downscaling 4K to 2K and to 1080P in Premiere Pro CS6: scaling issues

Adobe Premiere Pro

downscaling 4K to 2K and to 1080P in Premiere Pro CS6: scaling issues

Posted by Nick Natteau on January 28, 2013 at 6:23 pm

I just recently downloaded Philip Bloom’s Canon 1DC native sample clips, from his 1DC review here:

https://philipbloom.net/2013/01/27/1dc/

Here’s what I don’t understand about the downscaling process in Premiere Pro CS6:

Let’s say I have two sequences: one is 2K (2048×1080) and the other is 1080p (1920×1080)

If 2K is only 6.7% bigger than 1080p (2048 being 6.7% bigger than 1920), why is it that the same original 4K clip (4096×2160) shows up at 100% scale in a 2K sequence, and 53% scale in a 1080p sequence. That doesn’t make sense.

Given that 4096 is twice 2048, shouldn’t a 4K clip (4096) dropped into a 2K sequence (2048) show up scaled at 50% in a 2K sequence?

Thanks in advance for any feedback / clarification.

Sankoor Babu replied 12 years, 6 months ago 5 Members · 5 Replies
5 Replies

Tero Ahlfors
January 28, 2013 at 6:31 pm

If you use the right click scale to frame size command or if you have the default scale to frame size option on it will show the scale as 100%. The scale value changes only if you manually set it.
Nick Natteau
January 28, 2013 at 6:44 pm

Thanks Tero. But it sill doesn’t make sense to me. A 4K clip dropped into a 2K timeline should show up as 50% scale. At 100% scale I should be seeing only the inner 50% of the image as i do in a 1080p timeline (actually I’m seeing 53% in a 1080p timeline).
Ivan Myles
January 28, 2013 at 7:14 pm

The auto-scale command changes the scaling factor internally but keeps the user-controlled motion setting at 100%. These are two separate inputs that impact the same output. By analogy, audio levels can be set using Volume, Gain, or mixer levels, but changing one parameter does not impact how the other settings are displayed.

If you only want to see the inner portion of the 4k clip, ensure that Scale to Frame Size is disabled as per Tero’s comment.
Daniel Frome
January 29, 2013 at 2:56 am

1080p = 1920×1080
2K = 2048×1152
4K = 4096×2160

Hopefully now you see why they don’t scale as you might think.
Sankoor Babu
January 9, 2014 at 5:07 am

Hi,i am editing a film in premiere pro cc,it’s red 4k footage,i have taken a 2k sequence settings (2048×1156)16:9 and importing my 4k footage then downscaling with scale tool to 50% – i don’t know is it correct method or not,anyone help me is it correct?,do i get with out loss of quality?,is there any chance to lost quality with this process?i choose this process because of 4k edit is heavy burden to my pc that’s why i choose this method plzzz give me ur best suggestion,thanks……..

Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up

Creative Communities of the World Forums