Hi Ray

Thanks for responding. Am I correct in thinking I go to the folder containing the clip right click it select Mediainfo and check the frame rate. Not sure what created variable frame rates looks like. I thought I would need some way to check the file 30/60 on the timeline to see what rate it was playing at alongside my 50/100 clips?

@derek-brown

Derek, sometimes I don't get asked to match the movie settings with the clips. Just set your movie setting FR to match the nominal clip frame rate of 30fps.

I have been using a sony camera on a gimbal for videoing property. I thought I would use the sony camera which is set at 50/100 (suits my purpose) for the internal and experiment with my Iphone 11 pro for external. My project setting are 50/100 and I loaded the Iphone clip at 30/60 on to the track expecting to get the adjust dialogue box.I am not an expert but the Iphone clip did not run smoothly(it could be something else causing this) I just wanted to know if the different frame rates playing together would cause an issue?Magix has not altered the rates because when I right click and look at the object properties on the timeline one clip is 50fps and the other 30fps.

Yes different frame rates can cause problems, MMS is having to change 30 into 50 or vise versa, 30 doesn't divide into 50 equally so frames have to be discarded (or whatever the right term is).

Magix has not altered the rates because when I right click and look at the object properties on the timeline one clip is 50fps and the other 30fps.

@derek-brown If you already have a clip on the project ie. the 50p clip when you drag the 30p clip on it won't show that msg, it won't change the current project..?

Also check this button to reactivate dialogue boxes.

@derek-brown

Changing the movie settings is a simple matter; you don't have to rely on the auto-detect system. Hit key E and set what you want. I'd try setting 30 and see how the Sony footage looks.

For future work, can you set the Sony to 30fps (or 29.97)? Alternatively, try your iphone on 60fps.

@derek-brown I can't add to my comment above so - With respect your PC isn't the most powerful, if your two different medias are mixed format, both may well be MP4 but one maybe AVC & the other HEVC, mixing these on top of the different frames wouldn't be ideal esp on your PC. I know iPhones are set to HEVC by default, I don't know about your drone footage, MediaInfo will tell you/us that. There's also a Dolby setting in iPhones I think, I've read this can cause problems when it comes to editing, don't have an iPhone so don't really know..?

My Gopro is HEVC only so I've switched my Samsung S23 Ultra phone from my usual AVC to HEVC purely for this reason of not wanting to mix formats,

@derek-brown

Hi

To determine if the iPhone video is Variable framerate use MediaInfo as suggested by @CubeAce, see this tutorial on hw to set up MediaInfo to get all the required information and analyse an iPhone video clip.

In the video section of the analysis if you see this:

Frame rate mode: Variable

Then the video, ideally, needs converting to Constant frame rate, using a program such as AviDemux or Handbrake however if the difference between the Minimum frame rate and Maximum frame rate values is low, eg less than 5 fps, the you may be able to get a good result without conversion depending on the type of action in the video clip, personally I would convert to CFR if the difference is greater than 3 fps and there is movement across the scene, or a pan, Al (@AAProds) has a tutorial for this, however I do not have the link, perhaps he will post it.

What is the refresh rate of your monitor - this is usually quoted in Hz?

John EB
Forum Moderaor

Hi John

Thanks for your thoughts. Maybe I am being a bit simplistic. My interpretation of the situation is I am adding a video with a different frame rate than the project settings and in the past when this happens Magix gives me the option to adjust the imported video to the same rate as the project. Magix support suggested the same remedy as Gid-Joiner(reactivate dialogue boxes) I tried this but the button was not reactive and appeared to do nothing. Not sure if coinsedence but when returning to the project and importing the 30/60 the adjust dialogue box appeared. Unfortunately when importing a second 30/60 clip no dialogue box.I have asked Magix if this is normal or should the dialogue box appear on every 30/60 imported clip or just the first and then automatically deals with others. In conclusion I return to my original question is magix not working as it should?

Not sure if coinsedence but when returning to the project and importing the 30/60 the adjust dialogue box appeared. Unfortunately when importing a second 30/60 clip no dialogue box.I have asked Magix if this is normal or should the dialogue box appear on every 30/60 imported clip or just the first and then automatically deals with others.

@derek-brown  Hi, I answered that question,

If you already have a clip on the project ie. the 50p clip when you drag the 30p clip on it won't show that msg, it won't change the current project..?

It doesn't matter what your second clip's frame rate or size is you only get that msg on the first clip you add to the project.

