Mixed Footage - Need Some Help

B

Brentium

Member
Hello,

I wasn't sure if this is the right section to post this topic, but it's the closest I can find.

I'm using Premiere Pro CS4 and I working with footage from two different cameras. I have footage from a Panasonic GH1 and a Canon XH A1 (I know, bad combo).

The GH1 footage is 1280x720 (1.0 pixel aspect ratio) at 59.94 fps and the Canon XH A1 footage is 1440x1080 (1.33 pixel aspect ratio) at 23.976 fps.

Right now, I'm just trying to get a consistent format/codec that I can edit in so that I can mix the footage.

I tried exporting a clip from each camera using the 'Export' features in CS4. The first one I tried was 'P2 Movie' (DVCPROHD 720p 24). Everything seemed to be fine and I didn't notice any kind of choppiness or stuttering.

My question: Is there a better way to do this?

I don't really have any other software besides what came with CS4 and I'm still new to editing, so I can't tell if I losing any quality or doing something wrong that may end up being bad later on.

Any help is appreciated! Thanks!
 
There's just no point.

Any codec that you render out except for uncompressed will result in quality loss and will require Premiere to render them in order to play in real time. The footage just won't mix simply because they're different resolution to begin with; you'll either have to shrink the A1's 1080p footage or enlarge the GH1's 720p footage for them to match in a single sequence.
 
Huy, thanks for the response.

I think I'm going with shrinking the A1's footage to 720p.

Is my approach with exporting to DVCPROHD 720p 24 a good choice? Should I be utilizing another format?

If quality loss is inevitable, I'm okay with it, I'd just like to figure out the least painful way to start editing with the footage from each camera.
 
Brentium said:
Is my approach with exporting to DVCPROHD 720p 24 a good choice? Should I be utilizing another format?
Click to expand...

Bad, bad idea. All the formats that PP CS4 has are delivery format, not editing format. They throw away a ton of informations and will severely degrade your footage after a few generations of editing.

Work with the footage in its original format, that's the best approach.
 
Hm I see.

Is there something I can do outside of CS4? I'd really like to mix the footage if possible...

Thanks for the advice!
 
What is your end goal format? e.g. web delivery, blu-ray, DVD, etc...? Why are you doing this?

Your end goal usually dictates and limits what settings you would use.

The frame rates are problematic. It's easy to decimate 60p=>30p by selecting every 2nd frame. But the conversion from 30p=>24p is problematic and requires frame interpolation for it to be smooth

You can't mix them losslessly, because they are different formats. Even if you used uncompressed or a lossless format as an intermediate editing format, unless you plan on leaving it that way, when you encode to the final format there will be quality loss.
 
I'm assuming the 60p footage was shot for slow motion, in which case there shouldn't be any issue as long as it's properly interpreted within a 24 fps timeline.
 
Huy Vu said:
I'm assuming the 60p footage was shot for slow motion, in which case there shouldn't be any issue as long as it's properly interpreted within a 24 fps timeline.
Click to expand...

Well hopefully that's the case - it would be a lot simpler to do... I had assumed the other scenario of trying to match formats
 
PDR said:
What is your end goal format? e.g. web delivery, blu-ray, DVD, etc...? Why are you doing this?
Click to expand...

My final format is DVD.

Unfortunately, the 60p footage isn't just for slow motion. I might use some of it for slow motion, but most of it is just normal footage.
 
Who came up with the idea of shooting to two completely different formats!

You could try converting to an intermediate codec such as DNxHD.

An alternative method would be to convert your files to dv24p, edit in a SD timeline and then once you are finished, create a 720p timeline, copy all the cuts and replace footage, all done a dusted.
 
Yeah, this is my fault, it wasn't planned out very well.

It is footage for a wedding and the XH A1 has the wide shots and the GH1 has all the close-ups and DOF shots.

Thanks for the advice and suggestions, it's been really helpful.
 
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