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The Correct Way to Log and Transfer Single .mts/.m2ts files to Final Cut Pro

You may find that Final Cut Pro is very picky in importing videos, for example, one can import AVCHD files using camera import, but can't import them by selecting the single .mts clips. This article is trying to explain why FCP does not read your AVCHD contents properly and guide you how to import individual .mts/.m2ts video to Final Cut Pro 6, 7, X.

Final Cut Pro 7 (and any previous version) does not have native editing support for AVCHD footage. When working with AVCHD recordings in Final Cut Pro, the first thing you need to do is ingesting AVCHD in the Log and Transfer window, where you transcode H.264/AVC to an Apple ProRes codec or the Apple Intermediate Codec, both are natively supported by Final Cut Pro. Final Cut Pro X contains improved, but not complete AVCHD support. Furthermore, keep in mind that we can't import .mts/.m2ts files directly from the Finder. If you navigate to them from the Import dialog, it will have them grayed out. FCP doesn't work with them directly, you must import MTS/M2TS files directly from the camera, from a memory card (with the original file structure in place), or from a camera archive. But having to use camera archives is too much trouble.

The real way to import single .MTS/.M2TS videos to Final Cut Pro:

We just need a way with no require with ingest supported with additional software and no use camera archives method. To achieve the goal, Brorsoft MTS/M2TS Converter for Mac is recommended for you, with this you can achieve the individual .mts to Final Cut Pro conversion. It's designed directly to convert AVCHD.MTS/.M2TS (1080p60/50 included) to FCP natively supported Apple ProRes. So no matter the AVCHD files are single .MTS files or directly from your camera, you can transfer it to FCP compatible formats and directly import it to FCP for easy editing. Plus, this Mac AVCHD converter also supports converting AVCHD MTS footage to iMovie, Adobe Premiere, Avid Media Composer, Final Cut Express and more to meet your needs. What's more, some easy-to-use editing features like trimming, cropping, adding watermark, deinterlacing, etc are combined with the convert program. Now, follow the step-by-step guide transcoding single .MTS/M2TS to Final Cut Pro.

Free Download the AVCHD Converter Mac:

( Note: Click here for OS X 10.5)

Step 1: Install and run the Mac MTS to FCP Converter, you can click "Add Video" button (or "Add from folder") to load AVCHD MTS source files.

Step 2: Click on "Format" bar and set a FCP friendly format in dropdown-list. You are advised to "Follow Final Cut Pro" template and "Apple ProRes 422 (*.mov)" format.

Step 3: Click the "Settings" button and customize proper video/audio parameters if necessary. Video size, bitrate and fame rate are flexible and can be adjusted as you like. Usually 1920*1080 video size and 30fps video frame rate are recommended for FCP editing.

Step 4: Click "Convert" to start converting the MTS/M2TS to Apple ProRes 422 codec. After conversion just click the "Open" button to locate converted video files for FCP post-production seamlessly.

Step 5: Launch Final Cut Pro 7/FCP 6, choose File >> Import >> Files..., and browse to where you save the converted AVCHD clips to. Choose the videos that you'd like to add.

Additional Tips and Tricks for the Mac MTS/ M2TS to ProRes Converter app:
1. Thumbnail- click "Snapshoot" button when previewing the video. Click "Option" to set the image format of screenshots.
2. Deinterlace- click "Editor", switch to "Effect" tab, find "Deinterlacing" box, and check it to eliminate interlacing lines.
3. Combine files together- check the files to be merged in file list and check "Merge into one" box beside "Settings" button.
4. Trim a section of the movie- click "Editor", switch to "Trim" tab, and input time point in start and end box.
5. Auto shutdown- click "Option" menu and check "Shut down the computer after conversion" before conversion starts.