Hi.
Based on the hope that one of the Moderators passes this on to Avid I'll report an issue with AVCHD Import into Avid MC (applies at least to versions 6.5.2 to 6.5.3).
I think we all know how weird the studio vs. fullswing thing can be with AVCHD … especially on MAC.
Now, on MC 5.5 (xy…) everything went fine with GH2 footage (MTS files recorded in studioswing have been imported accordingly into Avid MC).
The Panasonic GH3 also records video in studioswing but the files (*.mov files) are labelled with a fullswing tag for viewing purposes on a computer screen.
However, Avid MC (6.5.3) is clipping blacks on direct import (though import settings are set to rec 709).
To illustrate the issue I've attached screenshots of some test footage directly imported into MC 6.5.3 versus footage first transcoded to DNxHD (185x, 25p) through iFFmpeg and then fast imported into Avid MC (since the forum layout crops the screenshots please open the attchments in a seperate tab to view the full images...).
The direct import clearly shows crushed shadows and banding… while the iFFmpeg conversion to DNxHD shows smooth transitions and a higher differentiation in dark tonal values. To make the issue more obvious I've applied a tone curve to both of the screenshots in a second copy.
I was under the impression Avid MC (5.5 …) ignores flags and tags in mov and MTS files. Which was a good thing!! … IMO… since this way the actual luminance levels of the original footage has been preserved.
But apparently MC 6.5 (…) now seems to read flags and tags in AVCHD footage and therefore direct import doesn't work correctly anymore.
Would be cool, if Avid could fix this ... since right now the only way to preserve the original levels is to first transcode the footage to DNxHD using an external tool (in my case iFFmpeg).
Or maybe I am doing something wrong..? (but honestly I don't think so as I am pretty familar with the studio- vs. fullswing issue...).
GH3 patches (tone curve applied to the iFFmpeg import on the right side to utilze fullswing levels): 
GH3 patches + curve (tone curve applied to the iFFmpeg import on the right side to utilze fullswing levels): 
GH3 shadows (tone curve applied to the iFFmpeg import on the right side to utilze fullswing levels): 
GH3 shadows + curve (tone curve applied to the iFFmpeg import on the right side to utilze fullswing levels): 