iMac for editing?

[yoak]

Hi
As Paris Expo came and went without anything announced, I´m thinking of getting an iMac to go with my ibook.

The only pro app I will use is Final Cut.
I do fairly straight foreward editing, like putting together my showreel etc.
I have done this on my iBook, and it feels very cramped and slow for certain task (as expected).

Has anyone here any experience using FC on an iMac, and would like to share some thoughts.
I´m thinking of an iMac due to cost and space concerns, but will I be happy with it?

(I´m aware that I need the hack to use dual monitors)

 

[rockandrule]

If you don't have the money to get a PowerMac, an iMac should suit you just fine. They're great little computers, especially when it comes to size constraints. I have a friend who just bought a 17" (although I would advise at 20" for film editing) and he runs FCP without any problems. I used to use some iMac G4s in my TV Productions class in high school, and they managed FCP just as you would expect. Not quite Pro-level, but pretty damn close to it. Throw in a gig of RAM and you'll be set.

 

[Chaszmyr]

Just be advised if youre planning on working with HD video, the iMac is not powerful enough to properly playback 1080p h.264 encoding.

Otherwise, the iMac G5 should work just fine.

 

[yoak]

Just be advised if youre planning on working with HD video, the iMac is not powerful enough to properly playback 1080p h.264 encoding.

Otherwise, the iMac G5 should work just fine.

Thanks guys

From what I understand it can do 720Ph.264, is that correct or is can it just do playback?
(I went to an Apple shop to have a look at HD trailers on an iMac)

I don´t know how much HD I will do, nothing yet, but who knows down the line...

 

[rockandrule]

Outside question:
Are you planning on going with the 17" or 20"?

 

[yoak]

Good question..
I went down to the local Apple centre today and played with both since I hadn´t seen them up close for a while.

It took me about 5 minutes to change my mind from the 17" to the 20".

I can find the extra money for the 20" (not for a PM, display etc, as a baby is around the corner, hopefully tonight)

It was hard going back to my 12" iBook after that

 

[Chaszmyr]

Thanks guys

From what I understand it can do 720Ph.264, is that correct or is can it just do playback?
(I went to an Apple shop to have a look at HD trailers on an iMac)

I don´t know how much HD I will do, nothing yet, but who knows down the line...

I think you can theoretically do any encoding on any machine, it just may take a very long time. When it comes to playback, however, the machine has to be fast enough to keep up, else it would stop playing.

 

[ravenvii]

I use my Mac mini to edit video. Works perfectly fine, so the iMac should fly for you. Do beware of HD and h.264 though - the Mac mini absolutely chokes on 1080p h.264, and skips slightly on 720p.

 

[rockandrule]

Congrats on the child! Good luck with that, and definitely with your iMac choice! Keep us posted, you know how nosy we all are. Haha.

 

[Eluon]

I use my iMac G5 17inch for movies all the time. Haven't gotten much into FCP, so I don't know if I am much help to you. I use iMovie a lot and I also have a gig of ram. I think you will be just fine.

Just be sure to show ur iMac proper attention when the child comes along. Wouldn't want to have a jealous G5 on your hands.

 

[yoak]

No baby yet, one more night to go.
Thanks for the input, I´ll keep you posted

 

[Dave00]

I use my Mac mini to edit video. Works perfectly fine, so the iMac should fly for you. Do beware of HD and h.264 though - the Mac mini absolutely chokes on 1080p h.264, and skips slightly on 720p.

This may just be a typo, but I wasn't aware there was any such thing as 1080p; the two HD standards are 720p and 1080i. Is there now 1080p as well?

 

[yoak]

This may just be a typo, but I wasn't aware there was any such thing as 1080p; the two HD standards are 720p and 1080i. Is there now 1080p as well?

Yes, 1080p as well now. I never used it though

 

[Chaszmyr]

This may just be a typo, but I wasn't aware there was any such thing as 1080p; the two HD standards are 720p and 1080i. Is there now 1080p as well?

1080p has been around for a while now as a digital format, but I've never actually seen an HDTV that supports 1080p.

 

[LethalWolfe]

Just be advised if youre planning on working with HD video, the iMac is not powerful enough to properly playback 1080p h.264 encoding.

Otherwise, the iMac G5 should work just fine.

Working w/HD and playing back HD h.264 files are two completely separate things. That iMac should be able to work fine w/HDV (that's assuming that he even buys an HDV camera someday).


Lethal

 

[yoak]

Working w/HD and playing back HD h.264 files are two completely separate things. That iMac should be able to work fine w/HDV (that's assuming that he even buys an HDV camera someday).


Lethal

Not sure I will buy one yet, gotta see how Canon, Panasonic and JVC compare in real life, not just in specs.
But I will probably do alot of work on HDV cameras that are rented (or owned by the production company), and I would like to be able to work with the footage too put it on my web page, shoereel etc.

