iMovie 10.1.14 importing standard video without cropping

There is a difference between the crop function in the media browser and the crop function in the timeline.

You must have a clip selected in the timeline to use the normal crop function with the Fit, Crop to Fill, and Ken Burns options. If you select a clip in the media browser instead, you will get a different crop function that does not contain the Fit, Crop to Fill, and Ken Burns options. Also, before you import any clips into the project timeline the crop icon in the toolbar in the upper right of your screen will be grayed out, as you have observed. That is the way it is supposed to be.

Take a look at this help menu link that explains the crop function, both in the media browser and in the timeline:

https://help.apple.com/imovie/mac/10.1/#/mova56757e7e

-- Rich

You can import standard video into iMovie without cropping, but you will get black bars on each side to make it fit the 16:9 dimensions of iMovie's screen. Use the "Fit" selection from the Crop tool (the one that looks like intersecting angles) in the toolbar at the upper right of your screen.

-- Rich

I used iMovie for awhile before realizing that there were two different crop functions. So, it is a bit confusing. Normally one cannot do significant editing of a clip in the media browser, but cropping with the alternate crop function is one exception.

Glad it's now working for you. :)

-- Rich