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Battle of the Bits: 8 vs 10 Bit Capture??
Hi,
Before I begin capturing video acquired on Beta-SP for an hour-long broadcast news-mag, I need to decide between 8 & 10 bit. I understand the virtues of 10 bit: less banding, better for compositing, etc, but how much of an image boost will I get? Will the naked eye even be able to tell the difference? Before the 10 bit cards, wasn’t 8 bit totally acceptable?
The show doesn’t require too many composited elements, mainly lower 3rds and other CG material.
Any thoughts would greatly be appreciated!
Thanks,
Jeff
My set-up: G5 Dual 2Ghz, Kona LH, SATA Raid, 99c mouse pad
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6 Replies
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Where do you plan to do your CG’s and do you use drop shadows? There’s a bug in FCP’s 10 bit rendering that will cause your drop shadows to look funky in FCP created CGs. 10 bit is great for cc, grading, graphics, and animations, but the bandwidth is high and the rendering of drop shadows is weird. 10 bit won’t make your Beta look any better from the digitizing, but if you add any effects/color, it will hold up better than 8 bit or lower. What are you mastering to?
Jeremy
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G5 Dual 2Ghz <> 4GB RAM <> FCP 5.04 <> Kona 2
ATTO 42XS <> Huge Systems 4105 Fibre
OS 10.4.2 <> QT 7.0.4 -
the AVID Meridians, and original AVID Adrenalines were 8 bit resolution. This has been the industry standard for years, so with conventional Beta, 8 bit is “good enough” – if it’s good enough for the networks. 10 bit has advantages in compositing, and new AVID Adrenalines operate at 10 bit, but you are JUST FINE operating at 8 bits. No one will EVER reject a tape from you becuase you were working in 8 bit uncompressed.
Bob Zelin
ps – however, that 99c mouse pad has to go ! -
jeremy,
I have found no problems with 10 bit drop shadows on titles if/when using the Boris title tool. If you put a drop shadow on in regular title tool I can imagine it would never look as nice as the Boris, built in drop shadow.
So I guess it depends on what tool you use. The Boris Title that comes with FCP is far superior.
With regard to 8 or 10 bit. The only reasons to do 8 bit are 1. space. 2. drive speed.
I advise you to use ten pits of precision as it is the best quality available.
Even if I am doing a DV show I convert it all to 10 bit for Online/ CC etc. It will play back on most drive systems now as well.
David
Peace and Love 🙂
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I agree with everything you say, David. I was just pointing out pitfalls as he asked. Boris 3d is my title tool of choice as well.
Jeremy
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The big pitfall that I’ve noticed with 10-bit is substantially less RT-effects. This alone can cause some (me) to use 8-bit. Even Color Correction needs rendering at 10-bit, very annoying.
However, for the master I’d opt. through everything into a 10-bit sequence and re-render it. You can also “hack” FCP and capture at 10-bit. Set the rendering to 8-bit YUV and you actually get alot more RT during the edit-process.
Hope this get’s fixed in a future version (or that Apple releases a PCI-e card with 14 G5’s on it ;))
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It’s all good J.
d
On the 10 bit. In HD, no RT. But if you are using a package like Final touch then you are looking at a render anyway so it’s nice to stay 10 bit.
8 bit is more versatile in HD But 8 or 10 in SD is great!
David
Peace and Love 🙂
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