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DVCPRO HD 720p24 sequences – Worth reconforming uncompressed?
Working on a series of three 8-9 minutes documentary pieces. Most of the footage was shot (tape-based) DVCPRO 720p24, with some of it 720p60 (that stuff was conformed to 24 with Cinema Tools). The idea was to keep this whole project in FCP. Everything was captured in FCP through a Kona 3 using the DVCPROHD720p24 (or 60) codec. It was my understanding that this codec is no different than how that information is compressed on tape, and therefor, there should be no loss of information, so if we kept everything at 720 there really wouldn’t be any need for any type of online.
I’m now being told that one of our producers pitched a Smoke finish to the client, so now the client thinks they’re getting a Smoke finish, which may not include more than some color correction or blurring of faces that weren’t cleared in the field. I guess my question is, is necessary or do we gain anything by recapturing/conforming in Smoke? I guess that gets us an uncompressed 10bit image, but if it comes from DVCPRO tape is it actually any different than what our DVCPROHD Quicktimes already have? Even if we have to put on a Smoke show, should we recapture/conform from tape or can we just export the sequence out of Final Cut work from that?
I don’t know the extent of the color-correction being asked for, but its documentary, and its not for broadcast, its for the web (I havent been given final delivery specs).
What would you do? Any thoughts or opinions would be greatly appreciated.
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8 Replies
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Before ProRes, I always finished tape DVCProHD jobs in 10bit UC.
If going to Smoke, I’d do it. Recapture from tape, don’t just transcode your current timeline.
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I guess I just want to know why?
My issue is that I feel as though I’ve been led to believe that the DVCPROHD codec is native to the DVCPROHD tape, and that theoretically anything captured with this codec should contain the same amount of information as what exists on tape. I know the image on tape is compressed, but does the codec add additional compression in this case, or is it equal to what exists on the tape? Does capturing uncompressed 10-bit from a DVCPROHD tape actually provide more information than a DVCPROHD Quicktime captured from the same tape? If not, I would be inclined to simply export our sequences as is (also DVCPROHD codec, wouldn’t recompress) and import in to Smoke.
Any additional thoughts?
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[Aaron Leichter] “and that theoretically anything captured with this codec should contain the same amount of information as what exists on tape.”
This is true.
[Aaron Leichter] ” know the image on tape is compressed, but does the codec add additional compression in this case, or is it equal to what exists on the tape?”
It should be the same, but it’s all about headroom and also a hardware decompression. In the deck, the hardware decompresses the DVCPro HD signal and turns it uncompressed and full raster. In my opinion, this is better than a software decode, I used to have test images, but they are long gone.
You then capture that into a 10bit codec (ProRes will work too). Since going to Smoke you will want the extra headroom, plus the full raster vs thin raster of DVCPro HD.
Also, why not ask the Smoke artist?
Jeremy
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[Aaron Leichter] ” Does capturing uncompressed 10-bit from a DVCPROHD tape actually provide more information than a DVCPROHD Quicktime captured from the same tape?”
No.
No benefits when capturing 422 stuff.
However, when working with 420 stuff would be benefitting.
The 420 to 422 conversion on an IO card would improve the picture due to the Chroma filtering applied.
rafael -
[Rafael Amador] “No.
No benefits when capturing 422 stuff.”Sorry, I disagree. But hey, what else is new?
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[Jeremy Garchow] “Sorry, I disagree. But hey, what else is new?”
About the footage, technically, I can’t see where the benefit may come from.
About rendering in 10b, you know that I agree with you.
rafael -
[Rafael Amador] “About the footage, technically, I can’t see where the benefit may come from.”
The deck is a hardware decode to full raster UC which you then capture.
With DVCPro HD you are limited to a Quicktime software decode of thin raster material.
I wish I still had my capture tests. I threw them away so long ago.
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[Jeremy Garchow] “The deck is a hardware decode to full raster UC which you then capture.
“
OK. Understood. The benefit is on the upscaling.
Agree with you.
You see?
No difficult when things are explained 🙂
rafael
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