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How limited is exporting with Final Cut Express?
Hi there. I have been editing HD footage in Final Cut Express and have exported several projects with it. However, I can never seem to export an extremely high quality version of my projects, no matter how many different settings I fiddle around with. After looking around, I realized that Final Cut Pro users use Compressor to export their projects, which has a lot more encoding options. Many people try to make the best of it, but I’m wondering if Final Cut Express’s exporting capabilities simply do not compare with Compressor’s and if it is really not possible to get an extremely high quality render.
Here are two problems I have been having: for one, my footage is full 1920p x 1080p, but I cannot export with this level of quality. I have to revert to 1080p x 720p before it becomes acceptable, and even then, it is not super clear like most HD videos on the web. Secondly, every time I export in FCE, the rich, bright colors from the project are dulled in the final export (for instance, bright green grass becomes a dull shade of green that no longer jumps out within the video).
The reason I bought FCE is because I cannot afford Final Cut Studio at this time, but I’m beginning to think that may be my only option for rendering in the highest quality for my videos. If anyone has any helpful hints, tips, or advice on this topic, please let me know. I want the cold hard truth. Thanks everyone!
Jake Huddleston
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4 Replies
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FCE exports using the same QuickTime functionality that Compressor uses. Compressor does have considerably more control over internal frame interpolation as well as other factors.
If you are editing in an AIC sequence in FCE and export to QuickTime movie you are exporting a copy identical to the original ingested media.
The color prolem you see is most likely related to the display and the playback software. The media is designed specifically to be viewed on a television set not a computer monitor. Is that where you’re looking at it?There is a lot more information available on the web about color rendition of video files on a computer.
All the best,
Tom
Class on Demand DVDs “Complete Training for FCP7,” “Basic Training for FCS” and “Final Cut Express Made Easy”
Author: “Final Cut Pro 5 Editing Essentials” and “Final Cut Express 4 Editing Workshop” -
the rule of thumb for exporting in FCP is to export as a QuickTime movie,
(which will be the simplest, fastest export, with no re-compression at all)and THEN to use Compressor to convert it to another format.
i don’t use FCE myself, but i’m sure it has a similar function.
in the absence of Compressor, you could look at Mpeg StreamClip,
which is a very competent (and free) video converter.nick
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Ok, great. That definitely gives me some helpful stuff to look into. However, I still am having trouble just getting a quality export resolution-wise, and I don’t know what is the matter. There doesn’t seem to be much info out there on FCE high-definition rendering, but I will keep looking. It’s just giving me a lot of trouble and it is very frustrating.
Jake Huddleston
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Please help! I´m exporting from Final Cut Pro a 5 minute video. In the sequence it runs normal, but once I export it ges mixed up. To be precise, each clip looses its last seconds or so. So in the end the video finishes earlier than the audio. I´ve checked sequence properties, but they are all sincronized. I tried exporting with compressor and it is the same thing. It just doesn´t export the way it is constructed in the time line and seen on the canvas… Thenk you for your help
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