Millions of Colors versus Trillions

[Tudor “ted” jelescu]

Yes it matters.
Here’s an article that explains why better than I could:
https://www.photoshopessentials.com/essentials/16-bit/page-2.php

Tudor “Ted” Jelescu
Senior VFX Artist

[Sascha Engel]

Thanx! I will check it out!

Sascha

[Sascha Engel]

Now, here’s a Nut to crack:
Again the specs first original footage DNxHD Avid Codec 1920*1080, 25p, PAL converted in AE CS4 to ProRes HQ.
I made two versions, one – ProRes HG Trillions of color in a 16bit project, then Millions of Color, same ProRes in a 8bit Project and here the result:

I could not see on tiny bit of difference, even not when scaled up to 400-600%, but most strange thing was: The 8bit Millions of Color File was large, then its 16bit brother.

How come.
Me not understand.

Greetz,

Sascha

[Sascha Engel]

Now, here’s a Nut to crack:
Again the specs first original footage DNxHD Avid Codec 1920*1080, 25p, PAL converted in AE CS4 to ProRes HQ.
I made two versions, one – ProRes HG Trillions of color in a 16bit project, then Millions of Color, same ProRes in a 8bit Project and here the result:

I could not see on tiny bit of difference, even not when scaled up to 400-600%, but most strange thing was: The 8bit Millions of Color File was large, then its 16bit brother.

How come.
Me not understand.

Greetz,

Sascha

[Sascha Engel]

But even leaving the quality issue aside for a second. How’s it possible, that the trillions of Color version in 16bit environment is smaller file size than the 8bit version?

Sascha

[Walter Soyka]

[Sascha Engel] “How’s it possible, that the trillions of Color version in 16bit environment is smaller file size than the 8bit version?”

ProRes uses tightly-constrained VBR compression. It’s possible that with the ProRes encoder, the chromatically smoother trillions-of-colors version compresses more easily than the rougher, dithered millions-of-colors version.

Also, I think ProRes 422 is always 10-bit, so shallower depths like 8-bit are expanded and won’t automatically require less storage space than deeper color depths.

I’d also note that even if your eye can’t easily detect the difference, that doesn’t mean it isn’t there — especially for keying or qualified secondaries in color correction.

Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
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