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Editing MTS files vs. ProRes 422
I have a question that could represent either an obvious answer or a lively debate for more experienced users.
I am editing two streams of footage shot on a Canon Vixia HF M41 and a Canon XA10. Both streams of footage are shot at 24MB/s at 24p (though the informed among you will no doubt point out that the m41 doesn’t record native 24 progressive and actually records at 60p and pulls it down to 24p).
I’m editing in Adobe Premiere CS6 and what I wondering is whether anything useful is accomplished by transcoding the MTS files from these Canon cameras into any of the ProRes codecs (in ClipWrap)?
File size really isn’t an issue since I have more drive space than I know what to do with, so should convert up to a higher bit rate for editing or stick with the original footage?
Thoughts? Ideas? Venom?
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1 Reply
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I wouldn’t say there is a huge debate.
In my mind, it simply comes down to editing natively vs editing with an intermediate.
If you want to use an intermediate, your time hit is in the beginning of the process. To be pragmatic, is the amount of time rendering footage < the amount of time you’ll save since you can edit and scrub through your footage with more ease and you have a file that is less CPU intensive to decode (especially in programs like AE). A GPU that supports the Mercury Playback Engine does help greatly on the Premiere side, but it’s not the end-all.
For large programs, it’s usually worth it. For smaller clips and commercials, not always.
Look at Avid, the vast majority of users still use DNxHD as an intermediate codec; I know some TV shows that carry the format through to finishing and never online the camera originals. Avid also has AMA which allows you to mount and use camera originals but it affects their editing speed in similar ways.
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