And you will probably need Quick Time?

Yes. Which is a good reason not to use DNxHD.mov files in Vegas. Prores OK?

OP can convert in Handbrake, saving the hassle.

That would limit it to some flavor of h.264/265 would it not?

I assume that someone recording 4:2:2 video with an Atomos recorder isn't keen on generating h.264 "intermediates" with Handbrake...

As far as I know Vegas doesn't support 10 bit (import/export) with DNxHD.

Since it worked with VP 16 it "should" also work with VP 17, but maybe the mov wrapper can't be opened because Quicktime components are deactivated in VP 17 per default. (and DNxHD needs those)

But rather than having to avoid DNxHD because of its non-efficient/deactivated support/performance (via Quicktime components) there should be added "native" support (mov and mxf wrappers) for this codec. It's widely used and besides ProRes (Magix Intermediate) there is no professional way in and out of Vegas.

max, DNxHD MOV and DNxHD MXF are as different as night and day.

The MXF version must be converted outside of Vegas afaik, the MOV version uses Quicktime.

OP should post his file properties for format-specific advice.

I've never been very happy with the image using pro-res in windows... I suppose I can try it again and see if things have improved but its a long shot. DNxHD worked great for the last several years but this may force me not to upgrade again until Magix can find the time to make DNxHD a native codec. Magix has told me it's on their list but it doesn't sound like it is very high up...

Theoretically, Prores should be every bit as good or better than DNxHD; there are a lot of different kinds of Prores (Disclaimer: I don't use it either, but I am thinking about it - see below)

I like cineform in an AVI wrapper, but that doesn't help you if the NINJA does not record this way. Also, it's not native to Vegas, so you have to find the old Gopro installer somewhere, and I have noticed it isn't 100% reliable - sometimes clips "blackout" temporarily.

So, YES DEFINITELY, some development attention needs to be given to this issue.

To summarize:

Cineform avi - 10 bit; mostly works, but not 100% reliable. Not native.

DNxHD mxf - No support

DNxHD mov - through quicktime only, 8 bit, No thumbnails, crashes Vegas if too many clips.

Prores mov - Native support, 10 bit (pretty sure?), some alpha issues remain AFAIK. Not ideal for a Windows based intermediate as many Windows based programs don't support it. Apple licensing issues may be a problem.

Note: this mess is not all Vegas' fault. Apple and AVID and Gopro have all contributed to this state of affiars.

I liked the cineform codec and bought it many years ago... then they made it open source and it seemed to be "less" then it used to be... I think they adapted it for the gopro cameras specifically... that was when I found DNxHD and the Atomos recorder. The Ninja also does prores but for some reason the prores files in windows never looked as high quality to me. on a mac they looked fine but I am not a mac person. I was really happy with this codec and I have projects that I have shot entirely in DNxHD... great images! even if I was happy enough to go prores from here forward my older projects need love too! I hope to have to see this given some consideration since DNxHD really is a great codec! and 10 bit import would be awesome too as I think, as you say, it currently only comes in 8 bit...

max, DNxHD MOV and DNxHD MXF are as different as night and day.

I didn't mean to state anything different (if you understood it like that). But as Kinvermark summarised it, DNxHD isn't really well supported at all by Vegas.

I think Marco stated somewhere that ProRes / Magix Intermediate really supports 10 bit and this is also what my tests indicated (undoing "intense" color correction of a rendered file - only 10 bit files survived that). To me my ProRes files looked always great on windows and Mac. ;-)

Converting a few TBs of DNxHD files(for a single project) isn't really an option just to be able to edit the footage so I stick with ProRes.

there should be added "native" support (mov and mxf wrappers) for this codec.

max, DNxHD MOV and DNxHD MXF are as different as night and day.

I didn't mean to state anything different (if you understood it like that).

It was your statements that led me to understand it "like that."

The mxf decoder architecture is proprietary, meaning you pay indirectly to use it. With native ProRes support already in Vegas, and no 64 bit Quicktime libraries, I wonder what value added will justify the added purchase cost of Vegas to me, in order to pay for Magix' perpetual licensure agreement with Avid.

I have written volumes on this forum about using DNxHD (mov) as an intermediate to libav / ffmpeg and FCP, going back to 2010. I have no basic prejudice against it. However, as with Sony YUV and Cineform, there just comes a point when it's time to move on.

Now, if your fancy camera would acquire UT 422, which probably wouldn't be hard to implement, we'd all be in a better place. Its files are actually smaller and cleaner than either ProRes 422 or DNXHD.

Ah, I see. Since both file types exist I would like them to be compatible with Vegas (regardless of the differences). By "native" I meant that also the mov wrapper should be able to be read without Quicktime libraries - just like ProRes. I would accept an increased price. (but at least for ProRes this was not the case...)

I think if a codec is the most efficient or has some technical advantages is not the only point to consider. Ironically for Vegas (a Windows app) ProRes (as an Apple codec) is the only way to be compatible (without reencoding/intermediates) with a large part of professional (broadcast) video equipment. And those manufacturers won't always implement a codec that's technically the most advanced but what is accepted widely in professional workflows ("professional" in the sense of "profession" - it's not less professional to have a understanding of what (UT) codec would be better in a certain workflow - if it's possible). And as the major two NLEs support DNxHD it would be nice if Vegas would do that also.

There are a lot of good points in your post, and I would have agreed completely five years ago. Certainly with many manufacturers, including Canon, MOV is a popular acquisition format. I also think your thinking is bound by what your camera will shoot, not what's going to be best for the next decade of Windows editors.

Unfortunately, Apple isn't enthusiastic about making its products more compatible with Windows So Magix could either license the librarie$, write its own code, or not support the format and ask you to find your own ride. Same lack of interest in Windows handoff to FCP. That's not likely to change soon. Camcorder manufacturers don't like to pay third party licensure fees for codecs, either, thus limited choices.Atmos is capable of incorporating far more choices than it has now.

What we really need to do is advocate for 64 bit QuickTime, true cross-compatible acquisition codecs (mp4 wrapper?), and a universal cross-platform intermediate architecture, without the petty Apple vs. Windows politics and pi$$ing contests.

Here are some tests I ran (ymmv), including a few popular 4:2:2 flavors. DNxHD was left off because of the 32-bit baggage. It also has a lot of chroma subsampling errors. ProRes is good, but not the best 422 either. UT 422 is lean and mean, but only for Windows at this time.

DNxHD was actually developed by Avid on their Apple Platforms. ProRes is a completely Apple codec. Even Final Cut Pro was not really good at handling DNxHD.

@Musicvid Thanks for the informations. Your suggestions would probably be the reasonable way. But I doubt that such a decision by Magix would influence manufacturers... Adobe or Avid would have much more impact. And because of this lack of format support there may be users for which Vegas isn't usable despite its otherwise ingenious features and workflows.