DV v. MPEG2

[Alan Okey]

Export as QT movie: exports a Quicktime movie with the same dimensions and codec that your FCP timeline uses. If your timeline is 720×480 DV, it will save a 720×480 DV movie file. If your timeline is 720×486 10-bit uncompressed, it will save a 720×486 10-bit uncompressed movie file.

Export using Quicktime conversion: gives you the opportunity to change the dimensions, file type, and audio/video codecs of the file you want to create. For example, you may want to save a 320×240 H.264 version of your video for Web delivery.

Export as MPEG-2: Saves an MPEG-2 compressed movie file.

Assuming the source material of a project is DV format: “Export as QT movie” will produce the highest quality output file, because no additional compression is being added to the footage except for rendered transitions and filters/effects. “Export using QT conversion” will recompress all of the material, even if the movie export properties match those of your FCP project. An MPEG-2 export of a DV project will be of lower quality and smaller file size than the original.

What is the destination of your exported movie? I.e. will it be used for a master tape, web video, DVD, etc.?

[Southernvideoinc]

It was shot on Beta Cam and will end up being a DVD

[Southern Videography]

It was shot on Beta Cam and will end up being a DVD

-Women, Can’t Live With’em, Pass The Beer Nuts!

[Southern Videography]

So basically if I want as close to loseless as I can get I want to export as a quick time movie?