4K Video Converter – Convert 4K Video for editing with Mac in FCP, Avid, iMovie, Premiere Pro, FCE

Follow the guide below and you will know how to import 4K Video to FCP, Avid, iMovie, Premiere Pro, FCE without rendering or any other problems on Mac OS X(Mavericks included).

At CES 2013, Panasonic and Sony is unveiled their 4K camcorder, they witness the power of science and technology again. For consumers, this is a good thing, but the 4K camcorder is so expensive. Sony calls it a consumer model, but it definitely looks more like a prosumer piece of gear.

Videomaker's Best Camcorder of NAB 2013 is the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K, and there are other video camcorders can record videos in 4K, such as Canon C500, Sony NEX-FS700, Sony PMW-F55/F5, etc. the videos formats include MXF, XAVC mainly. But the 4K video doesn't have good compatibility. Especially edit 4K video on Mac. Here I'll share the Mac 4K editing solution, that is, how to edit such 4K high definition videos on Mac in FCP, Avid, iMovie, Premiere Pro, FCE.

What's the 4K video format?

Different 4K camcorders record different formats, the formats including MXF, MOV, MP4, AVCHD, MTS, M2TS etc. To make 4K videos editable on Mac in FCP, Avid, iMovie, Premiere Pro, FCE, we need to know Mac compatible formats first and then do conversion with a professional 4K to Mac Converter software tool.

Find below a step-by-step tutorial on how to ingest 4K formatted footage through Mac in FCP, Avid, iMovie, Premiere Pro, FCE.

Recommended Software

Pavtube HD Video Converter for Mac supports three professional encoders, Apple Intermediate Codec, ProRes and DNxHD – ensuring maximum editing quality and efficiency when working with iMovie, Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere, Final Cut Express or Avid Media Composer, respectively. With 4K Video Converter Ultimate for Mac, you can edit Canon, Sony, JVC and Panasonic 4K video on Mac easily.




4K Video Converter supported devices and formats:

Support Devices:

• Sony 4K camcorder: FS 700 
• Canon EOS C500 4K camcorder: EOS C500, EOS-1D C 
• Panasonic 4K camcorder
• JVC 4K camcorder

Support 4K formats:

4K MOV, 4K AVCHD, 4K MXF(P2), 4K MP4, 4K MTS, 4K M2TS etc.

How to transcode 4K video on Mac via 4K Video Converter?

Step 1: Install and run this Mac 4K Video Eocoder on your Mac.

Click "Add Video" and import the 4K video into this software. 4K Video to Mac converter Mac can help you transcode 4K video to FCP, Avid, iMovie, Premiere Pro, FCE for 4K to Mac importing natively.

Step 2: Choose output format

Click on "Format" bar and locate the appropriate output profile. To import 4K files to Mac, you need to convert to Mac supported formats.

• Final Cut Pro 7/X

Move mouse cursor to “Final Cut Pro > Apple ProRes 422 (*.mov)” to set a FCP 7/X best codec.

Apple ProRes 422 – Higher quality than Apple ProRes 422 (LT)

Apple ProRes 422 (HQ) – Keep original video quality for editing in FCP

Apple ProRes 422 (LT) – Get a smaller file sizes than Apple ProRes 422

Apple ProRes 422 (Proxy) – SD levels – 480i/p and 576i/p. Used in offline workflows.

Apple ProRes 4444 – Edit and finish 4:4:4 material

• Final Cut Express and iMovie

Choose FCE and iMovie friendly format- “iMovie and Final Cut Express > Apple Intermediate Codec (AIC) (*.mov)

• Avid Media Composer 5.5/6 

In order to take advantage of the plugin AMA, you have to make sure that you still keep the structure of the file folder recorded by your camera. If not, here you can set Avid DNxHD (*.mov) for natively editing in Avid MC.



Step 3: Just hit the Convert button on the bottom right to kick off 4K to Mac Conversion.

Step 4: Import 4K video into Mac through FCP, Avid, iMovie, Premiere Pro, FCE

After conversion, locate and select the file you want to import, then click Import for further editing in Final Cut Pro 7/X, Final Cut Express/iMovie, Avid Media Composer.

Now, you can edit 4K video on Mac in FCP, Avid, iMovie, Premiere Pro, FCE natively, smoothly without any problem. Video and audio quality and synchronization are perfectly guaranteed.

Related posts:
Edit Blackmagic Production Camera 4K in FCP