Best format for editing in?

[thepurplepig]

My main camera saves AVHCD files at 29.975 fps, secondary camera saves mov files at 25 fps, and third camera saves mpeg-4 at 30 fps.

I often wonder if I should just convert all the source clips from all three to one single format for editing, as perhaps it would be easier to ensure the audio and video stays in sync, and it just seems the right way to work.

What would the optimum format be for me if I started doing this? HDV? Actually I want two answers - best compressed format, and best uncompressed format.

Thanks

[skier-hughes]

Any format you choose will be compressed, some more than others, unless you have a beast of a machine that can handle files of 65GB per hour plus in size.

If you could give us more details of the file types rather than just the frame rate, we can answer better.

If you don't know what they are put them in the timeline, right click, properties and post them here. EG, is the 25fps a PAL cam, maybe give us make and model of cams as well.

What is the end result going to be? If dvd, then making them all mpeg2's would be the way to go.

Depending on video content it may be best to edit each file before conversion, a still head shot won't be a problem, but fast moving car racing would be worse to convert and edit.