GH13 & Sony Vegas Pro 11

Mike Krumlauf

Mike Krumlauf

Award Winning Filmmaker
What project settings and export settings for a master would you guys recommend, so i can retain all the information i shot in the final cut?

I'm use to cutting on macs in FCP, but had to switch to PC for a short while given my MAC finally crapped out on me.
 
Want the BEST possible encode? Then you're going to have to render a lossless file and use some other software to do the encoding.

I use the staxrip h.264 encoder ui to encode my final stuff, using the 'placebo' render setting (highest quality encoding). Slow as heck to encode (I'm talking 1.5fps on an i7 @ 4.1GHz), but you can get the bitrate as low as 10mbps (sometimes lower) and it looks NO different from the HUGE .mts 85mbps files that come out of the GH2.

Here are a couple of samples. Prepare to be blown away...

1.8mbps (6MB!) http://www.megaupload.com/?d=1BH8MI1Z
This is pushing it a bit, but remember that it's full 1080p! This one rendered at 5.5 frames a second.

7.3mbps (18MB) http://www.megaupload.com/?d=ES5SHX6B
This is pretty much ideal in regards to size vs quality. Looks pretty much like the original when watched in motion. This one rendered at 3.5 frames a second.

17mbps (43MB) http://www.megaupload.com/?d=P1VPQDDA
This one is indistinguishable from the original, even when paused and pixel peeped. This one rendered at 2 frames a second.

85mbps (235MB) http://www.megaupload.com/?d=5VDQ7UE5
This is the ORIGINAL avchd file.

Best of all, these files are DivX Plus compatible, and can easily be made to Blu-Ray specs too if selected in StaxRip, though they will require muxing afterwards, which is a simple enough process with TSMuxer.

So, if you're looking for a HIGHLY efficient master copy, this is the best method. :) I don't know how long it would take to encode a feature though...
 
Matthew - Does your method make files that could be used/viewed on a MAC? Sounds really good! As long as i can get these files to play on a MAC when i return back, then i'm game! :)
 
I have installed the free DNxHD codec for use in Vegas. It is a MOV container, goes easily into Vegas and has a very high bit rate as well as placing color spce in .709 compliance.
 
I believe they can be played on Macs, yes. You've got plenty of container options when you're encoding, and I believe macs are fine with h.264 (which is the codec), so you should be good to go. :)
 
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