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this makes no sense!!
hello it is us again! we are still trying to figure things out
Everyone is talking about converting to ProRess in order to make editing process easier! and the computer will be able to handle the material and the rendering
(our material is going to be shot using the EX3 – and the format is going to be HQ 1920×1080 25P)
but apparently,
1 hour XDCAM HD 35 mbps = 15.31 GB
ProRess 422 HQ 1920×1080 = 77.62so why convert to ProRes?!!!
should we just work with the material as it is?
why would apple suggest that we down convert everything into SD!! -
28 Replies
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ProRes is a better codec for editing and finishing than XDCAM. Yes it’s a larger file size, but I don’t see why that’s a problem.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.STOP STARING AND START GRADING WITH APPLE COLOR Apple Color Training DVD available now!
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hey walter, excuse my silly questions but this is my way to learn things!! and you are being very helpful to me and I appreciate that
what makes it a better codec to work with?
also, you told me about that sony plugin that I should download from sony website, I did but I still have only two options in my preference window:AVCHD plugin
P2 Plugin!many thanks for your help
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[tel jaba] “what makes it a better codec to work with? “
XDCAM is only 4:2:0 or 4:1:1 color (I can’t remember which) and ProRes is 4:2:2 so you’re getting better color space to work with as you manipulate the project. Honestly, I don’t even consider XDCAM to be a true HD image as there is just so much compression on there at 35mbps I have not been impressed with the imagery off the EX-1 and EX-3 at all. It looks great in the monitor when shooting, but then the playback off the card is never even close to the quality of the uncompressed original.
[tel jaba] “also, you told me about that sony plugin that I should download from sony website, I did but I still have only two options in my preference window: “
If you download the correct plug-in for Final Cut Pro you will be able to use the Log and Transfer Window to convert all the material directly to ProRes for editing.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.STOP STARING AND START GRADING WITH APPLE COLOR Apple Color Training DVD available now!
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Hi Tel,
I’m working with EX-1 since one year already.
I work in native EX-1 and render to PrpRess.
I have an ioHD so I could be capturing to ProRess but I don’t see the need, unless you work multy-layers with a low performance machine.[tel jaba] “why would apple suggest that we down convert everything into SD!!”
That’s a good question. Sometimes people talk without knowing what are they talking about.
However, before going to start a project with EX-1, you should learn a bit more about the format and his workflow.[tel jaba] “also, you told me about that sony plugin that I should download from sony website, I did but I still have only two options in my preference window:
AVCHD plugin
P2 Plugin!
“
This is not much clear to me. You need to install the SONY Transfer tool, so you can download the .mp4 footage as .mov.
rafael -
thanks walter
two more question please
what is the difference between converting into ProRess while importing the media into FCP and import the media as it is and then edit it into a ProRes sequence, is there difference between the two? (convert vs prores sequence)and when you say that ProRes gives a better quality, woud you recomend then to export it that way as well?
many thanks
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[tel jaba] “what is the difference between converting into ProRess while importing the media into FCP and import the media as it is and then edit it into a ProRes sequence, is there difference between the two? (convert vs prores sequence) “
I’ve never worked with the native media and put it into a ProRes Sequence so I have no idea what the difference is. I find it easiest to work in one format all the way through.
[tel jaba] “and when you say that ProRes gives a better quality, woud you recomend then to export it that way as well? “
Depends on what your final output is.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.STOP STARING AND START GRADING WITH APPLE COLOR Apple Color Training DVD available now!
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our final output is going to be both SD and HD so for the HD do we export XDCAM ?
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thanks Rafael for your reply
honestly I feel lost, I don’t know what to do,
we are trying to learn this new thing to us, but we are constantly hearing different things!!!
is there one source we could learn from? a course? a book? anything?!!there are so many different formats, I am not interested in any, I just want to learn about this specific format! the XDCAM and the workflow. -
If you download the correct plug-in for Final Cut Pro you will be able to use the Log and Transfer Window to convert all the material directly to ProRes for editing.
Walter, you’ve stated this as fact a couple of times now … with the greatest respect I think you may be have been misinformed on this point. Or it could be me. The only Log and Transfer plugin I am aware of for XDCAM EX ingest to FCP is Sony’s PDZK-LT1. The last time I checked this plugin appeared to allow transfer and rewrap of the camera native clips to quicktime but not transcode to ProRes … that is something you would have to do after the fact.
Tel, an excellent workflow is to work with the native camera files but set your render codec to ProRes … converting to ProRes after the fact just adds time and filesize to your project, you won’t get a gnat’s whisker more quality. Ingest your clips using Sony XDCAM Transfer (PDZK-P1) or FCP Log and Transfer with the PDZK-LT1 plug in (the former offers arguably more functionality but as a separate app might be something you don’t care to use). Edit in a native XDCAM EX timeline with renders set to ProRes (this means your intermediate workflow will benefit from the lower data rate and hence storage requirements for the source media, and the higher render quality and faster rendering of effects to ProRes, albeit to a larger render file size, if and when you need to do so). Output/Export your final master using ProRes as the target codec, that way you’ll end up with that high quality ProRes master that Walter has described …
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[tel jaba] “our final output is going to be both SD and HD so for the HD do we export XDCAM ? “
Export to what? Tape, digital format? If you’re laying off to tape, then you simply output to that format of tape. HD to HD and HD to SD if you have something like the AJA Kona boards. They do this in realtime.
As for being confused, welcome to the world of High Definition editing. I have given you my workflow. XDCAM to ProRes for editing. That’s what we have done here successfully.
We’ve delivered over 100 broadcast HD programs to networks both in the U.S. and Europe with original footage delivered to us on DV, DVCAM, BetaSP, DigiBeta, BetaSX, HDV, DVCPro HD, HDCAM and XDCAM. In each case, we use the AJA Kona 3 to convert everything to a single format before editing, or for digital media, we used the Log and Transfer tool to make the conversion.
You know how we told you to get a consultant when you first started asking questions? That’s what I did 4 years ago when we started working in HD. I consulted with someone who knew a great deal about HD and he helped smooth the way on our first project.
In addition, we spent 6 months testing our workflow before we ever delivered our first episode. HD editing is a lot easier today than it was 4 years ago when I started, but you still need to work out the best workflow for your needs.
I would not recommend the XDCAM native workflow, but you’ll have to decide for yourself if that’s the route you want to go.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.STOP STARING AND START GRADING WITH APPLE COLOR Apple Color Training DVD available now!
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