XAVC-S 8-bit 4:2:0 is much better than many people think

[DLD]

So, you're saying XAVC isn't the culprit, it's the YouTube/Vimeo compression? ...

XAVC is based on H264 and is rated at 100 Mbps, YouTube VP9 (in 4K) is 25-30, albeit at a higher H265 tier compression roughly equal to 60 Mbps in H264. Blu-Ray discs are anywhere from 82 to 128 in H265.

However, with Netflix now allowing downloads, I can see the streaming image quality slowly moving upwards. They'll still use a more power intensive codecs but their bit rates will be/should be much higher for all the folks with their large 4K sets.

Edit, edit, edit. XAVC is a 264 based codec. Grrr... fat fingers.

 

[Viscount Omega]

The main complaint I have about 8-bit vs. 10-bit footage is the banding in skies, blank walls, etc. in 8 bit if I grade the footage heavily. To help solve this, in Vegas, I switch from 8-bit to 32-bit processing when it's time to render.

Not sure if other video editors have this function. When editing, I leave it off because it slows things down. I see less banding or none at all.

From Vegas help section:

"32-bit floating point (video levels): Performs video processing using 32-bit arithmetic and in the video color space. When using 8-bit input/output, the 32-bit floating point (video levels) setting can prevent banding from compositing that contains fades, feathered edges, or gradients."

I know it says "from compositing" but I see improvement on a single clip.

One drawback is that rendering times (for me) more than double but it's no big deal. I have time to do something else while it's rendering.

 

[Samuel H]

So, you're saying XAVC isn't the culprit, it's the YouTube/Vimeo compression? That makes sense. Any idea how that would compare with footage destined for a screen who's footage won't originate online? I guess, essentially first-generation out of the workflow (i.e. Compressor). My big question...is the XAVC 4:2:0 going to look good compared to, say, ProRes 4:2:2 coming out of the editing suite (assuming no or light grading)?

I'm about to start shooting a doc and I'm trying to decide if I want the hassle of an external recorder for ProRes 422, or whether XAVC 422 will suffice. I think I'm getting caught up in the minutiae, but I'd rather answer the question now instead of rethinking it after I have hours of footage.

Yes, the banding you see on youtube is very likely to be caused by youtube's compression. Same in Vimeo. Maybe it was there to begin with, maybe it wasn't and YT/vimeo created it when downsizing the file for streaming.

But what you want to see is exactly what the guy is seeing in the video I posted in the first post of this thread: he's shot with the camera both internally and externally, and is comparing how straight-from-the-camera footage looks like when he loads it into Resolve and tries to break it. You can't trust what you see in the video, because YT may have messed it up, but you can trust what he says because he's seeing it "as it is".

 

[Demistate]

I've always been able to get great results from 8-bpc footage from these cameras.

The one thing I wish I could do is get high contrast images like I do from the raw stills. Going that extreme on the grade makes it fall apart. Obviously if we could have RAW video then eveything would be great!

Make whatever juice you can make with the fruits you have.

 

[jdv]

Anyone tried the EOSHD Pro Colour?

I had the same question....

 

[scoutsbrother]

I'm trying EOSHD pro color right now, should have a couple clips up in the next few days, I'll probably start a new thread for it..shot with A7rii and the new G-Master 24-70mm, it looks great as I'm editing, super sharp, nice colors, good DR...I'll keep you posted

 

[jdv]

I'm trying EOSHD pro color right now, should have a couple clips up in the next few days, I'll probably start a new thread for it..shot with A7rii and the new G-Master 24-70mm, it looks great as I'm editing, super sharp, nice colors, good DR...I'll keep you posted

Awesome! The only negative I had watching Andrew's footage was that maybe it was a bit too warm in certain shots, but it definitely better then the rec 709 standard settings....

Look forward to your review!