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Output Color Depth Message
When I render I keep getting this message that says Output Color Depth Exceeds Project Color Depth. This only started happening after I upgraged to CS5. Does anyone know what this means? And do I need to change anything?
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5 Replies
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[Dave LaRonde] “Are you working an an 8-bit AE project, but rendering to a 10-bit codec?”
That’s my guess, too.
If you are part of a production pipeline that actually intends to work in 10-bit, then this is a problem as you are truncating data, and you should change your project to 16 bits per channel or float (32bpc). Be sure to check your composites, glows and blurs, as they will look different above 8 bpc. Also make sure that you are using effects that match or exceed your project color depth.
If you’re working by yourself and/or you know the project only needs 8-bit video, then you’re fine, but you could switch your output module for 8-bit output and save some disk space on your renders.
See Color depth and high dynamic range color for more information on color depth in AE.
Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events -
You guys are right. My project was 8bit. Should I have been making my projects 16 bit? I’ve been working on a feature, and outputting my AE files to ProRess 4444. I might eventually transfer to film, but definitely will output to DVD. Everything looks okay, but I’m not sure if 8bit is good enough for what I’m doing. Would appreciate your advice. Thanks.
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[Angel Nieves] “You guys are right. My project was 8bit. Should I have been making my projects 16 bit? I’ve been working on a feature, and outputting my AE files to ProRess 4444. I might eventually transfer to film, but definitely will output to DVD. Everything looks okay, but I’m not sure if 8bit is good enough for what I’m doing. Would appreciate your advice. Thanks.”
It depends. If your material originated 10-bit, you should at least work in 16bpc and possibly 32bpc.
10-bit would certainly be beneficial for extra latitude for film-out. It won’t improve your original material any, but it will improve your effects.
The extra latitude won’t matter for DVD, although you will get a different look on some effects.
Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events -
Great advice there!
I just find it very annoying as I work in 8 bit; it’s faster, we’re going to Broadcast SD which by the time it gets to TV, looks nasty, so 10bit is a waste of render time.
The edit farm only use ProRes 4444 on the timeline and as i’m giving them Alpha too, I have no choice but to render out 4444 to include the Alpha and keep the timeline render-free 🙂
Until 5.5 there was no complaint but now i’ve got over 172 renders ready to go, i’ve got to push ENTER, 172 times on two machines. It’s a bit inconvenient and probably worth going to 10 bit just to avoid this.
Does anyone know how to turn the warning off?
I think Adobe should trust that we know what we’re doing.
If I find out, i’ll edit this post.Have good render times, peeps!
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(APOLOGIES FOR THE CAPS LOCK. I’M SURE YOU AFTER EFFECTS MASTERS WILL UNDERSTAND 😉 !
CHANGING OUR COLOUR DEPTH TO 16BIT IS SAVING HUNDREDS OF BUTTON PRESSES TO ESCAPE THE WARNING MESSAGE.
WE ARE FINDING THAT THE EXTRA COLOUR DEPTH IS ONLY ADDING A FEW SECONDS TO EACH RENDER:) TOTALLY WORTH IT. NOW WE CAN GO BUY CHINESE FOOD AND CIDER!
KEEP BEING BRILLIANT EVERYONE!
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