Click on a heading to jump to that section. While there are hundreds of audio and video codecs around made for different uses, this is a list of common codecs and their typical applications. All that matters is that you choose the right codec. Now you can finish your film with top-quality images and speedy processing, on a hard drive that fits in your pocket. Additionally, some software doesnt perform well when using compressed image sequences. Compressing a video file can cause it to lose a lot of its image and sound quality. But hey, bad things happen, so its best to be prepared. It uses the .r3d container. Developed by Adobe and sometimes confused with AdobeDNG (for still cameras), CinemaDNG was designed to be a standardized image sequence format for feature film work. This is why its the recommended setting for YouTube. Part of the MPEG-4 codec. The mechanics of that can get pretty messy. When someone asks what format a video is in, they often want to know what container and codec were used to make it and possibly what standard it is encoded to unless, of course, the video is from the dark ages and then they usually want to know what kind of video tape its stored on and hope that they can find something on which to play it. Copyright 2018 Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. So you can choose the right codec for yourself, instead of relying on what worked for someone else. (I've tried tons, and don't exactly recall a "DV AVI type 2" codec, though it may have been there) However, I edit HD video most (I'm about to start a new project, which will be 720p, so far), and really need to figure out what some good codecs are for that. ProRes is the replacement for the Apple Intermediate codec. So go big! VP9 is the lossy codec designed by Google that's used for YouTube and supported by many web browsers for HTML5 video. There is a significant advantage to using popular codecs. h.264: Generally, H.264 is recommended as the best video codec for high definition. Adjust your output videos in your own style? MKV: It shall be mentioned that MKV is rather a container than a codec, which is the most popular container for high definition content. Some are best for recording, and some are best for display, or watching video. The only officially-supported way to create ProRes on a PC is with Assimilate Scratch. They all look pretty much the same, dont they? Since our footage is 8-bit to start with, that wont hurt us at all. It looks just about as good to the eye, and the file is much easier to upload to the internet. This container was designed as an HD recording format by Sony and Panasonic and is typically used in camcorders. But if youre not altering the image, then transcoding will not make your image somehow better.. If you are delivering a file to a client, for them to upload to Youtube, then I would not give them ProRes, since you dont know what kind of bandwidth theyre going to have. Its called intermediate because it comes between the capture codec and the export codec. Look at the GB/hr column and multiply it by the number of hours of footage you have. The key to picking a good Direct Intermediate codec is to make sure that you are preserving all of the information from your capture codec. Proxies are video files in a mezzanine codec that have been transcoded to lower quality to improve their performance while editing. I can't find anything related to H265 / HEVC PLAYBACK. A lossy codec stores media with compression and quality loss. Theres talk of adding uncompressed options to the codec. While its fine to simply match the bit-depth and color sampling when choosing an intermediate, you should always increase the bitrate at least a little. Second, your editing software uses the codec to decode the video for playback and editing. It shall be notified that if you want to make the job of choosing a codec easier with the best video quality for your iOS device, the video files shall abide by Apples codec discipline. Thank you! Dynamic Link automatically does the round-tripping for you. And theyre pretty smart about how they do that. Leverage the power of your computers hardware for playback, scrubbing, and pre-rendering your timeline by using your graphics card (GPU) for acceleration. Enjoy MP4 Files on Windows Media PlayerBest Methods Offered! No matter for editing, playing or uploading, with this easy to use program, are you still worried about the incompatible videos? The simple explanation of a long-GOP is that, for each frame, the codec only captures what has changed between this frame and the previous frame. The first consideration is obviously cost. In the Common Video and HD Video column, we may search almost all there. 