Hi, I’m wondering what would be the best file type and codec to render in if I want clips that will be compatible for import to Final Cut Pro X.
That’s my basic question.
Read on for the more detailed version…
I’m noticing color discrepancies where for example .mov renders with duller colors, yet .avi preserves the true colors.
Obviously .mov is more compatible, but that doesn’t matter if I can’t get accurate colors.
Sometimes .mov is either all black or not playable at all - for example if I choose certain codecs.
I tried the MPEG-4 option too, but instead of producing an .mp4 file it made an .avi with the MPEG-4 codec.
I agree with the PNG format. Exporting as an image sequence instead of a movie file has the added benefit that when blender crashes during rendering, you don’t need to to re-render from the beginning but just from the frame where blender crashed.
That is the result of H264 compression. You can always re-color correct in Final Cut. When I work with H264 footage (not in Blender) I tend to do this automatically. The AVI file is probably using another codec which preserves the color a bit more.
Duller colors in your ‘movs’ is probably about the levels range and color matrix you’re encoding with and the interpretation of those levels and matrix in FCP. Not compression related, btw mov is just a container it depends what codec you put in it.
Your ‘avi’ again just a container, depends what codec you put in it, could well be RGB in an avi so different ball game compared to, for example h264.
mp4, avi, mov, mkv are all containers that can store h264, just that support in FCP or whatever app for any codec / container combination is better than others, which is as you say why you see black frames.
If you’re rendering 3D stuff then really go with .png image sequences.
Image sequences render with a sequential number so the name of the file you choose then a _0001.png etc.
FCP should be able to detect that an image sequence exists and import it simply by choosing the first image in the sequence.
It’s probably best to create folders and sub folders to render your image sequences into per scene or shot as they soon become unwieldly without some organization and folder / file browsing / thumbnail creation in your file manager can really drag, so suggest splitting them into suitable folders.
Duller colors in your ‘movs’ is probably about the levels range and color matrix you’re encoding with and the interpretation of those levels and matrix in FCP. Not compression related
I disagree. It is related to using H264. It is a lossy codec. The numbers 264 actually tell you how much hue saturation and chroma the codec supports. 2 means less color, 6 means more saturation. That is why professional editors in Final Cut use ProRes 444 as their preferred storage codec, equal parts of everything. H264 is a delivery codec, not an editing or archival codec.
Quicktime Pro will also convert an image sequence to any supported codec that is installed on your system.
h264 can be lossy but it has many profiles including lossless 10bit 444.
x264 supports many of these including 444, RGB and 10bit varieties.
The numbers 264 actually tell you how much hue saturation and chroma the codec supports. 2 means less color, 6 means more saturation.
Sounds like total BS, but who gives a sh-t how it got its name, it’s academic. h264 supports xvYCC extended gamut which is wider than most consumer displays in fact many struggle to display sRGB gamut extents. And if it’s going to P3 or better then h264 won’t be in the workflow so what’s the point of your comment.
h264 even 8bit 4:2:0 BT Rec709 YCbCr is a wider color space than 8bit RGB and can hold greater saturated colors than 8bit sRGB can hold or display resulting in clipped RGB channels when converting from evenly mildly saturated h264. Need to go to 32bit float to hold 8bit YCbCr and use a wide gamut to hold even 4:2:0 8bit YCbCr.
It’s the RGB -> YCC -> RGB conversion choices that make a bright colorful image turn dull not the compression. Otherwise we’d all have really dull jpg’s out our cheapo cameras wouldn’t we?
There’s no shortage of nasty over saturated high contrast 4:2:0 h264 about on Youtube.
That is why professional editors in Final Cut use ProRes 444 as their preferred storage codec, equal parts of everything. H264 is a delivery codec, not an editing or archival codec.
ProRes is good and used extensively yes, but no one mentioned anything about storage and archive, different discussion. OP asked how to get a animation out of blender and into FCP.
What anyone chooses to use for editing, delivering and archiving is upto them, I haven’t suggested using h264.
Quicktime Pro will also convert an image sequence to any supported codec that is installed on your system.
And…
The downside would be not being able to play back the image sequence in Finder or other apps. Only can Quick Look one image at a time. Would always have to import to FCP to view the animation.
Unless there’s an easy way to tell Blender to load and play back a series of stills?
Hadn’t ever heard of ProRes 444 until now. Thanks!
Nice! Might use this workflow to create .mov files first, then bring them into FCP. Would eliminate having to deal with heaps of stills, as mentioned above.