Level: Advanced Query
Choosing "the right" camera video setting has a vital impact on image quality and editing/post-production, both today and in the future, as many of us know. - The thread is about this.
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Hello Everyone, 
Background: I’m a veteran photographer and retoucher since more than two decades ago. I have currently for a couple years put effort in enhancing my skill set in: Creating video with the camera and Premiere Elements. Now I need some advanced advice, please.
With Mediainfo, I have on a deeper level investigated the characteristics and capabilities of the options my Sony camera offers. Hence I would be fond of some experienced answers on the following questions. Thank you for your cooperation!
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QUESTIONS
The Sony camera is offering two digital container file types. .MTS (AVCHD) and .MP4. Both .MTS and .MP4 contains AVC video (AVC (High(a)L4.2 or L4) (CABAC / 2 Ref Frames). The video result will most often be played on a 40 inches HD-TV (PAL).
i) Everything else being equal/taken out of the equation (like resolution, bitrate, etc) which is the better choice when it comes to: Both filming and editing during post-production? What are the pros and cons in the cases above, please?
ii) Next, all ratios are 16:9. – However(!) two are anamorphic widescreen as I understand it. That is 1440x1080 (16:9). – Question, when using anamorphic widescreen, do you generally loose something in image quality or not? Does anamorphic widescreen distort the image quality or not?
iii) Finally, I'm presently looking at using one of three candidates that my camera is offering. However at this time I don’t fully comprehend the implications (on image quality as well as editing, post-production) to make an informed choice. Thus it would be great to receive an experienced advice which one to go for; (pros and cons) please.
The candidates in this case are (specified with Mediainfo as the support):
- .MTS AVCHD 50i BDAV 9170 kb/s 1440x1080 (16:9) 25 FPS AVC (High(a)L4) (CABAC / 2 Ref Frames)
- .MP4 MP4 25p MPEG-4 12.1 Mb/s 1440x1080 (16:9) 25 FPS AVC (High(a)L4) (CABAC / 2 Ref Frames)
- .MP4 MP4 25p MPEG-4 6042 kb/s 1280x720 (16:9) 25 FPS AVC (High(a)L4) (CABAC / 2 Ref Frames)
Thank you!
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Replies
Hello Steve,
I value your time. Thank you for the answer, I need to and will contemplate how it answers the OP.
I also value that you made the statement which camera preset you preferred.
i) To make it 100% clear for me and to understand the interesting area of video, when you state: "I'd shoot MTS 1080 at 25p."
Is it the one of the three I wrote above: .MTS AVCHD 50i BDAV 9170 kb/s 1440x1080 (16:9) 25 FPS AVC?
All the best.
Hello Ann, Steve, Everyone,
Nice to meet you again Ann (we spoke here earlier some time ago). You also gave me a point then . (I have good recollection, people say.)
https://forums.adobe.com/people/Ann+Bens wrote
On a side note it you are a long time photographer and what to edit at the same level as with your photo's you will find Elements quite limited. Might want to consider Premiere Pro.
Appreciate your thoughtfulness concerning your Premiere Pro tips.
It is valuable to know what one is good at and what one can better oneself in, right . I am veteran photographer and retoucher, however I consider that I within video, progressed in competence from basic to intermediate this summer. So I run Elements today with other tools and utilities like MediaInfo, Any Video Converter, and more; I have also learned that e.g. Handbrake can be a good tool in one's box (right?).
And I will most certainly keep your tip concerning Premier Pro when I wish to stretch (to the same level where I am today, within digital photography and retouching. Thanks Ann.
https://forums.adobe.com/people/Ann+Bens wrote
Choice is very simple: always shoot in the highest resolution and framerate.
Usually its 1920x1080 50p or 50i.
Which camera are you talking about?
I am right now researching the characteristics and capabilities of our still cameras (Sony and Canon as you ask), which can produce video too. I have found MediaInfo to be a grand tool for identifying container file formats, video and audio file formats.
If you (or anyone else) have got tips of other good video utilities out there, please feel free! Have you (or anybody else)?
Yes, I certainly agree with you concerning 1920x1080 50p or 50i for results. However, what I am looking for presently is a good balance between Image Quality and file size (since I am rather a huge consumer of HDD space already). That is why I started to investigate the candidates in my OP above:
- .MTS AVCHD 50i BDAV 9170 kb/s 1440x1080 (16:9) 25 FPS AVC (High(a)L4) (CABAC / 2 Ref Frames)
- .MP4 MP4 25p MPEG-4 12.1 Mb/s 1440x1080 (16:9) 25 FPS AVC (High(a)L4) (CABAC / 2 Ref Frames)
- .MP4 MP4 25p MPEG-4 6042 kb/s 1280x720 (16:9) 25 FPS AVC (High(a)L4) (CABAC / 2 Ref Frames)
My general idea is that: Since my HW-player makes a good upscaling from MPEG-2 DVD today to 1080, that it will manage upscaling from one or several of the formats above (while I keep the original video resolution of course).
QUESTION
Ann, Steve, Everyone, since I am intermediate in video and like to learn more, is this a good strategy or not to achieve a good balance between file size and image quality, do you believe?
Thank you for your cooperation!
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