Recorded iPhone clip, sharp on mac, unsharp in fcp

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Level 1

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Recorded iPhone clip, sharp on mac, unsharp in fcp

Hi. I won an Apple iPhone12, Macbook Pro 2022 (M2) and just bought FCP. All Apple but problems.

I recorded a short clip on my iphone, then uploaded it onto my mac. Video on both devices is sharp and nice.

Now I want to edit my video and so I put it in fcp, but when watching it within fcp (not exported) the video is significantly less sharp than before. Does anybody know why? (All settings on phone, mac and fcp are pretty much standard) Any idea how to fix or how to make sure this doesn't happen again?

Thanks, wredwood

iPhone 12, iOS 17

Posted on May 13, 2024 8:56 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

fox_m

Level 6

13,354 points

May 13, 2024 9:39 AM in response to wredwood

What are the settings in the View menu over the right side of the Viewer? For better looking video, select Better Quality:

*I* don't particularly recommend it, but sometimes you might have to Right click on your clip in the Event browser and select Transcode Media and then Create optimized media from the popup. This usually depends on the codec (and perhaps the format) of the original media.

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Answer 2

May 13, 2024 10:22 AM in response to wredwood

but when watching it within fcp (not exported) the video is significantly less sharp than before.

In addition to what fox_m said, do you see a white dot above the clip in the timeline?

Select a blurry clip. →Render with control+R. Will it be sharp?

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Answer 3

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,816 points

May 13, 2024 9:13 AM in response to wredwood

Please tell us exactly what standards you’re using for the media and the project. The iPhone shoots quite a great different formats.

How does it look in the QuickTime Player? Where does it look soft, in the browser or in the project or both?

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Answer 4

fox_m

Level 6

13,354 points

May 13, 2024 11:05 AM in response to wredwood

You are correct - only the way the clips are displayed within FCP and no effect on export quality.

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Answer 5

wredwood Author

Level 1

4 points

May 13, 2024 10:47 AM in response to fox_m

This already helped a lot! Thanks so much. Just to understand: these options (performance/quality) only influence the way it is displayed within fcp and would not have an effect when I export the file on the quality?

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Answer 6

wredwood Author

Level 1

4 points

May 13, 2024 10:52 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

Thanks Tom. To be hones I don't even know what standards i am using. Basically I just use everything default, iphone, mac, fcp...i havent made any adjustments but only wonder if i should make adjustments to my recording settings in the iphone 12, given that i later want to edit the clips with fcp. (because it seems that my iPhone is default recording in hdr which seems different than the sdr). If you have any recommendations how to set the recording settings on iphone in regards to fcp, please let me know. Thanks.

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Answer 7

wredwood Author

Level 1

4 points

May 13, 2024 10:55 AM in response to LocaAlicia

Thanks, but no, there is no white dot. I just figured this would be an absolutely seamless experience since phone, mac, fcp all apple. I thought I wouldn't have to worry about sharpness, quality and formats but seems to be different. Im surprised especially because I left everything on all devices in default.

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Recorded iPhone clip, sharp on mac, unsharp in fcp

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