[Craig Seeman]

Given most newer professional cameras can switch between NTSC and PAL compatible frame rates I’d say it’s time to sell the camera if you need PAL compatible frame rates.

Some frame rate source to destination types are harder than others. You really do need to look at the frame rate conversion features in Apple Compressor and test. The actual content motion, shutter speed (motion blur), impact the results and there are settings to adjust on a case by case bases. Other if this is a regular part of your business you may want to get a Blackmagic Teranex devise which will probably do the cleanest real time conversion. But you might be better just selling the camera and buying a proper international camera (most professional cameras are these days).

[Craig Seeman]

[Gary Devlin] “Varicam SDI Out —Blackmagic Design Video Assist — 720/59.94p (25p in the Camera)
“

I’m not sure what you’re doing or why. If it’s 25p in camera perhaps you should output 25p. You may need to explain this further since your goal is PAL.
Blackmagic capture devices can sometimes do real time conversion from HD to SD so you may want to look at those settings in the driver (Currently 10.11.2).
Also you may need to look at the scaling settings in Compressor. Don’t assume the default is correct. If your source is truly 60p the frame rate conversion is mission critical for smooth motion. Scaling is critical to avoid aliasing.

[Craig Seeman]

Power Mac G4 should be able to run OS 10.5 Leopard which supports Quicktime 7.6.4 which is still available.
https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1033?locale=en_US

[Craig Seeman]

Cinema Grade – a new way to color grade footage inside of your NLE
https://www.provideocoalition.com/cinema-grade-a-new-way-to-color-grade-footage-inside-your-nle/

These comments speak of the concerns.

“There are no adjustments to each control as in a traditional grading app for adjusting the key or adding or removing from the key. Cinema Grade selects those colors on its own and that will be the part of the image affected. There is no way to see a matte of what has been auto-qualified.”

What’s missing?
The main thing is video scopes in the base correction and final grading modes

And does Cinema Grade really work in Resolve?
Yes.
But it’s more of a “light” version that doesn’t seem to have things like shot matching, color management among other things. Because, you know, Resolve is a pretty advanced color grading tool on its own.

Will Cinema Grade take off and become the next big thing when it comes to color grading? I doubt it. It’s hard to see big advantages over the mature tools that already exist.

[Craig Seeman]

It almost seem the big feature is the masking. I think it’s a streamlined version of the vector masking Denver uses in Color Finale although it’s “automated.” Those panes/stages thingy sort of make the sequence of operation easier. He’s marketing emphasis is on speed (ease of use) so it seems like a “quick grade.” I don’t it replaces anything really in Resolve so much as allows you to do something fast. Now if that data could be passed to Resolve “proper” for more fine tuning it might be a good first pass, have a quick look at my idea pass, to show a client.

In FCPX it looks like he had to differentiate himself from CoreMelt Chromatic. Seeing how it works real world grouping and matching shot to shot would be a real test in that environment.

[Andrew Kimery] “So… no one likes the builtin tools on X? “

It’s as if he’s trying to make the eye drop selection portion of curves a bit more simplified. It’s hard to tell from the videos I’ve seen but I’m not sure if it provides as much control as FCPX. We’ll have to see what the reviews look like or otherwise give it a play. Seems it’s priced to persuade and impulse purchase..

There’s no cross grade price for Color Finale users and that is a little irksome.

[Craig Seeman]

You tested the BMD RAW samples in Resolve 15.1 (just released)?
I’d have thought BMD would have tested that specifically.

[Craig Seeman]

[Samuel Ab] “but, the others .mxf I finally recovered won’t let them be played in Premiere or VLC. “

How were these recovered? Unless you used a utility that understand Sony’s codec and metadata they may not be properly recovered. The developer https://aeroquartet.com understands camera master file recovery for example.

If VLC can’t play it, you may not have a valid (playable) file.

[Craig Seeman]

[Michael Gissing] ” if they and Arri might not offer it as an option instead of ProRes codecs.”

I can certainly see Arri using it. I think a big question is licensing.
If the SDK encourages implementation in Avid and PPro then BMD RAW may be to their advantage.
What we don’t know is if BMD intends to license the codec to other camera manufacturers.
We don’t know the business model specifics.

Keep in mind BMD and Apple are businesses. Neither really are dependent on NLE sales for the bulk of their revenue.
Both Apple and BMD are really hardware companies.
Apple wants to sale computers (and phones).
BMD wants to sell cameras, switchers, grading consoles, capture/convertors.
Both may look at codec licensing as part of their business model.
If allowing BMD RAW into other cameras creates competition for BMD cameras it may mean Licensing is an alternate revenue stream. I don’t think they’re going to give that away. Giving it away to NLEs is a different story if it makes BMD cameras a more viable purchase because of a usable RAW workflow.

Apple can hold out implementing BMD in FCPX but I’m not sure what leverage they have at this point.
I can’t see how ProRes RAW is preferable to BMD RAW for camera manufactures though.

[Craig Seeman]

At this point I think it BMD has no reason to support ProRes RAW and will leave it to Apple to implement. I think the SDK is the gauntlet thrown. I don’t think Apple will implement though.

If Apple doesn’t it may push some people to move to Resolve. While clients don’t care what you edit with, they do care about quality and if BMD RAW looks better than Apple ProRes (if you shoot with BMD cameras and many do) some productions may move from FCPX to Resolve.

Apple may facilitate Arri to implement in their cameras but short of that, I think this is a serious strike to FCPX in some markets where RAW may be important. Arri has its own RAW so that’s not integral to Arri. I’m honestly not sure how Apple competes with this.

[Craig Seeman]

Apples vs Oranges: The NLE Debates

maybe
A Debatable NLE
Apple Ate My Post Industry
An NLE Not Taken
A Ripple Delete
An Existential NLE