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Level 2

284 points

HD Quality of video output in iMovie '11

First, let me tell you that this version of iMovie has really great features. It would be the perfect program for me if e output quality was any good. I have a Panasoic TM700 camera and I shoot 1080p video @25fps. I import the video to iMovie and when I export it using the default 1080p setting, I get not the best quality my camera has. The video has artifacts and on most dark places it pixelates. I tried nearly all QuickTime export settings, changed compression method, quality, keyframes, but I always get the same problems. Using Adobe Premiere the same video looks excellent.
The quail isn't bad, but it is not what my camera can. I now use iMovie only when I want fast results that I publish on YouTube. For everything else I use Adobe Premiere. It is really a shame.

Mac Pro Mid July 2010, Quad Core @ 2,8Ghz, Mac OS X (10.6.4), iPad 16GB WiFi

Posted on Nov 2, 2010 11:27 AM

49 replies

tpuerzer

Level 1

5 points

Nov 3, 2013 11:56 AM in response to petvas

Here are two encodes to compare the quality of iMovie v9 (aka iMovie 11) and the new iMovie v10 output.

(YouTube degrades the video a bit, even in the 1080p HD setting, but the difference should still be clear.)

I think the rendering in the latest iMovie (included with OSX Mavericks aka Version 10) is a fantastic improvement!

iMovie v9 Test (Snow Leopard version - aka iMovie 11)

http://youtu.be/T2WHD81l-94

iMovie v10 Test (Mavericks version):

http://youtu.be/EuPSSpaZzUY

Dec 4, 2013 5:54 PM in response to tpuerzer

I find that in iMovie v10, the imported video quality is great. However, once the video is exported the quality is destroyed. In iMovie v9 i was able to mess with the settings to eliminate a large portion of the quality loss but there are no such settings in the new version.

Jan 12, 2014 8:17 AM in response to tpuerzer

I think the rendering in the latest iMovie (included with OSX Mavericks aka Version 10) is a fantastic improvement!

@tpuerzer:I agree. I did some experiments with iMovie 10 and interlaced video, using the method described by Karsten Schlüter.

https://sites.google.com/site/theimovieoutputproject/chapter-2-how-to-find-out-

The problem seems to be solved in the latest iMovie 10 version. More info (in Dutch) with example pics:

http://www.macfreak.nl/forums/topic/10/3480/single-field-processing-problem-solv ed-in-imovie-10/

masseHM

Level 1

9 points

Jun 19, 2015 9:14 AM in response to johnday

Good for you Johnday, but isn't it sad that in this day and age, that we have to go to so much trouble to accomplish something that should be SIMPLE (hey, we got people on the moon, already), but I guess it all comes down to making money.

I'm hoping one day, to take an .mov from quicktime pro and be able to burn it to a dvd with original quality, without all this mayhem. Wish my brain was as young as your's Johnday. All the best.

HD Quality of video output in iMovie '11