Import and edit MXF in Final Cut Pro X

With the MXF files is more and more popular on the video market, many brands of cameras currently supports recording MXF format video files, such as Panasonic AJ-PX380, Sony PXW-X400, Canon EOS C500 and XF305, JVC GY-HM850U, Blackmagic Design Digital Film Cameras, Ikegami camera, RED camcorder, etc. However, you may come across lots of problems when you try to import 4K and 1080P MXF files into Final Cut Pro X for better editing experience. Fortunately, there is an easy and quick workaround to fix the annoying issue. Let’s find it out here!

About MXF Videos
MXF is an industry standard file format for video and audio. It is a “container” or “wrapper” format which supports a number of different streams of coded “essence”. Similar to QuickTime files, MXF files contain information about the media inside. This information, also called metadata, can include frame rate, frame size, creation date, and custom data created by a camera operator, assistant, or archivist. With MXF camcorders users can get XAVC, XAVC L, XAVC I, MPEG-2, MPEG-4 codecs footage. However, because MXF is a shell format instead of a compressed format, and therefore it can’t be ensure that each MXF video can be identified in any kind of decoder and then can be smoothly imported into some NLE for better editing.

Issues on editing MXF in FCPX on macOS Big Sur

Q1:Have some 4K and 1080P MXF footage to edit in Final Cut Pro X, but things doesn’t goes well, videos with no sound after I import them into FCPX on macOS Big Sur, what’s wrong with it? These videos are very important to me. Please help me, thanks!

Q2:”I’m having issues importing my Sony PXW-FS5 XAVC QFHD video to Final Cut Pro X on macOS Big Sur. I go into “file” then click “import”. It looks like it’s about to do something but then nothing happens… Thanks for your assistance with this!”

Q3: I use Canon XF300 shoot some videos in MXF format on Thanksgiving Day, now I very eager to import them into FCPX for further editing so that I can share those Thanksgiving Day those MXF videos on YouTube and Facebook. But I do not know how to export videos and then import those MXF footage into FCP X for editing.

macOS Big Sur elevates the most advanced desktop operating system in the world to a new level of power and beauty. Experience Mac to the fullest with a refined new design.  For a range of issues identified above, and from the official website we know, FCPX doesn’t support MXF footage well, so wanting directly and smoothly edit MXF files in Final Cut Pro X is impossible.

As we know the best supported format for Final Cut Pro X is Apple ProRes MOV. In this case, the best solution is to convert MXF to FCP X ProRes codec video on macOS Big Sur by a MXF to FCP X converter. Here, Acrok Video converter Ultimate for Mac is your best choice, and it is a good MXF video converter to help you convert all your MXF footage into ProRes 422 or ProRes 4444 for best editing in Final Cut Pro (FCP X, FCP 7, FCP 6). Besides, with the .mxf file conversion software, you can also convert MXF files into other format like MPEG-2 MPG for editing in Premiere Pro CC, convert MXF to DNxHD MOV for importing into Avid Media Composer, transcode MXF to WMV for playing in Windows Movie Maker, etc. The conversion step is very simple, all you need to do is to move the mouse following the instructions.

Free download the MXF to FCP X converter

How to convert and edit MXF files in Final Cut Pro X?

Step 1: Add the MXF footage to MXF conversion software
Install and run the MXF to ProRes MOV converter, drag MXF footage to the program directly, or you can click “Add files” button to import the MXF files.

Step 2: Choose best output format for FCPX
Here, it is recommended to choose “Final Cut Pro > Apple ProRes 422 (*.mov)” as the exported format. If you like, you can choose “Apple ProRes 4444 (*.mov)” as output option.

Edit the MXF video (optional)

To edit your MTS footage, click the Edit button to open the video editor window. And then you can trim the video, crop video size, deinterlace, add some special video effects, add watermarks, attatch subtitles and more.

Settings

Click the “Settings” button and set proper video/ audio parameters. You can reset set the video size, bitrate and frame rate, audio sample rate, audio channel. If you would like to use default settings, simply skip this step.

Tip:
1. If you would like to play the MXF recordings on portable players like iPad Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max, PlayStation 5,  Xbox Series X, Android tablet, etc, simply follow the corresponding profile group and select customized MP4 format.

2. If you would like to watch the MXF contents on HDTV via media players (e.g. Western Digital Media Player, Video DVD combos), HD quality should be attained. To maintain HD video quality, you may follow “HD Video” -> “H.264 HD Video” (*.mp4)” and customize the A/V parameters based on the media player and your TV.

Step 3: Start MXF to ProRes MOV conversion
When the above basic steps are finished, now you can click “Convert” button for converting MXF footage to FCP X best supported formats – Apple ProRes. Once the conversion is 100% completed, you can click “Open” to find out the generated files then import them to Final Cut Pro X for further editing smoothly.

With the several simple steps, you can easily import your MXF files into Final Cut Pro X for better editing, please have a try, hope you enjoy the conversion process.