Level 1

18 points

Some clips in exported project pixelated

Using FCP X 10.6.5 on a M1 Macbook Pro. A 4K project I am working on is exporting with some clips turning out pixelated. Clips from the same camera and same take are not pixelated at other points on the timeline, and the clips that are pixelated look fine in the viewer in FCP. This footage is not zoomed in or anything like that. I have tried exporting as H.264, and as MP4. Can anyone offer any solutions please? Is it a problem with FCP or Quicktime?

Edit - I have just noticed that if I export as ProRes 422 then the clip looks fine. But the file size is 10 times larger and my client will not be happy about that.

Two images below - one from the export and one from the FCP viewer:

MacBook Pro 16″

Posted on Feb 7, 2023 2:05 AM

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terryb

Level 4

3,520 points

Posted on Feb 8, 2023 11:37 AM

What was the camera? ffprobe says the frame rate is 24.43 fps and QuickTime says 24.75 fps which likely means it's variable frame rate, which FCP doesn't like. I don't know if this is the issue but you can try optimizing (right-click on the clip in the browser, select Transcode and choose Optimized) just this take and see if there's any difference in an export. The optimized file is ProRes so make sure you've got sufficient drive space.

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27 replies

Snapper3040 Author

Level 1

18 points

Feb 8, 2023 1:34 PM in response to terryb

It's a Canon R5, set to 25P because I'm in a PAL country.

I'm sure the issue isn't the footage because other sections of this exact clip export fine on the M1, and even the pixelated clips export fine on the Intel Mac.

It's a bug in FCP X, I'm sure.

But happy to be proven wrong.

terryb

Level 4

3,520 points

Feb 10, 2023 10:48 AM in response to Snapper3040

Interesting datapoint and thank you for reporting your findings. Be aware that there are reported problems with Ventura 13.2 that cause FCP to crash when there are more than 300 clips in an event. You can find it being discussed here in several threads.

Snapper3040 Author

Level 1

18 points

Feb 7, 2023 1:14 PM in response to terryb

Sure, here it is:

Snapper3040 Author

Level 1

18 points

Feb 7, 2023 1:55 PM in response to terryb

Yes, exactly the same settings. I have tried the format Computer, as I indicated above when exporting as MP4. Still pixelated on the M1 Mac, but fine on the older Intel.

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,816 points

Feb 7, 2023 2:04 PM in response to Snapper3040

Also, what OS are you using?

Snapper3040 Author

Level 1

18 points

Feb 7, 2023 11:48 PM in response to Snapper3040

Here is a link to download the clip:

https://digitalpigeon.com/msg/b9stMKeEEe2SsQJdFji1tQ/-4_YZIFdgPni3BOfNrDcmA?aid=36SBgLFrEeyVRQJeR2ExSQ

Snapper3040 Author

Level 1

18 points

Feb 7, 2023 11:52 PM in response to Tom Wolsky

Link to download the clip is below.

https://digitalpigeon.com/msg/b9stMKeEEe2SsQJdFji1tQ/-4_YZIFdgPni3BOfNrDcmA?aid=36SBgLFrEeyVRQJeR2ExSQ

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,816 points

Feb 8, 2023 6:27 AM in response to Snapper3040

This is the original camera clip? I see some pixelization in the movement. It would be import to see the original clip to test it to find where the problem is arising.

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,816 points

Feb 8, 2023 12:10 PM in response to Snapper3040

Thanks very much for the clip.

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,816 points

Feb 8, 2023 1:11 PM in response to Snapper3040

I don't know what's going on. When I grade it with color wheels this is what I get on the exported file at frame 39

This is your exported frame 39

Snapper3040 Author

Level 1

18 points

Feb 8, 2023 1:35 PM in response to Tom Wolsky

I'm using a LUT supplied by Canon, with further grading using ColorFinale Pro.

Snapper3040 Author

Level 1

18 points

Feb 8, 2023 1:58 PM in response to terryb

I'll have to check that when I'm back home with my Macbook. I'm at my studio for the next 8 hours where the iMac lives. But good suggestion, it could be ColorFinale.

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Some clips in exported project pixelated