Big Problem with zcam e2 f6 zlog2 footage and premiere

Report · Apr 30, 2022

Hi guys, I need your help because I just don't understand how to get out of this problem.

Well, in a few words I can not edit the footage with the zcam e2 f6 in premiere, the magenta macro blocks that come out do not go away, any option I put, any conversion lut zcam to rec 709, even with the zcam plugin checking the option to remove the magenta blocks... and even noticeable in the original flat file of zlog2 without convert the file in rec 709.

So far I have done only one job with the zcam, and I did it by shooting in ProRes Raw converting to cdng and working the files in davinci, no problem, in fact soon I will post the clip to have your opinion (it was practically the first real test of the zcam and I took advantage of an "easy" job to do it).

But I need to work for the 80% of the time in Premiere, my general workflow is there and I can't work in this way.

I don't understand why it does this while in Davinci the files are read correctly.

What do you Premiere users do to avoid this? It's really frustrating.

Report · Apr 30, 2022

Turn off max render and mac depth and comp linear color, turn off plugin and use Prores files.

See how that goes.

Report · Apr 30, 2022

does not change anything, two frames example of how the macro blocks of magenta come out in premiere while in davinci there are not. (unitled is davinci frame).

It's a bug I've encountered since purchasing the zcam in December and has remained so in all versions of premiere.
Practically unusable with this camera.

Report · May 02, 2022

so this is all the help from the community and adobe staff? how do you explain this bug? if it is not solved i will be unable to work with my zcam and premiere, and fortunately it is not a problem of the camera but of the software.

I also provide an original file to download filmed with the zcma in zlog2, you can try to convert it to rec 709 and you can see how the magenta blocks come out from all sides:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OZ28aEeyt6x844ZL1n2Eq86lmzZiu5ii/view?usp=sharing

Report · May 02, 2022

As most of us aren't using it, we don't have any experience with it. We're just other users, you know?

I downloaded the file, and see on my machine what you are referring to.

@mattchristensen who would be the person to contact to check this out?

I think the clip numbered 14.51.53 has a clear image of the issue, and he's done a nice job putting a highlight around spots.

Neil

Report · May 02, 2022

Thank you Neil for your time as usual. Ops I still don't quite understand who they are users, who of adobe stuff or if we are just users. It's really frustrating because I don't want to give up premiere and totally go into davinci for this bug. I'm pretty much the only one in the zcam community who wants to use premieres. Now without creating controversy, even stones know how superior davinci is for coloring and other overall tools and performance. I want to use both and be able to do total montages without leaving the premiere. But damm...why adobe still so behind???

Report · May 02, 2022

Adobe's behind on some things, ahead on others. As always.

Staffers should all have a 'badge' ... the avatar ... that includes the red Adobe logo in it. Us "Adobe Community Professionals" do not have that.

Neil

Report · May 02, 2022

you might need davinci to render out to prores HQ for premiere to work. maybe make an XML edit out of it and use that XML in resolve to grade out the RAW. just a thought.

Report · May 03, 2022

yes i am working in premiere, export xml and finish the color in davinci. But I don't feel that's the case and it doesn't seem fair either, I'm paying monthly for a program that works worse than one that you buy the license once and it's for life. Having to pass the clips in davinci to create prores and then work them in davinci is madness, in time, in management and it doesn't make any sense...if premiere doesn't wake up soon I think there will be less and less filmmakers who will use it. Slowly I'll try to get used to the total edition on davinci to get ready for the big step, I have no other choice there are always only problems.

Report · May 03, 2022

And there are codecs like XDCAM that Resolve is piss-poor at, that the BM forums users say export a ProRes from Resolve and go to Adobe MediaEncoder to get the specific export needed.

Both of them have their areas that make us users do what we think are stupidly unneeded workarounds. They both have the strengths and their weaknesses. And yea, again, I work both of them.

And both, to many users, are racing for the YouTubes.

Adobe sells software as a service. But the software is the point. It's their only income source.

BlackMagic provides free/cheap software as a total loss-leader to get you to buy hardware. And being as that hardware always, only works with BM software, it's used to lock you into using their system. And eventually needing to buy more hardware.

I don't see either approach has any superiority over the other. And they're both simply tools.

Neil

Report · May 03, 2022

Dear Neil,
so are you telling me that premiere is going after the market for TV reports that film with xdcam and leaving everyone else behind? But do we realize that I can't process the files? I'll add more frames to make you understand the frustration.

Report · May 03, 2022

so are you telling me that premiere is going after the market for TV reports that film with xdcam and leaving everyone else behind?

Wow ... don't know where the hay you got that. Huh. I was clearly making a comment about the way the two apps are both having issues with formats/codecs, just different ones. They're both flawed.

Where you got going about market share or whatever is completely beyond me.

And I thoroughly understand your frustration. You don't have to prove it to me. Don't you recall I was able to replicate your situation and called on an engineer what, the post above that?

There ain't none of these apps that are perfect, they're never going to be. They're nothing but tools. Fancy hammers. Use what works for you and your media ... that's all we users can do.

We can complain ... feel free, I certainly do! I've had epic and very detailed rants here. But at the end of the day, like you, I'm one user.

And I "pinged" an engineer to try and get you assistance. Sheesh.

Neil

Report · May 09, 2022

Hi @Serghios could you let me know what type of system you are using? Mac, or Windows? If Mac, is it using an Apple or Intel processor? Thank you.

Report · May 09, 2022

Hi Matt,

macbook pro 16 m1 max.

Report · May 09, 2022

@Serghios Thanks for that information. We are working on a fix for the issue you are seeing. It has to do with how ProRes is decoded on M1 Pro and Max systems with the hardware-based ProRes decode. Until we have the fix out, you can follow these steps to see your footage without those magenta blocks:

Preferences > Media turn off (uncheck) "Enable hardware accelerated decoding"
Restart Premiere Pro
In your Sequence Settings (Sequence > Settings), turn on "Maximum Bit Depth"

I tried the above steps in a project with your sample media and they worked around the issue.

Report · May 10, 2022

Thanks Matt,
so doing it gets a lot better, the macro blocks disappear but the magenta halos remain although much less.
But still it's better than nothing, if I playback the timeline the magenta macro blocks are there if I pause the cursor it works, as if I render or export. The zcam is a fantastic camera, even if we are few compared to sony etc etc have it properly supported would be great.
After all it is among the cameras that atomos supports, even with raw prores. I look forward to new updates