Grading 4K footage with 1080 monitor

Does it make sense? FSI 1080 monitor + DeckLink Mini Monitor and grading 4K footage. Can it be done or it's pointless? Or do I need 4K Monitor?

Set your timeline and monitoring to 1920x1080, in Master Project settings.

Sure you can. There are some caveats though. You can't assess the sharpness of a downscaled image. What might look nice in downscaled HD might be out of focus in 4K. Also seeing grain/noise (whether adding or removing) as it would show up will be tough.

Some other factors to consider:

1:1 resolution can reveal small electronic defects such as "frozen pixels."

If you use electronic VFX such as "Beauty Studio", you will more readily evaluate the retouch.

Generally, the colorimetry is technically the same. However. The overall impression of a grade can be perceived differently depending on the viewer's relationship with the screen and its size. This does also apply to the process of editing and scope of a scene's framing. We really should be grading theatrical releases on big projectors. If you want to really see how it is "going to look."

So technical answer is - no difference. Subjective answer is - can be significant.

jPo, CSI

even post productions didn't switch all the projector for 4k, quite few will still have rooms that are 2k only.

as jpo mentioned, the experience will be different in a big screen, but that is true also in 2k.

Thanks guys for answers!

I'm not grading many stuff in 4K, and for sure (for now) not for theaters, but here is much more 4K footage around, so I want to be ready. Now I'm in the process of building my grading suite, and will buy FSI monitor next month. In assume that I can check sharpness and artifacts on any 4K monitor and grade on FSI 1080. Also I'm wondering how Davinci works in deliver page when timeline is 1080? Will it not generate any issues during render?

Also I'm wondering how Davinci works in deliver page when timeline is 1080? Will it not generate any issues during render?

If you want to deliver in 4K, change the timeline resolution to 4K before you export the material. Otherwise, the 4K footage will first be downsampled to 1080p, then upped to 4K on the way out.

You can change timeline resolution at any time in Resolve -- since it's "resolution independent", fx should scale correctly.

If you want to deliver in 4K, change the timeline resolution to 4K before you export the material. Otherwise, the 4K footage will first be downsampled to 1080p, then upped to 4K on the way out.

This is what I've always been taught, but I wonder if it is actually still the case. It seems like the smart engineers at BM would have the code skip a downsample if it is followed by an equivalent upsample. Is this still a confirmed fact?

Thank you guys for your comprehensive answers. Do you think that this one is a good choice
http://www.shopfsi.eu/AM210-p/am210.htm

Never used FSI. Is that good enough?

You can also use a 4K timeline in resolve and use downscaling in DaVinci ( Video Monitoring setting). This will allow you to check artefacts etc in the Resolve viewer at 4K while using HD SDI output for grading on the FSI monitor. This is how I work in 4K. The deliver page has settings for final output resolution.

Thank you guys for your comprehensive answers. Do you think that this one is a good choice
http://www.shopfsi.eu/AM210-p/am210.htm ...Never used FSI. Is that good enough?

Yes, FSI makes reasonable monitors in that price range and they have very good support. In truth, in the world of video mastering anything under $3000 is relatively inexpensive. You can spend far more than $20,000 on a great monitor; the Sony BVM-X300 is $30K, and I believe the Dolby PRM-4200 is $50,000. And those are only 30" displays... albeit very, very good displays.

Thanks all! Everything seems to be clear.

@ Robert, John - isn't there an option now in the delivery page whereby you can force Resolve for maximum quality (source resolution) rather than work off timeline resolution? Thereby skipping the need to change timeline resolution from HD to 4k when ready for delivery?

You can also use a 4K timeline in resolve and use downscaling in DaVinci ( Video Monitoring setting).

A mismatch between timeline resolution and monitoring resolution can disrupt playback on some systems. Anyway, that was the rationale for the HD timeline -- smoother workflow.

@Paul Sangha

You can force debayer and sizing to highest quality but not, as far as I know, to highest resolution.

Thank you guys for your comprehensive answers. Do you think that this one is a good choice
http://www.shopfsi.eu/AM210-p/am210.htm

Never used FSI. Is that good enough?

I would be inclined to go with their 10 bit models for grading. The am250 oled, dm240 LCD would both be good choices for the price. I use the am250 and love it. Takes a while to get used to the oled and to get your gui and client monitors in line, though. I have owned an lm2462w which was LCD and it was a great monitor. Write them an email to discuss. They're very very responsive and helpful.



Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

@ John - understood, I think that would be an obviously useful and intuitive option to have in the deliver page. Ill add it to the 'resolve 13 feature request' thread

@ Robert, John - isn't there an option now in the delivery page whereby you can force Resolve for maximum quality (source resolution) rather than work off timeline resolution? Thereby skipping the need to change timeline resolution from HD to 4k when ready for delivery?

Yes. There are two options in the delivery page under Video:
1- Force sizing to highest quality.
2- Force Debayer to highest quality.
In order for this to work the corresponding boxes have to be checked.

Thank you guys for your comprehensive answers. Do you think that this one is a good choice
http://www.shopfsi.eu/AM210-p/am210.htm

Never used FSI. Is that good enough?

I would be inclined to go with their 10 bit models for grading. The am250 oled, dm240 LCD would both be good choices for the price. I use the am250 and love it. Takes a while to get used to the oled and to get your gui and client monitors in line, though. I have owned an lm2462w which was LCD and it was a great monitor. Write them an email to discuss. They're very very responsive and helpful.



Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

You are right. I only realised that Am210 is 8 bit only. I definitely need 10 bit monitoring solution. Unfortunatelly the price is double, but looks like there is no other choice