[Chris Campbell] "Could you expand on what you mean by Log and Transfer throwing away too much data? "
Hi Chris!
We do a lot of RED work for broadcast so most of our deliverables are in 1080 or 720 depending on the client and project. I have done a lot of tests in order to give my clients the best colored and finished product. We've tested bad, mediocre, good and excellent RED footage shot with RED lenses, prime lenses, etc, etc.
On our side by side conversions comparisons using different methods including Red Cine, Red Alert, Red Rushes and FCP Log and Transfer, the worse looking results have been done in FCP. These results compare to the Red apps using Quarter Res or Half Res Standard. That is why the conversions in FCP are done so fast.
To give you an example, 4K down to HD using FCP or Half Res Standard goes really quick because it throws away a lot of info/data needed for detailed color and finishing. Most of the time, if you closely analyze the converted footage, you will see blockiness and a major loss of detail in the footage but specially in the highlights and shadows. The mids also suffer from lack of detail.
If you use any of the Red apps Full Res conversion, all those problems are gone and you get back a lot of data that can be greatly pushed in color correction or compositing. The results are night and day. Now, the trick is that it takes forever to do Full Res conversions even with today's fastest Mac Pro. 4K to 1080HD has a ratio of 17:1 - 20:1. Plan a 24hr day just to convert 1hr of footage.
Don't get me wrong, I do use FCP Log and Transfer but only for offline. I would never give my clients any finished project converted through FCP. I spend the time and resources to deliver Red footage that only has been converted at Full Res.
That is one of the reasons why we are setting up a dedicated Mac Pro with a Red Rocket in about two to three weeks. We will be able to convert any resolution Red footage to SD, HD or DPX in real-time (1:1 ratio) at Full Res saving 19 hrs of processing time.
We will also provide the service not only to the projects we work on but also to any clients in need of quality conversions. Most of our clients are indie producers... so the rate will be amazingly low.
Hope this helps...
Stuart Ferreyra
Timecode Multimedia
Colorist / Post Supervisor
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