Apple slideshow question? iMovie won't import my camera's MOV files.

[scootermaster]

So, I have a bunch of pictures from Cuba. I also have some videos. I'd like to make a slideshow combining them. Ideally, I'd like some pics with the Ken Burns effect, some background music, and the videos, without the audio channel from the videos. The videos are from my Canon SD 960. They're 1280 x 720 (720p), encoded in H.264 Integer (little endian), in a MOV package. The pics are 4000x3000 JPGs or something like that.

Anyone have a decent idea of what the best way to combine these in to a slideshow might be?

Thanks!

Edit: Totally forgot the mention that the reason for this post is that iMovie simply won't import the aforementioned MOV movie files from my camera, so I'm not sure what to use. Is there an easy way to convert the movies to something more iMovie friendly?

 

[Kmax82]

I really like FotoMagico ( http://www.boinx.com/fotomagico/overview/ ). But iMovie does do some nice photo slideshows with their built into templates as well.

 

[Kmax82]

What kind of camera?

Maybe try to convert them via HandBrake, or ffMpegX.

 

[scootermaster]

Originally posted by: Kmax82
What kind of camera?

Maybe try to convert them via HandBrake, or ffMpegX.

It's a Canon SD 960IS. Handbrake will kinda convert them (not perfectly), but not to anything that'll work in iMovie. Never tried ffMpegX.

I know QT pro will do it, but I don't have that (or at least it will according to google searches. This is a common problem. iMovie is apparently made exclusively for DV stuff. Blah).

Anyway, I'll try that software you recommended and if you have any other suggestions I'm all ears!

 

[Kmax82]

Hmm.. the only other program I know of that would work with .dv was VisualHub but that's been discontinued. I'm at a loss. One post that I found through Google mentioned that he imported the video into iPhoto and then into iMovie, so I don't know if that would make a difference. There aren't any firmware updates, or software that you need to run it through is there?

 

[scootermaster]

Originally posted by: Kmax82
Hmm.. the only other program I know of that would work with .dv was VisualHub but that's been discontinued. I'm at a loss. One post that I found through Google mentioned that he imported the video into iPhoto and then into iMovie, so I don't know if that would make a difference. There aren't any firmware updates, or software that you need to run it through is there?

I think maybe I wasn't clear. iPhoto makes great slideshows, but obviously won't handle video. iMovie apparently will handle video, but only DV video straight from a DVcam. (I know it's supposed to handle other things, but that's what its meant for and other support is spotty). iMovie won't, out of the box, import the .MOV files my camera takes. Converting them to something iMovie-friendly is possible. I've tried handbrake but it either chokes, or converts them to something else that iMovie also does not like (like m4v files).

So I need some sort of workflow that'll allow me to make a slideshow with the movies and photos.

I downloaded that program and it works quite well! Drag and drop support for those MOVs. (I really don't know what iMovie has against that, but whatever). The problem is, it has primitive movie editing support. So now I'm kind of back at square one because there's things I'd like to do with these clips (namely, image stabilize them, and alter their play speed/slow them down). So I might need to find some other program to do that, make NEW clips and then import those into that Fotomagico program.

I guess my point is there's no real reason why iMovie can't do this. That's what it's freakin' made for, after all. I just can't figure out how to get the movies in there.

Edit: One other snag is that apparently iMovie really butchers the resolution of photos. So people have been known to make slide shows in iPhoto (for high rez) then export that to a MOV and then edit that in iMovie. Stupid, I know, but then again, apparently so is iMovie.

 

[Kmax82]

Yea, the post that I found was a guy that had the same camera and he claimed that the MOV files that he exported directly from the camera worked in iMovie. I don't know what version, though. I agree it's odd, but the next step would be to contact Apple and see what the issue is. I've imported video from other sources into iMovie and never had an issue, so who knows... Sorry I couldn't be more help.

Here's the post: http://www.cabel.name/2009/05/...tures-great-video.html