1440x1080 photos are stretched as if they're HDV?

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Level 3

764 points

1440x1080 photos are stretched as if they're HDV?

I am creating a slideshow in FCPX with photos that I exported from Aperture so they fit into an HDTV 'frame'. e.g., They are exported so their width and height are no more than 1920x1080.

The problem is that photos that are already 4x3 are exported at 1440x1080 and FCPX is interpreting these as if they are HDV video (anamorphic). So the result is stretched to fill the HDTV frame. Non-4x3 images are showing up okay. I think I've followed a similar procedure before with correct results but I can't find such a project right now.

If I export the photos at their native sizes or any height other than 1080 (or 720, the other HDTV format), the results aren't getting stretched. I tried resetting the FCPX Preferences (via Cmd-Option when starting) and I tried creating a new project.

Has anyone had a similar experience? Did you solve it? I expect to report this behavior thru the 'Provide Feedback' mechanism but thought I'd ask here first.

iMac, OS X Yosemite (10.10.4), Aperture 3.6

Posted on Jun 30, 2015 10:33 PM

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Answer 1

Jul 1, 2015 12:32 AM in response to Neil G

Your photo has been set to "Fill" under "Spatial Conform" in the Inspector.

You need to change it to "Fit" if you want the whole photo in its native 4:3 format to be displayed.

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Answer 2

Jul 1, 2015 4:18 AM in response to Ian R. Brown

Ian, I am afraid that does not work.

FCP X seems to specifically interpret this frame size as anamorphic 1080, and stretches it - regardless of the spatial conform setting (Fit, Fill or None). I just tried it. Created an image at 1440x1080 and it always stretched. Created one with one less pixel horizontally (1439x1080), no stretch.

Whenever possible, one should avoid this specific size for stills. But if not, I found one workaround that in my limited testing appears to work well.

I used the distort tool to move the edges of the image inward.

1920-1440 = 480, so I moved the left edges 240 and the right edges -240.

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Answer 3

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

150,986 points

Jul 1, 2015 4:23 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

TThe way I prefer is simply to change the image dimensions by one pixel in a graphics application.

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Answer 4

Neil G Author

Level 3

764 points

Jul 1, 2015 2:57 PM in response to Luis Sequeira1

I inherently like Luis' suggestion but the Distort effect creates a visibly softer image than altering my Aperture export dimensions to 1920x1081 or 1079 pixels. Going up to 2160 (2x1080) doesn't create a visibly better/different result. Of course if I want to pan/zoom I should export at higher dimensions.

Feedback will be sent. Thanks all.

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