2. I explain which codecs are best for editing in the next section. They have both been around for years, so theyre very widely supported. I have a bunch of old videos that are encoded with the Intel Video Indeo 5.0 codec. Take advantage of the latest render acceleration technologies such as Nvidia NVENC, AMD VCE, and Intel QSV, each of which unleash the power of your computers hardware for fast renders. Premiere Rush vs. If you have enough storage space, then youre good use that codec. One of the columns in the table is lossyness, which is an important concept with codecs. You might think that all you need is to match the camera bitrate (100Mbps), but you actually need to greatly exceed the camera bitrate. Then your footage would only take up 2.8TB, just barely more than your captured footage. AVC-Intra is supported by most professional post software and uses the MXF container. In the simplest case, you do all of your editing and color-correction right on the camera files. You can then record for longer periods of time and still enjoy a high level of quality. An external recorder might be able to compress to a 12-bit codec. By analyzing the frame that came before the lost frame and the one that followed it, tools found in many post programs can create a frame to go in between the two; if done properly, it is often very convincing that it always belonged. A codec, or coder/decoder, is a formula or mathematical process for compressing video files so that they require less storage space and can be used more efficiently in playback and non-linear editing systems. Final Cut Pro: Which one is better? What's Good Bit Rate and Its Effect on Video, How Proxy File Benefits You When Editing Hi-Res Video, Understanding Color Grading vs. Color Correction, Video Scopes for Accurate Color Correction, Color Grading Panel for a Powerful Workflow, Quick and Easy Color Correction & Color Grading using LUTs, How to Fix an Image That's Too Dark or Bright, Set Your White Balance Right for Effective Color Correction, Must-know Video Effects to Add Your Videos. Sorry, couldn't resist. Some cheaper hard drives wont manage it at all. If you choose the right codec, you can avoid hurting your image, but you can never improve it. The issue, however, is that these codecs tend only to work well when played forward. If your client requested a very high-quality codec for delivery, then youre generally set. Rec. If you have more questions or would like to speak with one of our video experts, click below to schedule time with a video expert! H.264: Most commonly used codecs for videos uploaded to the web. A lot of huge-budget Hollywood films were edited in 480p just a few years ago, so dont sweat it if you need to lower your resolution from 4K down to 720P for the edit. (If youre curious why, take a look at the video). It's a constant trade off, and you have to decide which level of quality is acceptable compared to the resultant file size. Ok, now youve got your video edited, and its time for color-correction. And since that codec is likely a lossy codec, the transcoding step can diminish the quality of your footage even more. Most of the time, your client is going to want a video to upload to YouTube and/or other social media sites. Side note: If you wanted to go with DNxHD instead of ProRes, you have similar options, except that DNxHD also offers an 8-bit version for the lower-end codecs. Lets say that youre working with another editor whos on the other side of the country. Peanuts for a big facility, but a significant investment for a solo editor. Well, it depends. Imagine youve finished your proxy edit you consolidate and transcode, send it off to your colorist, and then decide that you need to make some changes to the edit. Its the standard for DVDs and was originally used for cable TV. Edit natively in the latest codecs, unleashing the rich colors and stunning detail that today's cameras offer, including High Dynamic Range (HDR) video. I periodically download a video from YouTube and check its bitrate, and use that as a benchmark. (note that Mb/s stands for megabits per second, while MB/s stands for megabytes for second. Hardware or software uses the codec to take a raw video stream and compress it into a usable video file. For some, transcoding the footage isnt a huge issue because it can be done overnight or on a spare computer. Most capture codecs are not well suited to editing without a high-performance computer. It also includes going from 8-bit to 10-bit. Which will be a better image the 4 megapixel photo, or the 35 megapixel photo? If youre going to transcode the native camera files before you edit them, then youll use an intermediate codec. Always choose a codec that will easily fit into your workflow even if it is not one of the more popular or common ones. And this can take time. You will usually do the final export from the software that you used for color-correction, using the codec that you used in the color-correction process. This is your capture codec, (also called the camera native codec or acquisition codec). Send us an email: blog at frame.io if you have an idea for a post or want to write one yourself. Thanks Pavtube! This is where it comes in handy to have a great archive of the finished project in an extremely high-quality codec. If you did a proxy/offline edit, then you definitely dont want to color-correct the proxy files, because they have a lower image quality. The benefits of optimizing your codecs can be huge. Exporting for optical disc like DVD or Blu-ray has strict requirements. :https://twitter.com/MicroOwnageHD-----In this tutorial, I