Import XML (Canon XF100) to FCPX

Hey there, I'm not a camera expert, so bear with me please.

I have a Canon XF100 for work.
When I go to import the files from the camera to FCPX, it won't recognize the XML files as importable.

I used to be able to put these files into iMovie, then import the iMovie project into FCPX, but now iMovie won't even recognize them like I swear it used to.

Can anybody help me? I"ve found nothing online telling me how to do it.
I understand the basics and know I'm not doing anything blatantly wrong, but I cannot figure this out.


I've gone to File -> Import, then I get to the "browse," but all the files on the camera are un "clickable."

Thanks everyone.
Will

Hi Will,

I think you mean FCP X won't recognize the MXF files from he camera?

FCP X works perfectly with MXF. But for certain types of Canon cameras you need to install the Canon XF plugin for Final Cut Pro X, which you can find here:

usa.canon.com/cusa/professional/products...0#DriversAndSoftware

It works with Mavericks and FCP X 10.1.1. Once the plugin is installed you should be able to import your XF100 files without any issues.


- Ronny

...with the added caveat that even with the plugin, it will not import the "raw" clips. The entire memory card structure is required. OTOH, I wasn't aware that iMovie would ever import these, and definitely will not with the current version.

For what it's worth, my XF100/FCPX workflow is to use the Canon XF Utility that comes with the camera and is also found at the link Ronny provided. I create a Virtual Media backup of each card and just drag clips into that, excluding any junk or unneeded ones. Then I import to FCPX from that Virtual Backup rather than from the camera or card reader.

Thanks for the responses. And, okay, that is what I must mean about the MXF files

I'm still having trouble. I have both utilities installed and the virtual media backup created, but no matter where I try to find the files when I go to "import" in FCPX, the files are still unselectable — even from the Virtual Media

There's gotta be something I'm doing wrong still.
Any other ideas?

Thanks again.

Use the import command from within FCPX...

The attachment shows the Import Window. Just find your Virtual Backups and twirl down the one you want. Individual clips are listed, and you can even skim thru and only import what you want.

Man, I'm still just not gettin' it. When you say "twirl down," do you mean click on the little arrows to dive into the folders of each clip to find the MXF? When I do that, the clips in the bottom still are unselectable.

I tried Commands -> Import as well. When I do that and delve into the folders to find the MXF, they are clickable, and a dialogue box says 'Success', but no clips are imported anywhere, so I'm thinking that's something else (?).

Other than that, the camera doesn't appear in the "Import from Camera" list (though it appears just fine when I have iMovie open and doing the same thing).
When I try Import Files and scroll through the folders to find the files I want, none of them are clickable.

I have both Canon XF Utility and Canon Plugin for FCPX installed, I followed the directions in their manuals, and still, nothing is importable, it seems.

With the Virtual Media creator thing, I've backed up my CF card to its own little event, but when I try to Import -> Files and zoom into those local folders, they are also unclickable.

(Just want to say again that I'm very grateful you're trying to help me out)

EDIT: Okay, my screen hasn't been able to look liek yours above. I see what you mean by the difference from the Import Window to what yours looks like, but my files don't appear within FCP somehow... Still looking.

Okay, this is what my Import From Camera screen looks like. My Canon isn't showing up. iMovie has a similar screen, on on that, the Canon does show up, but the files there are unclickable.

Any idea why? I swear I have everything connected properly.

To get to that Import Window I just click the arrow at the left of the FCPX window...

Your graphic showing your Import window is not showing up. Can you try again to attach that? I had to make mine smaller before it would work.

This is what my Import from Camera screen looks like. Clicking on Open an Archive brings me to the external sort of Import Window which is all unclickable.
Is there something else you're referring to?

Well, it's only showing your Cameras and Camera Archives. It should be showing all your connected volumes so you can then navigate either to the card or to the backup created by XF Utility. If you select Macintosh HD what does it show?

The button "Macintosh HD" is unclickable, but clicking on Open Archive brings me to that standard looking import "browse" screen. Once there, none of the clips I need are "clickable."

But ya know what, I'm seeing that the version of this software we have here at my work is 10.0.
The latest is 10.1, correct? I bet now that an update would fix this. Think so?

Umm, as in 10.0.0??? Yes, that would be the problem - we're now at 10.1.1.

Haha, as soon as I noticed that, I figure we had a problem.
Thanks a lot; I'm gonna get on that now.

I appreciate your help.

It's especially true in this case, because that Canon plug in was not even released until FCPX had been out for about six months so it probably requires 10.0.6 or something at least to even work. Good luck - I never even thought of that possibility.

We never ever import directly from the XF100, but instead plug the cards in to a card reader and then import footage. Works fine every time! Just imported almost 10 hours of footage from XF100 card without a hitch!

So, just to be clear, upgrade to 10.1.1 (just so you're on the latest!) download and install the latest Canon plug in and then plug the card in to a card reader, hit the import footage button and you should be good to go!

You can also create cameras archives if you want - and import from there.

Also, you could just copy the entire card contents (including the top / root folder) to a folder on your hard disk and import from there instead, but you do need the entire card folder structure.

Something that's been a little strange to me with the XF100 / Canon plug-in is that on my MacPro (and MacBookPro & MacMini!) I can't slow down footage and have optical flow work - it just repeats the frames to fill the space, yet on my new iMac 27" (4GB GPU) it works perfectly. Hmmm..... < scratching head >

"Import From Camera" was the giveaway. That command hasn't been around for a long time. Had I gotten here sooner, I'd have pointed that out. Glad it's cleared up.

Canon XF plugin is the solution for you. If it still doesn't help you out, transcode MXF to ProRes with a 3rd party MXF converter if you have to.

If you need, I shall give you a link.

It sounds like you deleted the index file which is horrible. You can use a program like Pavtube (not free) to transcode the MXF files.

Keeping the file structure always untouched is the best.

Also to bear in mind FCP X also sees some camera file types as native and already optimised so you can't transcode those to Prores which will become a problem if you are sending projects from FCP X to FCP 7 for whatever reason.

Thanks everyone; it turns out it was the lack of an update messing with everything.
Step one from now on: make sure I'm up to date.