Editing D90 footage

min lee

min lee

Active member
I asked this in the uber long thread before but didn't get an answer (or maybe it was buried somewhere I couldn't find) so here's it is again:

For the Final Cut users, what's the best sequence setting? I tried setting the compressor to motion jpeg A and B but I get a red render bar for both. I had the most luck with AIC and ProRes. Got an orange render bar for those. Other tidbits: I'm running fcp 2.0 on a G4 powerbook with 1 gig of ram.

There's a lot of talk about image quality, I'd love to hear more about workflow. Can't wait to hear what problems people run into when attempting to carry out a real project from beginning to end. Big thanks to people who bought the D90 and uploaded footage.
 
I don't have the answer, but I'd love to hear the answer to this as well. I just wanted to say that you are not alone in having these problems. I'm running PPro CS3 on 1.8ghz core2duo with 2gb ram and I can't seem to find any setting that makes for smooth previews without rendering.
 
mjpeg a is compatible with jpeg. extracting frames would get you jpegs
mjpeg b isn't.

you need a ram-based software to playback with adjustments or a ramplayer for external playback
the more ram you have the more you can playback at any fps

also if your application supports it use a higher bitdepth than 8 when color correcting, then output to your final bitdepth
 
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I'm figuring I'd take the AVI's, convert them (with some gentle CC, noise, whatever it takes to smooth out the look of the compression), in AE to 23.976 fps 720p prores movies, then capture my sync sound from whatever sound recorder I'm using, then bring it all into FCP to work it out.

Probably after a sequence was cut, bring it back it AE and output as a 480p with all the gentle downsample and sharpening tools available there.
 
hmm what you do won't be losless editing. you'll ruin the footage colors

get the 24fps in AE, export to 24fps uncompressed or tga frames if you want to import it in another app later

23.976 will kill some frames, do that as a last step
use 10-12 bit workspaces
 
What about Prospect Hd..10 bit colour..will that help .. you could convert to cf 720p..would the colour still look as good tho?
 
Isn't there a way to convert from 24 to 23.976 without loosing frames? I know it will slow it down some, but since 24fps to 25fps is done without adding frames, this small speed difference should not be noticeable at all.

Is there a way to make a mask that blurs pixels in the edge between the 8x8 JPEG blocks? That could remove the visible edge between blocks.
 
when you need 23.976 output to that format as final step
never change frame rate early in postproduction (maybe when you do retiming you could but that's different)

it's like with noise reduction and images
you want to apply NR first since noise is a part of the image. the amount of noise is represented in SNR (signal to noise ratio). but since the original signal in the real world is affected by noise, your final image is a mix of "signal" and noise. your image is as much data as much noise. you can see it but the NR algorithms must find and remove it.

considering that if you apply NR later, after you change colors or gamma etc then the NR algorithm starts to make mistakes and blurs valuable data.
 
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el presidente said:
What about Prospect Hd..10 bit colour..will that help .. you could convert to cf 720p..would the colour still look as good tho?
Click to expand...

you could. any intermediary codec will work. cineform is one of the best there is

the simplest workflow if your app supports mjpeg avi files is to leave them that way. set your project if possible to a little higher bit depth when color correcting. that way the color changes will be done with higher color res and won't produce banding or clipping. then you output back to your final format.

if your app doesn't support mjpeg avis you could convert to tga or jpeg frame sequence (if you don't have something like cineform or speededit codecs). the problem will be just hdd space.
 
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if possible get the combustion demo from autodesk's site and have a little fun with it. it opens mjpegs.
the color correcting tools are one of the best possible on "normal" systems. color warper is taken from discreet flame.
you may not like the interface at first but high-end systems look that way
http://www.dv.com/dv/magazine/2007/June/carlin0607colourwarper.jpg

also combustion has an "edit" node to edit movie cuts like you do on a video editing app


free tuts here
http://www.softwaretrainingtutorials.com/combustion-4.php
http://thestreetproductions.com/tips.html

or ask me here on the forum
 
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if you haven't already, color correctin in photoshop is magical. there isn't an app out there that can compete. you just export the video uncompressed...makes it in the Gigs range, but still a stellar program for grading..CS4 will be even better
 
please.... let CS3 out
talking serious stuff here. you can surely use CS3 or 4 if you have them but to play is one thing, working is another

you say grading and color correcting. big words. but i doubt you know what that means. or what postproduction is. stick around you might learn something. actually you might replace 90% of Ps operations by combustion alone.
 
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ando said:
you could. any intermediary codec will work. cineform is one of the best there is

the simplest workflow if your app supports mjpeg avi files is to leave them that way. set your project if possible to a little higher bit depth when color correcting. that way the color changes will be done with higher color res and won't produce banding or clipping. then you output back to your final format.

if your app doesn't support mjpeg avis you could convert to tga or jpeg frame sequence (if you don't have something like cineform or speededit codecs). the problem will be just hdd space.
Click to expand...


Seems kind of crazy to convert 8-bit material to 10-bit? I understand the gains in a color correction environment, but with this camera, its not about 'fix it later', its about 'shoot it absolutely right the first time', and apply the gentlest tweaks in post.

I'd like to see some results, though, to compare..
 
thanks for "crazy"

i'm no daddy here. told you what and why. for the rest there's google
 
ando said:
please.... let CS3 out
talking serious stuff here. you can surely use CS3 or 4 if you have them but to play is one thing, working is another

you say grading and color correcting. big words. but i doubt you know what that means. or what postproduction is. stick around you might learn something. actually you might replace 90% of Ps operations by combustion alone.
Click to expand...

ando, have you used it? who makes Premiere Pro and After Effects? Really? Please your arrogant assumptions really make you sound like a child sometimes. You have no idea what projects I have worked on and what programs I've worked with or who I work for. The tool doesn't have to have Avid or Apple branded on it to not make it a pro tool. For crying out loud, you know how many people edit video on Vegas? Have you used it? If you haven't have this conversation in your head, because it seems your attitude is more about being right than it is being helpful.
 
the photo world uses Photoshop to color correct photo's, so all those tools are now incorporated in video....that to me isn't just playing. it's a major asset to grading and color correcting..sorry for the big words used
 
I`m using Vegas,PPro and AE

The advantage of using Premiere Pro,is that is not converting your image to .m2t.(Vegas)

The trick with PPro is, to not render the clip in time line(leave it Red),put your blocks together and just save the project as Premiere Pro file.

Open After Effects and just go to import projects....open the saved file.You`ll have the entire PPro time-line untouched in AE.

I like the render engine of AE,so it`s all about the taste.

After you CC your clip ad a title, you are ready to render.I render QT uncompressed,if I want to play more in Vegas.This will give you a big file.

If not, just Sorenson3 and you are good to go.

This is just my method.
 
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ando said:
please.... let CS3 out
talking serious stuff here. you can surely use CS3 or 4 if you have them but to play is one thing, working is another

you say grading and color correcting. big words. but i doubt you know what that means. or what postproduction is. stick around you might learn something. actually you might replace 90% of Ps operations by combustion alone.
Click to expand...

Let's back away from the personal attacks, shall we? :beer:
 
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