Convert Canon XF100, XF105, XF300, C300 MXF to Pinnacle Studio

Summary: The Pinnacle Studio won't import MXF files from Panasonic P2, Canon XF100, XF105, XF300, C300. The easy workaround is to transcode MXF to Pinnacle Studio friendly format.

Pinnacle Studio Ultimate is a powerful video editing tool and ranks among the best. The program comes with all of the standard editing features, as well as some unique perks, such as the ability to work with HDTV video format and original transitions and sound effects. With improved navigation and additional filter features, this video editing software is more user-friendly and hard to beat. Even with a user-friendly interface, Pinnacle Studio offers many features and customizable options. However, users find it's difficult to import MXF clips to Pinnacle Studio.

Currently, there’re two basic MXF types: One is those where the essence (media) is stored in the same file as the metadata that refers to it. The other is that where the essence is stored in separate files to the metadata, while these files have External essence.

Take the below two cams for examples:

Let’s see Canon XF100. In the folder of AA0230, the essence is the AA023001.MXF, while the other files like AA0230.CIF, AA0230.CPF, AA0230.THM, AA0230.XML, AA023001.SIF is unimportant. AA023001.MXF can be separated for archiving.

The other is P2. From the below pictures, you can see video and audio files are separated in different folders. And also, it’s no difficult to find one video will have four audio tracks. For archiving, you need to keep the whole structure of video and audio.

MXF is a self-container format which is unacceptable by various non-linear editing systems (NLE), like Pinnacle Studio, Final Cut Pro (FCP 6/7/X), Sony Vegas, Avid Media Composer, Premiere, etc. In order to import the MXF files from Canon and P2 camera to Pinnalce Studio for editing, the easy workaround is to transcode MXF files to Pinnacle Studio compatible video formats. Along with some help from a top MXF Converter, it can be done. To help those who wanna edit MXF files in Pinnacle Studio without problems, here I share with you a simple guide on how to convert MXF files to edit in Pinnacle Studio.

First of all, downloading the App- Brorsoft MXF Converter

Overall, the program is a professional yet easy-to-use MXF to MOV Converter on Windows (Windows 8 included) which can not only convert XF100, Canon C300, XF105 and XF305, Panasonic P2 recorded MXF files, but also provide simple video editing functions for you. The MXF to Pinnacle Converter can convert MXF videos from HD camcorders or DVs (like JVC, Panasonic, Sony and Cannon) for editing in Avid MC, Adobe Premiere Pro, Windows Movie Maker etc. The equivalent Mac version is Brorsoft MXF Converter for Mac, which can transcode MXF files for Mac editing smoothly. Just download it and follow the tutorial below to get Pinnacle Studio and MXF files to play nicely.

Converting MXF to MPEG-2, MPEG-4, AVI, DV, WMV and other formats that Pinnacle Studio handles well:

Step 1. Launch the MXF to Pinnacle Converter. Drag and drop .mxf clips to file list. The converter works with MXF shootings taken with Canon XF series, Panasonic P2 camcorders and Sony XDCAM camcorders.

Step 2. Click “Format” bar to determine output format. Here we choose "HD Video" -> "AVI HD Video (*.avi)" as output, which seems to be the best one due to the great video quality but small size. Of course, MPG, MP4, WMV are also the proper formats for Pinnacle.

Tip: Adjust video resolution, bit rate, frame rate, etc.

Click "Settings" button if you’d like to customize advanced audio and video parameters like Video Codec, aspect ratio, bit rate, frame rate, Audio codec, sample rate, audio channels. Notice that you can not “convert up” video quality. If you selected HD Video in Step 2, we advise you to adjust the A/V parameters to be the same with source MXF footage so as to bear least quality loss at proper file size. To cut down file size, you may set down video bit rate, the lower bit rate you set the smaller file size you get. Do not forget to click "OK" to confirm your settings. Then type in a desired output location in the "Output" box.

Step 3. Click the convert button under the preview window, the MXF converter will start converting MXF to Pinnacle Studio. Soon after the conversion is finished, just click “Open” button to get the generated files for edit in Pinnacle Studio perfectly.

Source: jacknjchn.tumblr.com/post/48014164049/how-to-import-mxf-files-from-canon-xf100-xf105-xf300