Apple Event: May 7th at 7 am PT

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Distortion when Using Log and Capture

Hi everyone, I was wondering if you could help me out with a question that is probably dumb but I can't figure it out.

I received footage shot on a Panasonic AG-AC160 AVCCAM. I used Log and Transfer to bring it into Final Cut 7 from the SD Card and everything seemed to work well except there is a slight distortion on the imported footage. The shot is scaled up ever so slightly, but enough to make my subject look like I am shooting through a fish eye lens and to cut off about 1/3 of her forehead. I have matched up the imported footage to my raw footage and there is a noticeable difference.

The footage was shot 1080/60i. I didn't change any settings on the Log and Transfer screen and have never had this problem before.

My Sequence settings are:

Frame Size = 1920x1080

Aspect Ratio = HDTV 1080i (16:9)

Pixel Aspect Ratio = Square

29.97 FPS

Compressor is Apple ProRes422

Those are the settings FCP made when I dropped a clip into the Timeline.

For the record this is only my 3rd time working with HD footage so I'm not that experienced. I'm sorry if this is a dumb question.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Posted on Apr 26, 2012 9:15 AM

22 replies

Apr 30, 2012 7:56 AM in response to David Mclaine

David,

I have checked and double checked and the TC is matched up yet I can't see to get rid of this scaling problem.

Jim Cookman

Level 7

23,435 points

Apr 30, 2012 10:32 AM in response to sharpshooter1324

I've got a sneaking suspicion... Open a file in QT export a still frame. Open to the same frame in FCP and export a still frame. Put both in photoshop and check the image size. I'll betcha the camera file is a snudge bigger that 1920x1080.

And here I was thinking of getting one of these cameras...

Apr 30, 2012 10:53 AM in response to Jim Cookman

Jim,

Thank you so much for that idea. I never even thought of that and it looks like I finally might have some headway. I got both and there was a difference in the Document Size. I'm attaching Screen Shots of the results of each photo. The top one is the export from FCP and the bottom is the one from QT. Would these differences in the document size be enough to produce what I'm seeing? Any info into why this would be happening would be greatly appreciated and thank you again. This is the first thing to give me hope that this can be fixed!

Jim Cookman

Level 7

23,435 points

Apr 30, 2012 11:03 AM in response to sharpshooter1324

Now try this in photoshop: on the dimensions reveal change to percent (instead of pxels) and see what difference there might be.

But I suspect that Panny might be playing loose and sloppy, and/or FCP is somehow having a problem seeing what panasonic thinks is 1920x1080.

This is puzzling to say the least. If this was tape it would be a blanking issue; not sure what the analogous term would be for files. Imager issue?

Another thing to try, just for chuckles: in FCP try scaling the image to 98% and see if your missing stuff comes back.

STRANGE.

Apr 30, 2012 11:18 AM in response to Jim Cookman

I changed to percent on both of them and both were at 100.

I also tried scaling back the footage but to no avail. It only reveals the empty space, but that would have been lovely if that worked.

Is there a setting on the cam that I should have the videographer change?

Jim Cookman

Level 7

23,435 points

Apr 30, 2012 11:39 AM in response to sharpshooter1324

We're beyond my expertise at this point. If it were my camera I'd get on the phone to Panasonic and try to find someone to have a chat with. This might be a known bug (therefore a feature!) or you might have a defective camera. It doesn't seem like there would be any sort of setting that might make so little difference.

It's funny how action safe and title safe used to be for displays. Now it's for cameras as well!

Apr 30, 2012 11:43 AM in response to Jim Cookman

Thanks for your help anyway Jim! I appreciate you taking your time.

I already talked to Panasonic and after talking to several differenent technicians no one seemed to have an idea. I also went over to Apple and talked to a few of their trainers and they were stumped to.

Seems like this is the first time this has happened to anyone which of course would happen to me. haha

Distortion when Using Log and Capture