Import not working with DSLR SD Card

I have one heck of a headache trying to figure this out...

I just bought a Canon 650D (T4i) to help me film a webcast. I was previously using Sony camcorders to do so, and have always been editing in FCPX.

However when I plugged in the SD Card in my MBP to import my clips from my DSLR, FCP got really fussy: first, it seemed to work but gave me nondescript errors at each clip end - 4 in all. Then, I had to reboot and not only did my clips disappear from my event, but I can't re-import at all! I can see the clips on the card, but no matter what I do there is nothing happening after I confirm the import options. No errors, nothing.

To add insult to injury, I CAN import the same clips in iPhoto.

WTF is going on here?!?

Thanks
MrDenis

Quick update:

Not seeing the import was my fault: I had rejected the clips without noticing.

However, still getting the error message, and still seeing unbelievably sloooooow import speeds. I added a SS of the error message.





Sorry if this is basic knowledge but I'm new to both DSLR video and using an SD card (my camcorders are plugged into the computer via USB).

Thanks

Still hoping someone knows something, but I've been scouring the internetz and it seems lots of people are having similar issues.

Thing is those who find solutions, find solutions that don't work for me, such as:
- Corrupt SD card (no because I can read and import fine in other apps)
- Permission, external HDD transfer rate and HDD failure issues (no because I tried on both my SSD and HDD with the same result AND all the disks are 100% healthy)

EXCEPT this one: setting an in and out point on the imported clip. For some reason that works fine, problem is it's a PAIN when I have several clips.

Anyway, ANY input would be much appreciated.

I have personally not run into this with all my shooting with a DSLR but what you could try is removing the certain file that it is describing in the dialog box, from your card and put it somewhere else on your computer i.e. your desktop.

I had some issues with my Canon T3i and FCPX and I had to re-format all of my SD cards in the camera. It seemed to fix my problem, not sure if it will help but.......just a thought.

I have had this problem since 10.0.6.

www.fcp.co/forum/4-final-cut-pro-x-fcpx/...r-footage-and-10-0-6


The way that I found to get it to work is to pull the .movs out of the DCIM folder.

What are your import settings? Are you transcoding? It sound like your ejecting the card before FCP X has had time to finish the import. Are you watching the progress bar to make everything has finished?

I work exclusively with DSLR footage and have no issues what so ever.

Yes, be VERY sure you open the Background Task window before ejecting any card.
And ALWAYS reformat the card in the camera before shooting again.

I have a student who never reformatted her cards when she first purchased them, nor before each shoot, and repeatedly ran into similar problems. Reformatting as soon as she purchased new cards, and before each new shoot fixed all of her issues.

Just saying...

Thanks a lot guys to all the input!

Turns out you nailed it... Since I was very diligent in not ejecting the card or anything I knew the issue must have been with the card itself based on your input. Sure enough, I realized I hadn't formatted this card.

What really sold it was when I tried to go and fetch the .mov like DSvoboda356 said, only to realize there were no files! I mean not files at all through Finder, but FCP saw footage... weirdest bug I've ever seen. In any case, I formatted the card in the DSLR, and THEN in my Mac as exFAT (because I wanted larger files).

I still had issues trying to do that only to find out (it was discovery week or something) that the card reader in the MBP is very fussy and you have to put the lock switch halfway for it to work.

Anyway, since I did all this, everything works automagcally as it should!

Thanks to all of you for the input.
D

Well... Spoke too fast. Apparently short videos work fine, but as soon as the DSLR starts chopping up the files - which I didn't think it would, considering that I formatted with ExFAT - I get the same errors again. Only this time I do see the .mov files through Finder...

Added to the HORRIBLE video graininess and the noise in the picture even with proper lighting makes me sorely regret trading in my camcorder for this pos...

I've had big issues with this since 0.6 - I copied cards to a drive as is (folder card_one, card_two, etc) and used import to pull in the whole folders. This used to work but since 0.6 import times would take hours and I'd get the error message you specified on a number of clips. Gave me a huge head ache.

There is a solution

The way I've found that works is to forget import and just drag the folders from the finder to the event in FCPX. Not only does this prevent the error messages but the import time is back to a couple of minutes for a few hours footage and most of that is drawing waveforms. Not sure why this issue is there but it is. I use a Canon 600D so maybe it's something to do with the metadata those cameras store. I also have transcode options turned off until they're all imported, then select them and transcode once they are 'in' the event.

Hope this helps.

As for noise/graininess, the lower end DSLRs like yours (and mine) don't play nice at high ISO numbers. Keep it 400 or less. DON'T keep it on automatic. Get a fast lens - I use an older lens with an adapter which is cheap as I don't use autofocus anyway when shooting video.

Thanks robertdee, I can drag the movs like you suggest. I'm just frustrated Apple can't seem to get this right. I remember a time when Apple was synonymous with above average quality... Oh well.

The part that drives me nuts is that on the first clip I try to import, it says fail, but then I can locate the clip in my event just fine. All other ones fail... And why do short clips work? Anyway, bad decision to get it but oh well, again.

And thanks for the ISO tip

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