Best settings for iPhoto Slideshow Export

Question

Level 1

23 points

Best settings for iPhoto Slideshow Export

My aim is to export an iPhoto slideshow (iPhoto ‘11 v9.3.1) and import into the FCP7 sequence with the best possible quality.

Original video source - Sony camcorder - DV PAL (16.9 anamorphic) imported into FCP7 with a sequence preset of DV PAL 48 KHz Anamorphic (720 x 576)

Stills for slideshow - 3648 x 2736 Jpeg

I realise I will lose significant quality to fit the restraints of the DV sequence and so after some tests the best result was through a custom export from iPhoto

Compression - H.264

Frame rate changed to 25

Keyframes & data rate - Automatic

Quality - Best

Encoding - Best Quality (multi-pass)

Size - 768 x 576 SD

A few thoughts -

Are there other settings for better results?

The resulting QT movie had a slightly inferior quality inside Final Cut than when played outside with Quicktime Player

Any movement over the stills created a strobing/flickering effect inside Final Cut - I have never been able to sort this problem out and now no longer set keyframes to move over stills.

I have tried a third party software (Industrial Revolution CoverFlux2) with no great improvement re flickering problem and general quality

The sequence is 16.9 but any attempt to export the slideshow to fit (eg 720 x 576 16.9) stretches the images.

Posted on Feb 3, 2013 4:08 AM

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Answer 1

Yer_Man

Level 10

162,260 points

Feb 3, 2013 5:02 AM in response to Dwyerfen

As you're bringing this into FCP I would ask that on the FCP forum. I wonder why you're not just creating the slideshow in FCP - it's far more capable than iPhoto for the job.

Regards

TD

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Answer 2

Old Toad

Level 10

207,367 points

Feb 3, 2013 11:11 AM in response to Dwyerfen

Original video source - Sony camcorder - DV PAL (16.9 anamorphic) imported into FCP7 with a sequence preset of DV PAL 48 KHz Anamorphic (720 x 576)

Stills for slideshow - 3648 x 2736 Jpeg

You're already in FCP7 so why go to iPhoto and then back to FCP? That just adds layers of encoding which will reduce the final image quality. As TD pointed out keep it in FCP

OT

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Answer 3

Dwyerfen Author

Level 1

23 points

Feb 9, 2013 3:30 AM in response to Dwyerfen

It is the video for the project imported into FCP7, the slideshow to be incorporated is one element & has been built in iPhoto so so I'm not going out and then back in.

I have built many slideshows within FCP and will continue to do so - the question as to why I need to use iPhoto in this instance is something of a moot point. Sometimes you have to accept the possibility that there could be a particular reason why somebody needs to go in a certain direction without them having to spell it out.

I may try the FCP forum as is suggested

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Answer 4

Yer_Man

Level 10

162,260 points

Feb 9, 2013 4:59 AM in response to Dwyerfen

You make a valid point. But we have no knowledge of your level of experience, no idea of your skill level and you'd be surprised the number of people who think that you have to use iPhoto, that you can't use any other app, that FCP can't be used for slideshows (all things we've seen on here from time to time - and more) so you'll pardon us if we made a guess based on the question asked...

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Answer 5

Dwyerfen Author

Level 1

23 points

Feb 9, 2013 8:53 AM in response to Yer_Man

Ok, no worries - appreciate the response

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