------------------

My interpretation of the situation is I am adding a video with a different frame rate than the project settings and in the past when this happens Magix gives me the option to adjust the imported video to the same rate as the project. 

No it's the other way around, Magix offers to change the project to suite the media by clicking Adjust.

Or could be interpreted as Yes if you click Do Not Adjust the project settings won't change & the media will be altered to suite the project,

@derek-brown

Hi Derek.

If the program is not working as it should then it never has worked correctly.

It is never a good idea to use multiple video clips of differing frame rates as the finished exported video must use a fixed frame rate so how does it know which frames to cut or add to from the individual clips to produce the desired export settings? Most of these wrappers are proprietory to each phone / camera manufacturer and are so many out there that video editing programs just on the whole ignore them and rely on users to convert the files first. The only reason these files are used is to reduce storage space on a portable device that may well have a fixed amount of storage. It has nothing to do with obtaining a better quality image, that comes down to the camera, lens and software enhancements unless you are recording at 10 bit, then it is possible to get a better tonal range but again that would produce huge files if recorded at a fixed frame rate which is possible but not on all devices.

Even different resolutions pose a similar but not as drastic as problem as frame rates as lower resolution files will appear softer and less defined compared to a higher resolution file in the same project.

Ray.

Hi Thanks

The timeline has the 50/100 clip as is the project setting. When dragging the 30/60 on to the time line the msg did not appear. I then did as you suggested and tried to press the reactivate dialogue button nothing appeared to occur as the button appeared not to alter. But when I returned to the timeline and dragged a new 30/60 on to the timeline the adjust message appeared. I am trying to understand how the reactivate button should repond when clicked

@CubeAce Hi,

The only reason these files are used is to reduce storage space on a portable device that may well have a fixed amount of storage. It has nothing to do with obtaining a better quality image, that comes down to the camera, lens and .........

You already know this but for @derek-brown this is where the differences with MP4 AVC vs MP4 HEVC comes in that I mentioned, both are compression techniques that reduce the video information so it fits in a storage device like an SD Card, & both try to keep the best quality of image during the compression but neither improve the quality.

MP4 AVC was the 'old' way & all editors are set up to work with this type without problems,

MP4 HEVC is a different newer technique used to compress the greater information of bigger videos like 4K into the SD Card,

Mixing these two on the timeline is not ideal & could cause problems with playback performance, esp on older or low powered PC's.

That is why MediaInfo of your drone footage & the phone footage is needed.

@CubeAce @derek-brown

how does it know which frames to cut or add to from the individual clips to produce the desired export settings?

The same way the program adjusts the speed when using the speed control. It inserts or removes frames as necessary.

Most of these wrappers are proprietory to each phone / camera manufacturer and are so many out there that video editing programs just on the whole ignore them and rely on users to convert the files first.

I don't agree. The acceptance of a particular codec is purely a design feature. Sure, program that will not accept a particular type of file will need to have that file transcoded into a acceptable format but to say "video editors on the whole just ignore them" is just plain wrong. How many mainstream format does Magix not import? VPX verses MMS?

The only reason these files are used is to reduce storage space on a portable device that may well have a fixed amount of storage. It has nothing to do with obtaining a better quality image, 

Again, I do not agree. If space was the case, why isn't the "best" ie smallest file size framerate used all the time? I think it has everything to do with lighting/exposure because the weakest feature of every camera since creation has been the performance in low light. And with every half-decent camera on the market these days, memory is not an issue. Cloud storage or multiple SD cards mean storage is just not a factor.

Back to Derek's immediate issue: the lack of an "adjust" message is irrelevant. The objects on the timeline do not dictate the movie settings. The movie settings screen (E) does (as I have already explained). You cannot have a variable frame rate timeline ie a FR that changes when an object changes and the movie settings are dictated by the user on the Movie Settings screen. Normally, you'll get an "adjust" prompt but it is only a prompt. You can choose whatever settings you like. And I often do, eg when I want to force a 16:9 video into a 4:3 movie (or VV).

John touched on display framerates; we had a topic here a short time ago where a PAL user was getting jerky video because their movie frame rate was 25fps and was coming out jerkily on their 60fps monitor.

I'd try a couple of things.

1. Change the movie settings to match your iphone (or copy all your movie objects into a new movie and change the settings of the new movie). Then see how the Sony's footage looks. Make sure you export out the video; don't rely on the timeline playback for smoothness.

2. With only an iphone clip, with movie settings on 30fps, try an export and see how it looks. Then export it at 50fps and compare.