Three questions regarding export settings

[RalphSchneider1]

1) My Canon HF 100 produces footage with 1480 x 720 and 50 fps. If I choose "export to my computer" and quicktime, and in "advanced" set exactly the same parameters (pixel ratio -> "same as source"), the videos come out distorted when I open them in the QuickTime player.

2) In general I find it hard to export videos correctly - they either come out distorted or with black bars, even if I set the project settings AND the export settings identically. What do I do wrong - is it because of pixel ratio?

3) What difference does it make if I choose 25 fps instead of 29,97 or 50 fps in the export settings? Loss of quality?

[Paul LS]

I assume your Canon HF 100 actually produces footage of 1440x1080 (Pixel Aspect Ratio, PAR of 1.333). Is the camcorder PAL or NTSC, I believe it is PAL if it is 50fps, I think the frames rates are actually 50i or 25p. If this is correct you should be using the 1440x1080 project preset but with 25fps not 30fps.

Regarding your issue with your MOV files, try changing the exports ettings to 1920x1080 and set the Pixel Aspect Ratio as 1 (which is equivalent to 1440x1080 with a PAR of 1.333). See if this gives an undistorted frame.

Regarding your fps setting, this should match the frame rate of your camcorder and this is determined if it is a PAL or NTSC camcorder... which is again determined by where you live... NTSC in North and South America, PAL in Europe, Australia, etc. If you use the wrong frame rate the playback of the exported clip may not be smooth.

[RJ Johnston]

I'm just wondering if your video from the canon is really 1280 x 720p, not 1480 x 720p?

1280x720 would be square 1.0 pixel aspect ratio with a 16:9 display ratio. The 50 fps is 50 progressive. This would be similar to my NTSC video of 1280x720p 60fps. You should be using a project preset that has 1.0 square pixel aspect ratio, not the 1.333 par of the 1440x1080 project preset. There isn't a preset in version 7 that has 60 fps progressive. There is in version 9. In version 7 you would have to use the PAL > HDV > HDV 720p 25 project preset. That 25 fps would be good for the internet.