video editing Archive - Pixelfriedhof

The Youtube H.264 / mp4 lie. Forget the export madness!

megaadmin — Sat, 04 Sep 2021 10:58:23 +0000

If you search the internet for the best export options for uploading videos to YouTube, you will always come across videos and blog posts that present exporting as H264 codec in MP4 format as a panacea. The reality is different. YouTube re-encodes every upload, no matter what format you upload it in. The only advantage of this format is the fast upload, because the file size is smaller.

However, if you want to upload your video in the best possible quality, you should avoid quality-reducing encoding altogether.

No matter how you upload your video, Youtube will never say “Oh, that’s a great codec, I’ll keep that”. Because Youtube will always compress your video down as much as possible, so that it uses less memory in the data center and generates less traffic when you watch it.

But wait: Youtube itself says that you should upload all files in H.264 and MP4 format? Yes, exactly, because Youtube doesn’t see the point in accepting thousands of billions of cat videos in lossless format every day. That would cost Youtube a lot of money.

Fact is, it makes absolutely no sense to compress your video before uploading it. Youtube will do it again anyway and any compression process done in series will result in lower quality.

If there is a reason to compress before uploading, it is to shorten the upload time. If you have enough time, you should rather upload a video in HQ422 or ProRes or DNxHR that corresponds to the source in favor of the quality. Youtube can handle it – without problems and quality loss.

Therefore, do not change the bitrate, resolution or codec. Youtube will do what it wants with it later anyway.

Attention: If you upload videos with a higher resolution than 1080p, Youtube will automatically switch to the VP9 codec for all versions of the video, including 1080p. With this VP9 codec, better results are achieved for all resolutions. Therefore, it even makes sense to upscale 1080p video to 4K first and then upload it.

Der Beitrag The Youtube H.264 / mp4 lie. Forget the export madness! erschien zuerst auf Pixelfriedhof.

External SSD for backups and Final Cut media libraries – in the office and on the road

megaadmin — Sun, 28 Feb 2021 15:00:00 +0000

With the SanDisk Extreme Pro Portable V2, I found an SSD that speeds up video editing with Final Cut and gives me a quick and secure backup of my photos and VLOGs when I travel.

Work mobile and cross-device

My main editing machine is a 2017 iMac with a 1TB Fusion Drive. To be honest, Apple hasn’t exactly covered itself in glory when it comes to this unreliable and, at its core, still slow hybrid drive. I’ve been wanting to upgrade to an SSD for a long time. On the other hand, I’ll probably switch to the new M1 iMac soon, which is why I don’t want to invest in a fixed SSD.

I can also use an external SSD on my Macbook or iPad when I travel and then use the Final Cut libraries on it both mobile on the Macbook and stationary on the iMac. Plus, I need a backup SSD for photos and videos while traveling anyway. For those tasks, I don’t even need to look below 2TB for a solution. 4K videos and photos need space.

SanDisk Extreme Pro Portable V2 (SDSSDE81-2T00) – small and tough

After a long research, my choice finally fell on an SSD from SanDisk, more precisely the SanDisk Extreme Pro Portable V2 (exact model number SDSSDE81-2T00). SanDisk claims this series with read and write speeds of up to 2,000 MB/s. In addition, the drive has a USB-C port and is also resistant to shocks, water and dust – not bad for an off-road trip through Estonia, for example. Finally, I received a good offer for the SSD and bought it.

When I received the package, I was also surprised by the SSD’s small size.
In various online stores, the product pictures of the SSD hardly reveal a size relation and I had expected such a case with the dimensions of a 2.5″ hard drive. In reality, the drive is about as big as a slightly longer cigarette pack, but three times as flat.

With the carabiner I secure the SSD in the photo backpack

SanDisk advertises that the hard drive can be comfortably worn on the waistband with a carabiner. I wonder who would like to tie a 400€ SSD to the belt loop, but the pure dimensions of the SSD would definitely allow that. However, I actually use the snap hook: To “strap” the SSD in the photo backpack so that it does not fall out or slip around.

