XL2 Uprezzed Screen Shot at DVinfo.net

Devon Lyon · March 7th, 2006, 03:03 PM

I am attempting to upload a nice XL2 screen shot that was uprezzed to 1080p. I filmed a bit at the normal settings 24p 16x9 1/48. I then exported the footage as a targa sequence, uprezzed the footage in the Photozoom program to 1920x1080 using the amazing patented process they have then exported a PNG sequence of the new sized images. Went into After Effects, applied color correction, color curves, etc. and grain reduction. By applying the fixes and correction to the much larger image, I can get an amazing looking image. I then render and export as a PNG sequence into Premier Pro and simply scale down the 1920x1080 image to regular SD 720x480. Ends up being an amazing looking picutre.

Now trying to figure out how to include a screen shot in this thread...

Devon Lyon · March 7th, 2006, 03:21 PM

Can anyone give me quick instructions to imbed a screenshot in the post?

Andrew Khalil · March 7th, 2006, 03:32 PM

I don't think you can - at the bottom in that little box that says what you can and can't do, it says you can't (in my account anyway). However, I'm interested to see what it looks like - could you email it to me?
thanks

Ash Greyson · March 7th, 2006, 05:37 PM

I am uprezzing some XL2 to 720p and it is holding up great...

ash =o)

Brian J. Harris · March 7th, 2006, 07:51 PM

Hey Devon and Ash,

Do you have another site where you can post your XL2 shots or footage. I would be interested in seeing the uprezzed stuff also.

Devon Lyon · March 8th, 2006, 04:01 PM

I should be able to email you a few pictures as soon as I get home. I have found the key for great footage is to uprez in the Photozoom program and THEN apply all grain reduction and color correction/curves. I have found that you are applying the fixes to an image with a lot more information b/c of the proprietary way Photozoom uprezzes the targa or PNG files. I have found this especially true when using the grain reduction in After Effects. I can acheive a very nice image. You then export the image sequence back into your NLE (PPro for me) as a PNG sequence (lossless) and then just resacle the uprezzed footage down.

I realize this is subjective, but I swear going through those steps (and it does add two extra renders, but lossless), gives me 15% better picture quality. Call me crazy, but that's what I'm seeing.

What's your email address?

Andrew Khalil · March 8th, 2006, 04:10 PM

mine's khalil220@sympatico.ca

Devon Lyon · March 8th, 2006, 04:46 PM

Andrew: I will try and fire an email out to you tonight. I am a little swamped, but should be able to get it to you. If you don't get it from me tonight, look for it Thursday. A screen shot is a good example, but the footage in motion (not compressed for email) is the real way to be convinced.

Brian Farris · March 8th, 2006, 05:31 PM

I'm getting anxious!!

Matthew Nayman · March 9th, 2006, 11:38 AM

very interested in seeing the finished thing!

Andrew Khalil · March 9th, 2006, 01:13 PM

Hey guys, Devon sent my the screenshot and it looks pretty good to me. Only thing is, and I mentioned it to him, is it looks a bit soft, but I think that's more because of motion blur than anything else. Other than that, it looks great.

John McManimie · March 9th, 2006, 02:02 PM

Have you considered trying Red Giant Software's InstantHD (http://www.redgiantsoftware.com/instanthd.html) to scale (uprez) video? It seems to be similar to Algolith (I tried an early version of Algolith and was impressed by the results but it was s-l-o-o-o-w) but at only $99 it sounds like a geat deal and might offer an alternative to the Photozoom Pro method.

Jeff McElroy · March 9th, 2006, 03:41 PM

Just a quick question:

Why would you want to 'uprez' a 720x480 image to HD resolution? Technically, how would this improve perceived image quality?

Not disbelieving... I am just curious!

Jeff :)

Devon Lyon · March 10th, 2006, 07:51 PM

Jeff: Good question and the same one I asked when I first tried. It is logical to wonder why going from SD to HD and then back to SD would make any noticable difference. My only response is that I only do this because I've found that applying my color correction/curves and grain reduction to the HD image the plugins seem to work better. My guess is that there are a lot more pixels to work with. So then when I scale the image back down it looks better than if I applied the same plugins to the SD image.

Anyone know why that might be? Is my assumption regarding more data/pixels correct?

Greg Boston · March 11th, 2006, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Devon Lyon

Jeff: Good question and the same one I asked when I first tried. It is logical to wonder why going from SD to HD and then back to SD would make any noticable difference. My only response is that I only do this because I've found that applying my color correction/curves and grain reduction to the HD image the plugins seem to work better. My guess is that there are a lot more pixels to work with. So then when I scale the image back down it looks better than if I applied the same plugins to the SD image.

Anyone know why that might be? Is my assumption regarding more data/pixels correct?

I don't know either. But, I went to the Instant HD link above and in their list of uses, the last one is exactly what you are doing. SD uprez to HD, then back to SD for better quality. So, maybe you really are seeing better images.

