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How to avoid 8-bit truncating?
Not sure if this is the right forum, but trying:
I have some image sequences that need to be converted to 4:2:2 ProResHQ. The originating format is 12bit Nikon raw (.NEF). I’ve tried to convert the Nikon RAW to 16-bit TIFFs and then use Quicktime, Compressor or Color to render out to Apple 4:2:2 ProRes HQ, but all applications seem to truncate the images to 8-bit. At least the banding appears very visible after the conversion. My Quicktime reference movie with the 16 bit-per-channel TIFFs has no visible banding. I tried to load the 16 bit-per-channel TIFFs in Color as an image sequence (no Quicktime), but that didn’t help.
Is there any way of making this conversion from 16bit per channel TIFF to 4:2:2 ProResHQ and maintain 10bit quality with FCS 2? Or will all FCS software truncate to 8-bit?
Aasulv Wolf Austad, fnf
Director of Photography
Los Angeles based -
4 Replies
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[Wolf Austad] “Is there any way of making this conversion from 16bit per channel TIFF to 4:2:2 ProResHQ and maintain 10bit quality with FCS 2? Or will all FCS software truncate to 8-bit?”
Use Motion to render out a 10bit ProRes file (and check it on a 10bit capable monitor). You have to make sure that Motion is set to render in 16bit or float and ProRes is 10bit.
Jeremy
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Righ.
FC do not support any kind of 16b stuff, still or QT movies (Microcosm).
You don’t really need any special device to see the bit depth of the stuff. Just compare the combing of the Histogram.
Rafael -
Thanks Jeremy,
The banding after rendering in Motion in Float or Half-float (tried both) is significantly reduced compared to running those 16bit TIFFs through Compressor or Color or Quicktime Pro, although not as smooth as viewing the 16bit per channel TIFFs in a Quicktime wrapper.Maybe that last bit is a monitor issue? I only have an 8-bit display today (Apple LED Cinema), so I’ll have to look at it on a higher end monitor later…
Aasulv Wolf Austad, fnf
Director of Photography
Los Angeles based -
[Wolf Austad] “Maybe that last bit is a monitor issue? I only have an 8-bit display today (Apple LED Cinema), so I’ll have to look at it on a higher end monitor later…”
Most definitely. Hard to judge 10bit material on an 8? bit monitor.
Jeremy
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