iPhone capture to large screen viewing

[Dustin Parsons]

H.264 won’t give you the highest quality but you’ll definitely want to transcode to a H.264 version at some point because the file size for the original will be massive in comparison. Also, H.264 shouldn’t give you a greatly reduced quality unless the bit rate is really low – at 100% I think it should look fine but it sounds like there’s an issue with your encode.

I’d output to these specs from PPro
Video:
Codec: Apple ProRes 422 (you can do ProRes 422 HQ but I don’t think that’ll make a difference because you’re working with iPhone footage)
Frame Size: Native (whatever it was shot at)
Frame Rate: Native
Field Order: Native
Aspect: Native
Render at Maximum Depth: Yes
Depth: 48 bit
Use Maximum Render Quality: Yes

Audio:
Codec: Uncompressed
Sample Rate: 48000 Hz
Channels: Stereo
Sample Size: 16 bit

From there you can take it into Adobe Media Encoder and transcode to an H.264 – here are the specs I’d use for that:

Video:
Codec: H.264
Frame Size: Native (whatever it was shot at)
Frame Rate: Native
Field Order: Native
Aspect: Native
Profile: High
Level: 4.0
Render at Maximum Depth: Yes
Bitrate Encoding: VBR, 2 pass
Target Bitrate [Mbps]: 20
Maximum Bitrate [Mbps]: 24
Key Frame Distance: 24
Use Maximum Render Quality: Yes

Audio:
Codec: AAC
Sample Rate: 48000 Hz
Channels: Stereo
Audio Quality High
Bitrate [kbps]: 320

Multiplexer:
Multiplexer: MP4
Stream Compatibility: Standard

Hope this helps.

What software did you use to record the video on your iPhone? I’m guessing it’s a time-lapse?

[Elli Morris]

Lots of good info – thank you. Only problem is I am using a trial version of Adobe PP so I don’t have encoder. Should I just export using the output you suggested from PP? Soon I will upgrade to PP CC but waiting for some deal with PP instead of LR which I already have…

Once a week for 52 weeks I photographed something going on at the James River as it runs through Richmond. So, I just used the regular video on iPhone but tapping the screen to get the widescreen HD dimensions.

[Elli Morris]

So I tested it with just the PP settings and it is MUCH better! I did keep the top settings the same, the Quicktime slot, which I’m wondering if that is the correct option for the video to be projected at the film festivals. Here’s what I used:

Format: Quicktime
Preset: Custom
then the rest as you suggested:
Video Codec: Apple ProRes 422
Frame Rate: native (30)
Field Order: native
Aspect native (square 1.0)
Render max @ 48 bit
use max render quality
Audio uncompressed
sample size: 16
sample rate: 48000 @ stereo.

Since you were so helpful, I’m wondering if you could tell me what export settings I should use for a different video. I shot it with a Canon 5D Mark III and the underwater stuff with my iPhone. My client wants to burn the footage to a CD for distribution to educators & and have it on their website via vimeo. The sequence is set for the 5D III and the iPhone just “doesn’t match the sequence”. Thank you again for your help. Indispensable!!!

[Dustin Parsons]

The film festival will probably have details on the specs needed for the video so I’d check that out before sending something in.

Quicktime was the right format to choose for ProRes so you’re good on that end. Since you don’t have any compression software you can just output from Premiere using the H.264 specs I gave and that should give you a good looking video with a smaller file size than the ProRes version. The H.264 will also play in a lot more places than ProRes (it’ll play on every computer, can be uploaded to Vimeo/Youtube etc…). Also, I think you’re okay using the same H.264 specs as the export settings for the other video as well – you might want to check that it can play in real time off a CD though, if the playback is stuttering try lowering the bitrate until it plays without issue.

I’m not familiar with the trial version of PPro but you should be able to mix formats (5D and iPhone) on the same timeline in Premiere without any problem. To make sure your sequence settings are correct for the footage you’re working with: make a new sequence and drag one of the 5D clips onto the timeline, PPro will ask you if you want to “change the sequence settings to match the clip” choose “yes” and you’re good to go. Always conform the sequence settings to the best footage you have, in this case it’s the 5D.