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Quality versus Manageability….? (n00B)
Naturally one wishes to preserve as much video quality as possible throughout the input, editing and export processes.
I’m a n00B to video, but I come from many years of working with PHOTOSHOP and with digital audio. I know that every time you save a JPEG image (as a SAVE AS) the codec will further deteriorate your initial image.
Ditto with the MP3 audio format… You want to avoid re-encoding as an MP3, because something is lost from the fidelity each time you do…
I’m guessing the same is true of all the video codecs, correct?
But when I save a clip from a DVD– even one short in length and small in dimensions– it’s going to be massive in filesize if it’s saved as an Uncompressed AVI. For example, I have a short clip here, only five minutes long, culled from an MPEG4 but saved as an Uncompressed AVI. That darned clip is 3.5 Gigs in size! Not only that, the quality is “blocky”, as well!
Am I better off importing clips into PREMIERE which are still compressed with some kind of codec…. then COMPRESSING AGAIN when my editing project is exported? If so, what codec is best for import into PREMIERE?
The only things which matter in life are Art and Children. (Georges Seurat)
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3 Replies
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[david lincoln brooks] “Am I better off importing clips into PREMIERE which are still compressed with some kind of codec”
Premiere can edit some highly compressed codecs like Windows Media Video, but not DIVX or XVID. I would not go thru the time to uncompress a video if Premiere can import it. The quality is going to be crap (for professional use) regardless.
Except for QT Animation and Microsoft uncompressed, most video codecs are lossy. The more compression, the more lossy. -
The way I see it, you can now find a reliable Seagate 750 GB HD on Newegg for $130.00. You really shouldn’t have to compress anything ! QT animation will more manageble in size than MS uncompressed. Heck, you could store 70 DV tapes on that drive.
Vince
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As Mike mentioned, most video codecs are compressed to some extent. Even HDCam (still a “broadcast” format) is compressed. MPEG is commonly heavily compressed, as it is usually an “end-stage” codec, for DVD or over-air/cable/satellite delivery. The trick is, as in photo work, to limit the heavy compression ’till the very end. DV (DV25) is moderately compressed, and is a reasonable working format for SD video unless one is doing chromakey or heavy color-correction.
Tim Kolb has a good document, while geared to HD, it should elucidate the varieties of video compression for you:https://library.creativecow.net/articles/kolb_tim/formats.php
Hope it helps,
Jeff
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