FCP: losing saturation when exporting .mov file

[Paul Escandon]

The way an image looks in quicktime is generally going to be different than the way the same footage looks in Final Cut Pro. In the FCP Canvas, there are actually gamma calculations that are applied to the footage. When you view the footage in quicktime it will generally look a bit more washed out. If you’re not using a calibrated broadcast or reference monitor while you’re editing you really can’t be sure what the footage is actually going to look like when you’re done with it.

Maybe someone can add some more technical information to what’s going on in the FCP Canvas. It’s definitely not irregular though to notice a difference in quicktime.

* * *
Paul Escandon – Lead Editor @ Outdoor Channel
Producer | Director – Oremus Productions
http://www.oremusproductions.com
Apple Certified Trainer – Final Cut Pro
– –
Adjunct Professor of Media
John Paul the Great Catholic University

[Kevin Marks]

Was just getting scared because I have obviously seen some of the HD stuff they have on the Apple site and it’s gorgeous. If anyone has any technical links that talk about the problem they would be greatly appreciated.

[David Roth weiss]

[Kevin Marks] “Anyone have any suggestions or thoughts as to why a .mov file is losing saturation from the original source files when exported from FCP?”

The filters in QT Pro are for exactly the purpose of making your web videos perfect. When exporting as h.264 I often have to output several times using minute varitions of saturation, brightenss and contrast to get exactly what I’m looking for, as the h.264 codec is often a bit bright and under-saturated.

David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los Angeles

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[Kevin Marks]

Just found the answer after looking for like 2 weeks!!!!

QuickTime Player> Preferences (not to be confused with QuickTime Player> Quicktime Preferences).

There is a checkbox at the bottom of the “General” Tab.

– Enable Final Cut Studio color compatibility. It then explains “When enabled, video is not displayed using ColorSync. Source colors are read with 2.2 gamma and are displayed in a color space with 1.8 gamma.”

Soooooooooooooo…. I fixed it. I just have to remember now when I change my monitors to 2.2 gamma on my photo work to remember this little option if viewing video.

Thanks for the heads up thoughts from you two.

[Jeff Bernstein]

Keep in mind that that checkbox is not available on systems without FCP. Thus, a consistent viewing experience is impossible. The basic issue is that the QuickTime team has totally screwed the pooch when it comes to Gamma. Apple apps can’t keep it straight, let alone QuickTime itself. This all stems from in-fighting within Apple with not a sane voice overriding all the stupidity.

This should be fixed. TV has a 2.2 or 2.2.2 (SD/HD)Gamma, film standard is 2.6 and Apple thinks that some things should be 1.8 while others should be 2.2. Adobe had been pulling their hair out trying to work with Apple on this one.

While Apple touts how they conform to open standards, when it comes to codecs, this is one standard they are applying the Microsoft way.

Jeff Bernstein

Digital Desktop Consulting
Apple Pro Video VAR
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323-653-7611

[Kevin Marks]

so I guess the question is…… are QT .mov files from FCP being rendered in gamma 2.2 or 1.8? My assumption is that they are 2.2 and the checkbox was adjusting them to look natural on a 1.8 Mac system.

The other question…. for users of QT without the FCP checkbox, will they see the natural intended video, or will they receive the washed out, “1.8” version (the one I was having trouble with)?