slide show in FCP???? questions...

[D ROCK]

Alright for starters I have done a few of these previously but would like some pointers from people doin it...
I scan in photos (600 dpi) and bring them straight in to FCP as TIFF's (that's all the scan program will allow)
I used to do it with JPG's on my iMacG5. using FCP 4.5HD...

I am running the latest 17" iMac C2D 2gig with 3 gig of 667 RAM.
also using FCP 5.0.1 now.

here is the issue... after only a short 4 mins in with possibly 55-75 pics the computer slows way down. This is just dumping the pics in to a bit of a beat with only the first 25-30 small movements applied... some blurring and only 2 layers at any one time...
the pic file sizes are very large I admit 50 - 100 mgs each. but wasn't sure if this is causing my slowdowns... I need to get another video done asap and have yet to start scanning...
what am I doing wrong and how do you do it to make it work better???
I scan so large so that I can zoom in and out and pan the pics and still have no pixelation.... should I be doing it differently?

thanks in advance!
D-ROCK

 

[D ROCK]

anytime I make a move on the timeline it throws the "preparing video for display" window up at me and sometimes that takes 45 seconds to finish up....
very laggy... never had this problem with the G5...

 

[D ROCK]

anybody use FCP to make slide shows????
or is it just me?
hahaa

 

[Cromulent]

You are using FCP 5.0.1 on an Intel Mac. Get the Intel native version and you should see a lot of your problems (at least do with speed) disappear.

 

[FF_productions]

50 megabyte photos?

Reduce the size!!

Less then 5 MBS, final cut can't handle such huge photos.

And how were u able to install the non-intel version of Final Cut on your iMac?

 

[D ROCK]

I just ran the installer and it installed????
I just looked at "about final cut pro" from the menu tab while it is running and that's what it tells me... Final Cut Pro 5.0.1
I am pretty sure this is the latest FCP other than 6?
am I missing something?
should I have asked for the intel version specifically?
can I still do an update or exchange or something?
How do you get a smaller file size but still have good resolution?

what have you been scanning pics in at?
I know just for a still you can use 720 by 480 with 74 dpi and that should be good enough for a tv but I was told that for movements etc you should do it at 600dpi.

how can I easily change all 400plus pics to a smaller size?

 

[-DH]

I just ran the installer and it installed????
I just looked at "about final cut pro" from the menu tab while it is running and that's what it tells me... Final Cut Pro 5.0.1
I am pretty sure this is the latest FCP other than 6?
am I missing something?

Yes. You're missing version 5.1 which was the first "Universal" version (updated through 5.1.4), made for both the Intel and PPC chips. It was the last version before FCP 6.

can I still do an update or exchange or something?

You can upgrade to Final Cut Studio 2 for $499.00 or $699.00 depending on what exact version you have now. FCS 2 includes FCP 6.

How do you get a smaller file size but still have good resolution?

If you're working in a 720 x 480 Sequence and plan to animate the images in FCP (ala Ken Burns), then having at least twice the needed resolution would be a good thing. DPI is meaningless in video ... however, it can come into play when using scanning software. But pay attention to the pixel resolution - not the DPI. Pixel resolution is what counts.

what have you been scanning pics in at?

Depends on the size of the original image and what I intend to do with it in FCP.

I know just for a still you can use 720 by 480 with 74 dpi and that should be good enough for a tv but I was told that for movements etc you should do it at 600dpi.

Not true. 600dpi will give you a VERY high resolution, more so than you'll probably need unless you plan on zooming in to someone's eyeball.

how can I easily change all 400plus pics to a smaller size?

Set up an automated batch resizing in Photoshop. While you're at it, you may want to consider using uncompressed TIFF format instead of JPEGs. FCP seems to handle them better and they are not lossy like JPEGs. Make sure each image is in RGB color mode - NOT CMYK, Indexed or Greyscale.

-DH

 

[Keebler]

Yes. You're missing version 5.1 which was the first "Universal" version (updated through 5.1.4), made for both the Intel and PPC chips. It was the last version before FCP 6.




You can upgrade to Final Cut Studio 2 for $499.00 or $699.00 depending on what exact version you have now. FCS 2 includes FCP 6.




If you're working in a 720 x 480 Sequence and plan to animate the images in FCP (ala Ken Burns), then having at least twice the needed resolution would be a good thing. DPI is meaningless in video ... however, it can come into play when using scanning software. But pay attention to the pixel resolution - not the DPI. Pixel resolution is what counts.




Depends on the size of the original image and what I intend to do with it in FCP.




Not true. 600dpi will give you a VERY high resolution, more so than you'll probably need unless you plan on zooming in to someone's eyeball.




Set up an automated batch resizing in Photoshop. While you're at it, you may want to consider using uncompressed TIFF format instead of JPEGs. FCP seems to handle them better and they are not lossy like JPEGs. Make sure each image is in RGB color mode - NOT CMYK, Indexed or Greyscale.