-gb-

March 7th, 2006, 03:03 PM	#1
Devon Lyon Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Location: Oregon Posts: 213	XL2 Uprezzed Screen Shot I am attempting to upload a nice XL2 screen shot that was uprezzed to 1080p. I filmed a bit at the normal settings 24p 16x9 1/48. I then exported the footage as a targa sequence, uprezzed the footage in the Photozoom program to 1920x1080 using the amazing patented process they have then exported a PNG sequence of the new sized images. Went into After Effects, applied color correction, color curves, etc. and grain reduction. By applying the fixes and correction to the much larger image, I can get an amazing looking image. I then render and export as a PNG sequence into Premier Pro and simply scale down the 1920x1080 image to regular SD 720x480. Ends up being an amazing looking picutre. Now trying to figure out how to include a screen shot in this thread...

March 7th, 2006, 07:51 PM	#5
Brian J. Harris Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Greenbrier, TN Posts: 89	Interested to see the footage or shots Hey Devon and Ash, Do you have another site where you can post your XL2 shots or footage. I would be interested in seeing the uprezzed stuff also. __________________ Thanks, Brian www.naturefootage.com

March 7th, 2006, 03:21 PM	#2
Devon Lyon Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Location: Oregon Posts: 213	Can anyone give me quick instructions to imbed a screenshot in the post?

March 7th, 2006, 03:32 PM	#3
Andrew Khalil Major Player Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 424	I don't think you can - at the bottom in that little box that says what you can and can't do, it says you can't (in my account anyway). However, I'm interested to see what it looks like - could you email it to me? thanks

March 7th, 2006, 05:37 PM	#4
Ash Greyson Trustee Join Date: May 2003 Location: Tulsa, OK Posts: 1,689	I am uprezzing some XL2 to 720p and it is holding up great... ash =o)

March 8th, 2006, 04:01 PM	#6
Devon Lyon Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Location: Oregon Posts: 213	I should be able to email you a few pictures as soon as I get home. I have found the key for great footage is to uprez in the Photozoom program and THEN apply all grain reduction and color correction/curves. I have found that you are applying the fixes to an image with a lot more information b/c of the proprietary way Photozoom uprezzes the targa or PNG files. I have found this especially true when using the grain reduction in After Effects. I can acheive a very nice image. You then export the image sequence back into your NLE (PPro for me) as a PNG sequence (lossless) and then just resacle the uprezzed footage down. I realize this is subjective, but I swear going through those steps (and it does add two extra renders, but lossless), gives me 15% better picture quality. Call me crazy, but that's what I'm seeing. What's your email address?

March 8th, 2006, 04:10 PM	#7
Andrew Khalil Major Player Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 424	mine's khalil220@sympatico.ca

March 8th, 2006, 04:46 PM	#8
Devon Lyon Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Location: Oregon Posts: 213	Andrew: I will try and fire an email out to you tonight. I am a little swamped, but should be able to get it to you. If you don't get it from me tonight, look for it Thursday. A screen shot is a good example, but the footage in motion (not compressed for email) is the real way to be convinced.

March 8th, 2006, 05:31 PM	#9
Brian Farris Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Hattiesburg, MS Posts: 99	I'm getting anxious!!

March 9th, 2006, 11:38 AM	#10
Matthew Nayman Major Player Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Toronto Posts: 917	very interested in seeing the finished thing!

March 9th, 2006, 01:13 PM	#11
Andrew Khalil Major Player Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 424	Hey guys, Devon sent my the screenshot and it looks pretty good to me. Only thing is, and I mentioned it to him, is it looks a bit soft, but I think that's more because of motion blur than anything else. Other than that, it looks great.

March 9th, 2006, 02:02 PM	#12
John McManimie Major Player Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 314	Have you considered trying Red Giant Software's InstantHD (http://www.redgiantsoftware.com/instanthd.html) to scale (uprez) video? It seems to be similar to Algolith (I tried an early version of Algolith and was impressed by the results but it was s-l-o-o-o-w) but at only $99 it sounds like a geat deal and might offer an alternative to the Photozoom Pro method.

March 9th, 2006, 03:41 PM	#13
Jeff McElroy Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 91	Just a quick question: Why would you want to 'uprez' a 720x480 image to HD resolution? Technically, how would this improve perceived image quality? Not disbelieving... I am just curious! Jeff :)

March 10th, 2006, 07:51 PM	#14
Devon Lyon Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Location: Oregon Posts: 213	Jeff: Good question and the same one I asked when I first tried. It is logical to wonder why going from SD to HD and then back to SD would make any noticable difference. My only response is that I only do this because I've found that applying my color correction/curves and grain reduction to the HD image the plugins seem to work better. My guess is that there are a lot more pixels to work with. So then when I scale the image back down it looks better than if I applied the same plugins to the SD image. Anyone know why that might be? Is my assumption regarding more data/pixels correct?