong about things.

Mikael

[Globorover]

Thanks Steve and Ken.
....you are right about getting a more professional editing software but I really do like VS and its so easy to use. I am scared to venture in something more complicated. I tried Vegas 7 once and I found it very difficult to use. Perhaps you can suggest something for me to try that its easy to learn.

Stelios

stelch, for what it's worth I recently made the switch from VS10+ to Vegas 7. Within a couple of weeks I was doing really complex things on it that I never could have done so quickly and easily in VS10+. I REALLy like Vegas, it's so intuitive. Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking VS 10+ as it is great software (and I found very stable) and an excellent training ground and unbelievable value for what it offers. However, there will come that time when you have to "step-up" as great editing is a major asset - no point having a Pro camera unless you know how to make the most of what you shoot with it!

[stelch]

Now Globorover this is very interesting. Please let me know what Vegas does and VS11+ doesn't. I mean what is that "thing" that your customers will benefit from switching to Vegas. I did download the trial version of Vegas bust I was not able to use it as easily as VS especially when I wanted to edit a clip. Did you learn Vegas yourself or what?

Stelios

[etech6355]

Now Globorover this is very interesting. Please let me know what Vegas does and VS11+ doesn't.

Neither VEGAS or VIDEOSTUDIO will wash or dry your clothes.
But the EX1 will take you to the cleaners. IF you don't intend to use all it's features. You should realize the EX1 high quality recording mode is 35MBS using lpcm audio. These files are bigger than the HDV cam you now own. Right now your HDV cam 1 Minute is about 200Megs, 1 Minute of HQ from the EX1 is about 270+ megs. You Cannot play these videos on a HD-DVD player, the bit-rate is to high for standard dvd's and if they could play you would be lucky to get 15 minutes of video on 1 dvd. You would need HD-DVD or Blu-Ray burners/players.
.
You may be better off buying another high quality HDV cam that has 3 big 1/2" CCD's.
VideoStudio will work with these HDV files.

The EX1 also is using a different file format, (MXF).
Sony Vegas can import the "Sony MXF format" from XDCam's.

VideoStudio Cannot import the Sony MXF XDCam Professional Video Format, it's also probably licensed.
So this answers your originally posted question.