Prores codec

[ericjohn]

Hello

When I was using adobe premiere pro cs3 or FCP, I used to convert my canon t2i videos from H264 to another format which can help editing much easier. But now I have premiere pro cs5.5 which you can edit DSLR videos natively, do we need to use the codec prores to convert the videos first? Some people still recommending to convert to prores coz it provides high quality videos with small size. So what u guys think, is still prores codec needed to transcode videos before editing? I hope you guys understood me.

Thanks

 

[j1clark@ucsd.edu]

Hello

When I was using adobe premiere pro cs3 or FCP, I used to convert my canon t2i videos from H264 to another format which can help editing much easier. But now I have premiere pro cs5.5 which you can edit DSLR videos natively, do we need to use the codec prores to convert the videos first? Some people still recommending to convert to prores coz it provides high quality videos with small size. So what u guys think, is still prores codec needed to transcode videos before editing? I hope you guys understood me.

Thanks

You do not need ProRes. It is not part of the standard set of Quicktime codec, and so one would have had to have bought FCP(X???) so, it is limited by that fact. One can get the decoder side for Windows, if one needs to go back and forth between Mac OS X and Windows.

A better intermediate codec would be DNxHD from Avid, which is free, and there are Windows, Mac OS X, and I believe Linux versions (I think you can get the source as well...).

The purpose of an intermediate codec is between size of file, and minimal 'loss' due to the compression. It is a compromize, but one that many people choose because HD generates massive files for most people's machines...

If you are working along the following Import -> Premiere -> Export to Internet Package/Encore DVD/BL disks, etc. there is no need for an intermediate codec.

If your work is Import -> Premiere -> After Effects -> Premiere -> {OUTPUT}... there is no need for an intermediate codec.

If your work is Import -> Premiere -> {something else...} then you may want to consider exporting from Premiere in the Intermediate Codec format... such as ProRes, because the receiver is setup for ProRes, or the DNxHD...

Since I work on my own stuff, through out the work flow, using CS5 Premiere/After Effects/Encore, I don't convert these days to an intermediate format.

 

[ericjohn]

You do not need ProRes. It is not part of the standard set of Quicktime codec, and so one would have had to have bought FCP(X???) so, it is limited by that fact. One can get the decoder side for Windows, if one needs to go back and forth between Mac OS X and Windows.

A better intermediate codec would be DNxHD from Avid, which is free, and there are Windows, Mac OS X, and I believe Linux versions (I think you can get the source as well...).

The purpose of an intermediate codec is between size of file, and minimal 'loss' due to the compression. It is a compromize, but one that many people choose because HD generates massive files for most people's machines...

If you are working along the following Import -> Premiere -> Export to Internet Package/Encore DVD/BL disks, etc. there is no need for an intermediate codec.

If your work is Import -> Premiere -> After Effects -> Premiere -> {OUTPUT}... there is no need for an intermediate codec.

If your work is Import -> Premiere -> {something else...} then you may want to consider exporting from Premiere in the Intermediate Codec format... such as ProRes, because the receiver is setup for ProRes, or the DNxHD...

Since I work on my own stuff, through out the work flow, using CS5 Premiere/After Effects/Encore, I don't convert these days to an intermediate format.

Thank you for this info! I use the workflow Import -> Premiere -> Export to Internet Package/Encore DVD/BL disks. Until now I work on short videos which I render for the internet use, but if I make a 2 hour movie and I want to burn it in a 4.7GB DVD disk in Encore, which setting in encore I will use to enable a 2 hour movies fit in a 4.7GB disk without loosing original quality?

Thanks