BIG questions about HDV, RGB, YUV and Gamma in FCP at DVinfo.net

Steve Lewis · December 1st, 2008, 12:30 AM

So,
I have been having a BIG problem ever since I started shooting HDV with my Canon XHA1: the color has looked GREAT in FCP, but when I export, the color is very dull and washed out. I just recently found out something: if you go into QT Pro and check off "Enable FCS color compatibility" then the exported files look GREAT and just the same as when I view my footage in the FCP Canvas. My problem is that the file itself, the inherent color of the file, is STILL dull and muted. I then found this:

Is your Final Cut Pro sequence too dark or washed out? - Digital Rebellion Blog

And it seems to address my problem when it talks about an RGB clip being dropped into a YUV sequence, where FCP export at 1.8 gamma thinking it is compensating. YET, I read somewhere that HDV is in fact a YUV codec. So why is FCP exporting my HDV/YUV footage with the washed out gamma??? (Again, it does look good now that I have color compatibility checked off in in QT Pro, but that is not actually adjusting the file itself)

Any help would be greatly appreciated as I am COMPLETELY lost!

Thanks,
-Steve Lewis

Dominik Seibold · December 1st, 2008, 03:02 AM

Yes, all these gamma-issues caused by Mac 1.8 vs Windows 2.2 standards are really annoying. I'm looking forward to the future beginning with snow-leopard, because it uses 2.2 as standard-gamma.

Peter Kraft · December 1st, 2008, 03:47 AM

Agreed, but what do we do until then?

Dominik Seibold · December 1st, 2008, 04:08 AM

Suffer from being forced to use inhuman workarounds and to acquire arbitrary specialized knowledge.

Steve Lewis · December 1st, 2008, 06:47 PM

Bump, please help!

December 1st, 2008, 12:30 AM	#1
Steve Lewis Major Player Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Goleta, CA Posts: 225	BIG questions about HDV, RGB, YUV and Gamma in FCP So, I have been having a BIG problem ever since I started shooting HDV with my Canon XHA1: the color has looked GREAT in FCP, but when I export, the color is very dull and washed out. I just recently found out something: if you go into QT Pro and check off "Enable FCS color compatibility" then the exported files look GREAT and just the same as when I view my footage in the FCP Canvas. My problem is that the file itself, the inherent color of the file, is STILL dull and muted. I then found this: Is your Final Cut Pro sequence too dark or washed out? - Digital Rebellion Blog And it seems to address my problem when it talks about an RGB clip being dropped into a YUV sequence, where FCP export at 1.8 gamma thinking it is compensating. YET, I read somewhere that HDV is in fact a YUV codec. So why is FCP exporting my HDV/YUV footage with the washed out gamma??? (Again, it does look good now that I have color compatibility checked off in in QT Pro, but that is not actually adjusting the file itself) Any help would be greatly appreciated as I am COMPLETELY lost! Thanks, -Steve Lewis __________________ www.lewisfilms.net - Give me a museum and I'll fill it!

December 1st, 2008, 06:47 PM	#5
Steve Lewis Major Player Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Goleta, CA Posts: 225	Bump, please help! __________________ www.lewisfilms.net - Give me a museum and I'll fill it!

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December 1st, 2008, 03:02 AM	#2
Dominik Seibold Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: Nuremberg, Germany Posts: 234	Yes, all these gamma-issues caused by Mac 1.8 vs Windows 2.2 standards are really annoying. I'm looking forward to the future beginning with snow-leopard, because it uses 2.2 as standard-gamma.

December 1st, 2008, 03:47 AM	#3
Peter Kraft Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Europe Posts: 245	Agreed, but what do we do until then?

December 1st, 2008, 04:08 AM	#4
Dominik Seibold Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: Nuremberg, Germany Posts: 234	Suffer from being forced to use inhuman workarounds and to acquire arbitrary specialized knowledge.