FCP X moving backwards from FCP 7?

I'm just wading in to the transition from FCP 7 to FCP X and have encountered 2 hurdles that appear to be a steps backwards from FCP 7:
My camera card files are M2T and while FCP 7 "Log and Transfer" converted and ingested them flawlessly, FCP X cannot. I've tried using Media Converter, but the quality of the re-wrap is inferior and the audio is out of synch. And also frustrating that FCP X removes the user's choice where to store the media files by locking them into the Event folder on the internal hard drive. My small disc is going to fill up quickly, while I have a 2TB external drive that I can't seem to use for capture scratch.

Am I missing something, or am I going to have to wait and hope that later FCP X versions get us back to where we were with FCP 7?

Everything you mention is possible in FCP10, but please provide some additional information so we can give you the best solution for your specific workflow:

- Camera make and model?
- Which version of FCP10?
- Hardware specs (computer + amount of RAM + make and model of your external drive)?

Best wishes,

Ronny

Ronny...

My camera is a Sony HVR-Z5U
I'm using FCP X 10.0.7
I'm on an iMac 2.9GHz Intel Core i7 with 8GB of memory. Mac OS X 10.6.8
External drive is SmartStor DS4600

Thanks!
Ben Harvey

Ronny:

Your thorough response is a TREMENDOUS help. Thanks for taking the time to walk me through these issues. I'll be OK now, thanks to you.

Ben Harvey

Ronny.... I haven't started using FCPX yet; I have it installed on a new iMac as well as FCP7. I do have some FCPX training videos and printed material to help me.
But what I want to say is what a great job you do at helping out so many people with so many different problems. I have read countless tips and solutions freely written by you. Have you ever considered writing a book or something similar that summarizes or brings together all that you have said during the last few months... it would be a great paper to have on file. I wish I had your knowledge on Final Cut. On behalf of everyone you have helped, either directly or indirectly, a big THANK YOU. Please keep up the great work as a tutor or elmer. I hope others appreciate all that you do and don't take it for granted. I will continue to read anything with your signature attached and hopefully I can find all you have said in the archives. Kindest regards.... Ron

Hi Ron,

Thank you for the kudos. I'm just a dinosaur editor trying to keep up with the latest technology, I don't have the time to write books or manuals. I have had many offers to do so but my two postproduction houses keep me extremely busy. I had promised some people at Apple to write a full report on how we have very successfully used FCP10 during the Olympic Games and I haven't even found the time to do that yet ((-:

FCP10 is a wonderful application but it will take some more time and some further updates before everyone starts understanding its full potential. If you find the time: do start exploring the app. Just don't make the mistake many are making by tackling this entirely new concept without some decent training basics. And most important: do not try to make this app work like a classic NLE. Because it just doesn't work like that. You only will discover its true potential once you fully adopt the new conventions and workflows it offers, though these may seem strange and uncomfortable in the beginning. Yes it's still a work in progress, but boy it is progressing very rapidly. If you start learning FCP10 and you have any questions don't hesitate to ask and we will be glad to assist you. Your new iMac is the perfect match for this application.

Best wishes,

Ronny

Ronny...Would upgrading my OS X 10.6.8 to Mountain Lion help me with FCP10?

Hi Ben,

If you mean will I gain editing speed and performance at this time the answer is simple: not really. Except when you frequently use AVCHD media because ML allows you to playback this kind of footage much smoother than Leopard.

For future updates of FCP10 it definitely will help having the latest version of OSX. As time goes by new features of FCPX will work more tightly together with the OS and then yes it will be very important to have the latest and greatest cat. As you know, in spite of all the nonsense that was spread on the internet once again, FCP7 works perfectly on ML. So there really is no argument against updating the OS.

Best wishes,

Ronny