F55: New codec on FS5
- Thread starter liondor1969
- Start date
I always transcode my XAVC footage to ProRes before editing anyways. Be it Premiere Pro or FCP.
So are Sony implementing this expensive upgrade option just for old FCP7 users? Why would anyone pay so much for an older 8 bit codec, when you can transcode XAVC to a lossless codec like ProRes
rogar-Shock(DBG):Cristian Doti
Active member
Same broadcaster (like RAI,in italy) requests xdcam for his production.
Bern Caughey
Veteran
+1
Chadfish
Veteran
Just buy a 500.00 used Apple computer and use it to transcode to Prores!
I think a lot of people seem to be missing the point.
If you work and make your living in television, there are still many, many broadcasters that want footage delivered in the MPEG 2 HD 4:2:2 50mbps codec.
As a camera operator you have to deliver your rushes in the format expected if you want to carry on working in the this industry.
Despite the introduction of the various XAVC formats and other codecs, broadcasters are notoriously slow to change their workflow. This is due to the cost to change editing and transmission equipment and set ups, etc. Therefore, MPEG 2 HD 4:2:2 50mbps is still very popular.
The majority of the time, any rushes are handed over at the end of a shoot. Therefore, there is no time to transcode them. If you do happen to take your rushes with you to send on later via FTP, Dropbox, etc then you may have time to transcode them then, depending on the deadline. But if you have a lot of rushes, this will take quite a while and often prove too time consuming.
If you don't work or make your living in broadcast television, then this optional upgrade is of no interest whatsoever.
If you do and want to use your FS5 in this medium, then you probably have no alternative but to pay for the upgrade.
Personally, I feel Sony should have included the MPEG 2 HD 4:2:2 50mbps codec when the camera was released or as a free firmware update. As far as I can remember, all its other cameras labelled XDCam have it (except the X70, I think?). Charging for this codec smacks of Sony being a bit greedy.
If you work and make your living in television, there are still many, many broadcasters that want footage delivered in the MPEG 2 HD 4:2:2 50mbps codec.
As a camera operator you have to deliver your rushes in the format expected if you want to carry on working in the this industry.
Despite the introduction of the various XAVC formats and other codecs, broadcasters are notoriously slow to change their workflow. This is due to the cost to change editing and transmission equipment and set ups, etc. Therefore, MPEG 2 HD 4:2:2 50mbps is still very popular.
The majority of the time, any rushes are handed over at the end of a shoot. Therefore, there is no time to transcode them. If you do happen to take your rushes with you to send on later via FTP, Dropbox, etc then you may have time to transcode them then, depending on the deadline. But if you have a lot of rushes, this will take quite a while and often prove too time consuming.
If you don't work or make your living in broadcast television, then this optional upgrade is of no interest whatsoever.
If you do and want to use your FS5 in this medium, then you probably have no alternative but to pay for the upgrade.
Personally, I feel Sony should have included the MPEG 2 HD 4:2:2 50mbps codec when the camera was released or as a free firmware update. As far as I can remember, all its other cameras labelled XDCam have it (except the X70, I think?). Charging for this codec smacks of Sony being a bit greedy.
Doug Jensen
Carbonite Member
+1
Well said.
Even the $3200 Z150 comes with XDCAM HD422.
When I won't be grading and I don't need 4K or HFR, it is the codec of choice on all of cameras . . . except the FS5.
Well said.
Even the $3200 Z150 comes with XDCAM HD422.
When I won't be grading and I don't need 4K or HFR, it is the codec of choice on all of cameras . . . except the FS5.
basspig
Veteran
I don't have all day to transcode. I need realtime transcoding with 3500 cores, not an obsolete machine from 8 years ago.
Nirv
Carbonite Member
The irony is the 'obsolete' machine from 8 years ago would edit XAVC better than your PC.
Even funnier is that it isn't needed for the transcode either. Just use ffmpeg.
basspig
Veteran
I tried FFMPEG, but it doesn't make use of 72 threads and is slow. And.. it changes the audio from PCM to MPEG2. I've tried forcing it to rewrap the audio without transcoding but the resulting file doesn't load into Premiere.
The solution is not to use XAVC, but use an external recorder to Prores HQ. Much better quality and editing five streams of UHD, scaled to various picture in picture windows over a full frame segment, only taxes 35% of my PC's CPUs.