-
Native codecs vs 8 bit uncompressed
Wondering who would like to weigh in on the issue…
Have a series that is shot in DVCPRO 50 on a couple SDX900s. Usual course of post has been Avid editing offline at 15:1s… picture lock… conform in Nitris… 1:1.
Now we’re cutting on Final Cut Pro, capturing over FW at DVCPRO 50 native codec in FCP 6.0.1… I’m thinking that I don’t even have to recapture for online… that all of this info that I can get from the tape is already coming in over the firewire… Thinking that I’ll just move the final sequence over to an 8 bit uncompressed timeline in FCP and from there add graphics/fx etc. Is this the right way to go?
Also… I’m guessing the same process applies for DVCPRO HD… capturing native 720p30, offline and no need to recapture media at 8 bit uncompressed HD… just move over to 8 bit timeline to add FX and graphics… maybe upconvert to 1080 for output to master from there.
Is this as simple as it appears it should be? Am I truely getting all the possible quality that the video has to offer in their native versions?
-
9 Replies
-
[morgster] “capturing over FW at DVCPRO 50 native codec in FCP 6.0.1… I’m thinking that I don’t even have to recapture for online..”
Pro 50 is standard def. If you want the online to be HD then you will have to recapture. If you have the drive space and speed then I would recapture as 10 bit uncompressed. The decision to go 1080 should depend on the delivery requirements.
-
I think that is the best workflow. Capture and cut in the native codec. You will not get any bennefit but bigger files capturing in 8b. Them when you have your movie edited, go to 8/10b unc for CC and setting your graphics.
I would suggest you to finish in 10b Unc and before that to use the “Nattress Chroma Sharpening”. Your originally DVCPro50 footage will look gorgeous this way.
Cheers,
rafael -
Sorry I just realised you have shot Pro50. I thought you had down converted from Pro100HD. Yes stay in native and do the final in a 10 bit Uncompressed.
-
cheers,
so all I have to do when finished offline is pull the PRO50 sequence over to a 10 bit SD sequence, render, CC, add gfx etc and away I go?
-
Yes but you should CC first then render.
-
If you would be working with DV footage, to go to 8b Unc would be good enough, but as long as your footage is DV%0 I think you should master in 10b Unc.
I just make a copy of the sequence and in the setting chancge to 10b Unc and very important, in the Video processin tab, set “Render al YUB material in high-precisionYUV.
If you don’t set it like that you will end-up with a 8b Unc file instead of 10b Unc.
And as Michael says, do the CC and everything that you want to do to your film before rendering.
Rafael -
Just our of curiosity, would the Pro Res 422(HQ) both SD & HD be a good option in this case? I believe they are both 10bit and take up less space?
Cheers,
-
I haven’t started to use yet ProRes. Everybody talk well about his quality (HQ), The only complaint I herd so long is that is more CPU demanding for rendering than 10b Unc. However I think that for archiving porposes may be the best option because its takes like five times less space than the Apple 10b.
Rfael -
IMO your first 8 bit idea is the best, and what I always do. 10 bit for what you’re doing is a waste of drive space, nothing more.
Have a wonderful day.
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up