I don't usually convert my GH2 files to Cineform because the Premiere+cuda AVCHD decodeing is so good. But Cineform usually has a free trial so you can test it.

Cineform is not a free codec. I have used it for a couple of years now, and while I must say it is a very good codec, even when compared to ProRes or Avid's DxnD, it is quite a troublesome tool to use because of its proprietary license. If you ever reset your computer, it will lock up and you have to write to Cineform to ask for a new key to unlock the software. This protects the software from piracy, but it's a damn hassle for endusers.

Try 5DtoRGB. Awesome software that leverages codecs like ProRes and Avid. And it's free!

The free version does not import MTS

Wow, thats great news! Guess its limited to 1080p 422?

It also works with Vegas Pro.

@Rambo Why not? It seems to work really well and seems to be the same codec.

I lower the contrast in Cineform Studio in order to make the footage easier to color grade. Is that the best way to do it in Cineform? Also I noticed that when you do this noise becomes more apparent. Is there a free program that can remove gamma noise as well or close to other paid programs?

The beauty of using Cineform (as I understand it) . . . comes from it keeping metadata concerning all of your modifications to the footage. No permanent changes are made until you render/export out to another filetype. The original footage always remains while you color, etc, so whatever you do, it is non-destructive.

Also, it is quite handy for dealing with 3D footage.

@B3Guy - understood, and not having used Cineform myself I don't know the facts. But I did investigate it when I was considering my workflow and decided against it. If it works as you describe (and I believe you are correct) then it is indeed a very proprietary format dependent on licensing (as per @kazuo). I just couldn't wrap my head around Cineform first converting to a 4:2:2 color space during editing and not changing the original - although I do understand the concept. I just felt that it was...risky.

As far as maintaining the original footage, from a storage perspective that should be your only real concern. Import from flash card to storage disk (RAID5 array with backup) and rename with prefix and timestamp. If you work with 4:2:2 converted files from this point forward you will never have to touch your originals again. You will always be able to regenerate any subsequent file format if you maintain the original.

Automatically convert to uncompressed 4:2:2 or a pro HQ codec like Avid or ProRes for final render - this will give you the best possible output for color grading, effects and chroma key, etc.

If you are color grading you will probably want to convert your original 8bit 4:2:0 .mts files to 4:2:2 for the extra latitude. If you choose a good quality proxy format your editing sessions will move right along, and you will have the benefit of 4:2:2 color space for your corrections. When your edits are finished you can link in the uncompressed footage (or other HQ codec) for the final render. The Post Prep Utility will automatically do both conversions and will create HQ and proxy files of identical names making it much easier to link them in at render time.

At the super-high gh2 bitrates, footage gets a bit hard to navigate - with transitions, effects and color grading it is like molasses on the timeline. If doing more than a simple edit it may pay to also convert the originals to a proxy format to make that timeline easier to manage plus you get the extra color space. Once your project is complete you can delete ALL of the intermediate files - you can always easily regenerate them if you need them! It is also best to keep your work footage on a RAID0 array of 3 or more drives. The faster the I/O the better.

It may seem like a lot of handling but I have tools that automate the bulk of the grunt work - and the results are always high-quality and worth the extra effort!

I am sure that Cineform is an excellent product and can bring a lot of convenience to workflow, but as fast as the GH2 scene is changing I wouldn't want to cling to any overly-proprietary format ; )

@brianluce you obviously don't own Cineform Neoscene or you would know the difference.

David Newman (not Neuman as you called him) has said GoPro Cineform Studio Premium has replaced NeoHD and GoPro Cineform Studio Professional has replaced Neo4k and Neo3D. Neoscene is still a separate product to Studio.

Brian, i'm not going thru the process again of reinstalling the free Gopro Cineform Studio as it cannot co-exist on the same machine that Neoscene is installed on without uninstalling Neoscene first.

I suggest you purchase the program designed to process mts files like i have and you will find there are 6 quality settings (low, medium, high, filmscan1, Filmscan2 and uncompressed) The free version of GoPro Cineform Studio i originally installed did not have all these choices.

The "non destructive" element of Cineform is an integrated procedure called FirstLight that only comes with Cineform Studio Premium and above.

Why should I purchase it? It works perfectly in the free version from GoPro. A seamless workflow. I submit that Gopro CF is a viable solution for GH2 users.

Ppl have argued that you should work on files natively, that with some software being able to read and process color at 32bits, you shouldn't bother with transcodes.

Well, yes and no. iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

Yeah I go 'round and 'round on this one. Perhaps if you're not pushing the color or vfx too hard, you can stay native, but if you're going to be aggressive, maybe one should transcode. I've yet to find anything definitive on it.