Saving current frame export becomes darker than in timeline

In another thread about this problem I proposed a workaround that in my view is easier than the screenshot method. It did not get much traction but it may help you.

1) set a range including the frame you want (it may actually be just one frame long): press the letters I and O to set in and out points

2) export as video and open in Quicktime Player

3) Press Command-C to copy

4) Switch to Preview and press Command-N to “new from clipboard”

5) Save

Superbadduke wrote:

But isn't that the same as just doing Shift.command, 4 and screen shot the the window in FCP?

Not quite the same. I find it very difficult to accurately draw a rectangle that perfectly fits a video frame and, if you have the image/frame scaled down, you lose resolution. The Screenshot app just makes it a little easier since the video frame will fill the resolution of the 2nd monitor.

Do you, by any chance, have a secondary monitor?

If you do — try this workaround:

Go to Window > AV Output

Select video frame

Select Screenshot app (mine's always been in the dock but you should be able to find it in Applications > Utilities) [I think you can alternately type Command-Shift-5 to launch it.]

Use the Capture Selected Window option - click on the 2nd monitor window. You'll get a "preview" (but it does NOT open the Preview App) - click Done to Save.

It ***should*** get you the same colors as the original video in FCP.

I'm not in FCP 11, so YMMV. HTH

There is an alternative to using screenshots which will be tagged with the current monitor profile rather than Rec709 (presuming you are working in FCP in a Rec709 timeline). If you have Photoshop (or some other app that you can use to convert tagged color profiles), you can convert the existing to Rec709 Gamma 2.4, then re-save the file. It will show in Preview as it did in FCP and will be the same if reimported into FCP.

See the link that terryb posted for more info: Gamma shift when using Save Current Frame… - Apple Community

You are my eyes! (Slight hyperbole)

In 23 years of making countless screenshots and opening the Utilities folder I have never spotted the Screenshot app.

I have always used the keyboard.

CORRECTION: On further thought it does look vaguely familiar so I may have seen/used it briefly and completely forgotten.

You can also save a 1-frame video, which contains the normal video metadata. Select frame, tap I key, right arrow key, O key, then export as a video (not Save Current Frame). That can be automated via various available keyboard macro utilities, including the built-in Automator and accessibility keyboard tools.

Maybe this: Gamma shift when using Save Current Frame… - Apple Community

Send Feedback via Final Cut Pro->Provide Final Cut Pro Feedback...  or use this link Feedback - Final Cut Pro - Apple The more users who do, the more likely it will get fixed sooner.

Open it in Preview or any other photo app and increase the brightness manually.

Preview/Tools/Adjust Colour

This is a known bug which has been present for years.

The best workaround if you want to use it in your timeline is to make a Freeze Frame . . . Option - F