Codec question of the day at DVinfo.net

John Owen · July 28th, 2011, 07:47 AM

Everyone uses Prores as a Proxy Codec after shooting in H.264 since FCP can't edit DSLR footage natively, right? But, after locking an edit, is it just as good to transcode back to H.264 as the codec for the master? At present, I keep all masters in Prores, but could save a lot of space by converting all to H.264.

More broadly, is it humanly possible for a film to look better in a codec that it wasn't shot in (i.e prores)?
CLARITY PLEASE.

Bill Pryor · July 28th, 2011, 08:52 AM

It won't look better but if you transcode to ProRes, allegedly it won't deteriorate when you start laying on effects. If you do a side-by-side comparison you'll see that after transcoding to ProRes, you probably won't be able to tell the difference from your original. Assuming you're using the HQ.
I'm in the process of switching from FCP to Premiere Pro, and it uses the original H.264 files, allegedly with no degradation from normal color grading, which is all I do. Not having to transcode saves a ton of space and time.

Justin Molush · July 28th, 2011, 09:13 AM

I drag and drop DSLR footage into my FCP7 timeline all day.

You sure everything is up to date?

John Owen · July 28th, 2011, 09:52 AM

Bill - Thanks for that. Yes, I'm consdering the switch also, especially after the release of FCP X which seems to have caused so much outrage.

Justin: Really? And it edits ok? Not sure that I'm fully updated - but I was fairly sure you have to render H.264 in an FCP timeline or it won't edit right.

Justin Molush · July 28th, 2011, 10:05 AM

Oh, I thought you meant you couldn't even get it in the timeline at all...

Change your timeline settings to whatever the footage is. Make sure your compressor is H.264 and it should work. I just dragged some 1080/30p footage into a timeline, let it change the settings, and it plays back without render. There is a grey bar above it and it plays back when I hit space bar.

P.S. This is 7D footage, but Im sure the codec/compression is all the same.

Bill Pryor · July 28th, 2011, 07:50 PM

Even my new 8 core Mac Pro doesn't like H.264 in the timeline. It'll play but you get a long sequence and it's a problem. But in Premiere Pro it's fine.

Peter Phelan · July 29th, 2011, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Owen

Everyone uses Prores as a Proxy Codec after shooting in H.264 since FCP can't edit DSLR footage natively, right?

Nope ... lots of people do not use FCP or indeed Macs! .... But seriously ... take a look at converting to Cineform - Cineform Neoscene ... they do have a Mac version too :)

Peter

July 28th, 2011, 07:47 AM	#1
John Owen Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: London, UK Posts: 52	Codec question of the day Everyone uses Prores as a Proxy Codec after shooting in H.264 since FCP can't edit DSLR footage natively, right? But, after locking an edit, is it just as good to transcode back to H.264 as the codec for the master? At present, I keep all masters in Prores, but could save a lot of space by converting all to H.264. More broadly, is it humanly possible for a film to look better in a codec that it wasn't shot in (i.e prores)? CLARITY PLEASE.

July 28th, 2011, 08:52 AM	#2
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	Re: Codec question of the day It won't look better but if you transcode to ProRes, allegedly it won't deteriorate when you start laying on effects. If you do a side-by-side comparison you'll see that after transcoding to ProRes, you probably won't be able to tell the difference from your original. Assuming you're using the HQ. I'm in the process of switching from FCP to Premiere Pro, and it uses the original H.264 files, allegedly with no degradation from normal color grading, which is all I do. Not having to transcode saves a ton of space and time.

July 28th, 2011, 09:13 AM	#3
Justin Molush Major Player Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Montreal Posts: 388	Re: Codec question of the day I drag and drop DSLR footage into my FCP7 timeline all day. You sure everything is up to date?

July 28th, 2011, 09:52 AM	#4
John Owen Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: London, UK Posts: 52	Re: Codec question of the day Bill - Thanks for that. Yes, I'm consdering the switch also, especially after the release of FCP X which seems to have caused so much outrage. Justin: Really? And it edits ok? Not sure that I'm fully updated - but I was fairly sure you have to render H.264 in an FCP timeline or it won't edit right.

July 28th, 2011, 10:05 AM	#5
Justin Molush Major Player Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Montreal Posts: 388	Re: Codec question of the day Oh, I thought you meant you couldn't even get it in the timeline at all... Change your timeline settings to whatever the footage is. Make sure your compressor is H.264 and it should work. I just dragged some 1080/30p footage into a timeline, let it change the settings, and it plays back without render. There is a grey bar above it and it plays back when I hit space bar. P.S. This is 7D footage, but Im sure the codec/compression is all the same.

July 28th, 2011, 07:50 PM	#6
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	Re: Codec question of the day Even my new 8 core Mac Pro doesn't like H.264 in the timeline. It'll play but you get a long sequence and it's a problem. But in Premiere Pro it's fine.