Upgrade to what? Here are v 16 release notes and they don’t seem relevant:

Released on 27 August 2018, Vegas Pro 16 has some new features including file backup, motion tracking, improved video stabilization, 360° editing and HDR support.

Is v 16 a must?

Not that I know , but I think you did not follow the link I gave you

Watch ;

what would you use to keep the original very high quality but compress to medium file size.

Try Handbrake. It is optimized to do just this. It is an encoder, not an editor.

Actually if we'd been pedantic, we would've advised him to update, not upgrade.

Actually if we'd been pedantic, we would've advised him to update, not upgrade.

Sorry, my fault. 😮😮
Of course I meant to update, like the video showed.

I'll update to this when I get back home on friday:

https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/forum/movie-studio-15-update-3-build-146-157--113687/

but, why am I updating? is there a new codec you recommend or are you saying that quality is higher in general in the new build?

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@musicvid: so handbrake seems to be a converter. should I first run the vids raw through handbrake into format x (which?) and then edit in vegas, and THEN render into something suitable (what?)?

but, why am I updating?

Generally, the updates (new builds) contain some/many important bug fixes and some/many added features.

sure. always update. however, not knowing anything about video editing and rendering, I was expecting the following sort of response: "use codec xyz (or whatever the renderers are called) at settings xyz for best results in making an iphone video into a respectable mp4". but, I guess this is not that simple, right?

@musicvid: so handbrake seems to be a converter. should I first run the vids raw through handbrake into format x (which?) and then edit in vegas, and THEN render into something suitable (what?)?

No, Handbrake is the destination.

what would you use to keep the original very high quality but compress to medium file size.

Thats what you still want, isn't it? That is the purpose for which i suggested Handbrake...

😲

if the video has a lot of motion scenes, the intel hevc I've been using starts to suck...........I'm on win10 64-bit, Movie Studio 15, build 116.

This is confusing me. AFAIK that is a plain Movie Studio build.
With me that version does not have the Intel HEVC codec.

My Platinum version has

 

I was expecting the following sort of response: "use codec xyz (or whatever the renderers are called) at settings xyz for best results in making an iphone video into a respectable mp4". but, I guess this is not that simple, right?

When we don't know exactly with what version of the software you are working, it is very difficult to give a simple advice.
Because with me the in VMS Platinum there is a big difference between the velocity of the renders Intel and Magix HEVC with both the nearly te same result.

Build 116 is a VMS 15 Platinum build (update 1).

I think I'm now up to date: Movie Studio 15.0 Platinum: version 15, build 157. correct? at least the updater did not do anything.

@musicvid I plan to use Vegas for editing and effects. If handbrake is the destination, how do I prepare the edited file for it in Vegas?

By rendering a lossless digital intermediate in Vegas and encoding for delivery in Handbrake.

https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/forum/uncompressed-vs-sony-yuv-vs-magic-yuv-the-shootout--113650/

This will give you a worthy comparison of how well your motion video holds up with different codecs.. Handbrake also supports hardware encoders, which I would avoid if quality is the primary goal.

hi all,

I've been rendering iphone movies (1920x1080x59,96) to mp4 with variable success.

That's because your iPhone recordings are variable framerate.

I gather you want to edit your iPhone movies in VMS then export as mp4.

Personally I'd go a different route and convert the iPhone files in Handbrake and use the Handbrake mp4 files in VMS. You then shouldn't have any problems exporting in mp4 from VMS. If you want guidance on Handbrake settings tell us the bitrate of your iPhone files.

Lastly you haven't told us the intended destination of your edited production. Is it for TV viewing, pc viewing or YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook etc?

ok now here's something my puny brain can understand, tx!
Step 1. take out iphone videos from iphone
Step 2. convert raw in handbrake
Step 3. edit in vms
Step 4. render from VMS into mp4 or something else more suitable (is another format preferred?).

the target audience is just relatives watching vids of a two year old. however, the videos are edited quite a lot and there's soundtrack etc so not just random candid camera takes warranting random treatment.

so far I have wanted to keep the filesize 100 megs per minute. if this is not achievable, I'm very happy to say triple it. I prefer high quality "for the future generations".
 

Mp4 is okay and 100 mb/min is around 14,000 mbps bitrate using ac3 audio, according to a quick calculation. So achievable. But what bitrate are your iPhone files?

this is the info I get from windows right click details: 1920x1080, data rate: 5198kbps, total bitrate: 5298kbps, frame rate 59,96 fps. do you need more info and how can I get it?

We come very close to a good advice when you deliver this all under B ( without pt. 5) and this for the MediaInfo.

5198kbps, total bitrate: 5298kbps,

If this is your true file bitrate then you are recording at a low bitrate which could be part of your problems with fast movement when rendering. What other options does your iPhone have for recording settings?

iphone7 has very few options: 1) 720p HD at 30 fps, 2) 1080p at 30 fps, or 3) 1080p at 60 fps, or 4) 4K at 30 fps. I have been using 1080/60.