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5DtoRGB for GH2 - advantages vs disadvantages?
  • 376 Replies sorted by
  • kholikholi
    10 minute sequences, or 10 minute FCP project files. I've got a pretty decent Mac Workstation (although it's time for an upgrade REALLY soon here) but when we get into large projects spanning 60 minutes plus, which is very often for us, it creates issues with our XSan server and managing render files specifically.

    It's pretty common to have a number of working reels in certain environments, or FCP project files, so that you can keep all of the noise organized.

    I suppose you could do it with sequences, but it also helps when accessing the project from a drive to have the 10 minute reels as separate projects. Read-write access times go down, because FCP isn't trying to look at sequences that you don't actually have open.

    So, you may want to organize your project first, then create a number of duplicates of it for each reel before you begin editing the first.
    And of course, always save multiple versions of each in a vault.
  • taktak
    @kholi ,thanks, ill give it try using multiple versions. Would you re process the files as ProRes or just leaving them as HQ ?
  • kholikholi
    If your system can handle the HQ, might as well leave it at HQ at this point. Otherwise, yeah you might want to drop down to LT 720P to see how your system handles it.
  • proaudio4proaudio4
    I echo Chris's question above "Has anybody compared 5DtoRGB to NEOScene?"

    I'm wondering the same thing?
  • thougts2ukthougts2uk

    Hi there, I just tried converting some GH2 footage using both the 1.5.4 (windows 32bit) and the 1.5.6b (windows 64bit versions). The results are strikingly different. The 1.5.4 version appears to provide a very flat image which is very different to the original MTS while the 1.5.6b version is much closer to the original MTS, though I haven't looked at the scopes or done any color correcting yet to see which one holds up better during the grade.

    Has anyone else had this experience? Be interesting to hear your comments.

  • stoneystoney

    No idea why they don't make 5DtoRGB as a codec plug-in for FCPX, PP, SVP, Avid, etc. Then we can sync dual-system audio, trim a section, then queue to transcode. It will simplify workflow and shorten transcoding hours.

  • kholikholi

    FCP is the problem. It needs to be a standalone app to work properly, similar to why GlueTools is stand alone.

    My issue right now is with the new Batch update and not just having the 1.8 Gamma built in as an option... making things a headache...

  • MorphoVMorphoV

    Here is a python script that allows to perform batch processing with 5DtoRGB. The original script was found at http://www.noside.fr/5dtorgb-batch/ and modified to work with GH2's .mts files.

    5dtorgb-batch-v1.5b.command.zip
    3K
  • RafaRafa

    @Tak With 5DtoRGB you get QT files ready to edit. No point of L&T. You use L&T for non QT files. BTW, with the PANASONIC AVCCAM Importer there is not need any more of L&T or ClipWrap. Direct import to FC.

    @cbrandin: All the formats out of 5DtoRGB (at least on Mac) are Intraframe. You must use BT.709 for the GH2. Read this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SRGB

    @Stonebat; As Khole wrote FC is the problem. In RGB is limited to 8b rendering (10bFP in 10b YUV).

  • Nityananda_SCSMathNityananda_SCSMath

    Any news on spanning files? Clipwrap converts to a single prores .mov file from 3 files (00000.MTS, 00001.MTS, 00002.MTS) but I don't see how to get 5DtoRGB to do this.

  • Donnie88Donnie88

    Can we confirm the settings that will bring out the best quality files? Am I using the settings considered to bring about the best results without losing much quality?:

    Output format: ProRes 4444

    Decoding Matrix: ITU-R BT .601

    Gamma Flagging: 1.8 (flatter)

    Post-processing: None

    Chroma Mode: Default

  • MeierhansMeierhans

    In my experience prores4444 is really overkill on 420 footage. You will not see any difference to 422HQ. Decoding matrix should be 709 afaik. I've red about gamma 1.8 that it basicly raises black levels, thus making the footage look flatter, while there is no real gain. Not completly sure about that, you should test it.

  • Donnie88Donnie88

    @Meirhans - Damn, I've been using ITU-R BT .601 for decoding matrix. Will put it on 709 afaik from now on - does it make a significant difference?

  • shianshian

    @Meierhans if you pixel peep, there is a difference in data rate, and marked difference when working with 444 vs 422 in 32 bit color. It's not noticeable at first blush, but when you start really bending the footage, you'll see that the 444 holds up much better than 422. (This is from experience using 5DtoRGB to convert GH2 files...not conjecture)

  • MeierhansMeierhans

    I must admit its a while ago that I transcoded, now I just trow the clips into Premiere, cut them, then move over to After Effects and render out with just one recompression (not advisable with anything below CS 5.5 due to the old chromasampling bug).

