using h.265 files for archived animation?

[Brit.b]

I transfer my files out to Da Vinci Resolve (until Premiere gets a decent temporal noise reduction effect) and back to Premiere. I render my animations as jpeg files. But the output from Resolve as a jpeg sequence is, for some reason, very noisy (and 1 GB) from a tiff sequence. However, when trying the output/delivery using h.265 (at its highest quality 80,000 kbs, CBR), it works well. It plays smoothly and without noise... and it is only 148 MBs. But I’m nervous about the tiny file size, which is far smaller than the noisy jpeg sequence... Will it have enough information for the final output render in Premiere (a lower bitrate h.265) as compared to rendering out as a jpeg sequence, 7 times the MB size as the h.265 file?

[Kevin-Monahan · Accepted solution]

Hey there @Brit.b,

It sounds like you’re dealing with a tricky situation!

To start, it's not recommended but you may want to try h.265 as an intermediate codec as a test to see if it is adequate for your needs. It is quite possible, especially if your source is 4K and you are scaling to HD for delivery. You are compressing the movie twice by doing this, however, just so you are aware.

Here are some insights and potential solutions based on community discussions and Adobe’s documentation I tracked down for you if maintaining the utmost quality is more important to you:

1. File Size and Quality Concerns: It’s understandable to be concerned about the smaller file size of the h.265 output compared to an image sequence. TIFF and PNG image sequences can get large but should maintain lossless quality. They are commonly used in certain collaborative workflows where lossless quality must be maintained. The h.265 codec is usually used as a delivery codec, not an intermediate codec you edit with. Again, though not recommended, you could give it a try and see the results.
2. Noise in JPEG Sequence: The noise you see in the JPEG sequence could be due to the compression settings or how Resolve handles the TIFF to JPEG conversion. TIFF is uncompressed, JPEG is not. This wouldn't be a recommended workflow for editing intermediate files. I'd prefer a video codec that can preserve high quality and be more of a pleasure to edit with.
3. Using h.265 for Intermediate Files: While h.265 is great for final delivery due to its compression efficiency, it’s not typically recommended for intermediate files to edit with because it strays from a high-quality lossless workflow, and is more difficult to edit with smoothly. These are the formats I'd recommend.
4. Alternative Intermediate Formats: If you’re still concerned about the quality, consider using a different intermediate video format like ProRes 422, 4444 or the higher qualities offered by Avid DNxHR. These formats are designed to maintain high quality with manageable file sizes, are easy to edit with, and are widely used in professional workflows.

Other users might have faced similar issues and could offer valuable advice. They should respond here. Additionally, checking Adobe’s help documentation and knowledge base can provide more detailed guidance on export settings ....

Regarding hard drive space: In general, editors editing and exchanging high quality formats want to have a lot of high-speed storage for handling large (sometimes huge) intermediate files to deliver the highest quality possible to clients and colleagues (for hand offs). Once you deliver these files, with the master files in hand (TIFF Image Sequences, for example), the large intermediate files can safely be deleted. Exporting using intermediate codecs also has many advantages, like smart rendering, but that's outside the scope of this conversation.

I hope these suggestions help you find a solution for your project. If you have any more questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask. Good luck with your editing!

Thanks,
Kevin

[Brit.b · Accepted solution]

Thank you. This was very helpful. I can't find Pro Res, but I rendered it as a DNxHR file, which came in at a better quality than the H. 265. I also rendered it as a  JPEG.mov file which was much better than the JPEG sequence (as individual frames) but not as clear and bright as the DNxHR file. The original compressed Tiff sequence was about 5.1 GB. The DNxHR was 2.8 GB. The JPEG .mov was 850 MB. DNxHR appears to be the way to go. 

[Kevin-Monahan]

Great idea. Thanks for letting us know what worked best.

Cheers,
Kevin