knowing your video editing codecs

Knowing your video editing codecs.

knowing your video editing codecs

So you have decided to try out some video editing your PC or Mac. I would say that knowing your video editing codecs is essential.

What is a video codec?

A video codec is a hardware or software based tool for encoding video. Codecs apply to audio files as well as video.

What are they for? Uncompressed video requires hug amounts of storage space. Without video compression it would be close to impossible to store your SD or HD video on tapes or memory cards.

Video picture quality. The rule is normally  that the lower the compression the higher the picture quality. Having said this some of the modern codecs are very efficient at compressing video without picture quality loss.

Video Bitrate. Bitrate is measured in Bits per second of picture information. Broadcast Standard (In the UK) bitrate is 50 mega bits per second. With 4:2:2 colour sampling.

H.264. Is a modern video codec. It is predominantly used for High Definition video on the Internet.

Apple Pro Res. Is used heavily within Apple video editing programmes such as Final Cut Pro.

MPEG 4. Is employed for Blu Ray HD video discs.

AVI. Is a Predominantly Windows PC video codec.

Latest video camcorders. Formats.

Sony are now employing their XAVC recording format which is dedicated to 4K video production. This format empolys MPEG 4. AVC/H encoding for very high picture quality. Content formats are listed below.

  • 4K (4096 x 2160 and 3840 x 2160), HD and proxy resolution.
  • MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 video compression.
  • 12, 10 and 8 bit colour depth.
  • Up to 60fps.
  • MXF wrapping format can be used.
  • 4:4:4, 4:2:2, 4:2:0 colour sampling.

Panasonic cameras such as the Panasonic HCX-1000 use .mov video. This makes life very easy when ingesting video clips into Final Cut Pro. This is due to the fact that FCP X uses, .mov as its native editing codec.

 

Video Production Sussex Bryan Ferry concert

Video Production Sussex.

video production sussex

Picture above of 2 professional video cameras. Filming a Bryan Ferry concert at the Dome in Brighton.

The assignment.

Video Image Productions were contacted last week by Bryan Ferry’s son Isaac. He wanted his fathers concert filmed. Originally Isaac wanted 3 video camera crews to cover the concert. Unfortunately we were only contacted in the morning and the performance was for that same evening. This limited our camera options because 2 of them had been hired out.

Video production Sussex. The Venue.

The Bryan Ferry concert was at the Dome in Brighton.

Arrival.

Once we arrived outside the Dome in Brighton. I was asked to make contact with the road manager to obtain security passes. The video equipment was off loaded, and we began setting up the cameras in the circle of the theatre.

Panasonic. The camera I used was my Panasonic HCX 1000. With its 20 X Leica zoom lens. It made a ideal camcorder for close up and wide shots of the Concert.

Camera 3 camera. The third camera operator was Ben. Ben was from a Brighton based company and shot different angles from the circle using a Sony EX3.

Close in shots.

I also bought my Canon 5D with a 70-200mm F.28 IS lens. Also 3 Canon batteries and plenty of memory cards. This was the Camera used by Issac. The only problem with this was that Isaac was not aware. Of the 12 minute continuous record time limit of the Canon. But I think he got some useful shots to cut into the main camera footage.

Sound.

We did not edit the video. But the sound for the finished video sound was to be taken from the 8 track mixing desk at the concert.

Media

At the end of the evening Isaac copied the video files. From the memory cards to his Apple Mac book Pro.

Video Production Sussex.

As well as providing video production for Sussex. We also cover the whole of the UK. We cover event videos. Promotional video and web sales videos.