Suggested workflow for Premiere CS5 with Canon EOS 7D?

[Nikolaj Marquez von Hage]

I intend to mainly use my Canon EOS 7D camera for shooting. Anyone has a suggested workflow all the way from importing (from camera to computer) to exporting from Premiere? There are many codecs and formats to choose from when exporting.

Also, how valuable will Cineforms NeoScene be? I have a Core i7 computer. Will using NeoScene improve results when color correcting, for example?

Very thankful for any suggestions.

[Tim Kolb]

The DSLR's native footage is 8 bit...CS5 can handle it in its native form, but converting to CineForm will both give you 10 bit color precision for making smoother adjustments (it won't magically add palette precision to the original footage of course), and it should make response on the timeline a bit snappier...

Make sure you've done sufficient audio tests with the 7D to know if you want dual-system sound. That does add a wrinkle in PPro as it doesn't read frame code on audio clips...

[Nikolaj Marquez von Hage]

OK, thanks. Maybe Neoscene is a good investment then.

Could you tell me about a suggested workflow when it comes to formats? Or will importing and exporting to/from Premiere be in Cineforms format wrapped as AVI?

[Rich Perry]

I would convert everything to cineform and use the AVI wrapper. You can use batch convert everything to cineform I think via neoscene and HDlink and then import / export as you normally would into premier. You may want to download the 15 day trial to test it out.

[Tim Kolb]

I'm not sure I grasp your entire meaning when you say 'a suggested workflow when it comes to formats'.

As Rich points out, the source material converts to CineForm codec and you edit with that.

I's also check out the CineForm workflows with First Light... color correction and 'look' (like Magic Bullet Looks) kind of control, but at the decode level...PPro doesn't have to apply primary color correction as it's applied as the clip decodes...for no added overhead.

Also...your First Light adjustments now play back in anything you access the clip with...Windows Media Player, QT Player, Media Encoder...whatever.

Some of the most innovative technology in our field...

(Disclaimer: I've done some work with CineForm and yeah...I'm a fan...it's good stuff.)

[Nikolaj Marquez von Hage]

The price difference between NeoScene (doesn't include First Light) and NeoHD (includes it) is significant.

I'm not using RAW files. My source is, as you pointed out, 8 bit to begin with. Does that mean I won't benefit from First Light so much?

Are First Light color correction tools available inside Premiere?

Or maybe I should just download the trial instead of taking your time.

Thanks a lot for the help so far.

[Tim Kolb]

Once you convert to CineForm, you'd have more precision...10 bits.

Sure, there are color correction tools in PPro.

It's a matter of what makes sense to you.