Comments

robwood wrote on 9/20/2013, 3:41 PM
use h264.

if the option is available, select constant frame-rate (variable frame-rate won't playback in most NLE's) .
NormanPCN wrote on 9/20/2013, 5:08 PM
AVC (H.264) will give you the smallest file size for any given resolution and given visual quality (bitrate). Bitrate determines the size of your file regardless of resolution. The lower the bitrate the lower the visual quality.

DNxHD is a very high bitrate codec.
musicvid10 wrote on 9/20/2013, 5:35 PM
Mpeg-2 is quicker to render, always playable, and has quite reasonable compression. For previewing, I use nothing else.
JHendrix2 wrote on 9/20/2013, 6:01 PM
right i am doing a .264 render now and its taking forever. what preset is the best if you want to do mpeg-2 in a 1920 HD project?
musicvid10 wrote on 9/20/2013, 7:13 PM
I generally render 720p HDV. It's good enough for all my previewing.
Goes fast compared to AVC.
Laurence wrote on 9/20/2013, 11:47 PM
It's been well over a year since I've rendered out to anything other than XDcam .MP4. The quality is outstanding, the files are relatively compact, and they can be shrunk in Handbrake perfectly for Youtube or Vimeo delivery. As much as I've tried to see a quality difference between XDcam .MP4 and Cineform or DNxHD, I simply can't. My eyes aren't that good.
Grazie wrote on 9/21/2013, 2:08 AM
Nice Laurence. Pragmatic and to the point. I just used it on a 20 second clip and the quality appears the same as the original, bit already 20% off the size. Like it, thanks Laurence.

Grazie