-
Another ProRes Standard vs. HQ Question
I’ve read past COW posts and answers, but I still need a little more glimmer of understanding about at what point I should to be working ProRes HQ vs. ProRes standard.
The original multitudinous camera clips are 8-bit 1080 23.98 mp4 and will all be converted to a ProRes format prior to edit. The project is straight documentary, but with some dramatic dissolves, and occasional selective focus and vignette effects. We’ll do simple color correct as we go, but wait until a locked fine cut before grading.
I know the 8-bit original images are what they are, but will HQ make a difference in terms of banding with dissolves to/from black or white color solids? With blurs and gradations in vignette outer areas? For simple but important color correction like improving tungsten / daylight balances decently enough so the client does not worry?
We’ll go the extra distance in conversion time and sequence rendering if the HQ work space would confirm, as we move forward, which shots work best for the above needs.
-
8 Replies
-
Making your clips HQ will not improve your video. Just file size.
Steve Eisen
Eisen Video Productions
Vice President
Chicago Creative Pro Users Group -
I know the original clips will see no improvement to their quality, they are what they are. Here I’m asking whether new elements that I layer with those clips will render cleaner in an HQ workspace– a slow fade to a black or white color solid will often create banding, as might a blurred area within the frame. I mean elements or changes that are generated on the sequence and mixed with the clips.
That goes for color correction as well- does adjusting the values on an HQ sequence yield different results than a standard PR sequence?
-
Thanks, Dave, very clear. But tell me what you mean by “transparency”. Is that related to whether or not I’ll get banding during fades and dissolves, which is a real concern here. The films will be projected and banding is downright nasty.
-
[William Carr] “what you mean by “transparency”.”
ProRes 4444 supports an alpha channel. It is a much much bigger file, and “enjoys” the distinction of being able to contain either Y’CbCr or RGBA coded media.
But the difference between ProRes 422 and ProRes422HQ is quite small; negligible quality benefits especially when you are pushing a much lower bandwidth codec into it. Its just a bigger bus, same number of travellers. More empty seats.
jPo
“I always pass on free advice — its never of any use to me” Oscar Wilde.
-
Sounds like I will have no gain from the higher PR formats so will stick with Standard. We will face the music that the banding issues in post are simply the pitfalls of 8-bit acquisition.
Thanks everybody for the thorough replies!
-
Joseph could probably expand on this better…but you also have to consider your monitoring setup.
Is your monitor introducing or exacerbating the banding?…unless you have a 10 bit panel how can you be sure?
-
Banding, 10 bit, monitoring: John that’s a great question.
The initial edit was for web and I monitored on an external 1080 LED LG via HDMI. The banding was apparent within the Canvas window (not a true indicator, I know) and also the external, and also when uploaded to Vimeo and watched on various computers.
So somewhere in the workflow I need to know if there is “truly” banding going on and deal with it before a final eyeball sees it on line or projected. The final most critical iterations of the project will be projected on a 2K system at a fest.
-
probably the best analogy I’ve ever heard on anything! sweet.
Telly Award Winning Editor, Motion Gfx Artist, Colorist
MotionFoundry, Inc. Post: Verizon, GM, Kohl’s, 3 Doors Down, L’Oreal, IKEA, Kelloggs, Toyota
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up