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FCP still image size limits
I recently worked on a project with lots of stills. We did major pushes in motion (not the separate program, that was to come at on-line). When any stills were over 2000X2000 it would crash the program. A 5300X3000 would import okay, but placed in the source sequence and they would normally crash, certain if we tried to scale them.
The on-line editor was unable to fix this and we used After Effects to do the moves. Motion could not deal with them either.
So what is the maximum size? What do other people experience?
For laughs I want to quote another editor:
Here are his guidelines:1. All dimension must end in “00” in the tens and ones decimals. You can have an image that is 400 x 300, but not 420 x 305.
900 x 1200, but not 937 x 1103.2. The picture should have a 1.5 to 1 ratio. This can be achieved by either cropping or padding the picture as needed.
By following these guidelines, my friend said that they were using images in excess 0f 11000 pixels on one side and at dpi’s over 1200.
First of all, DPI doesn’t mean a thing to FCP. Or does it and is this madness true?
Mike
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11 Replies
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If I’m not wrong, 2K is the limit size for FC.
Some 2040 x 1080.
1500 x 1000 would be the bigger size keeping theyr specs.[Mike Harvey] “First of all, DPI doesn’t mean a thing to FCP. Or does it and is this madness true? “
Doesn’t means nothing.
In digital video there are no inches.
Consider only the number of pixels: horizontal x vertical.
rafael -
Raphael,
Thank you for replying. I’m curious if anyone else has heard of these limits that I listed above. I’m curious if amount and speed of RAM has more to do with it and processing power and speed has more to do with the maximum size than “00” at the end of the image dimensions or ratios of 1.5 to 1. Is it something in FCP code that makes it limited to 2K files? I get some amazingly varied answers to these questions by searching forums and talking with seasoned experts as well.I’d really love to hear any direct impressions to the possibility of using images with 11,000 X 11,000 pixels by adhering to the rules I listed above.
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[Mike Harvey] ” Is it something in FCP code that makes it limited to 2K files? “
Up to the specs, FC supports only 2K.[Mike Harvey] ”
I’d really love to hear any direct impressions to the possibility of using images with 11,000 X 11,000 pixels by adhering to the rules I listed above.”
You can do it with other applications. FC is a video editing program and sticks with standard sizes.
Cheers,
rafael -
Raphael, I understand FCP is an editing program, but because it is also supposed to be resolution independent and it does indeed take images larger than 1920X1080, I’d just like to know what that limit is because it is certainly faster to keep everything in Final Cut than to go back and forth to After Effects. With the deadlines we all keep and the expectations to keep on schedule, sometimes it is best to understand the limits of every tool in your arsenal and only default to slower work flows when absolutely necessary. Even when sometimes they can yield more aesthetically pleasing results. It seems there would be a published, well known size limit that everyone knew.
I’m very surprised everyone I’ve spoken with has such different opinions and always prefaces their answer with I think, or if I’m not mistaken. I’m surprised I can’t find official Apple numbers unless it is dependent on the Hardware FCP is running on.Got this info from another source. Haven’t tried it, but:
keep images to 4800 x 3200 or smaller following a 1.5:1 ratio (crop image or pad canvas as needed)
decimals in the tens and ones places should be 0s.
.psd and .tiff are the best formats.
motion doesn’t seem to like anything over 2800 pixels.
If anyone agrees with or disagrees with these numbers. Please say so.
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[Mike Harvey] “but because it is also supposed to be resolution independent “
Where did you picked this idea from?
FC is very limited.
When FC was born (and haven’t changed much in his core) “resolution independent” application where only things like SHAKE.
FC haven’t been designed to Pan&Scan stills and if Motion have difficulties to handle a certain picture size, FC will have more.
Whatever the size you decide, try to keep it as small as possible and increase the Still Cache.
Best,
rafael -
Hi Mike,
I’ve found in my computer an Easy Setup (Sheer Codec) for Cineon 3656x2664p24 files.
FC should be able to work with (at least to cut) such size.
rafael -
Mike
FCP’s sequence size has a max limit but I am not aware of any such max limit on stills size. I’ve never heard of these stills size rules of thumb that you’ve noted … fwiw, the only rule that I’ve heard repeated often (and its a golden one) is NEVER to use stills sizes larger than absolutely necessary.
Best
Andy -
Raphael,
Thanks for continuing to try to help me understand.“but because it is also supposed to be resolution independent ”
Where did you picked this idea from?Is that a trick question or are you being sarcastic?
Final Cut like Quicktime is of course resolution independent. type “resolution independent and Final Cut pro” in any search engine and you will get hundreds of results that will make this very clear. I’m assuming then that you are joking with me. You can indeed put all kinds of resolution video in a single timeline. It’s kind of one of the main draws of FCP. Anyway, I’ll increase my still cache size and assume it is an uncertain limit.Thanks again
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Thanks Andy and Raphael.
You guys are great. Very much appreciated.
Mike
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Hi Mike,
Sorry I can back late (I’m in the other side of the ball).
I think we are messing with the term “resolution independent”.
Resolution independent doesn’t means “unlimited resolution”.
Resolution independent only means that you can put picture with different sizes in your sequence.
Doesn’t means that there is not a size limit for these pictures.
However I’ve been through the FC Manual and I haven’t found nothing related with the frame size limit.
And sorry if I sound sardonic. Is my English that needs some grease:-)
Cheers,
rafael
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