How to Edit M2T video with FCP X?

M2T files are often used by Sony, Panasonic, and other HD camcorders, meaning that when you record some videos with Sony/Panasonic cameras, you can get some M2T files saved in the high-definition (HD) MPEG Transport Stream video format, commonly referred to as "HDV". It uses MPEG-2 compression to store HD video data on DV or MiniDV tapes and supports resolutions of 720p and 1080i. If you want to edit your HD camera footages, you can't load M2T files to FCP X.

As Apple's flagship video editing program, Final Cut Pro X has wide spead of users but not wide range of supported input formats. Generally, Final Cut Pro X supports Apple Animation codec, Apple Intermediate codec, Apple ProRes (all versions), AVCHD (including AVCCAM, AVCHD Lite, and NXCAM), AVC-ULTRA (including AVC-LongG, AVC-Intra Class 50/100/200/4:4:4, and AVC-Intra LT), DV (including DVCAM, DVCPRO, and DVCPRO50), DVCPRO HD, H.264, etc. Obviously, M2T is not in the list of FCP X compatible video format. To edit M2T in Final Cut Pro X, you need to convert M2T to Final Cut Pro X supported video like ProRes with some video converters.

Best M2T to Final Cut Pro X Video Converter

There are some video converters available that are regarded as "M2T converters" that work by converting the M2T video/audio contents to other formats like ProRes for FCP X. Among those popular M2T video converters, Pavtube iMedia Converter for Mac will be the best one. It enables users to load M2T files and convert M2T files to FCP X/6/7 supported ProRes in various different file types. You can choose proper Prores format to output according to the following standards:

If you computer is old or slow, or you just want to do some rough editing, you can select to output “Apple Prores Proxy)(*.mov)”or “Apple Prores (LT)(*.mov)”format to save more space and bandwidth. However, if your computer are powerful enough to handle multicam and high-resolution video and you are going to do many effects editing work with FCP X, you’d better choose to output “Apple Prores 422(*.mov)”or “Apple Prores 422(HQ)(*.mov)”for better performance.

What's more, Pavtube iMedia Converter for Mac also can convert Blu-ray, DVD, MKV, AVI, ISO, FLV, BDMV, AVCHD, VOB, etc to Final Cut Pro (X/7/6) compaible video. Besides FCP, this Mac M2T converter can transcode M2T files for smoothly editing in Premiere Pro, Avid Media Composer, iMovie, Adobe After Effects and more NLE systems. You can read Pavtube iMedia Converter for Mac review to learn more about it.

Tutorial on Load and Convert M2T to FCP X

Step 1. Import M2T video files

Install and run the M2T to FCP converter app. Then click Add button to load the .M2T or .m2ts videos you want to convert for FCP. Or simply drag the videos to the item bar for conversion. Since Pavtube iMedia Converter for Mac also supports Blu-ray and DVD, you can load Blu-ray, DVD to convert to FCPX.

load BDMV folder

Step 2. Choose Apple ProRes for FCP X

Clicking "Format" bar and choose Apple ProRes 422 (*.mov) as output format from the "Final Cut Pro" category which can be the most compatible video format for FCP. Learn>>Types of Apple ProRes Codecs.

Tip: FCP 7 and above user can choose ProRes 422(LT)/ProRes 444/ProRes 422(Proxy) to meet your own demands.

Choose Prores LT Preset

Step 3. Adjust video&audio settings (optional)

Click the “Settings” button to adjust video size, bitrate and frame rate if you are not satisfied with default settings.

Adjust Prores LT Settings

Select an item on the main interface to active the “Editor” menu, then click the pencil like icon to open “Video Editor” Window, you can play and preview the original video and output effects. Also you can flip video, trim, add special effect, reset, and adjust volume.

Edit DJI Phantom 4 4K video

Step 4: Start M2T to FCP conversion

Click "Convert" button to start transcoding M2T files to ProRes for importing to FCP X.

When the conversion task is finished, click "Open" button to get the exported files and then import the converted M2T files into Final Cut Pro X or FCP 6/7 to do further editing without any issue.