Export Preset choices

[kdoc2]

Question about making a high quality slide show (with some video included): exporting to mp4, probably with H264 format. The Source sequence is 1920x1080 (1.0), 29.97 fps, Progressive, 48000 Hz, Stereo. Most of this show is still images with considerable effects: zoom and position changes, and most images were sourced at 4000x2666 px. average (with some greater, often less res). (The images are high quality photos, taken at 6000x4000.) The music and voice over were both wav and mp3 and the video has diverse resolution, the best being 1920x1080. I wish to maintain optimal quality. I am unfamiliar with the nuances of the other settings. This project has been many years in the shooting and a long time in the making, so I'm serious about getting the best results.

I note that the PRESETS could be (under H264 format): High Quality 1080p HD, Match Source High (or Medium Bitrate), and Match Source -Adaptive High or Medium Bitrate. (and perhaps other excellent choices you might suggest).

Please help me in choosing among these-I have noticed that the final mp4 will vary greatly in size, depending on choice; how might I maintain THE HIGHEST QUALITY: OBSERVABLE VISUALLY AND AUDITORILY. The high quality of the still images with their Effects are the backbone of the project (Of course, there is no need to make a huge mp4 if a smaller one will look and sound the same).

Thank you, as always,

kdoc

[kdoc2]

i neglected to mention that this show will be shown on a moderate sized screen, projected from a high quality projector.

kdoc

[excited_Genie16B8]

Best quality is lossless.

Second best will be Cineform or DNx.

Third best will be H.265.

Next will be H.264.

The thing is, most projectors don't play video.  They only show it.  You have to hook something up to the projector to actually play the video.  So find out what that something will be, and what kind of video it can handle, before you export anything.

[kdoc2]

In the past we have projected numerous mp4  files and DVD's on a high quality projector, We usually project from a laptop connected to a projector. Does that answer your comments re playing the video

Are you referring to DNxHR/DNxHD MXF OP1a, with Preset DNX HQ 1080p 29.97?

What would one do with the mxf format in order to play it.

Re Cineform: Do you mean to use Quicktime and Preset GoPro Cineform RGB 12-bit with alpha at maximum bit depth?

Since you listed mp4 last, will the above produce noticeably better images on screen projection, using a high quality projector?

[excited_Genie16B8]

OK, Laptops have pretty broad compatibility.

My preference would be a DNx file, playing from either VLC or PotPlayer.

[kdoc2]

Is it significantly better than the H265 or H264? Because in sharing the file, so many people would not be able to open that file.

Also, if i did generate an H264 or 265 for more general usage, which Premier presets would be preferred?

kdoc

[excited_Genie16B8 · Accepted solution]

If you're sharing it, H.264 in the MP4 container would probably have the best compatibility.  Pretty much any media player these days can handle it.

But now we're getting away from your original query, which was about quality.  You may have to choose which is more important here.

[kdoc2]

Quality versus versatility: YES, you're right! 

But I can turn out one at the highest quality for major showing, and also one as an mp4 to share with others for their computers or TV.

kdoc

[kdoc2]

Since I'll be using H.264 at least for general distribution, please explain the Preset settings in Premier under H.264.

1.Could it be that Match Source means that whatever the source Res is on each clip or image, that Res will be duplicated in Output?  I would assume that the output would be 1920x1080. So what does Match mean?

     a. for example, in my sequence is 1920x1080, and one image is 4000x2666 (or whatever), will the output of that image be 4000 x 2666 or 1920x1080?

     b, Similarly: if an image is 1000x700 how will that be outputed? Is it upscaled?

     c. There is also a "Match Source" button: Does that just duplicate the "Match" setting under Presets?

3. I assume I want High Bit Rate for maximal quality?

     a. Please also explain the "Adaptive" choice.

4. There is also a Preset: High Quality 1008p HD: How does using this differ from using one of the Match choices?

5.What about the use of Maximum Render Quality?

6. What is the optimal setting which also gives me a frame size which adjusts to the clip frame size continuously?

7. Where can i find the "Optimize Stills" setting?

If there's a good paper/explanation of all of this I'll be glad to read it.

Thank you very much.

kdoc

[R Neil Haugen]

"Match source" as far as I have seen means matching the source sequence settings ... period. A 1920x1080 sequence will have everything exported as it is in the sequence ... at 1920x1080.

