Tip for importing MXF files (Like Canon C300)

vicmilt wrote on 11/16/2013, 12:35 PM
Now I'm no expert on any of this, but...
I just finished a large job using the Canon C300, which delivers MXF files off of standard CF cards.
And Vegas chomps up those MXF files without any issues or need for outside "transmogrification" software.

One thing though. For reasons totally unknown to me (hey! I'm just a director), the MXF files all come in a neatly wrapped folders of their own, with four other mysterious files).

To get this project going, I actually began by importing each CLIP individually from the folders. Wow that got old fast!

We finally figured out a "quickee" workflow for Vegas, and I'm passing it along.

1 - put all your MXF folders into one big folder
2 - Use Windows search that folder to find TYPE .MXF (takes a little while, depending on how many shots you took.)
3 - Select all and move to one new folder - I call my "Dailies Big Jobname)

Voila - in Vegas open that big folder, select all (CTRL+A), IMPORT all footage, and there you are. Quick and easy.

BTW - I'd like to know what all those other files in the folder are for. When I was a kid, and I serviced my own bicycle, I ALWAYS ended up with a few extra parts. I'm sort of scared I'm doing that again. Erk...?

Comments

EGS wrote on 11/16/2013, 1:12 PM
You could try the Canon XF Utility. I use a Canon XF105, and this utility works great for importing Canon MXF into Vegas Pro 12.

Canon link:
http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/professional/products/professional_cameras/cinema_eos_cameras/eos_c300#DriversAndSoftware
Grazie wrote on 11/16/2013, 3:18 PM
I also use the Canon Utility. Takes out all the bollox that comes with the file structures and allows me to simply Import the MXF files the way I would want them.

G

Rainer wrote on 11/16/2013, 3:54 PM
I wondered what the other files were, but if you just drag the .mxf files into some NLE's, they also open four empty audio tracks, so I guessed they had to do with 5.1 sound, which virtually no-one captures to camera. Like Grazie says, use the Canon utility and they don't show.