Cineform ? at DVinfo.net

Don Bazley · April 8th, 2010, 08:42 AM

I'm sure this is going to be considered a goofy question but...

I got the trial version of Cineform and it does seem to make the files easier to edit with. However, I was surprised to find that the files created by Cineform are TWICE the size of the original files that came from the 7D. Is that normal?

I am also wondering if it is OK to dump the files from my 7D into my Premier time line and export them as M2 files and use that resulting video file for editing. I did this for a recent project and it seemed to work fine. Afterward I found myself wondering "Why bother with Cineform?". I assume I may be missing something here so I am posting to see what others think. Thoughts, comments... ?

Jerry Porter · April 8th, 2010, 09:07 AM

Do some color grading to the native 7D files and then do the same to the Cineform files and the difference will become apparent very quickly.

Don Bazley · April 8th, 2010, 09:24 AM

Thanks Jerry. I'll try a test to compare.

I wonder how it would go if I did color correction on the M2 I created from the raw files. I put all my 7D clips in the Premier timeline, exported that big file to M2 and then imported that M2 into Premier and used that for editing.

I will play around more with this stuff as soon as I get a chance. For now I appreciate the input. Thanks.

Marc Brackhahn · April 8th, 2010, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerry Porter

Do some color grading to the native 7D files and then do the same to the Cineform files and the difference will become apparent very quickly.

Which one should be better?

Jerry Porter · April 8th, 2010, 10:28 AM

Cineform will be much better. When you use it, and one of the main reasons I still do, is it converts the clips to 4:2:2 color. Then put those clips into First Light and you can really push the color around. When I shoot with my 7D I use a very flat picture profile just for this reason. It saves the codec in the camera from being over taxed and lets me do what I want in post.

Noa Put · April 8th, 2010, 10:31 AM

"Which one should be better?"
Jerry was refering to the realtime editing capabilities with cineform I think, even on a modest system it's possible to collor correct and still preview in realtime while native 7d with color correction will surely get even very fast pc's on their knees.

Norman Pogson · April 8th, 2010, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don Bazley

I got the trial version of Cineform and it does seem to make the files easier to edit with. However, I was surprised to find that the files created by Cineform are TWICE the size of the original files that came from the 7D. Is that normal?

The 7D files are heavily compressed, it's like taking a watermelon and squeezing it down to a grapefruit size, Neoscene is decompressing the file and increasing the color space and bit size, the files are very good looking with their .avi codec.

I would hold onto the 7D native files for archive, as in the future there maybe an even better conversion available.

April 8th, 2010, 08:42 AM	#1
Don Bazley Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Ithaca, NY Posts: 149	Cineform ? I'm sure this is going to be considered a goofy question but... I got the trial version of Cineform and it does seem to make the files easier to edit with. However, I was surprised to find that the files created by Cineform are TWICE the size of the original files that came from the 7D. Is that normal? I am also wondering if it is OK to dump the files from my 7D into my Premier time line and export them as M2 files and use that resulting video file for editing. I did this for a recent project and it seemed to work fine. Afterward I found myself wondering "Why bother with Cineform?". I assume I may be missing something here so I am posting to see what others think. Thoughts, comments... ? __________________ "When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro" - Hunter S. Thompson

April 8th, 2010, 09:24 AM	#3
Don Bazley Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Ithaca, NY Posts: 149	Thanks Jerry. I'll try a test to compare. I wonder how it would go if I did color correction on the M2 I created from the raw files. I put all my 7D clips in the Premier timeline, exported that big file to M2 and then imported that M2 into Premier and used that for editing. I will play around more with this stuff as soon as I get a chance. For now I appreciate the input. Thanks. __________________ "When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro" - Hunter S. Thompson

April 8th, 2010, 09:07 AM	#2
Jerry Porter Major Player Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Satellite Beach, Fl Posts: 784	Do some color grading to the native 7D files and then do the same to the Cineform files and the difference will become apparent very quickly.

April 8th, 2010, 10:28 AM	#5
Jerry Porter Major Player Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Satellite Beach, Fl Posts: 784	Cineform will be much better. When you use it, and one of the main reasons I still do, is it converts the clips to 4:2:2 color. Then put those clips into First Light and you can really push the color around. When I shoot with my 7D I use a very flat picture profile just for this reason. It saves the codec in the camera from being over taxed and lets me do what I want in post.

April 8th, 2010, 10:31 AM	#6
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,510	"Which one should be better?" Jerry was refering to the realtime editing capabilities with cineform I think, even on a modest system it's possible to collor correct and still preview in realtime while native 7d with color correction will surely get even very fast pc's on their knees.