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A
aburger003
Participant
November 13, 2017
Answered

Banding issue driving me insane

  • November 13, 2017
  • 2 replies
  • 14802 views

Hey Adobe community. I'm running into an issue with banding in one of my AE comps. The particulars are below:

- 13 second .tiff sequence exported from Cinema 4D (r16), 32-bit color, uncompressed (gradient is yellow/orange which fades in from black)

- Comp size is 4K, 4096x2160, 24fps, square pixels, 13 seconds in length

- Composited with other video files in AE CC 2017 (Not sure of actual build number, but not latest update)

- All animations/edits are complete, only thing left is to get rid of the banding

- Opened up each frame image in Photoshop, and the banding is not present

- Tried exporting the final comp as both a Quicktime file with an Animation preset, and an Open EXR sequence which is then taken into Premiere Pro

I've been troubleshooting this for a couple weeks now, based on what I've read online:

- Comp settings in AE project are set to 32-bpc

- I've adjusted the color adjustment properties to everything in the dropdown list. Currently it's set to None since the options changed the color, but not the banding

- Each video file in the comp has been interpolated to match the project comp settings

- I tried adding grain using AE's "Add Grain" settings. This worked to a point, but I had to crank the grain up so much that it ruined the image

- I tried a 4K video Overlay of grain as well. This also worked to a point but didn't get rid of the banding completely

- Tried taking the .tiff sequence into Premiere to create a single file, but due to 32-bpc color, wouldn't import

- Tried rendering through both AE's render settings and Adobe's Media Encoder renderer. No difference in the banding issue

At this point, I'm starting to think it's my monitor. I'm working on an LG 43UD79-B 43" 4K UHD LED IPS monitor. My video card is an EVGA GTX1080ti and I'm using a DP cable. I've read that certain monitors have issues reproducing smooth colors and I've only been working with this monitor for a month so I'm only now starting to find out what it can handle. Should I just export the project and ignore the banding since it may be my monitor? Are there any settings with this monitor that I should adjust, or any other project settings I may be missing? I just want to deliver the best product I can so any help would be really appreciated. Thanks in advance!!!

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Warren Heaton

The Animation CODEC is capped at 8 bits per channel (or millions of colors).  If you switch to GoPro Cineform 4, Uncompressed YUV 10-bit or Apple ProRes 422, you can get to trillions of colors (16 bits per channel).  For floating point (32 bits per channel), I've always understood that you have to switch to a still image format that supports that and render an image sequence.  You're on Windows, right?   Try GoPro Cineform 4 or 5 (five is the highest setting).

One of the many challenges of working at a very deep color depth is having to wrestle with a what the picture looks like when the color depth inevitably gets reduced.

For what it's worth, "Use maximum render quality" is specifically for when exporting from Premiere Pro and you've scaled source footage below 100% allowing for finer detail in the reduced picture.

If going the Image Sequence route, I'm 99% sure that OpenEXR, Radiance and TIFF are the only three still image formats that will go as high as floating point (32 bits per channel).  Targa seems like it might, but when you see "32" for that format, that's 32 bits per pixel which is 8 bits per channel.  Of course, none of these are video formats.

2 replies

NimpsyStudio
NimpsyStudio
Participant
March 7, 2018

I recently was having major banding issues. This may not be the true answer but it worked for me.

In your comps, try turning off Display Color Management.

    Dave_LaRonde
    Dave_LaRonde
    Inspiring
    November 13, 2017

    It will be VERY helpful to know the kind of media container & codec to which you're rendering.

    A
    aburger003Author
    Participant
    November 13, 2017

    Hi Dave,

    Thanks for the reply. I've tried both a straight Quicktime file with the "Animation" codec, all settings set to best. I've also tried an Open EXR sequence with both 32-bit float and non 32-bit float settings with the "Use maximum render quality" and "Render at Maximum bit depth" settings always checked. I stuck with these because I'm familiar, and there are so many settings in Adobe's Media Encoder that I was a little overwhelmed.

    Warren Heaton
    Community Expert
    Warren HeatonCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    November 14, 2017

    The Animation CODEC is capped at 8 bits per channel (or millions of colors).  If you switch to GoPro Cineform 4, Uncompressed YUV 10-bit or Apple ProRes 422, you can get to trillions of colors (16 bits per channel).  For floating point (32 bits per channel), I've always understood that you have to switch to a still image format that supports that and render an image sequence.  You're on Windows, right?   Try GoPro Cineform 4 or 5 (five is the highest setting).

    One of the many challenges of working at a very deep color depth is having to wrestle with a what the picture looks like when the color depth inevitably gets reduced.

    For what it's worth, "Use maximum render quality" is specifically for when exporting from Premiere Pro and you've scaled source footage below 100% allowing for finer detail in the reduced picture.

    If going the Image Sequence route, I'm 99% sure that OpenEXR, Radiance and TIFF are the only three still image formats that will go as high as floating point (32 bits per channel).  Targa seems like it might, but when you see "32" for that format, that's 32 bits per pixel which is 8 bits per channel.  Of course, none of these are video formats.

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