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FCP Capture decision: Native HDV? or DVCPro HD codec?
We’re cutting a feature film shot on HDV (Z1’s) with two Powerbook G4’s and as all our tapes are logged – we come to capture and have been alerted to the option of possibly transcoding using the DVCPro HD 1080i codec as opposed to sticking with FCP’s Native HDV in final cut studio.
We’ve read lots of Pro’s and Cons, but no one seems to have a definitive answer: understandable, workflows are precious and subjective. I personally cut native HDV footage every day on G5’s and my Powerbook and it works fine, but have never tackled the length of a feature.
We’re effectively onlining from our machines also, which might be tricky, and output decisions loom as we will need an HD Master, Beta Master, (obviously DVD is fine) and eventally going to a monitor transfer to 35mm.
Given that we have limited equipment, without external cards and bridging decks etc, does anyone have any advice as to what codec to stick toint he long run? Anyone with any similar (practical) experience on this? Ist it really possible to capture this Sony HDV 1080i footage through the DVCPro HD codec? Will it garner better results visually? i.e. colour palette, transtitions, effects, etc… Longer render times?
Any help greatly appreciated. Decisions, decisions….
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2 Replies
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I would Stick to HDV.
Why make it more complicated?
I’ve done a long form and it worked out just fine.
though the deliverable was an SD DVD.
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Without a card (Decklink/ Kona) then you won’t be able to externally monitor codecs other than the HDV back into the camera. Are you using external monitors?
My fav workflow is to capture HDV as standard def DV. Simplifies everything including external monitors. Then I recapture as HD uncompressed for grade and titles once cut is locked and media managed. Best results for me are to use the Canon HD1 as the recapture device as it has HD SDI built in. You can always software up rez to either uncompressed or DVCPro 100HD from an HDV timeline but again, without proper external monitoring, how are you going to online? I would always prefer HD uncompressed providing your drives can manage.
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