A continuation of this thread from Ben -
In GPU mode, doing a minimal edit on 10-bit 4:2:2 (Shotcut recognises VFR and converts to utvideo) then exporting to ProRes HQ. I then check with MediaInfo and it’s telling me that the Bitdepth is 16 bit.
Is this expected?
This could be a problem… Ut Video only supports 8-bit. The full 10-bit precision of the source will no longer be available after conversion. An alternative could be for Shotcut to convert to ffvhuff instead of utvideo, which has much wider pixel format support, including alpha. The encoding method is essentially the same. But ffvhuff doesn’t have VfW support with Windows codecs like Ut Video does (unless this has changed), meaning Ut files can be opened in other editors.
That is odd. ProRes HQ is definitely a 10-bit format. I tried a sample export with Shotcut, and the file was yuv422p10le according to ffprobe which is what I would expect.
Hi Austin, thanks for the reply.
Ut video is the default when doing VFR to CFR conversion. I wonder if Dan/Brian would consider ffvhuff as an alternative selectable format in the conversion dialogue box to assist in the 10-bit editing process. I’m sure over time 10-bit will be the standard anyhow.
Yes, hence the question. I wonder if anyone can replicate? I started with ProRes HQ, conversion to Ut (VFR to CFR), then exported as the original source, ProRes HQ.
Edit: Sorry, I see you tested Austin. I’ll try another export and see what happens. I can’t see the Ut video impacting this process but I’ll give it another go and see if ffprobe replicates what MediaInfo says.
That this mean that right now there is no point in me saving my files in 10-bit?
No, wait, what exactly do you mean by “saving?”
No, H.264 MP4 is the default.
But I can confirm that none of the Convert options are suitable for 10-bit input and output and will add this to an accepted suggestion.
Also, my mediainfo does not show a bit depth for video with the intermediate/ProRes HQ or ten_bit/ProRes HQ presets. It does show 16 bits for the audio stream.
I was selecting best.
You’re right, I was looking at audio stream
Thanks for the accepted suggestion
I mean recording in 10-bit. If there is no difference, then I can record in 8-bit.
There is and can be a difference with 10-bit. My reply in the linked thread you started still applies. It only matters in Shotcut if you are using GPU Effects. This thread is about the combination of Properties > Convert with 10-bit video input, GPU Effects, and 10-bit video export. Do not use the Convert function in Shotcut if you are using 10-bit videos AND GPU Effects.
Besides, you said action cameras, and the good quality ones (i.e. GoPro, Insta 360, & DJI) do not generate variable frame rate. Since @PaulusMaximus said he has a variable frame rate ProRos file, I guess he is using a recent iPhone that records ProRes. I was surprised to hear that about a VFR ProRes!
Yes my GoPro and DJI gear is, as you say, CFR so this isn’t an issue in that use case (and for Ben). Just recently also started using iPhone ProRes 422 (also can use ProRes 422 LT & ProRes 422 HQ) all with VFR using BlackMagic Cam App (nice App), so adding compatible 10-bit conversion will assist users coming from that space. Thanks to Austin for highlighting this in the first instance.
Personally, I would still do 10-bit. Some devices encode with better noise control or less banding or allow higher bitrates when saving as 10-bit. Many of those benefits will remain noticeable when downsampled to 8-bit.
Also, if footage is archived, you’ll have 10-bit footage available for remixing when Shotcut adds more 10-bit support in the future. This is especially true for travel and vacation footage that you want to remember in highest quality, even if you play the raw footage directly in a media player.
EDIT: Exporting in 10-bit can also have benefits even if the sources are 8-bit, especially if those sources are stretched by grading. SVT-AV1 in particular is extremely efficient in 10-bit space and will produce videos with less banding and less noisy/blocky shadows than an 8-bit export would do.
Apologies in advance if this is a newbie and/or weird question; I haven’t done any 10-bit and/or HDR videos so I only know the bits and pieces I’ve read in the forum.
At this time, I’m not interested in producing 10-bit and/or HDR videos*, but in some cases (e.g. high-contrast scenes) it might be useful for me to shoot 10-bit HDR footage and then colour grade it before ultimately producing an 8-bit SDR video. My camera (Canon EOS R6 Mark II) uses BT.2020 for such video, which I believe needs to be converted to BT.709. But if the convert to edit-friendly process only outputs 8-bit videos, that would happen before I can apply a colour grading filter, right? Which isn’t good, as tonal adjustments should always be done at the greatest bit depth available to avoid banding/posterization.
Do I need to use an external program like Handbrake or FFMPEG to do the conversion, and then open the converted file in Shotcut?
*: Also, two things: I don’t have a 10-bit and/or HDR monitor, and I don’t think all of the stuff I use in Shotcut is available as GPU effects yet, so that pretty much prevents me from going beyond 8-bit SDR output anyway.