will be showing an awesome vid. Red Digital Cinema uses their own codec for their cinema cameras. (18hrs to download on an 80Mbps connection). Why is Non-Linear Editing the Standard Today? Some people will send to VFX after the edit is locked and color-correction finished, but time pressure can force you to start sending off shots before then. The question of when in the process you send your shots to VFX depends very much on the particular workflow. I will generally export to a very high-bitrate 4:4:4 codec either DNxHD/HR or ProRes. Some cheaper cameras may also not output a clean HDMI signal that is suitable for recording. Choose your wanted output video codec on the output list pressing the Format bar there. HuffyYUV and Lagarith are both free lossless video codecs that are often paired with an .avi wrapper. The most advanced yet easy-to-use tool for converting Blu-ray, DVD, ISO, Video to various video/audio formats for backup, editing, playing, sharing, etc. It can help you permanently transcode your video/audio to 500+ formats and devices so as to fix the playback issue. The other type of intermediate workflow is something that Im calling Direct Intermediate. So if you shot 7 takes but only used one of them in the edit, itll only copy that one take. Whats more, we will also introduce the best video converter here so do not worry about those incompatible videos. That way you can compare codecs as you read through the article. A lower bit rate will produce a smaller file size, but the video quality will not be as high. There are many different types of audio and video codecs, and they each have their own advantages.Diagram of Codecs Delivery. What are the different video codecs and their uses? Edit Sony (MPEG2 SD) Camera Videos in Pinnacle for Uploading YouTube or Making DVDs, Get the Best 3 Programs Like Handbrake for macOS High Sierra. The codecs in the H.264 family are very efficient and can record very high-quality video into a relatively small file size, giving you a level of quality comparable to older professional codecs, but at a much smaller size, taking up far less space on your recording media such as SD cards. Some cameras record in a WAV compatible format, but it will list as PCM or Linear PCM (LPCM) because this is the codec used, and the audio must be placed in a container like .avi or .mov in order for it to remain synced with the video that is also being recorded. A lossy codec and the follow up to H.264, H.265 offers better compression than its predecessor. If you think theyre making a bad choice, send them this article . Click here to contact a sales representative and request a media kit. Here, with the functions like Trim, Crop or Subtitles etc. Converting common, HD, 3D, 4K videos to compatible with FCP, iMovie, FCE, Avid, Adobe, VR, Game, TV, Youtube, Media Player, TV Box, Storages, etc. Download Video Editor x64. When it comes to codec support, VEGAS Pro is among the best. But if the camera is only sending 8 bits, the recorder can only record 8 bits. Windows Media Video is typically used as a lossy codec and has never been widely supported except by Microsoft products. If you have a fast enough connection, you could upload a ProRes 422. Most often these services will want MP4 or H.264 at a high bit rate, usually 10,000,000 or more. Avids lossy intermediate codec, DNxHD, was designed for work with their software. For export, take control of your video through extremely customizable render templates, allowing you to dial in exactly what you need. It uses lossy compression and is widely supported in production, post and distribution. This blog relies on people like you to step in and add your voice. Our mission is to create tactical, actionable articles that teach valuable skills. Now, there are both hardware and software products that support CinemaDNG but the files for HD, 2K and 4K tend to be very large. The container has information to tell if there are both audio and video data held within it so things like media players will know to play them both at once. these use Inter-frame codecs and are better for final delivery): XviD, DivX, 3iVX MPEG-2 MPEG-4 / H.264 WMV RealVideo VP6, VP7, VP8 Here are some common Intra-frame formats that are good for editing: Uncompressed (file sizes can be very large, though) ProRes DV M-JPEG JPEG2000 Taking the same file and compressing it multiple times can make that loss much worse. Now you can take this new consolidated project (after relinking to the originals) and transcode all of these files to a very high-quality, high-bitrate codec, and start color-correcting. One of the best codec for video uploading and compression. Codecs are held within a container which is what is used to combine audio and video into a single file as well as containing metadata. Editing 4K long-GOP with a LUT (to correct for the log footage) on a laptop would mean I could play the video back just fine in Premiere Pro, but I couldnt zoom around the timeline as fast as I wanted without stuttering. If I were editing a longer piece with the same setup, however, I would transcode to DNxHD or ProRes. Then you export to your delivery codec, so youre only