Transcode and Import AVCHD MTS files into Final Cut Pro X/7/6

Problem importing MTS files into Final Cut Pro X or FCP 6/7? Don’t be panic! You can follow this tutorial to convert MTS to Apple ProRes codec for smooth editing.

MTS/M2TS is commonly found in avchd video clips recorded from camcorders of Panasonic, Sony, JVC, and Canon. These MTS/ M2TS files are natively supported by Final Cut Pro. However, users who want to edit MTS AVCHD files in Final Cut Pro usually run into incompatibility issue. Or can’t edit them smoothly after taking some time for importing MTS to FCP. So what’s the matter? Well, read on to find the reason and the easy workaround to fix the MTS and FCP incompatible issues.

Mostly, the MTS footage captured by Sony Handycam is encoded with H.264/AVC codec which does not work well with video editing software except for few ones. Despite of this, H.264 codec is acknowledged as a universal codec for camcorder videos, especially for HD contents. The advanced compression method of H.264 results in much less storage and the same picture quality comparing with MPEG-4. However, the highly-compressed content is not so friendly for editing software. Then, how to get Final Cut Pro working perfectly with AVCHD MTS footage? A best way is to transcode MTS files to ProRes .mov, which is a lossy video compression format that developed by Apple Inc. and is a appropriate format for smooth editing in Final Cut Pro.

If you have problems when using MTS files in Final Cut Pro and want to make a smooth editing, you can read on the article to learn more. Here I will outline how to transcode AVCHD MTS files to ProRes MOV for smoothly importing and editing in FCP 6/7/X.Converting MTS files to ProRes MOV for Editing in Final Cut Pro

The quick workaround is to use the easy-to-use yet professional app called EaseFab Video Converter for Mac which can be used as a AVCHD MTS to FCP Converter under Mac OS X 10.12 macOS Sierra, 10.11 El Capitan, 10.10 Yosemite, 10.9 Mavericks, 10.8 Mountain Lion, 10.7 Lion, Snow Leopard 10.6, etc. It is free, clean and safe to install and use. With it, you can effortlessly transcode MTS to Apple ProRes 422, ProRes 422 HD, ProRes 422 LT, ProRes 4444 for FCP, MPEG-2 for Premiere Pro, DNxHD .mov for Avid MC, etc., and it works well and converts flawlessly. Here is how to do it.

Converting MTS files for Editing Final Cut Pro Smoothly

Step 1. Import MTS files to the program

Drag and drop your MTS files from where you stored to the program. Several files can be selected and processed at the same time to save up time. Batch conversion is supported so you can add multiple files to convert at a time.

Step 2. Select output format as Final Cut Pro

The Profile tray locates in the buttom of the window. Go to the “Editing Software” category and click “Final Cut Pro” as the output format. By selecting the “Final Cut Pro” preset, you needn’t to adjust the video settings like video format, video resolution, frame rate and more by yourself.

Tips: If the default settings do not fit your needs, you can click “Settings” button to adjust audio and video parameters as you like.

Step 3. Start the MTS to FCP conversion process

Click “Convert” button and the selected MTS files will be converted to Apple ProRes encode mov files.

After conversion, click “Open” folder to find converted footage. Finally, Open Final Cut Pro. To import your convert video files, head to the menu bar and click on File > Import, then “Files”. A small window will appear and allow you to browse through files in your Mac to locate and import your video. You also have an option to drag-and-drop your file to the left pane of the Final Cut Pro window. Once your video is imported successfully, you can do all you want with it in Final Cut Pro.

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