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PNG gamma issues in FCP image sequence
Hi guys,
I’m having trouble getting proper brightness / gamma when I import PNGs in FCP. Our 3D guy made a low res AVI mock-up which looked great in FCP, but now he’s giving me high quality PNGs for an image sequence, and they don’t have the same brightness (not even close).
In Photoshop the PNGs look great but in FCP (and Apple Preview, for that matter) they look washed out, overexposed.
See attached image. The darker one is what we’re going for.
pngvsavi.jpgIs there a specific FCP setting that I need to use for a PNG image sequence? I tried in our main sequence (ProRes422(HQ), HD(1440×1080) (16:9)), and I tried a new one, to no avail. Maybe there’s something he needs to include on export (he’s using Digital Fusion)?
Thanks for any advice.
Dan
Dan Schanler
NYC -
12 Replies
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On page 671 of the FCP manual see the following:
To choose the gamma value applied to an imported file:
1 Choose Final Cut Pro > User Preferences, then click the Editing tab.
2 Choose one of the following options from the Gamma Level pop-up menu:
 Source: If you have already adjusted the gamma of your media to work with previous
versions of Final Cut Pro, choose this option to ensure that clips appear the same as in
previous versions. This option uses QuickTime to interpret the gamma of imported
media files.
 1.8: Choose this option when importing media files created with the Mac OS or
created by an application in which you specified a gamma value of 1.8.
 2.2: Choose this option when importing media files created with non–Mac OS
systems or created by an application in which you specified a gamma value of 2.2.
 Custom: Choose this option to enter any gamma value you wish in the Custom
number field.
Note: When you adjust the gamma of a clip within Final Cut Pro, the media file is not
modified; only the clip in the project is affected.
If you need to modify gamma for clips after importing, you can adjust the Gamma Level
property in the corresponding Browser column or in the Item Properties window. The
Gamma Level property is not shared between master and affiliate clips, so changing the
gamma for a master clip has no effect on the affiliate clips, and vice versa.
To change the Gamma Level property of a clip in the Item Properties window:
1 Select a clip in the Browser or in a sequence.
2 Choose Edit > Item Properties > Format (or press Command-9).
3 Do one of the following:
 Control-click the value next to the Gamma Level property, then choose a predefined
gamma value for the clip (Source, 1.8, or 2.2) from the shortcut menu.
 Click in the Gamma Level field and enter a gamma value or type “Source,” then
press Enter.
Π Tip: To see how a clip’s gamma affects its brightness, try changing the Gamma Level
property of a clip while viewing the clip in the Viewer or Canvas.David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los AngelesPOST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY ™
A forum host of Creative COW’s Apple Final Cut Pro, Business & Marketing, and Indie Film & Documentary forums.
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David,
Thanks for the quick reply. Ah, right in the manual… humbled.
Actually, after trying it out more, yes, the “item properties gamma change” in the browser is definitely helpful for changing the gamma – but I don’t know exactly what number to change it to.
The proper darkness image just comes in to FCP as “source” gamma, and the problematic PNG looks similar at around 3.25 gamma.
Do I just have to eyeball it?
D
Dan Schanler
NYC -
Dan,
Sorry, I know where those settings reside, but honestly, I haven’t dealt with them. 1.8 and 2.2 are the typical gamma settings that come into play most often. Arnie Schlissel works at a filmout facility, so he might know. I’ll alert him to this thread to see if he can help.
David
David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los AngelesPOST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY ™
A forum host of Creative COW’s Apple Final Cut Pro, Business & Marketing, and Indie Film & Documentary forums.
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Dan,
Arnie says the files need to be 10-bit, but PNGs are only 8-bit. Have your compositor try 10-bit TIFFs.
David
David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los AngelesPOST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY ™
A forum host of Creative COW’s Apple Final Cut Pro, Business & Marketing, and Indie Film & Documentary forums.
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I will do that.
Thanks for the good advice, much appreciated, David.
D
Dan Schanler
NYC -
So a good 10 hours or so after David called me, I finally have a little time to play catch up here on the COW.
David told me that your compositor is using Fusion, which is run mainly on Windows. For many years the default gamma for Windows software was 1.8. SD has a gamma of 2.2, HD has a gamma of 2.22. Have your compositor check his render settings to make sure he’s at the right gamma.
PNG is a great format for still graphics. For video & film, it’s less flexible. I think it’s limited to 8 bits per color. If your compositor can render a 10 bit or 16 bit TIFF sequence, you’ll retain more information. Better still, see if he can render a 10 bit Quicktime!
how are you bringing the PNG sequence into FCP? If you bring it directly into FCP as a bunch of stills, it might be interpreting the gamma as 1.8. If that’s the case, you can change the way FCP interprets each frame, but that might take a while. I’d use Quicktime to convert it to a ProRes or uncompressed QT. You can also do this in AE, Shake or Motion. Make sure that you’re interpreting the gamma properly.
Good luck! I’m in NYC, myself. Give us a holler at Heavy Light if you need more help.
Arnie
Post production is not an afterthought!
https://www.arniepix.com/ -
Thanks for adding your expertise Arnie…
All the best,
DRWDavid Roth Weiss
Director/Editor
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los AngelesPOST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY ™
A forum host of Creative COW’s Apple Final Cut Pro, Business & Marketing, and Indie Film & Documentary forums.
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[David Roth Weiss] “Thanks for adding your expertise Arnie…”
My pleasure! Thanks for the help on the muzzle flash, BTW. The client was impressed.
Arnie
Post production is not an afterthought!
https://www.arniepix.com/ -
[Arnie Schlissel] “Thanks for the help on the muzzle flash, BTW. The client was impressed.”
Glad it worked for you Arnie.
BTW, I happened to see some real muzzle flashes today, in a friend’s Artbeats collection, and frankly, I think the the 3-frame animated vector art works just as well. After all, if the audience is paying that much attention to your muzzle flashes, you’ve got some real script issues.
David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los AngelesPOST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY ™
A forum host of Creative COW’s Apple Final Cut Pro, Business & Marketing, and Indie Film & Documentary forums.
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Thanks Arnie,
I think he’ll be able to get us 16 bit tiffs, and I’ll use AE to make it into a quicktime before the import into FCP.
D
Dan Schanler
NYC
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