How to Import F5/F55 Footage in FCP, Avid and Premiere

AbelCine by Andy Shipsides

With every new camera, come many new questions about workflow. The term “workflow” can be fairly broad, but today I am looking at importing Sony F5/F55 footage into various non-linear editing systems (NLEs). Both the F5 & F55 can record in MPEG2 (XDCAM), XAVC and HDCAM SR formats internally. With the addition of the AXS-R5 recorder, they can also record in Sony Raw. This article is focused on MPEG2 and XAVC, but be sure to keep an eye out for future blogs on working with Sony Raw and HDCAM SR. The F5 & F55 workflows are similar to that of the F3 and XDCAM EX cameras, but with some significant changes. Below, I outline how to ingest footage onto a hard drive and how to import into Avid Media Composer 6.5, Final Cut Pro X, Final Cut Pro 7 and Premiere CS6. Keep reading for a brief how-to on each process.

Downloading F5/F55 SxS Recorded Footage

Sony has updated their Content Browser v2.0, which is a piece of software used to play back and download clips off their original media. It also has the ability to view clip metadata, mark timecode, and export clips to Final Cut Pro. Content Browser v2.0 has support for both MPEG2 and XAVC, however Sony licensed some software to add the XAVC playback, so there is a $20 charge to purchase it. Good news though – from now until June, it is available for free! You can also download Content Browser v1.1 if you’re only going to work with MPEG2.

The F5 & F55 record to SxS cards, so you’ll need a Sony SxS card reader, Echo Thunderbolt Card reader, or a computer equipped with an ExpressCard 34 slot to start. Make sure you download the latest SxS drivers from Sony’s website and keep in mind that the F5/F55 formats cards in exFAT, which a universal format for both Mac and PC. read more...