Import and edit Sony Alpha a7S II XAVC S video in Avid

How do you guys work with Sony Alpha a7S II XAVC S footage in Avid Media Composer? It's a known fact that Avid doesn't have native support for XAVC S files. You need workarounds to make it possible. In this tutorial, we guide you through the process of converting Sony Alpha a7S II XAVC S video to DNxHD for editing in Avid fluidly.

To load an XAVC-S file from Sony Alpha a7S II into Avid software like Media Composer, you need to install the XAVC S AMA plugin first, then right click on the bin to bring up a context menu and click Link to Media. You can then double click on the file, or click open, to bring it into the bin.  If the plug in was not selected or didn't work you will see Unsupported Format in the bin and Wrong Format when you try to play it.  If it isn't loaded properly, your alternative option is to convert Sony Alpha a7S II XAVC S files to Avid preferred DNxHD codec prior. This requires a third party Sony Alpha a7S II XAVC S converter for Avid. Keep reading and learn how to transcode Sony Alpha a7S II XAVC S footage to DNxHD for editing within Avid Media Composer.

• Part 1: How to transcode Sony Alpha a7S II XAVC S video to DNxHD for Avid editing on Windows?
• Part 2: How to transcode Sony Alpha a7S II XAVC S footage to DNxHD for Avid editing on Mac?

Video Converter (It is available for Mac and Windows, simply download the proper version depending on your computer's OS.)

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Part 1. How to transcode Sony Alpha a7S II XAVC S video to DNxHD for Avid editing on Windows?

To transcode Sony Alpha a7S II XAVC S footage to DNxHD for Avid editing on Windows, follow these steps: Step 1: Click "Add File" to load video files that you want to convert into this program.

Step 2: Click "Profile" to select "Avid Media Composer" > "Avid DNxHD 1080p(*.mov)" as output format. DNxHD is Avid's favorite editing codec, which Avid will recognize and handle well.

Tips: If necessary, you can click "Settings" button to modify video and audio parameters like encoder, resolution, frame rate, bitrate, aspect ratio, sample rate, and audio channels. You can also "Enable 3D Settings" to add 3D effect to your source media.

Step 3: Click "Convert" to start Sony Alpha a7S II XAVC S to DNxHD conversion on Windows. As soon as the conversion is complete, click "Open Folder" to get the generated DNxHD .mov files for editing in Avid on your Windows PC with optimum performance.

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Part 2. How to transcode Sony Alpha a7S II XAVC S footage to DNxHD for Avid editing on Mac?

To transcode Sony Alpha a7S II XAVC S footage to DNxHD for Avid editing on Mac, follow these steps: Step 1: Click "Add File" to load video files that you want to convert into this program.

Step 2: Click "Profile" to select "Avid Media Composer" > "Avid DNxHD 1080p(*.mov)" as output format. DNxHD is Avid's favorite editing codec, which Avid will recognize and handle well.

Tips: If necessary, you can click "Settings" button to modify video and audio parameters like encoder, resolution, frame rate, bitrate, aspect ratio, sample rate, and audio channels. You can also "Enable 3D Settings" to add 3D effect to your source media.

Step 3: Click "Convert" to start Sony Alpha a7S II XAVC S to DNxHD conversion on Mac. As soon as the conversion is complete, click "Open Folder" to get the generated DNxHD .mov files for editing in Avid on your Mac computer with optimum performance. Hope it helps.