Problem with "Save Current Frame" exports in Final Cut - dark/underexposed frames.

Question

Level 1

4 points

Problem with "Save Current Frame" exports in Final Cut - dark/underexposed frames.

Hello,

I frequently use the "Save Current Frame" option in Final Cut Pro to export still images. However, since updating to Sequoia and the latest version of Final Cut Pro, all exported images appear completely underexposed and much darker than they do within Final Cut.

I’ve tested this with various footage and projects, and the issue persists across all of them. I’ve also tried exporting in different file formats (JPEG, TIFF, PNG, etc.), but the results are the same regardless of file format.

I found a post on Reddit where a couple of people there are experiencing the same thing too, so maybe this isn't an isolated issue.

Do you have any insights into what could be causing this? Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 15.2

Posted on Jan 13, 2025 5:39 PM

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Answer 1

Jan 13, 2025 6:59 PM in response to Danyil78

Do you have any insights into what could be causing this?

The cause is macOS Sequoia and the solution has already been provided.

⚫︎joema wrote:

JPG and TIFF images exported from FCP 10.6.5 on Ventura 13.7.2 use the same BT.709-5 embedded color profile. Those files, if copied to a Sequoia machine, show the same problem in Preview, QuickLook, ColorSync Utility and even the third-party "Screen" app. This implies it has nothing to do with FCP -- it's been using that embedded profile for Save Current Frame for years. The fact it happens with other utilities implies it's not a "Preview problem", rather it's a deeper MacOS issue.

⚫︎Luis Sequeira1 wrote:

set a range including the frame you want (it may actually be just one frame long): press the letters I and O to set in and out points
export as video and open in Quicktime Player
Press Command-C to copy
Switch to Preview and press Command-N to “new from clipboard”
Save

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Answer 2

BenB

Level 6

12,715 points

Jan 13, 2025 7:21 PM in response to Danyil78

Not all software uses the same gamma to display images and videos. macOS does a pretty decent job of it, but it's not 100% perfect. I edited two TV shows today in which I had to export stills and reimport them for use in the same timeline. They matched perfectly. They looked just fine in the Finder's QuickView, also.

What app are you viewing them in once exported from FCP?

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Answer 3

Danyil78 Author

Level 1

4 points

Jan 15, 2025 5:26 PM in response to LocaAlicia

Hi, thanks for your response. I'll try this out and see how it goes. It's a pretty convoluted process though, especially considering how often I need to export still frames. Hopefully Apple will fix this issue soon.

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Answer 4

Danyil78 Author

Level 1

4 points

Jan 15, 2025 5:28 PM in response to BenB

Thanks for your response, Ben. The images look completely underexposed regardless of the app I view them in afterwards. Even when I pull the images back into FCP and view them there, they still look underexposed.

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