Well there are 4 main things that affect file size, excluding the framerate and the choice of codecs/file formats used. Anybody should know this:

1. Resolution
2. Video bitrate
3. Audio bitrate
4. Length of video

To fix your problem, you need to manually edit your own custom H.264 AVC m2ts profile in PowerDirector. Edit things like the video bitrate and audio bitrate. By doing this, you don't have to reduce the length of your video. To maintain good quality on m2ts, you need to have at least 10000-15000kbps (all settings maxed out). I recommend 20000+ if you have a serious editing and video project going on. The audio bitrate can be as low as 128kbps.


However, if you use .AVI. You can have less than 10000! Since you had m2ts to begin with, just stick to m2ts I suppose.


This is what I believe the file formats that have the best compression quality: (From best to worst)

AVI->FLV/M2TS/MP4/MKV/MOV/3G->WMV->MPG->.RM

Since all of these file format containers, except WMV/MPG/RM, have the H.264 (H.265?) MPEG4 AVC codec in them - it's best to use the same file format you originally recorded with. A conversion may reduce quality...

the resolution is the same 1920x1080
video bitrate from 17mbps to 15.5 mbps
audio bitrate didnt mess with it i used the default.
lenght of the video smaller 15 secs due to the fade.
how can the default settings produce a larger file?
what should i do mess with the bitrate?

Gotcha!
using media player classic it says in properties that my file has 18mbps
camera manual says 17mbps in HA mode
but PD8 says 12.18 mbps when i click with the right button over the file
assuming PD8 was right i lower down my bitrate from the default
15500000 to 12000000 resulting in a very good size
420 original 421 after edit

Bitrate that's it!
thank you