Getting a clean mov export for Davinci Resolve from Premiere CS6.

[Guest]

Hi,  I'm using Premiere SC6 on windows 7, 64bit with m2t HDV video files.  I've tried every export codec but when I import the exported file back into Premiere, and compare it with the original, there is always some quality loss.  I'm just wondering what other people are doing about getting a decent export?

Thanks for any help.

[Harm_Millaard]

Every export to a compressed format causes a generation loss. The only way to avoid that is to export uncompressed or to a visually lossless format like UT or Lagarith.

[Guest]

I have tried all the codecs, including uncompressed, but there is still quality loss.  How would I use UT or Lagarith in Premiere?

[Harm_Millaard]

How did you export to uncompressed? Please give as much details as you can.

[Guest]

I have an m2t (HDV) file on the timeline, then File - Export:

Format: Quicktime.

Video Codec: Uncompressed YUV 8 bit 4:2:2 (also tried 10 bit).

Basic Video Settings: 1920 x 1080.

Field Order: tried all three (upper, lower and progressive) (progressive gave the best result.)

Aspect: Square Pixels.

Frame rate: 25.

Render at Maximum depth: tried both ticked and not ticked.

Advanced Settings: all default (nothing ticked).

Bitrate Settings: no limit on data rate.

Use Maximum Render Quality: ticked.

Thanks Harm.

[Harm_Millaard]

Format: Quicktime.

Forget about QuiRcktime, use AVI (uncompressed). Never use QuiRcktime on a Windows machine if you can avoid it. Not only does it cause serious gamma shifts, but it also robs PR from its 64 bit nature, reverting to 32 bit processing.

[Guest]

I have tried AVI(uncompressed), with all the variations, and that still gives loss of quality.  The problem is I need mov output for Resolve, as that's the only thing it will take.

Thanks.

[Jeff Bellune]

Don't use "Uncompressed". When you select the Quicktime codec, choose

"None". The Uncompressed flavors are for use with third-party hardware

like Aja or BlackMagic.

[Guest]

I have tried 'None' Jeff.  It looks the same as' Uncompressed'. Thanks anyway.

[Guest]

Acctually my last comment is not true, as Resolve does take mxf, cin, ari, dpx, r3d and some others of that ilk.

But I've just tried exporting mxf from Premiere and I'm dammed if I can see any difference on importing.  So it looks like that might do the job, as long as Resolve makes it look decent on export.

Thanks for your help Harm.  I probably could do with finding a way to export AVI without quality loss though.

[excited_Genie16B8]

I have tried AVI(uncompressed), with all the variations, and that still gives loss of quality.

I question that observation.  How are you determining the loss of quality?

[Guest]

Just tried it again Jeff and its still poor.  I'm importing the avi back into Premiere, putting it on the timeline, zooming in and switching between the import and the original clip.

[excited_Genie16B8]

Can you post a screen shot?

[Guest]

Seems the mxf types from premiere arn't supported by Resolve, although tiff and cineon are which means working with strings of files.  I'll get a screen shot sorted Jim.  Thanks.

[ECBowen]

Which MXF's did you try? The DNxHD MXF is what it supports. BTW an export option to Cinema DNG would be real nice for this and other workflows. Hint Hint Adobe

Eric

ADK

[Guest]

Resolve supports DNxHD but Premiere CS6 only has MXF OP1a with presets: DV2, IMX and XDCAMHD.  I used the XDCAMHD preset, as the others are not high def.

[ECBowen]

Download and install this http://avid.force.com/pkb/articles/en_US/Download/en423319

I believe the DNxHD is under the QuickTime list

Eric

ADK

[Guest]

Thanks for that link ECBowen.  That Avid DNxHD codec has done the trick as far as Resolve is concered.  There is no perceptable difference between the image in Premiere of the original and the image in Resolve.  And no difference between the DNxHD and a Premiere exported tiff sequence imported into Resolve.  The great advantage of the DNxHD is of course that it's all in one file (as opposed to hundreds or thousdands of tiffs!) and the sound track is there.

[shooternz]

DPX is pretty standard to use in CC applications such as Resolve and Speedgrade.

[Greg Baber]

We are always looking at which codecs people are using and which we should include. 

Hint Hint works alot better here -- https://www.adobe.com/cfusion/mmform/index.cfm?name=wishform

[Guest]

Greg: shall I start a new thread there?

Jim: here are the screen shots:

   Original from timeline.

   Uncomp AVI, Codec-UYVY

   Uncomp AVI, Codec-None

[Greg Baber]

I was just giving out our feature request link for those people asking for additional codecs. 

[excited_Genie16B8]

Jim: here are the screen shots:

Very strange.

Try this.  Export out a TIFF, Targa, PNG or other lossless image file format of the same frame from each clip; original and Uncompressed.  Bring those stills into Photoshop and use the eyedropper on the same section of image.  I'm curious what the numbers will show.

[Guest]

Hi Jim,

Right, I exported the original capture and the uncompressed AVI export as two tiff files and took them into Photoshop.  I chose a mid-luminance green area on the leaf and eye-droppered it. Here are the results:

Original: R:111, G:150, B:91, Y:79%

AVI:        R:111, G:150, B:90, Y:80%

Here are the histograms for each:

   original

   AVI

Thanks,

Steve.

[Harm_Millaard]

I wonder if these differences are large enough to notice. Sure there are marginal differences, but since figures are presented as integers, I wonder if the internal reporting might be something like B: 90.51 versus 90.49 and Y: 79.49 and 79.51 and thus too small to notice. Notice these figures might also be B: 91.49 versus 89.51 and Y: 78.51 versus 80.49. I do think these figures differ so little as to have no discernible impact on the picture quality.