We just did a Viper shoot to test the difference between uncompressed, HDCAM-SR and CineForm compression. Looking for some keying skills to test out the different images. Please see the post on my blog for more info : http://cineform.blogspot.com
Oopps! I thought dpx was generic this days (they are uncompressed 10-bit RGB files.) Load them in AE or Photoshop, and save them out as Targas (TGA files.)
Photoshop Elements is not full Photoshop by a wide margin, and that's why it is less than one fifth of the cost.
It is actually very common to use Photoshop as an adjunct tool for advanced video work, but that wouldn't normally include Photoshop Elements, especially not PS Elements 2 which is lacking key features such as the easy masking tool that is in PSE 4.
Yes, I was talking about using the full Photoshop. DPX files are now standard for film scan or film exports -- Vegas should add support. These are 10-bit files so you need a higher-end imaging tool (rather than the lite versions of Photoshop) to open them.
BEST---Viper2..........best color and definition
2nd-----Viper4...........close to best in color lost just a little definition
3rd------Viper3...........noticeable blending of pixel colors
4th------Viper1........... similar to #3 with just a bit more lost definition
I won't say if Michael has any right or wrong, would others like to try. I'm collecting statics on users ability to tell compressed from uncompressed. If you are interested in playing, please email me your conclusions.
And my revised/second guess about the images were correct, although I cheated.
To figure out the HDCAM image, you throw it in Photoshop and use the difference composite mode. The HDCAM image is the one where the noise is in blocks.
To figure out the non-greenscreen Cineform, it's the one with more red and blue noise than green noise/difference. We're more sensitive to errors in the green channel, so that's why Cineform to optimized for better performance in green.
2- If the images were given in isolation (i.e. you can't compare them to one another), then I think it would be impossible to tell the difference.
i.e. CF shooting scene A.
CF greenscreen shooting scene B
uncompressed shooting scene C
HDCAM SR shooting scene D