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DV on an 8-bit timeline
This is a little passe, but I’ve been experimenting some with trying to edit DV on an 8-bit Uncompressed timeline which has led to some strange results.
Sometimes graphics look better in FCP. Sometimes they look worse after they are compressed for the web or DVD. Sometimes I’m happy with the results, sometimes not.
Technically I should have more color space for color-correcting, right?
I’m just wondering if anybody’s done any exhaustive tests with this and/or come up with some rules on workflows?
Renny
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3 Replies
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[Renny McCauley] “Technically I should have more color space for color-correcting, right? “
You can’t magically add 4:2:2 color information to 4:1:1 footage. so most of your information is already gone. You can get cleaner graphics by working in an uncompressed timeline, but you’re still color grading DV footage.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
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The uncompressed preset is 720 by 486. DV is 720 by 480. Final Cut will “adjust” 480 material dropped into a 486 timeline. This may be the source of some of your issues with the footage. Look at the motion tab of a clip from the timeline to see what is being done to it.
You mention graphics. Generated in Final Cut or from an external source? If external, they should be sized same as the timeline, either 480 or 486.
I believe you can set uncompressed for 480 (been a while since I’ve dealt with SD in FCP). What you choose really depends on your setup and the destination of the material.
The rule is do what is best for the situation.
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Personally, I prefer to drop all DV finals into a 10 bit uncompressed sequence for grade and online. Although you have 4.1.1 source, your final grade will render as 4.2.2 and 10 bit. I think 10 bit actually makes a bigger difference with less banding and greater grey scale for the final grade.
I also recommend using the Nattress Chroma smoothing plugin filters which helps the usually terrible reds in DV
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