DVCAM footage loses image quality when captured in FCP 5.0.4
by Verna Lim
on
Nov 23, 2007 at 8:31:01 pm
Hi there:
Wondering if anyone has tips on how I can take advantage of DVCAM's robustness when capturing to FCP 5.0.4. I've captured it from a PD170 using DV NTSC 48kHz directly to my HD but the resulting image has lots of feathering and bleeding still.
Should I have used a different codec?
I need the final product to have as superior image quality as possible.
Re: DVCAM footage loses image quality when captured in FCP 5.0.4 by David Roth Weiss on Nov 23, 2007 at 9:57:21 pm
Verna,
When capturing DV or DVCAM via firewire you are capturing digital information from tape and it does not in any way affect the signal or diminish the quality.
So, how are you monitoring?
David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los Angeles
POST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY™
A forum host of Creative COW's Business & Marketing, and Indie Film & Documentary forums.
Re: DVCAM footage loses image quality when captured in FCP 5.0.4 by Verna Lim on Nov 23, 2007 at 11:53:12 pm
Thanks for your response, David.
I shot footage using a Sony PD170 on DVCAM tape and wondering why the captured file has a lot of feathering and visual noise. I.e. does it look that way because of the way it was shot, or the way it was captured into the computer, or because of my monitor?
I'm monitoring via a Dell2005FPW set at display profile NTSC (1953). I've considered getting a composite video monitor, but at this point I'm more considered about the quality of image I've already captured.
Pardon my beginner's ignorance, but is it possible at this point to improve upon the image quality I've already got? If I selected DV PAL when capture/inputting into FCP, would that have improved the resulting image at all? (I no longer have DVCAM hardware to capture from tape, and so would have to rent again, so wanted to know before shelling out the rental fee.)
Re: DVCAM footage loses image quality when captured in FCP 5.0.4 by Tom Wolsky on Nov 24, 2007 at 12:15:42 am
You're shooting video designed for display in a video monitor or television set. That's where you have to look at it, not on a computer monitor.
All the best,
Tom
Class on Demand DVDs "Complete Training for FCP6," "Basic Training for FCS2" and "Final Cut Express Made Easy"
Author: "Final Cut Pro 5 Editing Essentials" and "Final Cut Express 3.5 HD Editing Workshop"
Re: DVCAM footage loses image quality when captured in FCP 5.0.4 by David Roth Weiss on Nov 24, 2007 at 12:18:18 am
Verna,
I suspect the problems you are having are monitoring only, specifically, viewing your footage in the "canvas" as Apple calls the record or timeline viewer. The canvas is designed to display the timeline in realtime, even if that means lowering quality by reducing framerate or resolution.
If you double click on the clip in the browser, thus loading it into the viewer (monitoring the source) rather than the canvas (monitoring the timeline), does the video look perfect? It should, and that would in fact indicate that the issue is with settings making the canvas appear at a lower quality.
David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los Angeles
POST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY™
A forum host of Creative COW's Business & Marketing, and Indie Film & Documentary forums.
Re: DVCAM footage loses image quality when captured in FCP 5.0.4 by Lu Nelson on Nov 24, 2007 at 8:16:56 am
DV footage looks soft in many monitoring situations because of how FCP and Quicktime display it. Open your files in Quicktime Player and hit Command-J for options. Click on the video track and go to the Visual Settings tab, you will see there is an option for 'High Quality' display. The look should change substantially.
NB: This won't help playback in FCP but it will allow you to verify that your footage is indeed sharp. You need a proper output card and to see this stuff on a video monitor while using FCP, or at least on a TV if you want to know what you're editing.
Re: DVCAM footage loses image quality when captured in FCP 5.0.4 by Verna Lim on Nov 26, 2007 at 9:22:48 pm
Thanks muchos Lu, David, Tom, and Alan!
My footage seems to be fairly decent when I changed settings on my Quicktime and FCP Viewer settings using your tips.
I'm wanting to view it on my tv set (using it as a composite video monitor for now). Here's how I'm hoping to set it up -- will this work or degrade the image via the various connecting point and thus defeating the purpose?
PowerMac G5>S-video out to S-video/RCA connector cable > RF modulator > tv set
(My tv set has no composite or S video inputs.)
Greatly appreciate any input you might have!
Sincerely,
Verna
Re: DVCAM footage loses image quality when captured in FCP 5.0.4 by David Roth Weiss on Nov 26, 2007 at 10:03:21 pm
Verna,
The computer monitor out from your video card is not interlaced video and thus will never give you a proper indication of what you are editing. You are far better off going firewire out of your MAC into a DV camera and monitoring the composite and audio out into your TV. Many people have bought very inexpensive (i.e. $50) used DV cameras for this purpose and get very good results.
David
David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los Angeles
POST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY™
A forum host of Creative COW's Business & Marketing, and Indie Film & Documentary forums.
