Do we transcode only to replace the footage at the end?!? (T2i)(Premiere)(DNxHD)

Saharanturtle

Saharanturtle

Active member
I've been doing some reading about trans coding footage and I hear you should do that because it's easier to edit. But than someone said that after you're done editing you take the footage offline and replace it with the original footage before you export


Is this what's usually done? the trans coded footage is just used as a proxy for the editing and than replaced before export, or do you export using the transcoded footage?


I'll be editing in Premiere Pro and I'm trans coding to DNxHD using mpeg stream clip
 
if you're using a t2i and premiere CS5 or CS5.5, you'll get decent performance and the best image quality by avoiding transcoding altogether: http://www.hurlbutvisuals.com/blog/2010/12/02/in-praise-of-dissent-adobe-cs5-paves-the-way/ - for a music video, a short film, etc, that should be fine; but if your project is too big and you get performance or stability issues, transcoding will help you avoid those issues, at the cost of very slightly reduced image quality; doing that swap at the end may get you the best of both worlds, but still: I'd stick to editing with the original footage if the system doesn't complain too hard
 
if you're using a t2i and premiere CS5 or CS5.5, you'll get decent performance and the best image quality by avoiding transcoding altogether: http://www.hurlbutvisuals.com/blog/2...paves-the-way/ - for a music video, a short film, etc, that should be fine; but if your project is too big and you get performance or stability issues, transcoding will help you avoid those issues, at the cost of very slightly reduced image quality; doing that swap at the end may get you the best of both worlds, but still: I'd stick to editing with the original footage if the system doesn't complain too hard
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I'm using CS3 and editing on a laptop :/ and right now I get a red bar on the work bar area when I bring any of my footage into premiere?!
 
Transcode your footage before editing. Once you're done, the only other transcoding you'll need to do is for things like Internet or DVD distribution.

Saharanturtle said:
I've been doing some reading about trans coding footage and I hear you should do that because it's easier to edit. But than someone said that after you're done editing you take the footage offline and replace it with the original footage before you export
Click to expand...

This isn't done as much anymore, though it is still around.

Originally, with non-linear editing, the source footage digitized at full-rez took up way too much hard drive space and taxed the NLE, which could slow the editing process down. So, the footage was captured at a highly-compressed codec and the program was edited (this was/is called the "offline" edit). Once the offline edit was completed, the footage was trashed and re-digitized at full resolution. That's when effects, graphics, and color correction were added.

Offline editing isn't as necessary in most cases these days. Computers are faster, hard drive storage cheaper, and codecs much more efficient.
 
Saharanturtle said:
I've been doing some reading about trans coding footage and I hear you should do that because it's easier to edit. But than someone said that after you're done editing you take the footage offline and replace it with the original footage before you export


Is this what's usually done? the trans coded footage is just used as a proxy for the editing and than replaced before export, or do you export using the transcoded footage?


I'll be editing in Premiere Pro and I'm trans coding to DNxHD using mpeg stream clip
Click to expand...

Try transcoding for offline with streamclip to M-Jpeg 720p at 50% quality. The files are 50% of the H-264 1080 camera files and edit rippin fast and look virtually the same in the edit window. Then just relink the original files before exporting. It's the best way to go on a laptop or slower system with CS3 or CS4.
I edit on a fast i7 PC with CS4 and the H-264 files really slow things down. I tried an IMac with CS5 and it worked quite well. I think my next edit workstation will be an IMac 27inch with CS5.
 
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I've never needed to use an offline edit in the past. I would always use render when needed before cs5. I just got a new laptop (i5 with a gt540) and i am finding that editing is a little slow on it so i may have to start using your method for anything i plan on editing on there.
 
Alex H. said:
Transcode your footage before editing. Once you're done, the only other transcoding you'll need to do is for things like Internet or DVD distribution.



Originally, with non-linear editing, the source footage digitized at full-rez took up way too much hard drive space and taxed the NLE, which could slow the editing process down. So, the footage was captured at a highly-compressed codec and the program was edited (this was/is called the "offline" edit). Once the offline edit was completed, the footage was trashed and re-digitized at full resolution. That's when effects, graphics, and color correction were added.

Offline editing isn't as necessary in most cases these days. Computers are faster, hard drive storage cheaper, and codecs much more efficient.
Click to expand...

One slight correction: the files used in a Proxy workflow you're desrcribed were not necessarily highly compressed - they were lower quality. They were optimised for fast playback so lower resolution intermediate files were used - this meant that intraframe compression could be used for easier playback while still keeping file sizes smaller than the original footage.

For CS3, your best bet is to just transcode to whatever intermediate you choose and use those as your master/edit files. No relinking required, just transcode, edit and export. I still use CS3 too and it works brilliantly with Cineform on both my laptop and desktop.

The same goes for FCP (except for FCP X) - just transcode to ProRes and use those files for everything onwards.
 
I love this forum! Thanks for all the help everyone. So far, I tried the DNxHD codec and it wasn't much help. The file sized were 5-6 times bigger and didn't seem to make much difference in premiere. I downloaded the trial for Cineform and it works sooo much better, I can move through my footage much smoother without the extreme lag I had with the native t2i footage.

Granted, I set the resolution at Low because I was going switch out the footage, but I'll try out the High and Medium quality settings and report back!
 
Hassan. if you are using Cineform there is no need to switch the files out afterwards.

I use medium quality for anything destined for the web, and the file sizes are only slightly larger than the original . I use the High quality for DVD, but after downconversion I honestly can't see a difference from the Medium setting. If I was delivering on Blu-Ray that might be different.

Cineform is probably the best $130 I have spent since I bought a 550D. No more compatibility hassles, or troubles trying to mix formats etc. Now I just convert everything to Cineform and it all cuts together with ease.
 
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