4k + Post workflow advice

[Richardvclark]

Disclaimer: Do not make this a MAC VS PC flame war! Please!

Now that I have that out of the way. I have been doing more and more visual effects and 4k+ editing (premiere, cinema 4d, nuke , after effects, resolve and obviously redcine x) and I am expecting a new Scarlet very soon. I am currently editing my first 4.5k music video for the web. Overkill... yes, but I believe that 4k+, like many of you great people on this forum, is right around the corner. I am trying to "iron out" all of slow downs in my workflow for the near future. I've ran in to numerous setbacks on my current macpro3, 1 (http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/mac_pro/stats/mac-pro-eight-core-2.8-2008-specs.html) with 8 GB of ram and a gfx 280. I need more ram, but the ram for my system is a lot more expensive then the current norm ddr3 and slower. So that brings me to my question.

After seeing the PCs that fellow red users (like Tom Lowe) are building they seem to have a significantly higher bang-for-your-buck factor. My budget is tight 2-3k (selling my current setup and adding cash) plus 3k-4k for a used redrocket. Would you suggest staying where I'm at and filling out my ram and adding a redrocket. Buying a new macpro or switching to PC and building a new monster?

Thanks!

Valar

[Hurcan Yilmazer]

my workflow is like this;
i import the 4k r3d files that came out of red one with the mx sensor in to premiere 5.5. I edit the footage realtime without a problem with 1/4 quality previewing setting. Than i import the premiere project file to after effects 5.5 Using interpret footage option i do my first color correction (it has basicly nearly all of the settings in redcine x) than i do my keying color grading and what not :) and i export the final product without any problem.

my setup is
12gb ram
i7 970 3.20
7200rpm 1tb hdd
nvidia gtx480 with GPU support (which helps realtime editing in premiere alot)

ps: i bought my setup like 1.5 years ago. There are faster and cheaper options available right now.

[Elmer Tenkink]

Why not first invest if you can in a redrocket, see how it improves speed in your current setup and workflow.
Keep all options open, as RR works in mac, win, and linux and speed up transcoding time.
And decide later if switching platform would be a wise decision when there is more known about where the different platforms are heading too.
It of course depends alot on the projects you do, and the return on investment.

[Josh Beadle]

my workflow is like this;
i import the 4k r3d files that came out of red one with the mx sensor in to premiere 5.5. I edit the footage realtime without a problem with 1/4 quality previewing setting. Than i import the premiere project file to after effects 5.5 Using interpret footage option i do my first color correction (it has basicly nearly all of the settings in redcine x) than i do my keying color grading and what not :) and i export the final product without any problem.

my setup is
12gb ram
i7 970 3.20
7200rpm 1tb hdd
nvidia gtx480 with GPU support (which helps realtime editing in premiere alot)

ps: i bought my setup like 1.5 years ago. There are faster and cheaper options available right now.

What color correction options does AF provide that Cine-X does not? Is it just for when you do keying (greenscreen)?

[Jake Bastian]

What color correction options does AF provide that Cine-X does not? Is it just for when you do keying (greenscreen)?

Mainly power windows, and the hsl keying options do help when you're creating traveling mattes.

[Subhadip Sen]

The best option is a purpose built PC. Mac Pro is a good PC but it is not designed for graphically intensive work at all (neither is OS X). $3k is a decent budget to get a 4K post production rig up and running. It's certainly enough for a Core i7 3930K + GTX 580 based rig, which will get you 1/2 res real-time very comfortably without a Rocket. The i7 3930K also performs spectacularly in Cinebench, so I assume it must blitz thru Cinema 4D renders. If you are not satisfied with 1/2 res (i.e. 2.5K) previews and want full res, you can opt in for a Rocket. Also, Resolve for Windows has startling performance and an array of powerful but inexpensive GPUs to choose from.

[Hurcan Yilmazer]

What color correction options does AF provide that Cine-X does not? Is it just for when you do keying (greenscreen)?

i use the color correction in after effects to match my footage with the back plates and final grading. So yes it is just for when i do keying