2,000 MB/s – not quite, but still pretty damn fast

I doubted that an external SSD would reach 2,000 MB/s from the start, especially on my MacBook from 2017 and the slightly older iMac from 2017, I did not expect extremely high transfer rates, but was then quite thrilled by about 1,400 MB/s.

The speed boost from this external SSD is so huge that I now only work with Final Cut on the SSD and no longer have any Final Cut media library data on the Mac’s built-in Fusion Drive.

The first time I used the SSD with Final Cut, it almost blew my mind. The previews in the event browser were there instantaneously and didn’t build up piecemeal like they usually do. Final Cut freezing during large load operations is a thing of the past. I can switch from one event to another without waiting. In return, that thing gets quite warm.

Whether you’re on the go with your MacBook or at home with your iMac, your Final Cut library is always on the SSD.

Similarly, photos are stored as a backup on the SSD. Half-hour copy orgies from camera to spinning hard drives are a thing of the past. Within minutes, the job is done – more vacation, more travel, less setup time.

Would I go for an external SSD again for Final Cut? Yes, again and again. I wonder how I put up with my lame Fusion Drive for so long and didn’t switch to an SSD like this much sooner. And then suddenly the answer comes to me: Because such devices would only have been available from 1000€ upwards a year ago. Praise be to the price drop and the technical progress.

Der Beitrag External SSD for backups and Final Cut media libraries – in the office and on the road erschien zuerst auf Pixelfriedhof.

Røde VideoMic NTG – All modes and button functions

megaadmin — Mon, 01 Feb 2021 08:54:00 +0000

A short article about the functions of all buttons and modes of the equalizer and the recording modes of the Røde VideoMic NTG.

First row: Equalizer 75Hz, 150Hz and High Frequency Boost

The first row of functions controls the equalizer. Depending on the setting, various interfering frequencies are already filtered out during recording, or the highs are recorded more clearly with the help of the High Frequency Boost.

With the 75Hz high-pass filter, all frequencies below 75Hz are excluded. This is practical for filtering out noise from traffic, wind or air conditioning systems, etc.

The 150Hz high-pass filter cuts out all frequencies below 150Hz. In short, I use it when the 75Hz is not enough.

Alternatively, both equalizers can be switched off and thus the complete frequency spectrum is recorded.

The High Frequency Boost controls the recording of the treble more strongly, improves its clarity. This makes sense, for example, when I record with the microphone guard or a dead-cat. Otherwise, these recordings can come across as a bit muffled, because the highs would simply be missing.

The High Frequency Boost can be added to any equalizer setting or used even when the equalizer is deactivated.

All function buttons and LED of the Røde VideoMic NTG microphone.

Second row: recording level modes -20db, safety channel and peak warning LED

These two settings and the warning light are useful for very noisy environments.

The “-20db” setting is also called “Pad”. When enabled, it attenuates the input signal by -20db. Great for recording in very noisy environments.

When we are recording in environments where there are wildly varying volumes, it makes sense not to commit to an attenuation. In “safety channel” mode, the microphone records one of the stereo tracks normally, and then records a second track with the -20db attenuation. In post-production we can then decide which of the tracks to use.

The third LED “Peak Warning” is not related to any function, but only signals when the recording is too loud, the audio signal “clips”. In this case we have to reduce the gain.

Der Beitrag Røde VideoMic NTG – All modes and button functions erschien zuerst auf Pixelfriedhof.

Useful basic settings for cinema-quality video material with DJI Mavic 2 Pro – Cinematic Video

megaadmin — Sun, 19 Jan 2020 10:41:00 +0000

DJI’s Mavic 2 Pro gives creative professionals every opportunity to create fantastic video footage. The Hasselblad camera with its 1-inch sensor produces razor-sharp 4K video even in low light conditions. With the right settings, we were able to make the most of the drone’s potential.

Gimbal settings

Before we get into the video-only settings of our DJI Mavic 2 Pro (Amazon Affiliate Link), we should familiarize ourselves with the gimbal settings. These settings affect how fast the gimbal pans and how abruptly the gimbal stops after a movement. Both are properties that inevitably influence the fluidity of our video recordings.

