Best Master File Format: Codec / Compression on Windows

[Michael Gregory]

I have used Macs for more than 30 years (damn I feel old) and because Apple seems intent on not making professional quality workstations (why would they???), I am making the move to windows. I have always used ProRes as my master files, most recently 4444XQ.

QUESTION: What is the best widely adopted Master File format when using Adobe Premiere Pro / After Effects on a Windows machine? Please remember I haven't used a windows box except to play video games in a very long time.

Any help would be very much appreciated!!!!!

Michael

 

[Marcos Montenegro]

Don't change it. Buy a $50 plugin from MIRAIZON. PRO RES in Windows!

 

[Michael Gregory]

The only thing I love more than my Red Dragon is the support from the user group.

A Big Thank YOU!!!

Michael

 

[Brad Allen]

If it's for internal use and within the Adobe world I have started using the Cineform codec now that it is bundled with Creative Cloud. Very easy to work with on the PC and Mac side of things and very good quality to size ratio. Can include alpha channels, high bit-depth, 4K+ and is wavelet based which makes working with the codec in low resolution previews very snappy.

Otherwise I have Miraizon for sending ProRes deliverables and masters out to other agencies

 

[Mike Harrington]

Cineform is the way to go in Windows.....

Active metadata wavelet and fast.....using it I have been editing 4k since 2008. Even without GPU help it guns super efficiently

 

[Alexander Mejia]

I've found Cineform Film scan 2 quality to be better than ProRes 4444. If you don't need that kind of level of quality the High setting is very good.

 

[Phil Holland]

I'm using Cineform and Miraizon ProRes. Avid's DNxHR is another option I'll be exploring/testing soon.

 

[T_Freundlich]

In my experience, DNxHD 10-bit also works quite well as a cross-platform mastering codec, with the main drawback being that it only does 1080p. Also, if roundtripping from Resolve with DNxHD, you need to set the levels for the exported files at Data (not Auto), otherwise your blacks will be lifted upon re-importing to Premiere.