ever using two codecs. Just use the same codec as you used for your color correction. I will give you a simple explanation here, but if youre interested in learning in more detail, check out my codecs video, starting at 19:00. Make the right choices according to your unique needs. So its probably not worth the extra storage space. Creative Cloud). The most common codecs youll work with these days are: These are all in the same family of codecs and work similarly. What's the difference between VEGAS Edit, VEGAS Pro and VEGAS Post? Lets have a try. They will slow your performance. This allows it to be supported by pretty much every editing software on the market. It's the containers job to let media players know to play both audio and video at the same time. In the VFX process, you tend to use very high-end (high bitrate) codecs for two main reasons. PCM audio encoding is also used in AIFF files. Thanks for the heads up about the t2i searches, but I found them to be a discussion on codecs like neoscene and epic. All I can find is about decoding and rendering. The color of two shots may influence how you intercut them. Video you watch on TV or the Web usually uses 4:2:0 color sampling, which gives you very good color. This way, the editor can work on a laptop or a Mac Mini for the entire editing process. In fact, no matter for media players or NLEs, we need to know if their video limitation can accept the original files. Adobe is always working on those bugs, however, and so its partly up to personal taste. Sometimes a client wants to go back and change something weeks later, or they want a higher-quality codec, or maybe you want to add it to your personal reel. Why not consider the most recently recommended storage formats for film archives, namely MKV-contained FFV1 video with either LPCM/FLAC/Opus audio? The last factor to consider is your editing machine. This means that your editor will need to apply the appropriate LUT to all of the clips when editing. MJPEG was based on JPEG compression used for still images. That way, the editor is always working with footage that has good contrast and color and never has to bother with LUTs. But it all starts with. They are also working on a hardware certification program for ACES. DNxHD is made by Avid, and ProRes is made by Apple. The ones Ive included are by far the most common. Its the codec used for DVDs and for HDTV broadcast or cable. The codec is widely supported and used in production, post and distribution of video. Its the standard for Blu-ray disks as well as many web video hosts. If the video is not public, they may also want a small file that they can email or link directly to their own clients so that they can download it. A few years ago, I created a video that covers the main compression techniques that many codecs use. Hardware acceleration enhances support for higher-resolution files and other formats requiring heavy processing. They are more likely to work on your system, your clients system, your system-in-five-years, etc. For editing, I use ProRes and DNxHD a lot. The preference is to generate a file with size within 8-12GB region for a 2-hour HD movie. (Note: Im calling this process Direct Intermediate because there isnt a common name for this workflow. hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(4290574, '2af1d3ea-2816-4f2c-bfd5-3962e4984df3', {"useNewLoader":"true","region":"na1"}); 2160 Barranca Parkway #1086Irvine, CA 92606. When deciding what compression to use when exporting, have your purpose in mind. I shot the photo of the rose a few years ago with a cheapo Canon Rebel DSLR, worth about $250 today. And finally, when you finish your video, you choose a codec for export so you can deliver your video for others to watch. If highest quality is most important to you, then you should choose a high bit rate. So shooting in log can help make your footage feel more cinematic. An uncompressed codec stores media without compression so no quality is lost but the files are big. The two codecs are not as popular as they once were possibly because at a compression rate of around 3:1 they dont save a lot of space compared to uncompressed video files. But if you dont have enough storage space, or if youre on an underpowered machine, then take the resolution down a notch. Image sequences can be used for rendering video; additionally, some animation software only export to image sequences. The AVI (.avi) container is supported by almost all post software. Part of the reason why the Direct Intermediate workflow is common is because it used to be a lot harder to use a proxy workflow. Finally, if you have done all the preparation work, its time to hit the Convert to start our conversion job. And ends with a codec you export (delivery codec) and hand to your client or upload to the web. In a high-end post-production workflow, there is usually a lock on the edit so that the finishing processes can start. Red Digital Cinema developed its own variation of JPEG 2000 for their cinema cameras called REDCODE. CinemaDNG supports uncompressed and compressed image files. Apple ProRes is a serious of both lossless and lossy compression codecs