Canon XF305/XF300 50Mbps MPEG-2 4:2:2 codec with Sony Vegas Pro

Summary: The Sony Vegas Pro won’t import MXF files from Canon XF105, XF300, XF305. The easy workaround is to transcode MXF to Sony Vegas Pro “edit” friendly format.



The Canon XF series camcorders employ the XF Codec, an MPEG-2 4:2:2 50Mbps codec for native 1920 x 1080 HD video recording onto affordable, universally available Compact Flash (CF) cards. Uniting video, audio and metadata into a single file, Canon XF305 and XF300 use an MXF (Material eXchange Format) File Wrapper, a widely supported open-source format, to maximize compatibility with existing industry infrastructure; while, it’s still not widely supported by the non-linear editing (NLE) systems. Many users have met the Canon XF300/XF305 to Vegas Pro issues.

To solve the problem is a effective way, what you should know that: MXF is a self-container format which is unacceptable by various non-linear editing systems (NLE), like Pinnacle Studio, Final Cut Pro (FCP 6/7/X), Sony Vegas, Avid Media Composer, Premiere, etc. In order to import the MXF files from Canon cam to Sony Vegas Pro for editing, the easy workaround is to transcode Canon MXF files to Vegas Pro Pro most compatible video formats. Along with some help from a top MXF Converter, it can be done. To help those who wanna edit MXF files in Pinnacle Studio without problems, here I share with you a simple guide on how to convert MXF files for smooth editing in Sony Vegas Pro.

Solution: Download and install Brorsoft MXF Converter

With it, you can easily convert Canon MXF files from XF100/XF105/XF300/XF305 MXF files to MPEG-2, the best codec ensuring the best results when using in Sony Vegas Pro. Besides it, it can also export the best editable format for Pinnacle Studio, Avid Media Composer, Windows Movie Maker, etc. Check a step-by-step instruction on how to convert Canon MXF files to MPEG for Sony Vegas Pro 11/12.

Step 1. After downloading, install and run this Canon MXF file converter, just copy the MXF files from the CF cards right to your hard drive, import the files to the software.

Note: You shouldn’t move the single MXF video out of the whole MXF whole structure folder, or the MXF video would be wrong such as without audio.



Step 2. Click on the dropdown menu of “Format” and then move your pointer to Adobe Premiere/Sony Vegas > MPEG-2, which is the Sony Vegas compatible video format. Afterwards, you can set the output folder.

Tip: Click the “Settings” icon and you will go into “Profile Settings” interface. You can adjust codec, bit rate, frame rate, sample rate and audio channel according to your needs and optimize the output file quality.



Step 3. Click “Convert” button to start transcoding Canon XF305/XF300 50Mbps MPEG-2 4:2:2 codec MXF to MPEG-2 for importing to Sony Vegas Pro.

After the conversion is finished, just run Vegas and import the generated mpg files. You will find the output video work perfectly on Sony Vegas Pro 10/11/12.

Additional Tips:

1. Click Edit button and you can deinterlace 1080i Canon MXF files for Sony Vegas via checking off the “Deinterlacing” box in the Video Editor.

2. If you wanna handle your Cano XF100/XF105/XF300/XF305 MXF files on Mac with iMovie, FCE, Adobe Premiere Pro, etc, Brorsoft MXF Converter for Mac is the utility for you.

3. Learn more MXF tips and tricks from Brorsoft MXF forum.

Related tutorials:

FAQ & Answers: Canon XF Plugin for Final Cut Pro (X)
Transcoding Canon MXF footage to DNxHD for Avid MC
Solve Canon C300 MXF to Adobe Premiere Pro CS6 issues
Import Canon XF300 MXF files to FCP X on Mac OS X
Convert Canon C500 MXF files to ProRes 422 for FCP 6/7 on Mac
Import Canon XF305 MXF to FCP on Mac
Importing Canon Vixia HF G10/G20 to Mac Avid Media Composer
Canon C300 Workflow - FCP, iMovie, Premiere Pro, Avid
Premiere Pro CS5.5/CS4/CS3 and Sony PMW-EX1R Workflow
Import Canon EOS Rebel T3i (600d) & T4i (650d) MOV to WMM
How to open and edit .AVI files in Pinnacle Studio
Gopro MP4 rendering issue with Sony Vegas Pro