In the settings menu of the drone we go to the menu submenu of the gimbal and then to the advanced settings.
Max. Gimbal pitch speed = 3 This setting determines the maximum speed of the gimbal. This low setting ensures smooth gimbal movement even when the wheel is at maximum pitch. With higher values the camera with the wheel is hardly controllable and unattractive, hectic movements of the gimbal would be the result.
Gimbal pitch buffer = 25 This setting determines how long the gimbal will continue to run out after a movement. If the value is 0, it would stop abruptly.

Video settings of the camera

Let’s get down to business. In the video settings we store the parameters with which the videos are recorded. This is where we have the greatest leverage for high-quality video, but we can also do a lot wrong.

Make sure that we are in video mode and not photo mode and open the video settings.
Switch to “M” mode for manual control of ISO, aperture and time
ISO = 100 (if necessary bump up to about 1000, when only very little light is available, but the image noise increases dramatically.
The aperture should be adjusted according to the available light. If little light is available, the iris should be opened completely, if a lot of light is available, the iris can be closed further. But be careful from an aperture of 5 and upwards, the image quality can suffer at the edges of the image. So if you want to be on the safe side, only adjust the aperture up to a value of 5 and from then on use ND filters to regulate the incident light, see section “Tips for flying”.
Exposure time = 1/60th Here is the key, here we decide whether our video material will look like in the cinema or not.
The exposure time of 1/60 should not be changed, the reason for this is the so-called 180 degree rule. Since we will later create video material with 30 frames per second, we have to choose twice the frame rate as exposure time, and the video material created in this way will be slowed down to 80% of the original speed (we slow it down by 20%). Exactly this will later provide a cinematic experience of our videos. You can find more information on this page: https://www.premiumbeat.com/blog/how-to-achieve-perfect-slow-motion-results-in-post/
The selection of the video size first determines the resolution of our material.
I create my videos with 4K resolution, which corresponds to a setting of 3840 x 2160 pixels.

At this point you notice that there are two settings with this resolution: HQ and FOV. Which of these settings you choose basically depends on the desired image detail and the motif.

If you choose the HQ mode, you will get a smaller section of the drone’s field of view in high quality. The picture is very sharp right into the corners.
The FOV (Full field of view) mode records a wider field of view, especially practical for large panoramas, the sharpness of the image decreases in the outer areas, especially at small aperture values.
As file format you can choose if you want to record in MP4 or MOV. The choice has no effect on the quality of your videos. If you edit the videos on a Mac, you should choose MOV, if you edit the videos on a Windows PC, you should choose MP4, because the systems can read the respective format faster, which speeds up your workflow. Apart from the speed advantage in editing, there are no limitations in choice, both Windows PCs and Macs can read both formats.
When I do the white balance, I turn off the automatic. The reason for this is that I want to avoid that the camera regulates the white balance during a recording and then the color temperatures in the video visibly change. So I ALWAYS set the white balance to 6000K. From this value, I can change the white balance in any direction later on in post production.
As style I choose “None”/”Standard”. This ensures the best possibilities for later processing.
As coding I use h.265, because only in this coding the following color profiles D-Log-M and HSL are possible.
For the color filters, I choose the D-Log-M format for 90% of my shots. This profile looks boring and colourless immediately after recording, but is best edited later. In very low light conditions, for example at dusk I use the HLG format (Hybrid Log Gamma). This achieves richer colors and less image noise in dark environments during post-processing.Attention: The use of D-Log-M or HLG leads to distortion of the video recordings, because the distortion of the lens in these recordings is not eliminated inside the drone. Therefore the lens correction is essential in the later video processing. Premiere Pro and final Cut provide these functions by default.

Tips for flying

Removing the gimbal protection

I personally remove the gimbal protection before every flight, even if some Mavic pilots leave it installed during the flight. However, the plastic protection can affect the video recordings e.g. by micro-scratches, reflections and dust.

Cleaning the camera

Sounds logical, but I often forget myself. To be on the safe side, you should clean the camera with a microfiber cloth before every flight. Better safe than sorry. Otherwise fingerprints and dust can cause unwanted light refractions or blurring, up to the failure of the autofocus.

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ND filter better than high aperture values

If the surroundings are too bright, you will probably first close the aperture further so that less light falls on the sensor. Up to an aperture value of 5 this is also unproblematic. At higher aperture values, however, the image quality may suffer due to blur. What sounds paradoxical at first, is actually the case.