Thanks again

PS. Went to hospital today, and they told us to wait one more day and come back tomorrow.

 

[rockandrule]

Yeah, don't worry about how long they want to bake. I was, I believe, two weeks past due, and I turned out just fine.

 

[FocusAndEarnIt]

Just be advised if youre planning on working with HD video, the iMac is not powerful enough to properly playback 1080p h.264 encoding.

Otherwise, the iMac G5 should work just fine.

I think a 2GHz PowerPC G5 should be MORE THAN ENOUGH for video editing. I don't understand what you are saying. That iMac has as much or more power than recent and before PowerMacs -- 1.6GHz, 1.8GHz, 2.0GHz PowerMacs.

 

[FocusAndEarnIt]

Not sure I will buy one yet, gotta see how Canon, Panasonic and JVC compare in real life, not just in specs.
But I will probably do alot of work on HDV cameras that are rented (or owned by the production company), and I would like to be able to work with the footage too put it on my web page, shoereel etc.

Thanks again

PS. Went to hospital today, and they told us to wait one more day and come back tomorrow.

If I were you, I would go for a Panasonic. I have had nothing but GOOD things from them, all my cameras/digital cameras/camcorders have been from them. AWESOME COMPANY!

Anyway,
That's great that your having a child! Is this your first?

 

[yoak]

Hi
Yes it´s our first, very excited
Looking foreward to the new Panasonic, I have done great work on the DVX100, I´ve even seen it blown up to 35mm and screened in the biggest cinma in Oslo. It held up pretty good.

The iMac will br more than enough for DV, I just wondered about how it would be performing with HDV

 

[Dave00]

1080p has been around for a while now as a digital format, but I've never actually seen an HDTV that supports 1080p.

Hmm, that's strange. Perhaps someone can enlighten me on this, but I'm not sure why you'd want to make a video that can't be played on anything but a computer. Sounds like alot of extra processing and work for a very limited application. Thanks for enlightening me.

Dave

 

[yoak]

Hmm, that's strange. Perhaps someone can enlighten me on this, but I'm not sure why you'd want to make a video that can't be played on anything but a computer. Sounds like alot of extra processing and work for a very limited application. Thanks for enlightening me.

Dave

Hi Dave.
What seems to be happening is that some (lower cost) productions go the HDV way to future proof their footage.
Say you are shooting a documentary meant for TV (or even a theatrical release), then a year down the line they are making a DVD out of it, they want to have the best possible footage for doing that.
(I´m aware that most won´t have HDTV´s in a year time)

If you are going to do a blow up to a 35mm print, you would want the best possible resolution for your footage that´s within your budget.
Alot of productions are not sure of this at the time when they start shooting

Then you have the ignorant clients that just want you to shoot on the latest (not neccesarly greatest) because they have read/heard about HDV

So, it´s also away of making sure the iMac can last me as long as possible.

I hope this can clear things up

 

[Dave00]

Hi Dave.
What seems to be happening is that some (lower cost) productions go the HDV way to future proof their footage.

I see, so it's a prophylactic against obsolescence. I would also imagine that you have reasons similar to why you'd ever shoot at 8 megapixels when you really don't need that for the usual 4x6 prints - you do it IN CASE you'd need it at some point.

Anyway, thanks for the insight.

Dave

 

[yoak]

You are welcome.
And thanks for teaching me "prophylactic"; What a great word

 

[LethalWolfe]

Hmm, that's strange. Perhaps someone can enlighten me on this, but I'm not sure why you'd want to make a video that can't be played on anything but a computer. Sounds like alot of extra processing and work for a very limited application. Thanks for enlightening me.

Dave

Why do people shoot on film when the only way to view it is if you have a film projector? There are acquisition formats and there are delivery formats. You want to shoot and edit on the highest quality format you can afford, and then you'll dump your completed project onto a lesser format for distribution and/or broadcast.

Something else to keep in mind is there are dozens of variations of type and quality of HD. Grouping all "HD" together is like grouping all Macs together. Yes, the Mini, the PB and the G5 PM are all computers, but they are also all very different (you wouldn't refer to G5 PM as a Mini). Just like all the different kinds of HD are different. For example, HDV, DVCProHD, HDCAM, HDCAM SR, HD DVDs, HD from b'cast/cable/satellite, and HD output from the Thompson Viper filmstream (used on "Collateral") or the Panavision Genesis (used on the new Superman movie) are all different qualities and all fall under the "HD umbrella." Of course you also have to consider the different res/framerates too (1080/60i, 1080/24p, 1080/30p, 720/60p, 720/24p, 720/30p).


Lethal