How do I export to DV "Full Quality" in iMovie 2009?

You don't need an 'old Macintosh'. iMovie HD works just fine on the latest hardware and with Snow Leopard. I have used it several times on my MBP with SL.

Frank

reimport into iMovie HD on an old Macintosh, and then export to Full Quality (a DV file).

I use iMovie 06 with iDVD 09 on a new MacPro and Snow Leopard (OS 10.6).

My videos and DVDs look perfect!

iMovie 06 and iDVD 09 is a "lossless" combination.

I do use iMovie 09 for YouTube. But not for DVDs.

"Amswer: iMovie 09 is incapable of producing full quality (or original-source-quality) output. The program is shackled in order to encourage the purchase of Final Cut Express or another product."

Total BS. iM cuts a field from DV because it performs FX using progressive video. You don't have to go backwards to an unsupported product -- you just have to use iM 09 correctly when you shoot DV. Using 06 in 09 -- with iLife 10 coming -- forces you to use old tools and lose all the advantages of iM 09 -- like no Events. iM shows you what -- about 20 clips at a time.

PS: exporting AIC will not prevent the loss of a field in iM. That's no win idea.

Hi DB,

Just back from a lengthy discussion from my local Apple Store...as I was having the same frustrating problems exporting, i didn't want to go back to im 6 as the transitions are quite basic, however the audio is far more flexible, in imovie 9 its better to send to garageband and edit it that way....

The 'expert' I spoke to said you can get a lossless export in full HD quality by exporting to quicktime and using the 'convert to dv' in the drop down menu, making sure all preferences set are to PAL with the correct frame rate, including iDVD prefs.

I am now waiting for the export to finish and will let you know the result.
Final Cut Pro seems the way to go with a far more flexible approach...but is so **** expensive!!....better start saving now!!

I followed these discussion during the iM 08 initial debacle and now, after having no time, am coming back to looking at my DV content and doing some more movies.

First off try Izzy Video as a starting point for FCE, it's basic but so much better than Apple's inital tutorials. I'd also recommend searching for a good book in learning FCE. The step up is quite a learning curve from iMovie 06 or 09.

What I'd like to do is use my iMovie 09 as a cataloguing tool (and any exports to MobileMe / YouTube) but would like to know the best workflow for exporting for use with FCE.

So some questions

(a) Does the XML output to FCE 4 reference the original .dv material as imported (as I believe this is lossless and not touched, that is until you pull it into an iMovie 09 project and start apply themes, FX, etc.)

(b) If I wanted to pull together a quick draft in iMovie 09, including photo's, what is the best export options to get to Final Cut Express?

I have Steve Mullen's book, if it's in there I suppose I just need to go back and look.

Luke

It's IN there. 🙂

There is a very similar thread concerning DV:

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=10497467#10497467

Hello Sheryl,

There seem to be complaints about export quality in iMovie 8 & 9 all over the place. I've not tried 9 yet, but I find 8 a bit of a dog's dinner to be honest. It's harder to use than HD6, has no video effects (although I understand that's corrected in 9), and is desperately missing a full quality Quicktime export.
You do say:
Honestly, imovie9 completely limits you to less than an ideal situation, especially for DV.

DV is the system I'm currently using. This suggests I should be using a fully digital camcorder? All my movies are currently combinations of stills and footage, and HD6 handles it brilliantly. I can even keep the visual clips to a minimum in 6 on say, a holiday project, by making a combo movie of each day, exporting to full quality ( I use expert settings to preserve the aspect ratio, as oddly I get a 4.3 movie if I don't off DV material), and adding that a 'master movie' to handle each day's individual footage.
Thus far I've limited my iMovie 8 projects to stuff for the web or Mobile me. I find the on-screen quality of anything in 8 so poor, I've never made a DVD, as I fear I'll be wasting my time.

I feel disowned by Apple to be honest. I only bought the camcorder a year ago, and found a perfectly working system, only it seems, to have it taken away - at some point. Is there any further info available on this subject - what's Steve Mullen's book like - have you read it?

It is quite possible to export every pixel that is in your source file to your export file. Which is certainly "full quality" exporting because you cannot realistically expect to get better quality out than you input. 🙂

There are all the FX anyone SHOULD use in a movie available i iM09 -- unless you want to create movies that look like a 5-year old made them.

Plus many ore import functions such as Insert editing and color correction.

PS: Unless you have invested several thousand in a pro DV camcorder, IMHO it is way past time to move to HD.

Hello Steve,

Many thanks for such a speedy reply. To go through your points in order, I fully understand that you can't improve on what you put in. My camcorder was a second-hand purchase off eBay as a try-out to see whether I could use one well enough to give me footage that didn't look too ham. I'm more of a photographer, and all my pervious videos in HD6 were still based, using a little Ken Burns, but mostly Photo to Movie, exporting to Quicktime. The results are sharper than my camcorder, a Canon MD101.

Regarding your two references to IM9, I've looked at the Apple introductory video and like what I see with the extended features, It's just hanging onto the quality that is my major concern.

Move onto HD? - I've been thinking about that since I found my camcorder footage looked better than I thought it would. I assume HD improves quality, but not having used one, I don't know by how much. I find my current camcorder is not good with colour accuracy compared to my camera. It tends to give pink colouration at times, possibly a fault of the medium. Different brands of tape might give differing results. If I go the HD route, which is very likely, it's not really worth researching this.

So, I probably need to read your book next, and hope my answers are in there - everyone's needs can be a little different. I'm always going to be using a combination of stills and footage I think.

I have a suggestion. After decades only shooting video I've bought a stlll camera that ALSO shoots 720p30 video that iM09 works with since it's progressive. I bought the Canon SX20 for under $400. If you want to spend about $1300, the Panasonic GH1 shoots 720p60.

I much prefer shooting video with a still camera.

This is a good group of folks:

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/photo-hd-video-d-slr-others/

and

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/panasonic-lumix-gf-gh-series/

After looking at the info on the Canon site, I have a few questions.

Does the SX20 have a jack for external mic? If not how can you get really good sound?

Also have you compared the Video quality to a Canon stand alone HD camcorder?

What are the results?

At this time I'm looking to buy a new camera/camcorder and this sounds almost to good to be true.

Thank you and I really like your iMovie book!

Chuck
Chico, CA

Hello Steve,
Many thanks for the pointers, I'll look into that. I have been eyeing up a Nikon D90.

What is meant by the term 'progressive' video?

Message was edited by: Steve Fermor

sorry. I have been really busy at work. Steve did respond. His book and advice are worthwhile. Cheers.