How to custom zoom into the video player in Final Cut Pro

You can use this "Camera" effect (free download):

https://fcpxtemplates.com/downloads/

It's an effect. There's a couple of different ways to use this.

1) Just add it to any clip. Make sure the effect is at the bottom of the Effect list (or deal with some unusual interactions -- no big deal). When you're done with it -- or just want to go back to "normal" -- simply "uncheck" the effect in the inspector.

2) Add it to any adjustment layer title (can be stretched out in time to cover many clips at once.) Select the Adjustment Layer and type the V key to toggle it's "visibility".

There is an OSC that will help you pan around the image while scaled. (Best to set the Viewer to Fit or 100% — not scaled up to begin with).

Scale is *not technically* used - Z position is (distance of camera to the "scene"). The high value goes to 2000 which is approximately 360%-400% "zoom" (I think...)

I have found that the image quality in the 300% or so scale equivalent is better than a similar effect that uses a straight "scale".

I never finished developing this effect, so it's not terribly practical for anything else, but it will serve you in a smooth scale from 100% to ~400% with excellent results with onscreen panning for looking around that may suit your purposes.

If you need help installing it:

https://fcpxtemplates.com/installing-plugins-for-fcpx/

If you have any questions... just let me know.

Octopus512 wrote:

I'm trying to custom zoom into the video player of Final Cut Pro with a custom percentage. Or even to be able to easily zoom closer and further out with my fingers and my track pad.

I use this so much in other editing software but can't figure out how to do it in FCP.

Is it only possible to see your video in the video preview/viewer at Fit, 12.5%, 25%, 50%, 100%, etc??

Thank you for any help!!

Find the left edge of the Viewer window and you can click and drag incrementally.

Al

The pull-down menu of the viewer shows only Fit, 6,25%, ..., 300% in my case. The only way I can find adjust to any intermediate value is by resizing the viewer window. That's better than nothing. Does that help?

I do not know why you need a specific percentage, as the only reason for zooming the Viewer is to make it easier to see what you are doing whilst editing.

 It has no effect on the finished video.

Do you want to make the exported clip larger or smaller by a specific amount?

If that is the case you simply use the Transform tool.

Command +/-

Make sure the Viewer is selected before hitting the Cmd plus or minus keys.

Cmd - 3 Selects the Viewer.

Cmd - +/- Zooms in or out.

Shift - Z Fits the image to the Viewer.

u should find lots of useful shortcuts here as well as zooming. https://blog.frame.io/2018/09/17/fcpx-final-cut-pro-shortcuts/

As far as I can tell, the ony way to achieve a "nonstandard" zoom level is with "Fit".

You may use feedback to make a request: Final Cut Pro->Provide Final Cut Pro Feedback...

Just out of curiosity, why would you need a specific percentage? It's not as though you are having to fit the image to a specific size such as when fitting it to the window.