Cineform 8-bit vs 10-bit Question

T

TheMusician

Well-known member
This question is a little complicated. Right now, I shoot 8-bit HDV video, and edit it in an 8-bit application(Vegas). My understanding is that color correction and keying are much better and more flexible in a 10-bit or 12-bit application such as Premiere Pro. I also understand that when using Cineform's Prospect to create an intermediate, your HDV file gets translated to a 10-bit 4:2:2 file. So, does editing a 10-bit Cineform file in a 10/12-bit app like Premiere Pro allow me to do more with the colors in post, or will the results look the same as the original 8-bit file edited in Vegas because it originally started out as an 8-bit file? (I am afraid that stretching the colors in Premiere too hard will only cause banding because the original file was 8-bit, and that you can't add information that wasn't already there.)

Sorry if this is confusing. I have a powerful computer so don't need Cineform for efficient editing, but want to know if it is worth the money becuase it will make my final products look better.
 
While you do have an 8-bit source, most sources are 8-bit (even HDCAM), yet highend post is typically 10-bit for good reasons. With up to 256 source levels off luma stored within 10-bits 1024 level, you can push the color of the image around without reducing the number of source levels (i.e. no banding.) In an 8-bit system any color work, even adding an S-curve with reduce the number of discrete color level, protentially introducing visible banding.

Here is an example of how 8-bit to 8-bit processing can introduce banding, even in uncompressed, yet a compressed 10-bit does much better (the source was 8-bit in both cases.)

http://www.cineform.com/products/Aspect-Prospect.htm#10bit
 
hi david, did you guys ever make a test of the analog out of the A1 camera and capture that information to NEOHD or some other way, just curios to hear opinions and see results

canon rep says it is full 1920 by 1080

i know there are some concerns regarding the length of the analog cable

don't know how many bits analog HD is comparable to
 
Analog doesn't have a bit-depth, yet given the source, 8-bit is likely sufficient. Still NEO HD is a good choice, as Canon really does resolve more than 1440.
 
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