[Erik Eliason]

The settings in FCP are fine.
Usually I work like this: Capturing video/Editing video in FCP timeline/Exporting some of it which I treat in AE for different reasons/Rendering that in AE/Importing it into FCP and adding it to the timeline, replacing the clip I first exported to AE.
Here is where I notice the difference and I suspect it has something to do with fields more than Project settings. I find that repositioning from 288 to 286 before rendering in AE does the trick. Maybe when you work in NTSC you don’t encounter this problem?

[Erik Eliason]

“How are you placing clips into comps in AE? You can simply drag a clip onto the Make New Comp icon at the bottom of the project window, and the comp will assume the proper attributes of the clip, including being properly centered. If it doesn’t, something’s wrong.”

Yes, that’s no problem to have clips centered in AE. What I notice though is after rendered in AE and brought back into FCP, the position is slightly different than the surrounding clips in the FCP timeline.
Therefore, before rendering in AE, I adjust position from 288 to 286 to match the other clips in my FCP timeline.
Thanks for your inputs Dave!

[Erik Eliason]

Yes, thanks for correcting me Dave. I do mean Render. And the question is the same:
How to maintain quality of a clip exported from FCP, Rendered in AE to be brought back into FCP?
Thanks again for inputs! //Erik