iPhone 14 Pro Max Video Variable Frame Rates (Final Cut Pro Project/Export)

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iPhone 14 Pro Max Video Variable Frame Rates (Final Cut Pro Project/Export)

Hello Everyone. Hope You All are Well. I shoot Travel Vlogs on an iPhone 14 Pro Max. I shoot in 1920 x 1080 60fps. I have an M1 Max MacBook Pro. Previously when I was using my old MacBook Pro, I was told over the phone by an Apple employee that I should choose the same frame rate within FCP that I shoot in. So I was shooting in 60fps on a previous iPhone, and I would go with the same in FCP (not the fractional frame rate). I was convinced, since FCP and iPhones were made by Apple. I was using the free trial before, but I have the full version on my new MacBook Pro. I do see a possible issue Now. I recently saw on a post that iPhones shoot in variable frame rates, but did not notice it before. As I was going through some information for some videos within the videos section in the Albums on the iPhone, I noticed something strange. For videos shot with the back camera, I was not getting perfect 60fps. I was seeing frame rates like 59.89, 59.93, 59.94, 59.95, etc (if more). For videos shot with the front (selfie) camera, I was seeing perfect 60fps. I had read on a post that the fps that QuickTime shows does not match with what FCP assumes. It is odd to think that I can get a perfect 60fps with the front camera, and different frame rates with the back camera.

So going forward, when I edit with FCP, since many of the videos will be edited together on Timeline, do I need to set the project/export as 60fps, or one of the fractional frame rates? I was recommended to always check the frame rate for videos shot on other devices, before editing, but with so much variation for iPhone video, this could become annoying to keep checking, and going with the frame rate that the majority of the videos have. I would really appreciate any help. Thank You.

Pawan P Janveja’s MacBook Pro

Posted on Jul 23, 2023 10:26 AM

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Answer 1

pjanveja Author

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Jul 23, 2023 11:05 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

Thanks for the reply, Tom. So regardless of whether I edit both front/back camera footage on the same Timeline with the different fractional frame rates, I should manually set the project/export settings to 60. This would save any additional confusion, and Time. If I let FCP automatically choose the frame rate, it may not match the export settings. Would You also go with 60 in the same scenario, as opposed to 59.94? Thanks.

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Answer 2

pjanveja Author

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Jul 23, 2023 11:25 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

Awesome, Tom! Apple should get rid of them. I still have to edit a good amount of interlaced footage from older cameras. Those were shot in 60i, which would become closer to 30p. Someone mentioned that interlaced footage requires fractional frame rates. In that case, if the footage shows 29.97 within the QuickTime inspector, should I set the project/export settings as 29.97 or 30? The older cameras should shoot in constant frame rates, so I will only have to decided between 29.97 or 30, not like the multiple iPhone variable frame rates. Thanks.

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Answer 3

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

151,837 points

Jul 23, 2023 11:30 AM in response to pjanveja

Interlacing does not require fractional frame rates, though that was the norm when interlacing was more common. If you want to output interlaced and the original is 29.97, I’d make the project 29.97i. If you want non-interlaced then I’d make the project 30p.

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Answer 4

pjanveja Author

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Jul 23, 2023 11:42 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

Someone did mention that they did require fractional frame rates. The cameras are from around 2014/2015. Sorry for not being clear. The footage will be edited for YouTube. I shot in 1920 X 1080 60i. The footage was recorded as interlaced, but needs to be de-interlaced before getting on YouTube (as YouTube wants Progressive video). Since FCP automatically takes care of de-interlacing, I would need to just set the Project/Export settings to 30p. Going back, do I need to set the Project/Export settings to 29.97p or 30p? Just to be clear, would I need to automatically choose the correct frame rate, and then just drop the footage on the Timeline (since de-interlacing will be automatically taken care of)? Thank You.

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Answer 5

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

151,837 points

Jul 23, 2023 11:46 AM in response to pjanveja

The iPhone doesn’t shoot interlaced. If you’re shooting 60 or 59.94, I would use 60p as the project setting. Make sure that’s set correctly as the application like to switch to match the first clip frame rate.

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Answer 6

pjanveja Author

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Jul 23, 2023 11:49 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

The interlaced footage was from different cameras. I switched to iPhone, since the footage was better and Progressive. I was asking in regards to the interlaced footage, since You already took care of the iPhone related issue. Thanks.

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Answer 7

Jul 24, 2023 1:04 AM in response to pjanveja

You don’t have to use fractional frame rates unless you are working for a client and the client requires it.

There is no technical reason ever to use fractional frame rates - or interlaced media, for that matter - with digital video in 2023.

We are being held back by technological compromises that were made almost a hundred years ago…

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Answer 8

pjanveja Author

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5 points

Jul 24, 2023 3:25 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Thanks for the reply!

The issue is that the newer iPhones shoot in fractional rates, although the selections do not include them.

I don’t like interlaced footage. My older cameras shoot interlaced footage, and I am behind on editing. For newer videos, I use my iPhone 14 Pro Max.

My concerns are based on whether I should just rest all my 1920 X 1080 60p footage as 60 fps for the project/export settings, or actually go with 59.94 (since the iPhone shoots in variable frame rates).

In terms of the interlaced footage, I was told that those require the fractional frame rates. For example, I shot the interlaced footage in 60i. Since FCP automatically de-interlaces for Progressive projects, I just have to worry about choosing the correct frame rate for the project/export settings. Since 60i is similar to 30p, but knowing about fractional frame rates, is 29.97p better or 30p for the interlaced footage? For the iPhone footage, it seems that choosing 60p is still the best, instead of 59.94p.

Thank You.

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