The High Quality type presets deal with things like bit-rate settings. Sequences do not have bit-rates, so you can match source sequence but still have low bit-rate, or use a high bitrate.

Max Render Quality is concerning resizing especially, say the original sequence is 6k and you're exporting into 1920x1080, MRQ might get better say diagonal lines without jaggies. If you're not resizing from your sequence to the export, MRQ probably won't help and may slow things down and potentially add artifacts.

NOTHING passes the original clip frame-size to the export. Period. You put assets on a sequence, everything gets exported at those settings.

Neil

[kdoc2]

Thank you very much

what about the "Adaptive" choice under "Match"?

And one of the Help instructions speaks of "Optimize Stills" setting. I couldn't find this.

kdoc

[R Neil Haugen]

Not familiar with those two, actually.

Neil

[kdoc2]

I'm still a little in question. You say, "you put assets on a sequence, everything gets exported at those settings."  And also, "

Match source" as far as I have seen means matching the source sequence settings ... period. A 1920x1080 sequence will have everything exported as it is in the sequence ... at 1920x1080."

And yet, there are both Match presets and a Match Source Button. What am I not understanding? why would those need to exust uf everything matches anyway?

I'm not trying to be argumentative; simply trying to make sure i understand.  Thank you.

kdoc

[R Neil Haugen]

Hey, no problem. I tend to like to know the exact difference between things also, and though I've irritated a few people who don't think the precise details are important, well ... to my brain they are!

"Match Sequence Settings" is set to match the ​preview​ settings specified for that sequence, for frame-rate/size et al. Which is something a lot of people don't quite get. And good to know.

"Match Source" down in the Basic Video settings area matches to the source material ... but that has always seemed to match the sequence settings when I've had sequences with media of other frame-sizes on it. So if I've got 4k put on a 1080 timeline, "Match Source" matches to the 1080 timeline, not the 4k original clips.

Does that help?

Neil

(And if Ann, Jim, anyone want to jump in with more accurate/detailed info ... please!)

[kdoc2]

Neil wrote: ""Match Sequence Settings" is set to match the preview settings specified for that sequence, for frame-rate/size et al. "     So, since the sequence is 1920x1080, you're saying that the preset "Match Source" (the drop-down right under Format), , will output at 1920x1080---for all the images?-

And if one doesn't use either of those "Match" settings, are you saying that the still images in the sequence, mostly 4000x2666 will actually stay at this higher res ? --i.e. that I can get higher res than my sequence on many of the images?

kdoc

[R Neil Haugen]

Nope, in reality, you export a 1920x1080 sequence to 1920x1080, you get ... 1920x1080 everything.

Exports are designed to be simply played on standard players that wouldn't have a clue what to do with different sized sections of the program ... so for any export, the size of the exported media is always at the frame size.

Neil

[kdoc2]

So then, as far as the final mp4 product is concerned (at 1920x1080 in this case), insofar as the images (still and video) are concerned, what do the two "Match" settings do--I'm guessing from what you've said, "nothing."

kdoc

[R Neil Haugen]

Mostly ... they do link to some of the settings, but ... if you check through and make your own presets, well ... you won't be worrying about them.

Neil

[kdoc2]

Neil, it occurs to me that I still don't understand the difference between matching preview (matching sequence settings) and matching source (the button down below): how do they differ? I think you're saying that since the export always matches the sequence (1920x1080 in this case), there really is no difference? Is that correc?. Does one get the same results with choosing one or the other?

[R Neil Haugen]

Set the parameters for an export, most anything really ...  then click "match source" and see what it changes. I've never been exactly clear what that does, because it seems to sort of do some things from the source media and tries to fit it into the other export criteria ... but doesn't match some other things it seems like it might.

Rather than worry about those, I have my presets for some things, and others I quickly set the parameters I need.

Neil

[excited_Genie16B8]

Match Sequence Settings will include the codec.

The Match Source presets don't.

[kdoc2]

So, what is the value of having a contained codec? Is it mainly for faster processing?

kdoc

[excited_Genie16B8]

I don't know what you mean by "contained codec".

[kdoc2]

I'm asking from ignorance. You said in your previous post that, "Match Sequence Settings will include the codec." I'm asking what the value of the codec being included is?

[excited_Genie16B8]

None, really.  Which is why most of us regulars recommend you never use Match Sequence Settings.  It creates more problems than it solves, I think.