Does "Scale...to fit" - down-rez clips?

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ScottAckerlund

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Does "Scale...to fit" - down-rez clips?

PostMon Apr 22, 2019 7:31 pm

Basic fundamental question that I see all over the forums but can't seem to find a DEFINITIVE answer. When working with say UHD footage in an HD timeline (and delivering final render in HD) Should I be working in Scale entire image to fit or center crop with no resizing?

I believe "scale" is fine because I am delivering HD BUT sometimes I need to send things over to the graphics dept at full frame and source resolution. What I have been doing is making a copy (removing all sizing done in the inspector) going to deliver page and rendering an "individual clip" and checking the "at source resolution": button. I just wanted to confirm that this workflow is valid.

Where I really see an issue is when working inside a fusion clip. As you may know, fusion/compound clips default to timeline resolution when made. In my case almost always HD, so when I go into the fusion comp I have already lost resolution (again this is fine if delivering HD) but if I want to send that new fusion comp to graphics at source resolution I cannot.

A definitive answer on how to handle this workflow would be great. As Marc Wielage commonly states:; when delivering 4K work in a 4K timeline (or at least change it at the end before render) SO is that the workaround? Before I render any fusion comp do I change my timeline to UHD? And does scale to fit effectively down rez the clip?

Thank you all for your great help!!!! I am sure this is a common question
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Peter Cave

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Re: Does "Scale...to fit" - down-rez clips?

PostTue Apr 23, 2019 12:51 am

You may want to move this post to the Resolve forum.
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Peter Cave

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Re: Does "Scale...to fit" - down-rez clips?

PostThu Apr 25, 2019 12:03 am

Hi Scott,

in your case, where you need to export clips for VFX work, I would work at UHD resolution and change the resolution for the export. You could also render a UHD master and do an HD conversion for delivery.
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Marc Wielage

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Re: Does "Scale...to fit" - down-rez clips?

PostThu Apr 25, 2019 6:40 am

Peter Cave wrote:in your case, where you need to export clips for VFX work, I would work at UHD resolution and change the resolution for the export. You could also render a UHD master and do an HD conversion for delivery.

I think this is a good idea provided the VFX department is prepared to do VFX work at 4K (UHD). Often with schedules being the way they are, even with some blockbuster Hollywood action films, they still work at 2K just to make their delivery schedules.
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ScottAckerlund

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Re: Does "Scale...to fit" - down-rez clips?

PostThu Apr 25, 2019 7:24 pm

Marc Wielage wrote:
Peter Cave wrote:in your case, where you need to export clips for VFX work, I would work at UHD resolution and change the resolution for the export. You could also render a UHD master and do an HD conversion for delivery.

I think this is a good idea provided the VFX department is prepared to do VFX work at 4K (UHD). Often with schedules being the way they are, even with some blockbuster Hollywood action films, they still work at 2K just to make their delivery schedules.


Great! Thank you both for your help. That all being said should I still ONLY work in center crop no resize when doing any kind of repo work? Or can I still work in Scale...to fit? How does the basic input scaling work in Resolve for this? My entire facility may switch over soon (even the editors) so this is something I need to be 100% clear on. Thanks!!!
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Peter Cave

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Re: Does "Scale...to fit" - down-rez clips?

PostSat Apr 27, 2019 2:44 am

Input scaling will not affect image quality. It is mainly used to scale footage appropriately for the timeline settings. The different modes are designed to accommodate different clip aspect and frame sizes when they don't match the timeline setting. The user manual has all the info you need. No quality will be lost with scaling UHD to HD as the original source resolution is always available inside Resolve.
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ScottAckerlund

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Re: Does "Scale...to fit" - down-rez clips?

PostMon Apr 29, 2019 9:02 pm

Peter Cave wrote:Input scaling will not affect image quality. It is mainly used to scale footage appropriately for the timeline settings. The different modes are designed to accommodate different clip aspect and frame sizes when they don't match the timeline setting. The user manual has all the info you need. No quality will be lost with scaling UHD to HD as the original source resolution is always available inside Resolve.


Thanks Peter! That's what I always thought. That's why I was so concerned when Paul said the following;
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Peter Chamberlain

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Re: Does "Scale...to fit" - down-rez clips?

PostThu May 02, 2019 9:35 am

There is some misunderstand here.

If you scale the image, it changes.. DaVinci Resolves scaler is good, and the super scaler for up res is very good as it uses DNN, but ultimately you are making pixels that didn't exist so a calculation is involved.

In the simple form, a UHD clip with input scaling to a HD timeline now means you have HD. If you keep the timeline at HD and upres the output using the normal sizing you are making new pixels to up res.

If you have a UHD source and you wish to have a UHD output, edit and grade in HD if you like but change the timeline resolution back to UHD before you initiate the render so there is no down then up sizing.
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Peter Chamberlain

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Re: Does "Scale...to fit" - down-rez clips?

PostThu May 02, 2019 9:36 am

Moved to the general Resolve thread
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ScottAckerlund

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Re: Does "Scale...to fit" - down-rez clips?

PostMon May 13, 2019 2:21 pm

Peter Chamberlain wrote:There is some misunderstand here.

If you scale the image, it changes.. DaVinci Resolves scaler is good, and the super scaler for up res is very good as it uses DNN, but ultimately you are making pixels that didn't exist so a calculation is involved.

In the simple form, a UHD clip with input scaling to a HD timeline now means you have HD. If you keep the timeline at HD and upres the output using the normal sizing you are making new pixels to up res.

If you have a UHD source and you wish to have a UHD output, edit and grade in HD if you like but change the timeline resolution back to UHD before you initiate the render so there is no down then up sizing.


Thanks you Peter!!! That definitively clears it up. I appreciate the response and as always, I love BMD's presence on the boards!

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