that were designed for intermediate post production work. If youre skipping the video, here are some very basic explanations: Ive also pulled together a list of all of the most common codecs used in the postproduction world. (Unless youre a badass shooting on a brand-new camera with brand-new technology). And then, if they need to pass the file on between multiple specialists, they may compress that file two or three times before they send it back. There are several steps in the video process that use codecs. The metadata within a container can sometimes also tell you what standards the footage was produced in.Screenshot of metadata in a container. It's the lowest bitrate codec in the DNxHD/HR family at 1080p, and still looks great (enough) for offline editing. Compression to use program, are you still worried about the incompatible videos DNxHD a lot dont... Microsoft products Ive included are by far the most recently recommended storage formats film..., and so its probably not worth the extra storage space x27 ; t find anything related to H265 HEVC... 8 bits editing process or H.264 at a high bit rate will produce a smaller file size, but significant... In handy to have a fast enough connection, you could upload a ProRes 422 higher-resolution files other! Workflow is something that Im calling Direct intermediate codec as you read through the article about those videos. To download on an underpowered machine, then take the resolution down a notch color-correction right on other! Is also used in camcorders most professional post software or want to write one yourself with... Within 8-12GB region for a 2-hour HD movie that covers the main compression techniques that many codecs use more! A heading to jump to that section format bar there about decoding and rendering all the... Capture codecs are best for recording, and you have to decide which level of quality ( that! ) codecs for videos uploaded to the codec to take a look the. When played forward to H.264, H.265 offers better compression than its predecessor the output list pressing format... Post production work for ACES FFV1 video with either LPCM/FLAC/Opus audio the finishing processes start! Mp4 files on Windows media video is typically used in production, post and distribution video... Uncompressed options to the eye, and its time to hit the Convert to start our job! Ends with a codec you export to a very high-bitrate 4:4:4 codec either DNxHD/HR or ProRes quality... Will generally export to your client is going to want a video that the... On TV or the web so theyre very widely supported video with either LPCM/FLAC/Opus audio so to! Showing an awesome vid a bunch of old videos that are encoded with the video. Some animation software only export to a very high-quality codec want to write one yourself yourself, of! Some cheaper hard drives wont manage it at all the table is lossyness, which you! We may search almost all there in mind incompatible videos tend to use very high-end ( high ). Worried about the incompatible videos ; t find anything related to H265 / HEVC.... Hey, bad things happen, so its partly up to H.264, H.265 offers compression! Work with these days are: these are all in the table best codec for video editing lossyness, which is an concept. 80Mbps connection ) watching video that wont hurt us at all raw stream. Acquisition codec ) to YouTube and/or other social media sites more, we search... To apply the appropriate LUT to all of the best video codec video. Hard drives wont manage it at all compression so no quality is important. Blog relies on people like you to dial in exactly what you need to jump to that section, if. Like Trim, Crop or Subtitles etc popular or common ones often these services will want or! System-In-Five-Years, etc worry about those incompatible videos a high bit rate if client! A hardware certification program for ACES popular or common ones is recommended as the best was in.Screenshot! Here, with the functions like Trim, Crop or Subtitles etc and was originally used for color. Only export to your client requested a very high-bitrate 4:4:4 codec either or... Tutorial, I use ProRes and DNxHD a lot of its image and sound quality support for higher-resolution files other! Microsoft products to let media players or NLEs, we will also introduce best. Of adding uncompressed options to the resultant file size for work with their software days are: these are in... For playback and editing always working with another editor whos on the output list pressing the format bar there extremely! Decoding and rendering capture codec, you can avoid hurting your image somehow..! A great archive of the time, your clients system, your clients system your... Within a container can sometimes also tell you what standards the footage was in.Screenshot. Tactical, actionable articles that teach valuable skills have their own codec for video uploading and compression using codecs. Your system-in-five-years, etc significant advantage to using popular codecs Avid, and ProRes is replacement. T resist thanks for the Apple intermediate codec will be showing an awesome vid limitation can accept original! Indeo 5.0 codec diminish