MacBook Editing/tapeless Camera

[rndyroth 0]

I'm going to start camera flying in the spring. I've read a number of the posts, but haven't seen answers to my exact questions...

I have a new MacBook Pro for my office and would like to use iMovie '08 for editing. I would like to find the best camera within reason that functions well for skydiving and also plays nice with the Mac and iMovie '08. If I could get away without having to use a tape-based camera, I'd like that too. What about the CX12? Or the TG1? Others?

Any advice?

thanks!

[DSE 3]

With Voltaic/Shedworks, the latest iMovie, and various conversion tools (adds a little extra time) you can easily work with AVCHD files in Apple software. Adobe Premiere CS4 supports it natively. No Apple product supports MPEG directly without some form of re-heading or conversion.
Either way, while Apple does make it a bit of a PITA compared to other NLE's, you can use AVCHD-acquired formats in Apple software/iMovie.

[edit Apple software only specifically supports Sony and Panasonic camcorders, but I've successfully imported Canon Vixia footage.

[rndyroth 0]

Thanks. So, I take it that it's not advisable (or you just plain can't) to just use iMovie?

[DSE 3]

Again...you can use iMovie 08. It just takes a bit longer. I don't know if Premiere Elements is available for Mac yet, I don't usually hear about the consumer products much...If it is, then it too, has native AVCHD support on the Mac platform.
It would really help if Apple would just give up their angst for MPEG LA and support MPEG formats. It will cost them a small royalty payment, but with MPEG being now the predominant acquisition format the world over...it would make sense to support it natively. Write a letter to your congressman.
iMovie is a really great little tool, IMO.

[howardwhite 5]

Quote

don't know if Premiere Elements is available for Mac yet..

It isn't.
HW

[rndyroth 0]

Thanks for the info!

[VectorBoy 0]

Mpeg LA?

[DSE 3]

mpeg LA is the official licensing organization that controls the receipt and distribution of royalties related to all things MPEG.
http://www.mpegla.org/index1.cfm

If you make DVDs, NLE software, cameras that encode to MPEG, broadcast MPEG, create software products that conform, alter, ingest, output MPEG, you pay these guys a royalty after you've created up to 10,000 units/pieces/copies.
They also license VC1 (microsoft's codec) among other relevant encoders/decoders.
No one in this community would likely ever have reason to know much about MPEG LA. My company makes a software converter for PC that requires us to have an MPEG LA agreement.
If my small company can deal with it, why can't/won't Apple?