Terrible video quality following export

Question

Level 1

12 points

Terrible video quality following export

Hello all,

I have been using Final cut pro for awhile and never had any issues. However, I recently got a GoPro and I have found that when I export the footage the quality is absolutely terrible. Here is my workflow

- Gopro footage is shot at 2.7k (Good quality)

- Converted to ProRes Lt (Good quality)

- Edited (Still looks like good quality in final cut pro)

Then when I export it looks terrible... I have tried exporting it as a sequence and then converting it to quicktime or mp4 in mpeg streamclip (which Ive always done)

Or, I have tried exporting it as a movie from FCP as a quicktime conversion, H.264, 5000 kbps and converting it down to 1280x720 (which Ive always done for vimeo)

- After the long render process I look at the video and its awful!

Any suggestions on workflow here?

THANKS!

Imac, Mac OS X (10.6.3)

Posted on Apr 18, 2013 6:47 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Studio X

Level 7

27,229 points

Apr 18, 2013 7:03 PM in response to IBryan4423

need more info.

Export how (exactly)?

I work with gopro footage all the the time. This is my workflow.

• convert to ProRes LT

• edit

• export using "current settings" & "self contained"

• import file in Compressor and convert to whatever delivery format needed.

x

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Answer 2

Meg The Dog

Level 6

13,561 points

Apr 18, 2013 7:04 PM in response to IBryan4423

In Final Cut Pro, click on one of the source clips from the GoPro in the FCP Browser and, once selected, type Command + 9 to see the Item Properties for the clip. Either report those properties, or take a screen shot and post that screen shot here.

Next, click anywhere on your sequence timeline, and type Command + 0 {zero} to see you Sequence Settings. Either report those settings, or take a screen shot of the Sequence Settings and post that here.

How are you viewing the exported video?

MtD

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Answer 3

IBryan4423 Author

Level 1

12 points

Apr 18, 2013 7:53 PM in response to Studio X

I haven't tried compressor, I've always exported the way you mentioned then converted via mpeg stream clip. Ill give compressor a try this weekend and report back.

Thanks

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Answer 4

IBryan4423 Author

Level 1

12 points

Apr 18, 2013 7:54 PM in response to Meg The Dog

MtD - I will look into that and report back. I won't be around my computer again till Saturday. Thanks!

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Answer 5

IBryan4423 Author

Level 1

12 points

Apr 19, 2013 7:36 PM in response to Studio X

I tried your method of exporting the self contained sequence and using compressor and still no luck... I followed the compression settings outlined in this vimeo how to...

https://vimeo.com/24014623

Does anything there stick out to you?

To give you an idea of the quality difference Im going to try to attach a picture. The Top one is after conversion with compressor, the bottom one is the sequence by itself when it was exported from FCP (Hopefully the quality doesn't get degraded too much in the image when i upload it). To me there is a big difference especially when you look at the sharpness of the lines between the black and gold paint on the bike

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Answer 6

IBryan4423 Author

Level 1

12 points

Apr 19, 2013 7:42 PM in response to Meg The Dog

MtD,

Here are the clip properties and sequence properties. The video quality is fine in the editor, its when I go to export the video to a final copy to upload to vimeo etc that the quality is significantly downgraded. Also, I have been viewing the exported video in Quicktime

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Answer 7

Meg The Dog

Level 6

13,561 points

Apr 19, 2013 8:08 PM in response to IBryan4423

Viewing the exported clip from the sequence, without conversion, in QuickTime?

Do not use QuickTime X, use QuickTime Player 7.

You should be able to find QuickTime Player7 in the Finder by going to the menu Go > Utilities and look for:

When you open QuickTime Player 7, set the preferences to:

Now play your exported file. Does it look like it did in FCP?

If you are compressing the file to Vimeo, it is expected that there will be a reduction in picture quality as you are converting form 1920 x 1080 to 1280 x720, dropping your frame rate in half, and restricting the amount of data per frame. You would naturally expect to see some difference between the pre-compression and post-compression file, and this difference would likely be more apparent the higher the quality the pre-compression file displays.

MtD

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Answer 8

IBryan4423 Author

Level 1

12 points

Apr 20, 2013 1:38 PM in response to Meg The Dog

I have shot footage for years with DSLR at 1080 and converted it/watched it with the same method Ive always used. I realize the quality isnt going to be as good as with a DSLR because it is a GoPro but my issue here is the difference in quality between my exported sequence from FCP and my video I then convert to a final is drastically different.

Can you reccommend an export setting to follow (assuming size isnt an issue) that would provide me with the sharpest quality at 1280x720

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Answer 9

Meg The Dog

Level 6

13,561 points

Apr 20, 2013 1:58 PM in response to IBryan4423

I'm not the person to ask as I have pretty low expectations for the quality of the image when viewed online. When I need to post something, I use the compressor preset for YouTube/Vimeo HD720p.

MtD

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Answer 10

IBryan4423 Author

Level 1

12 points

Apr 21, 2013 6:35 PM in response to IBryan4423

Thanks for all the help, I found a solution that works for me. If I convert the footage to 720 from the start (i.e. off the camera directly to proresLT 720p). The quality is much better than if I try to convert it down to 720p post editing for some reason!

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Answer 11

Russ H

Level 7

22,432 points

Apr 22, 2013 4:20 AM in response to IBryan4423

IBryan4423 wrote:

If I convert the footage to 720 from the start (i.e. off the camera directly to proresLT 720p). The quality is much better than if I try to convert it down to 720p post editing for some reason!

Could you possibly provide the steps you followed to down-covert from the camera before editing?

Thanks.

Russ

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