Best Codecs For Workflow

[Michael Neborak]

I was wondering what the best codecs on Windows would be use if my workflow was RedCine to Premiere Pro to out. I have been experimenting with many codecs and most of the time, the footage that Adobe Premiere creates in the end is literally a useless mess that looks nothing like the file that RedCine originally produced. So basically my question is, what codec is optimal for RedCine and then for Premiere in a Windows working environment.

Thanks!

[Mike Harrington]

cineform by far.....

not free though...

[conrad gaunt]

Sheervideo codecs meant to be good, lossless, fast, but not tried personally. Graeme I believe said they were full of goodness generally

[Uli Plank]

Sheer is excellent, the only Codec that retains consistency of coor and contrast over programs and platforms. But the files are quite heavy. It's lossless and only about half the size of uncompressed.

[Michael Neborak]

I am looking at a Mac workflow. How are the ProRes 422 codecs? From what I've seen, I think they look very good, unless its somehow a different codec I am reallu looking at.

[Uli Plank]

They are good. Fine for everything but high-end film-out. As long as you stay in Apple apps…

[Stuart Smith]

I've been wary of using ProRes for high end grading or chroma keying, but I've not done any tests, I've just stuck with uncompressed. Has anyone done a comparison with ProRes pulling keys etc?

[Christopher Grant Harvey]

I am looking at a Mac workflow. How are the ProRes 422 codecs? From what I've seen, I think they look very good, unless its somehow a different codec I am reallu looking at.

CineForm is for both Mac and PC.

[Uli Plank]

I've been wary of using ProRes for high end grading or chroma keying, but I've not done any tests, I've just stuck with uncompressed. Has anyone done a comparison with ProRes pulling keys etc?

ProRes is great for editing and some grading. But for VFX I'd rather keep uncompressed 10 bit.

[Christopher Grant Harvey]

ProRes is great for editing and some grading. But for VFX I'd rather keep uncompressed 10 bit.

I am not familiar with ProRez, so forgive me.

Would you use it to do a filmout for theatrical distribution screened in 35mm?

Is ProRez 422 HQ 10 bit or 8 bit? And in all applications?

Thanks.

[Uli Plank]

ProRes is 10 bit. It only stays 10 bit if you don't use any filters or transitions which are limited to 8 bit.
It's fine for HDTV and Blu-ray, but I'd only use it for the big screen if your budget is very tight. Rather go uncompressed for the big screen.

[Hans von Sonntag]

I've doen many project with Apple's apps and ProRes. In short: Its a nice offline codec and a great online codec for mid-end jobs.

Longer story: it's not hard to break ProRes. IMO the most overrated post production codec. You don't need to do diffenrence keys to tell how well ProRes holds generations. Simple keys, colour corrections and rotowork will show you that it breaks after the 3rd or 4th generation. Plus it's not suitable for keying, especially if the source delivers such great footage at the RedOne in 4K RAW mode does. ProRes IS a big diffenrence to uncompressed.

It's great for the HDV folks that have a dreadful camera codec and desprately need something nice with a low bandwith for post pro. Here ProRes shines.

Otherwise I would go for uncompressed or CineForm which is second to none if fidelity AND bandwith are of concern. Not cheap but very good.

Hans

[Christopher Grant Harvey]

Thanks.