How to cut 8 frames?

[George Glou]

Hi!
I usually get footage from sony z7 but from Compact flash card ,not dv.Sony when records at CF it has an issue and when the cameraman press stop, the card continue to record from 6-8 frames more.So when I import the clips to timeline I always have to cut the last 8 frames cause its useless.But I maybe have 1500 clips for every job and its annoying.Is there any solution so when I drag from bin to timeline,immediatelly to cut the last 8 frames from every clip?
Thanks
George

[George Glou]

Noone has ever seen this issue from CF cards?
Still not any idea how to cut tose 8 frames?
Anyone?

[antonsvideo]

I don't use CF cards

but I have never used an untrimmed camera clip in its full length in my whole life, you must have dead accurate camera operators?

[Jerry]

That is the dirty part of the job called "Editor."

[Rusty]

What I think the OP is talking about is the messy way Sony ends its files. This also occurs when making long recordings. When used along side my (now aging) EXCam footage the new AVCHD must be first spaced and then the tail ends trimmed. The tails will have 1-6 frames with no audio and quite often the last video frame(s) will be half-recorded.

Interestingly, Edius will often automatically trim the ends for me. After dragging the clips to the timeline, I've noticed the trailing "end of clip" triangle is not there. Drag out the end of the clip to reveal the bad frames.

I've complained many times to the owners of these cameras about the lost frames and audio. IMO, the cameras are junk.

[Ron Evans]

Rusty, All my cameras are Sony AVHCD and I do not get this issue on any of them. All my projects are long form theatre of each act being about 1 hour. Multicam of 3 to 5 cameras. I also mix with an EX3 every so often. I have no problems like reported. However I ALWAYS use the Sony transfer software. CMU for the NX5U, XDCam for the EX3 and PMB for the consumer cameras. Audio always goes to the end of clip and no strange effects in stereo or 5.1. I have been editing AVCHD since it first appeared ( bought a Sony SR7 must be 5 or 6 years ago now and have been completely AVCHD for over 2 years since I retired my FX1 as it couldn't match the performace of the little Sony AVCHD cams) and have never seen the problems you mention. For me AVCHD has been wonderful. Quick transfer to PC, no audio sync problems, nice sharp video compared to HDV and easy to edit with a powerful PC.

Ron Evans

[Rusty]

Ron, you hit the nail on the head!
If I could convince the knuckleheads that don't use the Sony transfer software to follow your advise there would be way more happiness here.

Can the Sony transfer software be used after copying from the original cards?
After transfer, are your files now contiguous?

I'm tired of the 4GB files I get.

[Ron Evans]

If the whole card directories are copied yes the software will join all the files together as if they were on the original card or in the camera. The software does need all the directories though.

All my files are joined with no issues and re named to the date and time that the clip was taken ie 20110620091652.m2ts

[John Lewis]

Like Ron I dont have this problem with Sony nx5, mc2000. V x550 or the Sony 3d TD10 as I ways use Sony pmb or cmu software

[Harro]

In the 5 years that I have owned my Sony EX1 I have always used their transfer tool, EXCAMEX Clipbrowser and have never ever experienced any problems, clips are stitched together where required and audio is in sync and goes from start to finish of the clip. Why use short cuts and iffy techniques if a proven system works perfectly?

[GrassValley_SL]

From experience helping editors with Issues like these I can confirm that it is when people don't use the correct way to manage (import) the assets that they have these weird issues.

There are a lot of people who ignore the manufacturer software and just copy over for the video files without the meta data . Pick and choose copy is not the way to go.
It is only with the correct (original) folder structure that applications will know what to do to manage these assets.
In digital acquisition Metadata is an essential part of the managing workflow.

I have more experience with P2 . When offloading cards this is done with the manufacturer software ,now with the upgraded P2 viewer plus.
I never have had any issues.

So I would suggest anyone doing digital acquisition to read up on the format /structure and use the correct way to manage your assets.
It will pay off in the long run for both your editing and archiving.
You will get a smoother experience.

[Ron Evans]

Rusty, I assume you are editing other peoples files. So I would ask them to give you the card or a complete copy of the card. Get all the manufacturers transfer software and always use that to get the clips. When transferred in my case for a 4 camera multicam of a theatre show I have just 8 files. Four files for each act, one from each camera and are about 12G each depending on length of show of course. The older SR11 records at 17mbps and the CX700 at 60P at 28mbps, XR500 21mbps with 5.1 audio, NX5U at 24mbps and with LPCM audio so the files sizes are all slightly different. I just backup these complete clips for my archive. Original files on the camcorders are deleted when I know I have the backup done, usually before then next show !!!. Not sure if the Sony software will deal with other manufacturers files but PMB is eager to transfer my GoPro files when I put the SD card in the reader.

Ron Evans