Still trying to figure out how to use Premiere, but moving to Edius for the moment
 

So, this is a followup to the Best Workflow debacle... apparently I'm the only on who can't work Premiere in any possible way. I'll see if I get answers on that there, if not I'll repost.
This one is about Edius 5. It looks to me like far better working with premiere, it accepted all the formats that Premiere didn't and the outcome looks perfect.
I have a couple of questions. Once established that the best conversion for the native Canon 7D files is the AvidNXHD codec, what are the best "transition" codecs. Meaning, what is the best rendering codec I can use (I used AVI uncompressed now, but I was wondering if any other was better).
And what are the best solutions for the output that shouldn't present a problem for any client?
I still have hope for Premiere, so if anyone is an expert, please check out the last two pages of this http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/canon-eo...-workflow.html
Thank you in advance

Import camera files into Mpeg Streamclip. Render as Mpeg4, import into NLE
Works for me, can also edit original cam files.
System.
Core 2 duo 2.4
Win XP
2gb ram
Premiere CS4, Vegas Pro 9, Edius5.
I find the clips fine in Premiere and Vegas Pro 9, but (strangely) sluggish in Edius 5 !!!

Hi Anna,

From all I have read, I have to say that Cineform Neoscene is the best codec for native 7D and 5D2 files, it has it's own proprietary codec which produces a great looking 4.2.2 Avi file.

You can get it from Videoguys, New York with a $30 discount, making it only $99.

I tried Streamclip without success, because it only uses he codecs already on your computer, whereas I got Neoscene and it worked great, no codecs to worry about and Premiere and Vegas see the files and play them without issue on a windows platform.

Anna, in Edius you can very simply convert the files in the Bin. Just right-click the selected files and choose to convert to Canopus HQ. This is the best codec for working with Edius and allows for very fast and stable editing.

Thank you Colin, I'll try that option too then - working with the original... it was too heavy on my computer, but maybe it'll run on the one I'm using now.

Thank you Norman, I'll consider that option, but as of now, I really can't afford to buy anything, I'm working on a borrowed computer and I still haven't gotten the money I spent on equipment back, so I gotta prioritize. But for sure I'll consider it in the future.

Thank you Joe, so with Canopus HQ there's no quality loss then?
And what do you export in?

There are a few different flavours on Canopus HQ, but both the normal and fine versions will be virtually lossless - i.e Very high quality, quick and for most things will preserve enough quality. The compression is better quality (i.e less compressed) than DVCPRO HD and HDCAM.

If you want lossless and don't mind the bigger file sizes, then they also have Canopus Lossless as an option.

I have always worked in Canopus HQ.

For final export there are a massive range of options. What I deliver to clients varies as everybody want something different - mostly DVD, sometimes Quicktime etc.

It makes absolutely no sense in Edius to work in anything other than CanopusHQ unless you absolutely, positively need to stay in the native format. Unlike Premiere and Vegas which don't offer a solid codec for use in their editors, Canopus does and it should be the first choice.

Joe is telling you exactly the right thing.

EDIUS runs rings around the other NLE's

I just drop the raw 7D files straight onto the time line and away I go.
This is on my 2 year old Quad PC running XP still :-)

Mixing the raw movs with raw HDV m2t files is a breeze as well.

personally I find Vegas the easiest and quickest editor. I drop files into MPEG Streamclip (free) and use the Avid DNxHD codec (free). Lots of tutorials fro Vegas around but many times you wont need them. Very powerful and very quick learning. I've used FCP and Premier

Ok, so I'll keep work on Edius with Canopus Lossless or HQ for now.
Mike - I have heard good things about vegas, but I've worked for the better part of one year on Edius only, so I know all the ins and outs of it. I wanted to move to a different Editing program just so I would be ready for any editing jobs I might take, but if I do I want it to be one of the big ones (FCP, Avid or Premiere).
Edius is a very good editing program, as far as flexibility it looks like it's undefeated. The only concern I had was related to animated stills and words which lost tons of quality when I worked with them.
Thank you again to everybody for the help :)

Hi Anna, not sure how you came up with the bad quality stills and text?

Use it all the time here, no problems intact re editing a big project right now from a few years ago changing logos and stuff.

Had a go at mixing Canon 7D and hdv here the other day and out to a DVD spec MPEG.
Canon 7D Down Converted To 720/576 25i Pal DVD

I've been an Edius user since before Edius existed! I bought a DVRex way back in '98 and I love the Canopus style.

But it ain't good for everything--multi-channel audio for one. I own Edius and Vegas. They complement each other well.

Anna,

ABSOLUTELY use Canopus HQ. It's the best way to go. Also, if you are rendering HD to DVD format, Edius is far superior. I still use Procoder Express (comes with Edius) to downconvert HD to SD DVD's, even though I edit in Premiere. Skip all the other intermediary codecs and just go Canopus HQ. It edits wonderfully in Edius.

Canopus HQ - vs Cineform NeoScene
 

Is the space that Canopus HQ takes up that much better than NeoScene? I have wonderful results with NeoScene - so far... the built in Edius filters are still real-time - and are awesome. Any third party filters - (new blue) etc... crap out in an instant.

I will try this out on Canopus HQ - I just hate how large the files are - 4x the size.

Geo