-DH

this is great advice. i always run a batch to resize and also to change the pixel aspect ratio to dv-ntsc. not sure if this makes a diff as i've never looked at a regular and changed file side by side, but i was told to do it

 

[-DH]

this is great advice. i always run a batch to resize and also to change the pixel aspect ratio to dv-ntsc. not sure if this makes a diff as i've never looked at a regular and changed file side by side, but i was told to do it

When you drop a photo on an FCP Timeline, FCP will automatically adjust the image to your Sequence settings.

-DH

 

[D ROCK]

If you're working in a 720 x 480 Sequence and plan to animate the images in FCP (ala Ken Burns), then having at least twice the needed resolution would be a good thing. DPI is meaningless in video ... however, it can come into play when using scanning software. But pay attention to the pixel resolution - not the DPI. Pixel resolution is what counts.

this may be a dumb or obvious question but "how do you pay attention to resolution, or where do I see this info? as in difference between dpi and resolution? are they related in the scanning process?


I am using TIFFs on my iMac as this is the only format the scanner allows... It will however allow JPG's on my wifes PC laptop and then I can make a transfer over to my Mac. as I have previously done....

I am almost finished with the current video but want to get the next one correct right from the start.

If I scan in at 200 dpi (a bit more than twice the needed 72) will this give me the needed resolution?

 

[D ROCK]

I also have PhotoShop to do any graphic changes needed.
however I usually just import the scan and resize it via the motion controls at the in and out points.
this is how I get the Ken Burns affects.
and no I can't just use iPhoto for these videos. )

 

[D ROCK]

also can you adjust or allocate RAM as in "free up some more RAM"
I have the max allowable in the C2D iMac (which is 3 gig)

does it matter which slot has the 1gig and which has the 2 gig?

also any truth that my machine would actually run faster with only 2 gigs of matched 1 gig sticks and at 555mhz rather than 3 gig at 667mhz?

the sticks I pulled out were 2 sticks of 512meg at 555mhz....

 

[-DH]

this may be a dumb or obvious question but "how do you pay attention to resolution, or where do I see this info? as in difference between dpi and resolution? are they related in the scanning process?

Not a dumb question at all ... it confuses a lot of folks. DPI and pixel resolution are related in the scanning process - just not in video. It really all depends on your scanning software. For example, my Epson software has an "auto" mode and a "pro" mode. The auto mode doesn't show anything but DPI in the settings, but the pro mode does show pixel resolution which is why I use that mode. Interestingly enough, you can change the DPI setting manually and the pixel resolution will change accordingly. But if you manually change the pixel resolution, the DPI setting doesn't change at all.

In most instances, I change the DPI while watching the change happening in the pixel resolution fields. That way I know I'm getting the resolution I'll need in FCP but only have to adjust one parameter to do so. For images smaller than 3x5, a DPI setting of 400 to 600 works best. For 4x5 to 5x7, 300 to 360 DPI works. An 8x10 will usually get a setting of 150 DPI. As the photo area increases, I decrease the DPI so the resolution won't be too much larger than I'll need to support the animation I intend to apply in FCP.

If I scan in at 200 dpi (a bit more than twice the needed 72) will this give me the needed resolution?

This is where it really gets confusing; since DPI has no real meaning in the video realm, it depends on how your scanning software works. Do some tests. If a 200 DPI setting produces the pixel resolution you need, then it will work for you (check pixel dimensions in Photoshop at different scan settings). If not, you may need to be using more sophisticated scanning software that will allow you to manually adjust the pixel resolution settings.

-DH

 

[D ROCK]

thank you SOOOO MUCH!
I really appreciate advice from people who are doing it themselves.
as a follow up do you know of any better software to scan using my HP G4010?

 

[D ROCK]

one more question... What pixel resolution range should I be looking for as a norm?

take a 4x6 fill the screen and then zoom into say, the top quarter of the original pic, to show the persons face....

what res would I be looking for for something like this?

 

[-DH]

thank you SOOOO MUCH!
I really appreciate advice from people who are doing it themselves.
as a follow up do you know of any better software to scan using my HP G4010?

Something like this may help: http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/7610

Or explore the software that came with your HP scanner - it may have 'hidden' features that have to be turned on in its preferences. Or HP may have additional scanning software available for download on their website.

-DH

 

[-DH]

one more question... What pixel resolution range should I be looking for as a norm?

take a 4x6 fill the screen and then zoom into say, the top quarter of the original pic, to show the persons face....

what res would I be looking for for something like this?

For that I'd probably set the pixel resolution for the scan to be between two and three times what my FCP Sequence settings need. When you drop the image onto FCP's Timeline, FCP scales and adjusts the aspect ration to match the Sequence settings. Try a few different scan settings to see how they do in FCP. Once the image is on the Timeline, double-click it to load it into the Viewer window, click on the Motion tab and look at the Scale. If you plan to push into the photo so only about a quarter of it shows, an initial scale of 25% to 35% should be about right.

