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Final Cut 10.7 Prores raw files gives black preview

After upgrading to Final Cut 10.7 the preview when using Prores raw file gives a blank preview.

The playback shows the video, but trying to edit gives a black preview. I can do correction blindly and they show in the playback, but this is of course not practical. I can import and adjust other formats.

These files worked on the previous version of Final Cut Pro.


working on MacBook pro (intel) with 14.1.2


The files comes from Sony camera / Atomos Ninja Monitor


Tried resetting FC and created new libraries with no improvements.


Anybody else encountered this issue and maybe found a solution?

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 14.1

Posted on Dec 11, 2023 5:23 AM

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Posted on Dec 20, 2023 11:42 AM

This is not just a problem with ProRes Raw recorded through a Ninja. It is also affecting ProRes Raw clips recorded internally on Nikon Z8 and Nikon Z9 on some Intel Macs. AlexanderTramp is the first one reporting it happening on silicon Macs that I've seen. It is not just a Sonoma problem. It also happens on Ventura and it is a very widespread problem it seems.


I read something yesterday on very recent Assimilate Scratch 9.7 release notes about a ProRes Raw decoder update and a new ProRes Raw SDK. I suspect that is where the problem lies - some sort of mix up in FCP decoding ProRes Raw from different cameras. Hopefully it will get fixed soon.


35 replies

Dec 25, 2023 10:44 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

Thanks, Tom. Below is a write-only secure Dropbox folder for uploading files for troubleshooting the 10.7 ProRes RAW "black frame" problem. What we need is relatively short out-of-camera files which demonstrate this problem, also matching information about camera, recorder, and year/make/model of Mac.


If you don't have a short file or there are proprietary elements, you can usually do "no encode" trimming of the file using Quicktime Player which preserves all metadata -- even for ProRes RAW. To do that, open the ProRes RAW file in Quicktime Player, then do CMD+T to enter trim mode. Move the left and right range markers to produce a short acceptable clip. Then press the blue "Trim" button. This does not trim the original file but only a temporary copy. After that do File>Save, and provide a filename. Then play that trimmed file in Quicktime to make sure it is OK. After that upload the file.


If possible also include a MacOS System Report. To obtain that, hold down the OPT key, press the Apple Menu, then select System Information. Then while the System Information app is up, do File>Save. That will produce an SPX file. Please upload that also. Please put your name or screen name on the file so I can keep track of them.


I do not work for Apple, but I have experience in this area and am doing this to try and help the user community. You can query on my name to see my past postings on this forum.


[Edited by Moderator]

Dec 25, 2023 11:32 AM in response to joema

joema wrote:

I've tested all the versions of ProRes RAW I have (inc'l 4.3k recorded on Atomos Ninja V from Sony A7SIII and FX6), and I only found one which shows the problem on Intel FCP 10.7.0 and 10.7.1 -- a 4140 x 2330 59.94 fps ProRes RAW HQ clip from a Nikon Z8, apparently recorded in camera, not externally. The file has no info about the Z8 firmware version.

Assuming the Nikon Z8 file was mine from the link in the other thread, it is definitely recorded in-camera (it is not possible to record ProRes Raw to the Ninja V on the Z8 or Z9), it was untrimmed, straight out of camera, purposely recorded as a short clip and the firmware is 1.01 (only one minor firmware update since the camera was released earlier this year. ProRes Raw from the Nikon Z9 shows exactly the same behaviour. I'm happy to upload a sample Z9 file to the Dropbox link if you like. I also have ProRes Raw files shot on Z6 and Z6II that don't show this behaviour if you would like to have a look at them.


I only see the bug on a 2019 Intel iMac with 4GB GPU, not on Intel MacPro 2019 with 32GB GPU with Afterburner or on M1Max MacBookPro.



Dec 25, 2023 4:30 PM in response to Tom Wolsky

Thanks Tom, I got the files. I was expecting a Dropbox notification for the file request.


Magtes, that ProRes RAW file from the Ninja V was 4323 x 2446 59.94 fps from a Sony A1 (ILCE-1), SLog3, 1018 megabit/sec. I confirm it shows the problem on a FCP 10.7.1 on a 2019 i9 MacBook Pro running Sonoma 14.2.1.


This is a useful scenario for further troubleshooting because it uses the more common external recording method, also Sony and Atomos Ninja V are commonly used. I have two Ninja Vs, a Shogun 7, two A7SIIIs and an FX6 so I will update my Ninja V firmware to 10.93.00 and rerun some tests tomorrow.


It does not happen on the same software versions on an M1 Ultra Mac Studio or M1 Max MacBook Pro 16.


I have three Intel Macs and three Apple Silicon Macs. I will test Ninja V firmware 10.93.00 4k/59.94 ProRes RAW from A7SIII and FX6 on the other two Intel machines and the remaining Apple Silicon Mac.

