4K Footage Fuzzy in 1080 Timeline. Help?

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Level 1

4 points

4K Footage Fuzzy in 1080 Timeline. Help?

Hi everyone. I've encountered something in Final Cut this last year that's driving me nuts. I'm hoping you can help.

I film everything in 4K and deliver in 1080. So, I make my project 1080 so I can punch in the 4K footage for closeups and what not. When I drop 4K footage into my 1080 timeline (photo #2), it looks super fuzzy, even after rendering. However, when I drop the same 4K footage into a 4K timeline (photo #1), it looks sharp and clean. What am I doing wrong?

I have "better quality" and "optimized/original" media selected for both.

I'm running an M1 Max Mac Studio with 64GB RAM.

A follow up question would be that, I know best practice is to make the project timeline the resolution you'll be delivering to the client. However, can I instead create a 4K timeline, drop in 4K footage and crop in on it as needed, render, and export at 1080 for the same resolution as if I did a 1080 timeline?

Thank you for your time and any help.

Mac Studio, macOS 15.5

Posted on Dec 5, 2025 5:06 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

azaksalmarzur28

Level 2

498 points

Dec 6, 2025 3:48 AM in response to SattvaPhoto

Turn OFF "Viewer Proxy Mode"

(macOS 26 FCP sometimes toggles this on automatically)

View → Playback Quality → Better Quality

You already checked this, but verify that BOTH are set:

Better Quality Playback
Better Quality Render

Sometimes only one toggles.

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Answer 2

BenB

Level 6

13,166 points

Dec 6, 2025 6:49 AM in response to SattvaPhoto

I produce TV shows and have always shot 4K and edited 1080 for the same reasons as you. The 4K looks really good in a 1080 timeline. Be sure your using the same frame rate in your original footage and in your Project timeline (30fps seems pretty standard these days). Your Viewer menu settings are correct.

Now, look at the footage when it is is not playing back, just showing a single frame. Then look at it while playing back. Do you notice any difference there?

Also, how sharp was your 4K footage when it was shot? Any tiny screw up in focus will be exaggerated when shown as 100% in a 1080 Project timeline. I've seen that issue a few times.

I'd do a test export, see what the final export looks like. Cause FCP will degrade image quality if necessary for playback.

Can you share a sample of the offending clip so I can test it out?

P.A. "Better Quality Render" is not a setting in FCP. You'd find that in Motion.

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Answer 3

Dec 6, 2025 7:39 AM in response to SattvaPhoto

In addition to what Ben said: in what screen are you seeing this footage, and at what magnification?

In a HiDPI screen, like, for example, a 5K Studio Display, there are a LOT of pixels. 4K material at 100% will be rendered perfectly, pixel per pixel.

If however your project is 1080, and scaled up nearly 200%, it will look soft.

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