I take it all back... ML + AE = WOW. H.264 is dead. Long Live RAW!

Started by markodarko, May 05, 2016, 01:33:41 AM

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markodarko

After my comparison video last week between RAW and H.264 where the H.264 files seemed to hold up pretty well to the RAW files providing you didn't waver too far from what was recorded in terms of color grading, I thought I'd download the Adobe CC trial thing to see what difference ACR would do to the RAW processing - if any - based on a comment @DeafEyeJedi once made on this forum where he mention that AE produced better results.

Holy bajoly. He wasn't wrong! There is quite literally a world of difference between processing the RAW files in DaVinci Resolve and in ACR through After Effects. The amount of control you have before the file gets baked into pixels is astounding. I've only ever previously used ACR for stills photography and that was way back in CS5. Since then I moved to Lightroom for my stills so using ACR for video is quite an eye opener.

The images are sharper (Resolve's sharpen filter is pretty basic to say the least) and just seem to "pop" more, not to mention how easy it is to manipulate the image in RAW-land and how much more control you have on the RAW file before processing. A powerful feature I like is the fact that I can dial in some luminance NR if needed before the file is processed where it's using all the 14 bit color palette to produce far better results than applying NR after the fact. Well, at least to my eyes.

Anyway, I just thought I'd share this personal revelation but of course the downside to this is now I can see how powerful this workflow is, and how much more beautiful the images look through this pipeline, I'll begrudge ever shooting h.264 ever again!  :D

Mark.

Exo

Now that QT PC is just dead, I wonder if there's any legacy converter to turn h264 into 14bits RAW/MLV?

Frank7D

QuoteI wonder if there's any legacy converter to turn h264 into 14bits RAW/MLV?

IMO that would be a pointless waste of space (and time).

Exo

Still, i recently made few tests to upscale 4k with videoenhancer, really would love to have a MLRaw or MLV codec fully working inthere. Frank7D now i know you never did any video restauration in your life.


Frank7D

@ Exo,

Why, do video restorers like to waste their time? RAW is cool because of all the information it contains. If you "convert" H264 to RAW you are not adding information, you are just adding useless bit weight.

Exo

Cause we video restorers, like each bit of digital film making.  8)