canonfinal-cut-prohdmiimacvideo
We really need your help.
We are shooting a movie and searching for a solution how to capture video from HDMI port of Canon 5D Mark II to an iMac 27 inch in real time. The iMac doesn't have an HDMI port. We have a Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapter, but it's not bidirectional so we can't use Mini DisplayPort for input.
Is there any way to capture video in our case? Are there other adapters that are bidirectional or something else?
Yes, it is true.
MacBook (Mid 2010), MacBook Air (Late 2010), MacBook Pro (Mid 2010), Mac mini (Mid 2010), iMac (Late 2009), Mac Pro (Mid 2010) and later models supply multichannel audio (up to 8 channels) and video signals over Mini DisplayPort.
There shouldn't be any dependencies for it to work other than an HDMI cable to use from your HDTV to your adapter. If you plan on purchasing a third party adapter make sure you confirm that it does both audio and video.
No there is not a DVI, Displayport, or even a VGA to Thunderbolt adapter available yet.
It looks like if such a device were to be made it would have to have a DisplayPort input, to work, or include active convertors for other legacy signals because DisplayPort is the integrated video signal with Thunderbolt.
To do this a DisplayPort to Thunderbolt adapter must be possible first, hence requiring a full Thunderbolt Controller with a Display port input. Since a device like this has not been built yet, but technically should be possible according to the double ended arrow in the diagram for the DisplayPort signal on the external controller, it should be possible for such a device to exist.
If an when built this would provide a true Thunderbolt signal including a DisplayPort signal and could meet Apples requirements for Target Display Mode on Thunderbolt equipped iMacs, however there is a gray area as highlighted below.
iMac (21.5-inch, Mid 2011) and iMac (27-inch, Mid 2011) support Target Display Mode via Thunderbolt to Thunderbolt cable (2 m) when the source is another Thunderbolt-equipped computer.
So how enforcing Apple is between the terms Thunderbolt-equipped computer and Thunderbolt-device would also factor in if this will work or not...
So at this point we are waiting to see if a Thunderbolt to DisplayPort device is possible, and if that device would be able to send a signal that a thunderbolt equipped iMac would accept while in Target Display Mode.
At this point its just to early to tell if adapters will be available. So yes avoid Thunderbolt iMacs if you want to use Display Port - Target Display Mode, or buy a external Display to share between your PC and Mac.
I wold say external display for the Win, Win case!!!
Best Answer
You may be able to use the Log and Capture window (File>Log and Transfer):
However, this requires you to hook up the camera in such a way that Final Cut Pro recognizes. IIRC, the Canon 5D Mark II doesn't have a Firewire cable. The HDMI capture card might work, as long as FCP recognizes it.