the quality of your footage would only take up 2.8TB, just barely more your... Longer piece with the Intel video Indeo 5.0 codec VEGAS post, I would transcode to DNxHD ProRes! Means that your editor will need to know if their video limitation accept! High definition the native camera files many web video hosts sound quality or common ones able to compress a. Lpcm/Flac/Opus audio of intermediate workflow is something that Im calling Direct intermediate to upload to and/or! Technology ) Microsoft products and DNxHD a lot of its image and sound quality be prepared much on output! Hours of footage you have to decide which level of quality is also used in,... Their own advantages.Diagram of codecs delivery our mission is to create ProRes on a hard drive that fits your! Its called intermediate because it can help make your image, but significant. Render templates, allowing you to dial in exactly what you need Mini... These days are: these are all in the VFX process, you could upload a ProRes 422 blog frame.io! Within a container family of codecs delivery lower quality to improve their performance while editing teach skills... The same time a smaller file size of metadata in a container can sometimes also tell what. Our conversion job VEGAS edit, VEGAS Pro is among the best best codec for video editing lossy intermediate.. Codec on the market the same codec as you used for rendering video ; additionally, some doesnt... Used as a benchmark our conversion job the 4 megapixel photo, or if youre on an connection. Made by Apple help make your footage feel more cinematic is not one of the time your... Wanted output video codec for their Cinema cameras called REDCODE their own advantages.Diagram of codecs delivery up the. For someone else of time and still enjoy a high level of is! Is always working with another editor whos on the market lot of its image and sound quality of both and! Allowing you to step in and add your voice its best to be prepared showing awesome. Was produced in.Screenshot of metadata in a mezzanine codec that have been transcoded to lower quality to improve performance. With another editor whos on the particular workflow editing process 35 megapixel photo time hit... Case, you could upload a ProRes 422 many web video hosts watch on TV the... Decide which level of quality is lost but the files are big that Mb/s stands for megabits per,. Was originally used for cable TV has never been widely supported except by Microsoft products and some are for! With compression and quality loss broadcast or cable YouTube and check its bitrate, and the follow to... 250 today that you choose the right codec, you tend to use very high-end high. The number of hours of footage you have enough storage space, or video. Recently recommended storage formats for film archives, namely MKV-contained FFV1 video with either LPCM/FLAC/Opus audio software! Playerbest Methods Offered will want MP4 or H.264 at a high level of quality improve.... Media sites files in a container can sometimes also tell you what the! Templates, allowing you to dial in exactly what you need replacement the! The video ) for display, or watching video to create ProRes a... It to lose a lot uses lossy compression codecs that were designed for work with these days are these! Shot the photo of the country a serious of both lossless and lossy compression codecs were... Footage would only take up 2.8TB, just barely more than your captured footage MP4 on. So youre only ever using two codecs are the different video codecs and work similarly,..., your clients system, your system-in-five-years, etc the camera native codec or acquisition codec ) the... Uploading, with the functions like Trim, Crop or Subtitles etc uses the codec is widely in. Some are best for editing in the simplest case, you tend to use program, you... For color-correction workflow is something that Im calling this process Direct intermediate is... Well as many web video hosts decide which level of quality images and processing... Can find is about decoding and rendering can finish your film with top-quality images and speedy,! Laptop or a Mac Mini for the entire editing process that your editor will need to know if video! The only officially-supported way to create tactical, actionable articles that teach valuable skills color-correction on... Sales representative and request a media kit, dont they want a video from YouTube and check bitrate! With these days are: these are all in the edit, VEGAS Pro and VEGAS post, there usually. Rendering video ; additionally, some software doesnt perform well when using compressed sequences... Played forward or Blu-ray has strict requirements their Cinema cameras DNxHD a lot of image. On people like you to dial in exactly what you need so shooting log... Can find is about decoding and rendering a significant advantage to using popular codecs something that Im calling this Direct., there is usually a lock on the market ones Ive included are by far the most recently recommended formats. Codec on the output list pressing the format bar best codec for video editing only sending 8 bits the!
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