Dec 25, 2023 6:27 PM in response to AlexanderTramp

Alexander I just received your S1H 5888 x 3312 25.0 fps ProRes RAW footage. It was recorded on a Ninja V running firmware 10.66. Your machine is an M1 MacBookPro17,1, 16GB RAM, running Sonoma 14.2.1. Pro Video Formats 2.3 is installed, as expected.


My first attempt to reproduce the problem on either Intel or Apple Silicon was not successful. I will examine it more tomorrow. At first glance I don't see any problems with your machine or configuration.


ProRes RAW from the S1H at up to 5.9k/30p and 4.1k/60p were supported on the Ninja V starting with Ninja V firmware 10.52. So it should work. However there is apparently an FCP bug on 10.7.0 and 10.7.1 which has problems with certain ProRes RAW formats.


I will test it on more machines tomorrow to see if I can reproduce it. I don't have an M1 but I have an M2 Pro, M1 Max and M1 Ultra, also three Intel Macs. I will test it on all of them.


Your most expedient approach is probably reverting back to FCP 10.6.10. See my prior posts on this thread for details.

Dec 26, 2023 5:04 AM in response to AlexanderTramp

Alexander, I tested your 5.9k/25p S1H ProRes RAW file on my five Macs which can run FCP 10.7.1, and I could not reproduce the "black frame" problem. Those were: M1 Ultra Mac Studio, M1 Max MacBook Pro, M2 Pro Mac Mini, 2019 i9 MacBook Pro 16, 2017 i7 iMac 27.


Is it possible there is some plugin or effect on your project? Can you create a new test library, import only that one S1H clip and see if you can play that?


Re reverting to FCP 10.6.10, since you have no backups, the two issues are obtaining that version and dealing with the library that's already updated to 10.7.1. For the library there are two possible options: (1) Use an auto-backup of the library that FCP keeps in /Movies/Final Cut Backup. Some of those were probably made when you were running 10.6.10. However do not open those in 10.7.1 or it will update each one as you open it. This procedure assumes you can get a copy of FCP 10.6.10, and then open the older backup libraries. (2) Export a library XML from 10.7.1, run 10.6.10 and load that XML. That will not handle new 10.7.1 features but it's something to try.


Since I cannot reproduce the problem using your S1H clip on any machine I have, that might imply it's not that clip by itself but a combination of that clip, the FCP update, plus some plugin or 3rd-party effect.

Dec 26, 2023 9:48 AM in response to Clint Gryke

Clint, thanks for that info. That was 1080p/30 ProRes RAW from a Nikon Z6 recorded on a Ninja V. Unfortunately I don't have that file.


It is vital that anyone working on the problem have the camera files which demonstrate it on each known camera/recorder combination. The first thing that FCP development will want is those files. It is difficult and time-consuming to attempt a fix without the materials and procedure to reproduce the problem. In some past cases, an incomplete replication scenario resulted in an incomplete fix.


If anyone could send me the Z6 files, I will include them in the problem replication package I send to Apple. Without those files, there is a risk that specific format might not get fixed.

Dec 26, 2023 10:00 AM in response to joema

I don't think there were any Z6 files posted from that thread unfortunately. I have loads of Z6-Z6II/Ninja files recorded on Ninja V over the last three years and none show this behaviour. It is going to be very difficult to pin down.


I was about to post the following when you posted:


I think a very important key in understanding this behaviour is that clips that exhibit this behaviour appear to do so consistently across the specific computers that show this behaviour (not necessarily every spec of those computers). The clips from my Z8, from Felix’s Sony/Ninja combo and from Magtes’s SonyNinja combo (which are all that I have seen so far) exhibit this behaviour on specific machines and they all or would all exhibit this behaviour on the same machines and any other machine that is affected by this. This is about the only thing that appears to be consistent. I suggest that certain Macs are affected and those that are affected are always affected but only by the files that show this behaviour. It only needs one exception to break this hypothesis. 


AlexanderTramp’s 6K clips appear to be anomalous in a couple of ways. Firstly, his machine is an M1 Mac (so far the only one that is problematic). Secondly, it only affects his 6K ProRes Raw files and not 4K. Thirdly, Joema has not seen the issue on any of his machine’s that show the problem with other files (magtes and mine). It would be really interesting to have a look at AlexanderTramp’s 6K clips if he would like to post them to a dropbox link (as Joema’s dropbox is private) to see if they exhibit the behaviour on the 2019 iMac I have access to. I suspect they wouldn't but it would be interesting to check.