    Some stupid question:

    I just needed spanning first time, so I did a little test with Flow Motion 1080i Low. I thought I could just trow the clips into Premiere timeline and they would fit, but its missing some frames in between. How do you merge the different clips without loosing a frame?

  • FrameFrame

    MorphoV, you are my hero! The old script did not work with 5DtoRGB 1.5.3b . 5DtoRGB did quit on flattening the resulting Quicktime movie. Now, with this this sript, 5DtoRGB 1.5.3b works like charm! All the best, Frame

  • gh2_347gh2_347

    When using 5DtoRGB to transcode HBR footage should the frame rate be set to 30 or 29.97

  • gh2_347gh2_347

    Additionally when I open the MTS file in 5DtoRGB the Chroma Mode automatically switches from default to interlaced. I thought HBR was a progressive format. Any help would be appreciated.

  • alcomposeralcomposer

    @gh2_347 HBR is PsF (Progressive Segmented Frames) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_segmented_frame

  • gh2_347gh2_347

    Thanks @alcomposer so does that mean I should leave the 5DtoRGB Chroma Mode set to interlaced? So if its a noob question.

  • gh2_347gh2_347

    Thats... sorry if its a noob question

  • alcomposeralcomposer

    I believe that 5DTORGB does this correctly at the default settings (interlaced for i material)... I know that Clipwrap does PsF correctly as well...

  • krxzkrxz

    I have a question to ClipWrap users out there-

    Having read through lots of topics related to editing GH2's footage, one thing I do not really get is the workflow using ClipWrap.

    Are you actually just using the Rewrap and editing AVCHD files in mov containers in FCP (FCP7 quite understandably gives the red bar for me in this case)? Or do you convert to ProRes? If so, then why not use Log & Transfer? I just did some tests and it seems to me that FCP's L&T gives exactly the same result as ClipWrap's conversion to ProRes. Having used L&T for quite a while now, I find it quite weird that alternative to the extra time and space-consuming 5DtoRGB workflow seems to be ClipWrap, not L&T. Am I missing something?

  • Brian202020Brian202020

    ClipWrap: ClipWrap rewraps the .MTS files to .MOV files for native editing. When reading/editing the files can slow down some computers. The files can be read on any Mac or PC.

    AVCCAM Importer Plugin: The Panasonic AVCCAM Importer plugin for Mac (free) makes it so .MTS files can be read by QuickTime natively without rewrapping. This includes any program that use QuickTime to read footage like FCP6/7, MPEG Streamclip, or Compessor. Side note: when the AVCCAM Importer Plugin is used in conjunction with MPEG Streamclip or Compressor, you can transcode to any codec you want, if you want. When reading/editing the native .MTS files, it can slow down some computers. The native .MTS files can only be read on any Mac with this plugin installed.

    L&T via FCP6/7: Log & Tramsfer via FCP6/7 transcodes the footage to ProRes422 with QuickTime running in the background. This is better performance than native editing. There are a lot of issues when going this route, Quicktime doesn't translate all the highlights and lowlights properly, and also adds noise. Look at 5DtoRGB's website for more details on this.

    FCPX: FCPX can read and edit the .MTS files natively by automatically rewrapping to .MOV during the copy prosses. You can still transcode to ProRes422 for better performance as well. This can even be done in the middle of an edit. It'll automatically replace your files in the edit once converted. Very slick. FCPX does not use QuickTime for the transcode it uses AV Foundation. This means the transcoded media is identical quality as the .MTS files, just better performance. Transcoding via FCPX is miles better than FCP6/7 transcoded media. Transcoding is fast.

    5DtoRGB: 5DtoRGB transcodes AVCHD and H.264 files to any flavor of ProRes, even 4444 if you like. The Windows version even transcodes to more formats. It does not use QuickTime for the transcode so the clips are nice and clean just like FCPX, but it also smooths the chroma. You could argue that the transcoded media is even better than the original media. Look at the 5DtoRGB website for more details on this. Slow transcode times.

    My opinion is if you have the time to wait, transcoding via 5DtoRGB will get you the best performance in the edit (because of transcoding) as well as the best image quality (because of the chroma smoothing). I try use 5DtoRGB for all my GH2 and all my non externally recorded AF100 footage if I can. If you don't have the time for 5DtoRGB, editing via FCPX is the next best since you can edit native and/or transcode to a clean identical quality as the original footage. Even transcode in the middle of an edit.

  • ttancredittancredi

    @brian202020 Thanks for summing up. Is it possible to transcode via 5DtoRGB without messing with gamma or anything else that makes the Image looks different? That is, in situations where grading is not necessary is 5dtorgb usable?

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