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Graphics Look Lousy
I’m importing graphics from Photoshop into FCP. At 100% scale they look great, but scaling them down they look terrible. I understand scaling something UP will make it look all pixelized, but DOWN? I don’t get it.
One solution is to make the graphics exactly the size I need in Photoshop, but this particular task I need to marry the graphic to a video clip, and scale them down, and back up, rotate them, etc.
I’ve tried different file formats, no relief.
Any ideas?
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6 Replies
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It is essential when attempting to monitor the QUALITY of images in FCP that you use an external NTSC VIDEO Monitor (or PAL, if that’s where you are).
Especially after you render…
the Canvas is never high-quality (by design) and should not be used to make determinations of image quality of clips or graphics.VERY IMPORTANT:
If you position the graphics, make SURE the VERTICAL setting for each KEY-FRAME (start, stop or hold) is always a EVEN INTEGER. (examples: 4, not 3 / -144, not -143.27 / 336, not 335.62)
I sometimes forget to check this and I can end up with images that look fuzzy when in-position.
This info applies to re-positioning ANYTHING on the Timeline: moving video, freeze-frames, internally-generated titles, and imported graphics.
It can be quite detrimental to the quality of your final output to not double-check this every time you reposition and/or re-size an image.
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And set your sequence in 8b Unc.
rafaelPPC G5 2x2Gh 4GbRAM/BlackMagic SD/PMBP 17″Core2Duo 4GbRAM
JVC DTV-17″/FCS2/AE CS3/COMBUSTION/SHAKE -
Don’t use DV and have your timeline rendered.
Regards,
Uli
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What settings should I use? It doesn’t seem like there is one for 720 x 480 progressive?
Do you mean use progressive and not interlaced frames?
Then interlace it when I export? Or what?
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FCP’s scaling engine blows, for one thing. But the scaling down throws away lots of pixels. If you’re scaling over keyframes of different values, FCP can get ugly. Can you do this scaling operation in Motion and then bring the movie into FCP. The results will be superior. However, trying to evaluate FCP’s motion rendering on a computer screen is not valid, you must view the results on a video monitor.
There is no need to deinterlace a still image, it has no interlacing.
bogiesan
This is my standard sigfile so do not take it personally: “For crying out loud, read the freakin’ manual.”
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I’ve been reading the frigging manual, it never says “the scaling engine blows”. Thanks.
Yes, I suppose I could do it in Motion. Let me give that a go and see if it works out much better. I could also try it in After Effects. I just wanted to see if there were any solutions in FCP.
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