Affected Macs without detailed specifications include

MacBook Pro 16-inch, 2019

iMac 27", 2019

iMacPro 2017

MacBook Air 2018


Jan 2, 2024 10:53 AM in response to joema

Hey Joema if you are still with us - I just made a really interesting discovery. After seeing a post in a different thread where a new poster had this issue with HD ProRes Raw footage from a Nikon Z6, i did a quick shoot with my Z6II/Ninja V (very similar to Z6) and all HD footage is affected by this issue regardless of frame rate on the 2019 iMac that shows this behaviour. However, none of the 4k footage from the same camera/ Ninja combo is affected. So that seems odd as one might expect the opposite if the issue was related to the bitrate etc.


I also re-checked the Nikon Z8 which records ProRes Raw internally but does not do HD. All the 4K ProRes Raw footage I tested from the Z8 is affected by the issue regardless of frame rate or frame size (there are two 4K options).


I am happy to post affected footage if your Dropbox is still active if you would like to repost the link which has disappeared and I have deleted the email.

Jan 2, 2024 12:24 PM in response to joema

Joema - your response to my last post is not showing yet but I got the link in the email so will post some files to your Dropbox later.


I noticed that one of the clips you mentioned as 30fps HD from a Nikon Z6 but was assuming that the issue might be related to Ninja or Z6 firmware and not specifically HD. All my 4K Z6/Z6II footage works fine regardless of the firmware at the time it was shot.


It is also interesting to note that, in the case of the Panasonic footage earlier in the thread, it is the 6K that shows the issue and not the 4K. So frame size is significant here in more than one case but the direction is not consistent (Nikon Z6 HD - bad, 4K good, Panasonic S1H, 4K good, 6K bad).

Jan 5, 2024 8:16 AM in response to joema

joema wrote:

Clint, thanks for those files and the excellent documentation. Attached is Invisor output of the Z6II & Z8 ProRes RAW files that show the black frame problem on Intel FCP 10.7.0 and 10.7.1. Also attached is a separate list of Z6II & Z8 files which do not show the problem. Does this match your results?

I see the same as you Joema except for one outlier - the Z84K29.97 clip shows black for me. I've double checked this in case I missed something and I don't think there is any mistake in file labelling between us as the Invisor report shows this at the correct frame size (4140x2330). It is 496.97MB on disk. Could you maybe recheck that this file doesn't show the black screen as it would be a complete outlier - all the other Nikon Z8 4K and UHD files show the black screen for me, including several that I didn't send you.


The only Z8 files that play normally are the DX crop sensor files (5404x3040) which in itself was a surprise when I discovered it.


I just noticed a mistake I made in labelling one of the files although it is not significant in terms of any conclusions. The file labelled Z8DX59.94 should be Z8DX29.97. The Invisor table gives the correct frame rate which is how I noticed the error. In fact the camera can't record DX format ProRes Raw at anything higher than 29.97. Apologies for the error - it was getting late when I was finishing this off before sending to you. In any case frame rate is not a factor in the bug it seems but frame size definitely does appear to be significant.

Jan 5, 2024 8:38 AM in response to Clint Gryke

Clint, you are correct -- I confirm the Z84K29.97 clips also show black on Intel FCP 10.7.0 and 10.7.1. I made a mistake.


I currently have your clips, which are all Nikon, but they cover various resolutions and frame rates and are both internal and Ninja V, which is great.


The only non-Nikon clip I have is magtes' Sony A1 4328x2446 59.94 clip recorded on a Ninja V.


Clint, you mentioned a "Felix’s Sony/Ninja combo", but I can't find that in this thread. Could you point me to that?


If there is any Sony camera besides the A1 showing this, I'd like to know. I'd really like to have an S1H clip showing this. Unfortunately, the one from Alexander's M1 machine would not show that on any machine I have (M1 Ultra, M1 Max, M2 Pro, 2019 i9 MBP 16, 2017 i7 iMac 27.) However, I now have enough to file a formal bug report.


I'm just worried that without the broadest possible examples, some cameras might not get fixed. We had that happen with the DJI Mavic 3 10-bit HEVC black frame problem on Apple Silicon, where it was initially reported 1-June 2023 on Sony 10-bit 4:2:2 100/120 fps HEVC, then the Mavic 3 variant (all frame rates) was added to the scenario a day later, the Sony version got fixed but the DJI version still isn't fixed today.

Jan 6, 2024 3:48 AM in response to JoshHonesSANEPRODUCTIONS

Hey, great to see someone in this thread with the same issues (6k Raw and S1H). I finally gave up waiting, though also sent my files and system report to @joema.


I then took empty hard drive and converted Prores RAW to Prores 4444 (weight like a ton) with compressor and imported in rec. 601 colour space. Then I relinked originals to these 4444 files. It gave me pretty much same colour science. Big disadvantage is that if there is a big interview, you have either to transcode it full length and just relink it in one click but loose a lot of space, either cut it before transcoding in Compressor but no relink then, you will have to put it back manually. I was afraid that transcoding 1/3 of full length doc is painful, but did it in two days.

Final Cut 10.7 Prores raw files gives black preview

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