GH4 - Best UHD/C4K Settings for Usability at 1080p at DVinfo.net

Graeme Hay · May 25th, 2014, 08:36 AM

Quick (yet complex question) as I'll be getting the camera right before I head out on Vacation.

Moving up from a GH2 here and going to get the GH4 on Tuesday. I'm looking to film either UHD or C4K and downscale to 1080p for my films [while uploading 4K stock to Pond5].

I'm wondering which is better as my initial guess is to film C4K at 24.00Hz Internally - Cine D; for a note I'm using Premier CC and Red Giant to Edit/Grade - eventually I'll look towards Resolve but for now 'Looks' and 'Mojo' do what I want when I get a nice flat image.

Also Should I be filming MOV or AVCHD? On the GH2 it was AVCHD but that is a pain in mainly ways compared to MOV and if both are equally good I'll swap over to MOV.

William Hohauser · May 25th, 2014, 04:05 PM

Your first question I can't answer but the second I can. AVCHD or MOV don't make a difference except in usability if the file bandwidth rates are the same. It's just a file wrapper change that helps when using the camera files in a QuickTime based application.

Gary Huff · May 25th, 2014, 05:34 PM

There is a huge difference between MOV and AVCHD, but it's primarily bitrate based. AVCHD tops out at 28Mbps while the MOV format starts at 50. So it depends on your desire between balancing file size and robustness of codec. You will also not get some of the shooting modes if you pick AVCHD,

As for C4K, no reason to shoot in that mode. You will merely add letterboxing to whatever video you shoot as C4K is slightly wider than QHD. Plus you get 24.00 instead of 23.976 as a framerate, which is geared towards film out.

William Hohauser · May 25th, 2014, 09:42 PM

My mistake, MP4 can do the same bit rates as AVCHD as set up in the GH4 as well as higher bit rates. MOV is limited to 50Mbps and higher. All of these are using the same h264 codec.

Graeme Hay · May 25th, 2014, 10:22 PM

Then I should use MP4 then, Assuming i don`t need TimeCode from AVCHD

The more I read the more I lean towards UHD and 23.98fps as being more compatible with downscale to 1080p, especially when you consider that currently none of my other cameras currently do 4k @24.00fps (specifically the 24fps vs. 23.89 which would need an adjustment in post every time I include a clip).

I'll switch to 24FPS later when I start needing more DCP output files.

May 25th, 2014, 08:36 AM	#1
Graeme Hay Major Player Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Posts: 202	GH4 - Best UHD/C4K Settings for Usability at 1080p Quick (yet complex question) as I'll be getting the camera right before I head out on Vacation. Moving up from a GH2 here and going to get the GH4 on Tuesday. I'm looking to film either UHD or C4K and downscale to 1080p for my films [while uploading 4K stock to Pond5]. I'm wondering which is better as my initial guess is to film C4K at 24.00Hz Internally - Cine D; for a note I'm using Premier CC and Red Giant to Edit/Grade - eventually I'll look towards Resolve but for now 'Looks' and 'Mojo' do what I want when I get a nice flat image. Also Should I be filming MOV or AVCHD? On the GH2 it was AVCHD but that is a pain in mainly ways compared to MOV and if both are equally good I'll swap over to MOV. __________________ Independent Filmmaker in Canada's Capital

May 25th, 2014, 04:05 PM	#2
William Hohauser Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: New York City Posts: 2,650	Re: GH4 - Best UHD/C4K Settings for Usability at 1080p Your first question I can't answer but the second I can. AVCHD or MOV don't make a difference except in usability if the file bandwidth rates are the same. It's just a file wrapper change that helps when using the camera files in a QuickTime based application. __________________ William Hohauser - New York City Producer/Edit/Camera/Animation

May 25th, 2014, 05:34 PM	#3
Gary Huff Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 2,006	Re: GH4 - Best UHD/C4K Settings for Usability at 1080p There is a huge difference between MOV and AVCHD, but it's primarily bitrate based. AVCHD tops out at 28Mbps while the MOV format starts at 50. So it depends on your desire between balancing file size and robustness of codec. You will also not get some of the shooting modes if you pick AVCHD, As for C4K, no reason to shoot in that mode. You will merely add letterboxing to whatever video you shoot as C4K is slightly wider than QHD. Plus you get 24.00 instead of 23.976 as a framerate, which is geared towards film out.

May 25th, 2014, 09:42 PM	#4
William Hohauser Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: New York City Posts: 2,650	Re: GH4 - Best UHD/C4K Settings for Usability at 1080p My mistake, MP4 can do the same bit rates as AVCHD as set up in the GH4 as well as higher bit rates. MOV is limited to 50Mbps and higher. All of these are using the same h264 codec. __________________ William Hohauser - New York City Producer/Edit/Camera/Animation

May 25th, 2014, 10:22 PM	#5
Graeme Hay Major Player Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Posts: 202	Re: GH4 - Best UHD/C4K Settings for Usability at 1080p Then I should use MP4 then, Assuming i don`t need TimeCode from AVCHD The more I read the more I lean towards UHD and 23.98fps as being more compatible with downscale to 1080p, especially when you consider that currently none of my other cameras currently do 4k @24.00fps (specifically the 24fps vs. 23.89 which would need an adjustment in post every time I include a clip). I'll switch to 24FPS later when I start needing more DCP output files. __________________ Independent Filmmaker in Canada's Capital