Joe Murray
Forum Replies Created
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I’m using a Kona 2, with footage captured 10 bit uncompressed from DBeta. Haven’t noticed the problem with DVCProHD but have only limited experience there. From the last version of FCP to the current one, something changed about the way it handles alpha channels from targa and other graphics files, which is a real nightmare when pulling a project from archive for updates. I have noticed improved scaling quality.
Joe Murray
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FCP 5 has improved scaling a good bit, but it’s still not as good as a real compositing program. It’s certainly good enough for lots of projects, just not all of them. And the problems I have with certain colors aren’t just on the computer monitor; I use an SDI feed to a Sony PVM 20L5 and see the issue there.
I’m not an expert when it comes to codec science, but I see a difference. FCP’s codecs look really great with footage. With certain colors and most graphics with alpha channels (because of the unpredictable bug with green and pink artifacts), I still rely on compositing programs.
Joe Murray
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The problems I have with FCP’s rendering are primarily related to anti-aliasing with text and graphics, and the artifacts it creates around some alpha channels in 10 bit timelines. Yes, there’s a workaround for this last one…render your sequence with 8 bit settings, but if you’re doing 10 bit uncompressed you want that level of quality, not 8 bit.
Also, FCP’s rendering engine has trouble with some colors, like rich reds in a graphic, and with scaling certain graphics, the antialiasing gets messed up when a graphic is scaled down. If I do the same things in combustion or After Effects, render to 10 bit and then play back within FCP, these issues go away.
I would not assume that Premiere’s quality is better than FCP. My eye is trained by years of working with highend systems like Discreet Smoke and Fire, and I would not expect a software NLE to go head to head with these systems on quality. Could be different with Premiere, but I’d want to prove it with some tests.
Good luck with your decision. FCP is a great tool, but don’t expect it to be your only tool for color and compositing.
Joe Murray
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For highend projects in FCP, I try not to render anything in FCP. I export footage to Combustion for color correction because I like its tools better than anything in AE, but that may be because I haven’t’ tried the right AE color corrector. My workflow works pretty well for spots, but I’m sure the renders in combustion would get cumbersome for long format. I’ve been too dissappointed with render quality in FCP to trust it with anything critical, but it looks great playing back 10 bit files I render in AE or combustion.
Joe Murray
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Interesting tip, Walter. Does this timecode-out-of-firewire work only when FCP is controlling a firewire deck or camera, or can it be converted for use with RS-422 devices?
Joe Murray
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This is an FCP/Quicktime 10 bit problem, it happens with AJA hardware as well. It’s been around for a while.
Joe Murray
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I’ve heard really good things from those who have seen Canon’s SED technology in person. At least in terms of black levels.
Joe Murray
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I have no idea the reliability of the study or its source, but I’ve heard some things about Nalgenes lately that has made me switch to Sigg water bottles. I’m not the sort to be paranoid, either. Here’s a relevant link:
https://www.organicconsumers.org/Toxic/nalgene.cfm
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Seems like there are so many problems with 10-bit YUV that it’s not worth using if you have to do anything more than cuts and dissolves in the timeline. Photoshop artifacts, drop shadow artifacts, motion blur artifacts…at least we still have Combustion and After Effects to do stuff that we need to look really good. I had hoped to be able to build more layers in FCP. Oh well.
Joe Murray
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>>> people will need to rethink the free run shooting that most DP’s do when video now a days”
In my world, this is a very good thing, for DP’s that never shot film to have to think harder about
what they record, rather than just letting it roll. On the question of archiving though, even if you
can make a reasonable cost comparison with tape, do you trust your footage to a hard drive that
could develop corruption or even die without warning? It’s happened to most of us if not all. Is
the solution to always use RAID-3 or better storage?It’s not that I want to keep buying tape decks, because I don’t. But trusting a hard drive to be
pulled off the shelf, dusted of and plugged in with predictable reliability is beyond my level
of confidence, based on experience. how’s this going to work?Joe Murray
http://www.editatjoes.com