RedCode vs Apple ProRes 422 HQ

[studio.dmd]

Shooting at 1080p, which of these is better:

1) shooting with RedOne RedCode
2) shooting with RedOne --> uncompressed output --> AJA IoHD box --> real-time compression in Apple ProRes 422 HQ --> hard disk real time recording

I saw that RedCode is a gorgeous codec! I saw two TIFF images of the same footage (same frame): no visible differences between uncompressed and redcode, even at several closer and careful looks! (with apple cinema display).

But is this true also for lower resolutions? (like 1080p and 720p)
Or at these lower detail levels (because a 1080p shoot will have lower details than a 4K shoot) the apple prores 422 HQ should be better, seeing that its compression ratio is much lower than RedCode?

And what about 2K?

Thank you.

 

[Stuart English]

REDCODE and ProREs

REDCODE and ProREs

The Apple ProRES is a great codec, especally for editing and finishing, but for maximum image quality you should always choose to shoot in REDCODE. The main reason is REDCODE is optimised to the characteristics of the Mysterium senser, and REDCODE 1080p or 720p RGB are 10 bit log or 10 bit video gamma in RGB color space, whereas ProRes has a slightly more limited 4:2:2 color space.

Then REDCODE RAW is 12 bit linear per pixel and has an even wider color space, so its the ultimate acquisition codec.

 

[studio.dmd]

I understood

I understood

Thank you very much.

So now the ideal thing could be this:

An external real-time 1080p acquisition box (like AJA IoHD) with uncompressed analog component and digital HD 1080p inputs (and outputs) and real time RedCode encoding, and the firewire port (all like AJA IoHD) for the connection to the PC/MAC, for real time capturing from older HD Cameras with HD 1080p uncompressed digital or analog component output.

In this way it will be possible to complete the existing equipment (cameras) with the RedOne Camera and work all in the RedCode native codec (from uncompressed flows).

An interesting option could be the hard disk / ramdisk / Flash disk recorder (like RedOne) in the box, but the cost will raise.