Mixing 8-bit and 10-bit footage on the timeline

Craig-Rogers wrote on 12/1/2025, 1:49 PM

Hi all,

I've recently upgraded my aging, but always adored DJI Phantom (if it wasn't for failing batteries and EU airspace rules, I'd keep going) to a DJI Mavic 4 Pro. So I'm looking into taking the advantage of the capturing footage in LOG. This is all good when I will create my drone-only shoots, but I also produce Real Estate videos and the ground camera is a Nikon D850. So until now, everything has been easy; 8 bit video. Of course, I'm stuck with 8 bit on the D850 (I to run it through Topaz AI Video to convert to ProRes because Vegas has always hated H.264 from any Nikon I've used). So the issue I have is that I need to mix 8-bit footage and 10-bit footage. I was just wondering what anyone else has done in this instance. I am using the DJI Tech LUT to convert the LOG to Rec.709.

If I switch to 32-bit (Full), the ProRes converted D850 files get way over saturated.

So I just keep my project set at 8-bit (Full) and take the chance that I may get banding?

The render down will be at 8-bit 4K.

For info, I'm using V23 and I have a 10-bit monitor, but it's not HDR.

Comments

RogerS wrote on 12/1/2025, 5:07 PM

Generally I would say edit in 8 bit full and render with 32 bit full/view transform off. However with 23 you run into a ProRes bug. I'm sure it will be solved but in the meantime use 22, convert to a different format like MagicYUV or accept some risk of banding?

Craig-Rogers wrote on 12/5/2025, 12:27 PM

Thanks Roger, although I don't seem to have any issues with V23 and ProRes, but I am using 422 Proxy files, isn't the issue only with 4444?

RogerS wrote on 12/5/2025, 4:48 PM

I thought you wrote you were having issues with ProRes and 32 bit mode. If the 422 files work well there's no problem with this workflow.

Craig-Rogers wrote on 12/5/2025, 6:54 PM

No, I'm using a mixture of 8 bit ProRes (which has been converted to 4K from the original h.264 1080 in Topaz) and 10 bit log h.265

RogerS wrote on 12/5/2025, 7:50 PM

ProRes itself is greater than 8 bit but I think you mean 8 bit footage converted to ProRes 422. There's no point to 4444 given the source.

You'd benefit from the 32 bit precision for the log transform.