How to transcode AX1 4K XAVC S MP4 to 24P ProRes for FCPX

For the new AX1 a variation on XAVC has been developed called XAVC / S. This format differs from XAVC in that it uses Long GOP compression. There are a few issues when it comes to viewing, loading and editing XAVC and XAVC / S files in your non-linear editing software. Sony provides a copy of Sony Vegas with the AX1, which I presume nicely handles the camera's files. However, Mac users are out of luck in terms of a solution from Sony, since Vegas is a Windows only program. To bring AX1 4K XAVC S MP4 to FCP X with 24P ProRes MOV, we need conversion.


I shot 1 min film with AX1. Be aware though that the camera's files, which are in an MP4 wrapper, will increase in size by a factor of about 3X when converted in 24P to ProRes, and up to 9X for 60P. Luckily, Aunsoft iMedia Converter for Mac convert 4K MP4 to ProRes as original quality and video size. The footage was shot at 60P, but I downconverted to 24P with Aunsoft (typically, 23.976 frames/s when using equipment based on NTSC frame rates), because neither Premiere Pro nor FCP-X could smoothly handle 4K 60P files on my MacBook Pro Retina. In future I'll be shooting exclusively in 24P (except for slo-mo). But now the Aunsoft is the only converter that allows me freely set frame rate as 23.976, 24, 29.97, 30, 50, 59.94, or 60.


After editing in FCP-X, I exported to 1920X1080P for upload to Vimeo. This brief video is not intended to show any particular strength or weakness of the AX1's capabilities, but was the only coherent sequence that I was able to shoot during my short time with the loaner camera. I have lots of technical test footage, but nothing worth putting online.


Here is my experiences with this 4K Ultra HD Converter to convert 4K XAVC S to 24P ProRes MOV for FCP X.


This converter can be easily found via Google with keywords "Aunsoft iMedia Converter for Mac".


Step 1: Import 4k clips to 4K XAVC converter for Mac


Click "add video" or "add folder" to load 4K MXF XAVC. you can also directly drag files to the program, fast. This program also supports batch conversion.


Step 2: Choose ProRes 422 as output formats


Click the "format" and choose the "Final Cut Pro -> Apple ProRes 422 HQ(*.mov)" files as the output format for FCP. Apple ProRes 422HQ codec offers the utmost possible quality from XAVC recordings.


Step 3: Set frame rate as 23.96


Here you can easily set frame rate as 23.96 to downconvert 60P 4K file to 24P ProRes.


Step 4: Conversion


Click "Conversion" icon and the iMedia Converter for Mac will run at ultrafast speed. The Sony AX1 4K to FCP X Converter is intuitive.Conversion time is also affected by the power of your CPU and the memory.


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