Alternatively, you could only scan a specific area of the image so the magnification change over the duration of the image in FCP wouldn't have to be so great.

-DH

 

[D ROCK]

when I just checked my scan software it actually says resolution not dpi...
and I have that set to 600... but I don't know if this is actually res or dpi now????

anyways when I save the file of a 4x6 scan at 600 it gives me a huge file... like 75 meg.
and then when I bring into fcp it still looks blurry on the preview... or pixelated.


should I have my priview set to 100% or fit to screen? I have it now set at 50% so I can see the whole pic but it is a waste of the window as it doesn't fill th ewhole window. (black border around the edge)

hope this makes sense?

 

[-DH]

when I just checked my scan software it actually says resolution not dpi...
and I have that set to 600... but I don't know if this is actually res or dpi now????

anyways when I save the file of a 4x6 scan at 600 it gives me a huge file... like 75 meg.
and then when I bring into fcp it still looks blurry on the preview... or pixelated.


should I have my priview set to 100% or fit to screen? I have it now set at 50% so I can see the whole pic but it is a waste of the window as it doesn't fill th ewhole window. (black border around the edge)

hope this makes sense?

Load the image on the Timeline so you can see it at the Sequence settings - don't worry about how it looks in the Viewer (preview) window.

Yes, a 4x6 at 600 DPI will result in a very large file. A 4x6 shouldn't need to be scanned at any more than 240 to 300 DPI, or at about twice the pixel resolution of your FCP Sequence setting.

-DH

 

[D ROCK]

ok not sure what you mean by sequence settings.....
I loaded the pic on the timeline then clicked sequence and settings and it tells me 720 x 480....
is this what you meant? or am I looking for something else?
cause I loaded both a smaller jpg and a huge tiff and it still said the same thing... unless I am doin it wrong?
thanks for being patient with me.... I really did not feel like such a noob till now!
I have done editing before for a number of years in a pc studio and played with FCP version 4.5 a few years back but now I seem a bit lost!?


OK also I need to send a preview copy out to the customer over the net... just something they can take a peek at... quality does not need to be great but wondering what format and what size should it be?
it is approx 3 min long....
how best to send?

thanks in advance.

 

[-DH]

ok not sure what you mean by sequence settings..... I loaded the pic on the timeline then clicked sequence and settings and it tells me 720 x 480.... is this what you meant?

Yes, that's what I meant. If your FCP Sequence is 720x480, then you'll need to scan the images at a larger pixel resolution than that if you plan to push into the image once in FCP. But since hardly any photo has the exact same aspect ratio as TV, you have to do some rough calculations when scanning.

As an example, say your photo is a 4x6 vertically composed portrait and you want to push into an area of the image so you only see about 25% of the total image by the end of the push (100% view to 25% view over the duration). Since the FCP Sequence is set for 720 wide by 480 high, your photo will need to be scanned at 1200 x 1700 (rough estimate) in order to have enough resolution to support the push in FCP. Of course, if the photo was composed horizontally, you can reverse the resolution numbers.

also I need to send a preview copy out to the customer over the net... just something they can take a peek at... quality does not need to be great but wondering what format and what size should it be? it is approx 3 min long....how best to send?

Depends on what type of media player your client has available. If they're a Windows user, Windows Media (WMV) or MPEG-1 will work while maintaining a small file size (with the right settings). If they're using a Mac, a QT movie would work.

It may still be too big for email though - many email providers have a 5 or 10mb limit for attachments. If you can't get the file size small enough for email while retaining decent quality, consider uploading the clip to an FTP site then send them a link to where they can download the file.

-DH

 

[D ROCK]

Thanks -DH!

ok so I got the video as a qt movie but it is still 24 megs..... and yes this seems to be way to big for me to e-mail out... I tried that too.

can I covert to a wmv in FCP?

if not where should I go to upload it to an FTP site?
I can honestly say I have never done this either.
I have youtubed a file before but it was much smaller as well....
HELP?

 

[-DH]

can I covert to a wmv in FCP?

Yes ... if you use the Flip4Mac plugin or suite

if not where should I go to upload it to an FTP site?

I use my .Mac account. But you can use box.net or any other FTP site.

-DH

 

[mikehokie]

Why are you using a 17" iMac? Uprade to the MBP or 20" iMac.

 

[D ROCK]

Why are you using a 17" iMac? Uprade to the MBP or 20" iMac.

hahahahaa
thats a great question Mike!
I "heard" that Apple was due to release the new 24"iMac any day... but I needed to get a couple projects out of the way and could not wait any longer.
I figured the speed difference in the processors was not enough to justify the loss that I would accrue when I try to resell a used 20" or 24" iMac so I bought the 17" with plans on selling it again as SOON as the 24" comes out. Now I will probably wait for the new OS as well though. so come the end of the year I hope to own the brand new 24" iMac with all the latest trimmings. This is just a "rental" in my eyes.