Advantage of converting GoPro video files with GoPro CineForm?

Question

Having worked with GoPro cameras for a few years, I had originally ignored the GoPro CineForm Studio software. Probably out of the usual disregard for packaged software, but also due to it being marketed for a while at the 3D users.

I've added it to my workflow lately at it performs better (somehow) on my Macbook Pro for simple preview/rename/sort operations than VLC does for my tastes. I have tried using the conversion batch processing also, but I was wondering what use turning a 271 MB source MP4 file into a 2 GB MOV file is?

I'm using FCP X as my NLE, which has recently even replaced Lightroom/Quicktime for timelapses, and I'm curious if there's a point to the conversion workflow for this environment? There's a YouTube video by GoPro themselves that doesn't explain this, and they seem to be ignoring user comments asking similar questions.

Answer 1

The GoPro CineForm Studio Manual sums up the advantage as being primarily one of unpacking the compressed and native MP4 file that the device records to. It also introduces metadata, allowing the user to adjust elements of the video such as the contrast or scaling. As these are metadata elements, you can continue to adjust these on the fly, while the media is being edited in your video editor.

Read the guide here.

I'm not sure if this will replace the conforming process I use importing media into Final Cut Pro X, but it's a great addition to the workflow as I look more into open source editing tools.