The best codec for editing and visual effects? (windows)
- Thread starter iFilm7
- Start date
Allen Ellis
Well-known member
Quicktime is a container, not in and of itself a codec. There are different codecs to choose from in the "format options" dialog, some of which are more highly compressed than others. If you're choosing H.264 then it's likely you'll experience the Quicktime Gamma Shift bug which would make things appear washed out.
Instead use the 'Animation' codec. At 100% it is visually lossless and AFAIK is was/is the industry standard for moving around videos between NLE's and programs like After Effects. It even supports an alpha channel.
Also look into Avid's free DNXhd codec. It, too, is simply a codec which uses the Quicktime wrapper. To use it, install the codec, then export as a Quicktime file and choose Avid's DNXhd. I've heard great things about it but have yet to experiment much with it myself.
Instead use the 'Animation' codec. At 100% it is visually lossless and AFAIK is was/is the industry standard for moving around videos between NLE's and programs like After Effects. It even supports an alpha channel.
Also look into Avid's free DNXhd codec. It, too, is simply a codec which uses the Quicktime wrapper. To use it, install the codec, then export as a Quicktime file and choose Avid's DNXhd. I've heard great things about it but have yet to experiment much with it myself.
PerroneFord
Deals in Lead
You shouldn't get the gamma shift with DNxHD. And of course the animation codec gives you huge files. It's designed to compress large areas of exactly similar colors (which is what animation is). When you give it photo realistic colors, it is not optimized for that.
If you are on a PC, you're two best choices for containers are .AVI and .MOV. You can get some EXCELLENT codecs to go in the quicktime containers. Good 10bit stuff from Avid (DNxHD), Blackmagic, and others. All free. If you want a solid 10bit codec in the .AVI container, you have the choice of Cineform. And maybe that BitJazz codec if you want to spend the money.
I gave up on .AVI containers long ago unless I "HAVE" to use them.
Allen Ellis
Well-known member
It's really bizarre that you're experiencing color problems with the other codecs -- PhotoJPEG and Animation should have no problems - I've been using those both on PC and Mac for the last 6 years and never seen that sort of problem.
What software are you exporting from--After Effects? Any other details you can think to give?
To answer your other question, no I don't know of any good AVI codecs. Granted I haven't put in much research there but any time an application insists on recording to .avi I have it go uncompressed (enormous) and then I take it to a Quicktime Animation or PhotoJPEG straight away via Quicktime Pro or After Effects.
What software are you exporting from--After Effects? Any other details you can think to give?
To answer your other question, no I don't know of any good AVI codecs. Granted I haven't put in much research there but any time an application insists on recording to .avi I have it go uncompressed (enormous) and then I take it to a Quicktime Animation or PhotoJPEG straight away via Quicktime Pro or After Effects.
PerroneFord
Deals in Lead
Of COURSE it did the same thing.
PerroneFord
Deals in Lead
Because you are on an Apple.
No it is not.
Cineform and DNxHD are both 10-bit capable codecs. Lagarith is lossless. PhotoJpeg is neither of those things and has gamma shift issues.
PerroneFord
Deals in Lead
Yes, it was the first thing I said in post #4.
If you want AVI to be the container AND you want it free, then you are S.O.L.
Read this: http://sites.google.com/site/fcpaegammaissue/
okay, well i exported from after effects the DNxHD codec and the PhotoJpeg... the PhotoJpeg hs washed out colors while the DnxHD doesnt...
im on a PC
sooo, as of now my codec of choice is the DNxHD codec...
but im not sure if my settings are correct,
can someone point me to the right direction of what type of settings i should convert in TEMPGenc Xpress, which will be imported to AE for colorcorrection/visual effects and from there, what settings shall my settings be in the Render Que in AE??
hopefully that's clear.... lol
thankss
im on a PC
sooo, as of now my codec of choice is the DNxHD codec...
but im not sure if my settings are correct,
can someone point me to the right direction of what type of settings i should convert in TEMPGenc Xpress, which will be imported to AE for colorcorrection/visual effects and from there, what settings shall my settings be in the Render Que in AE??
hopefully that's clear.... lol
thankss
PerroneFord
Deals in Lead
Someone else will have to help you from here. I don't have AE and don't use TEMPGenc.
simsalabim
New member
visual effects codec
visual effects codec
just my 2cts, i have been doing visual effects for years and i have been using PICVIDEO (avi codec) for years. super tradeoff between filesize and speed of use. can even be playd on a mac if you want as its a standard motion jpg 4:2:2 codec.
even has a lossless codec which works great for layering. and multi generation stuff.
http://www.accusoft.com/picvideomjpeg.htm
visual effects codec
just my 2cts, i have been doing visual effects for years and i have been using PICVIDEO (avi codec) for years. super tradeoff between filesize and speed of use. can even be playd on a mac if you want as its a standard motion jpg 4:2:2 codec.
even has a lossless codec which works great for layering. and multi generation stuff.
http://www.accusoft.com/picvideomjpeg.htm