If you still want to reduce the light entering the sensor, you can do so with ND filters for the Mavic 2 Pro. For example, those who want to film a Greek beach in the Mediterranean midday sun will hardly be able to avoid the use of ND-filters without having overexposed large parts of the image.

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There are different offers for ND filters, I myself have chosen the original filters from DJI. I have not tried any third party products before, but trusted the original filters right away. I didn’t want to take the risk that the image quality would be impaired with inferior filters. That’s not to say that there are not possibly cheaper and good alternatives, I just didn’t have time to try them out. So the laziness won with me. On the other hand I don’t buy such an expensive drone to save on essential parts and take a risk with filters.

Tips for post-processing

As mentioned before, it is important to note that our created video material is slowed down in post-production and only plays back at 80% of the original speed. This ensures a cinematic experience of our pictures.

The use of D-Log-M or HLG leads to distortion of the video footage, because the distortion of the lens is not eliminated inside the drone during these recordings. Therefore, lens correction is essential in the later video processing. Premiere Pro and Final Cut provide these functions by default.

I myself have been rendering all my videos with Final Cut Pro for years. For color grading, especially when shooting in D-Log video formats, I use the plugin Epicolor from Lemke Software.

It is one of the best plugins for color grading and helps you to make the video material look like what you have recorded with the human eye.

https://www.lemkesoft.de/produkte/epicolor/

Epicolor is available through the FXFACTORY plugin suite https://fxfactory.com/ , a kind of supermarket for video effects. Like most other plugins, Epicolor is available as a trial version within FXFACTORY. So you can check if you get the desired results with Epicolor. I am very sure that this will be the case.

All the links in this text are Amazon Affiliate Links, and by clicking on an affiliate link I will earn a percentage of your subsequent Amazon purchases. However, this circumstance does not influence the background of my product recommendation. This product recommendation is independent, honest and sincere.

Bei allen genannten Links handelt es sich um Amazon-Affiliate-Links. Durch einen Klick auf einen Affiliate-Link werde ich prozentual an Euren darauf folgenden Amazon-Einkäufen beteiligt. Dieser Umstand beeinflusst aber nicht die Hintergründe meiner Produktempfehlung. Diese Produktempfehlung erfolgt unabhängig, ehrlich und aufrichtig.

Der Beitrag Useful basic settings for cinema-quality video material with DJI Mavic 2 Pro – Cinematic Video erschien zuerst auf Pixelfriedhof.

Final Cut Pro: Remove artifacts and interference after rendering

megaadmin — Thu, 16 Jan 2020 07:25:37 +0000

If media exported from Final Cut Pro has artifacts and image interference, there are two tricks you can use to fix them. Instruction with video.

If you notice strange pixellated areas and artifacts in your Final Cut Pro exports, something went wrong during rendering.

Typical artifacts during rendering

Simply running the export a second time to fix the problem will not work because Final Cut uses the same data already rendered in the background as for the first export.

The following two steps solve the problem.

1. Delete all media that have been created in the background so far under “File” – “Delete generated media”.

2. Right-click the problematic media in the Media Browser (not in the Timeline). Select “Recode Media” and create “Optimized Media” for the clip.

If optimized media has been created for the clip, you can tell that it has been optimized by the green circle next to “Optimized Media” under “Available Media” in the Inspector in the Information tab.
You do NOT need to move the clip from the Events Viewer back to the Timeline. The optimized media is automatically referenced in the Timeline.

If you export again, the artifacts will disappear.

Video Tutorial

Ihre Daten werden erst beim Abspielen des Youtube-Videos an den Dienst übermittelt. Your data will only be transmitted to the service when you play the Youtube video.

Der Beitrag Final Cut Pro: Remove artifacts and interference after rendering erschien zuerst auf Pixelfriedhof.

Best practise settings for cinema-quality video material with FIMI X8 SE for Cinematic Video

megaadmin — Sat, 14 Dec 2019 10:41:00 +0000

the Fimi X8 SE is capable of producing stunning 4K video footage. With the right settings, we are able to make the most of the drone’s potential.