Avid import settings for 640x480 30fps h.264

Hey guys,
I am really having a hard time editing the 640x480 footage from my 5d in Avid Media Composer. I've imported tons of footage, using 30i NTSC for import setting, end edited it and cannot get a respectable export to save my life. What settings are y'all using for importing this footage. I think my problem is in the 30i NTSC setting. Doesn't seem right, but seems like the only option? Also then what export settings? When I do same as sourse the video quality is awful. trying to finnish off a mini documentary for fundraiser, any little bit of help is appreciated.

you need to import media as "sized to current format" make your edit and then export it on a quick time reference file.

that´s it.

sorry my english

oh! by the way! once you have your Quick time referece you can import ir on after effects to export it on any flavor. Avid is the best editor but a bat expotert..

Thanks for the advice, unfortunately I'm still unable to export the video in a quality similar to the original files. I have been consulting with a friend about this problem and he mentioned if I was "happy with the way the footage looked in the editing window." I hadn't really thought about that and as a first time avid editor I assumed the program "transcoded" the files to a low quality for fast editing, then used the original files when exporting for a high quality video. So my files do not look great in avid and have the same type of pixelation as when exported. As well I played around with importing 640x480 h.264 .mov's into a 730p hd project type to see what would happen and I was able to get rid of the pixelation issues, but am still experiencing a slight loss of quality in terms of sharpness and loss of contrast/color. Does anyone think perhaps the 30p NTSC project setting doesn't work for the 5d mkII 640x480 footage? Is it possible I have to convert to an HD size and then export and downscale back to 640x480?