Best Codec to use

Hi there,

Brand new to Resolve (and video editing in general) and looking at workflow videos for Premiere>Resolve (just for color edits)>Premiere...The majority are saying to export back to Premiere using Codec: Apple pro res 444HQ or 4444 HQ, but I'm not seeing those options in the Codec dropdown within Resolve. First off, why is that, is it only mac option? 2nd, what should I use instead if I don't have those options.

If it helps give an answer, I'm on Windows 10 and working with a 3840 x 2160 UHD file that I want to export back into Premiere, using Resolve 15 lite. For now the videos will be shown on Youtube, but would like to know what to punch in for other possible destinations later once I wrap my head around more of this video business. Perhaps a link to a video might be easier to explain?

Thanks a bunch!

"The majority are saying to export back to Premiere using Codec: Apple pro res 444HQ or 4444 HQ, but I'm not seeing those options in the Codec dropdown within Resolve."

Yes, if your are on a Apple os !

With Windows computer - you can use DNxHR !

Premiere supports native Cineform, so Cineform RGB(A) would be a good choice.

Thank you kindly Ole and Norman. You both provided different answers. I would imagine there would be a difference between DNxHR and Cineform RGB(A), otherwise there wouldn't be various options to choose from. If it's not too much to ask, do you know what the difference is in terms of quality, file size or anything else?

Thanks in advance!!

Why are there different options? Why do we have Ford, Chevy and RAM pickup trucks that all do the same thing. So we have different offerings from different vendors for a common need. In this case a high quality intermediate media codec.

Avid created DNx and kept it proprietary for some time. Apple created Prores and did the same proprietary wise. Both of them had industry popular editing software to use their proprietary codec. Cineform created Cineform. Just a bunch of guys trying to make a living and for some reason chose a codec and transcode software. Well DNx and Prores are far less proprietary these days. Cineform has been placed in the open source.

They are all pretty much equal in quality a similar bitrates. They all offer varying bitrates to let you try to optimize/balance file sizes and compression losses. They all have basic 422 and RGB with (optional) Alpha versions of the codec (DNx 444, Prores 444, Cineform RGB). Cineform does give more quality/bitrates options for their RGB codec. DNx/Prores pretty much start with HQ for those variants.

You mentioned a Premiere <=> Resolve workflow on Windows.

Prores is out with respect to encoding Prores from those apps.
Premiere does support Cineform natively. So does Resolve. Native is best for performance.
I think Premiere supports DNx natively but I don't know for sure.

Anything that is native in both apps for decode and encode between Cineform, DNx or Prores, is fine IMO.

With 4K work and if you run the timeline at Half/Quarter resolution Cineform may be an advantage over the others. More apps than not support partial res decoding with Cineform.

I've never been satisfied with the translation results going from PP to Resolve. I'm going to recommend something a little different.

Do all the work in one program. I think Resolve has come up to par with Premiere Pro for editing, and definitely surpasses it for color.

Depending on your source footage 444 might be overkill and a waste of space. For anything but high-end professional cameras or VFX work 422 in it’s highest quality will suffice.

Round-tripping should work if you have proper TC and reel/tape names. But I second you rather stay in Resolve if you are still inexperienced, there are other pitfalls like scaling or speed.

Prores is out with respect to encoding Prores from those apps.
Premiere does support Cineform natively. So does Resolve. Native is best for performance.
I think Premiere supports DNx natively but I don't know for sure.

Anything that is native in both apps for decode and encode between Cineform, DNx or Prores, is fine IMO.

With 4K work and if you run the timeline at Half/Quarter resolution Cineform may be an advantage over the others. More apps than not support partial res decoding with Cineform.

Premiere supports all codecs natively now. No linking to QT engine etc.
Cineform fractional resolution decoding support works only in Premiere and latest Scratch.

DNxHR HQ or HQX are way good enough for further processing for youtube. Any 444 options is waste of time/space, but valid choice for high-end finish or exchange.

Cineform fractional resolution decoding support works only in Premiere and latest Scratch.

Hmm, I see a dramatic reduction in CPU/decode use with Cineform in Resolve, when timeline res (proxy mode in Resolve terms) is set to Half and then again to quarter. Not so with DNx or Prores.

Vegas sees a dramatic drop in CPU/decode use with Cineform.
Hitfilm 6+ gets this reduction with Cineform as well. Hitfilm 5 had native Cineform but no CPU/decode performance benefit with a Half/quarter setting.

Of course effects always gets a GPU benefit with Half/quarter.

Looks like Resolve 15B7 added fractional decoding- good news (it can be tested by switching ON/OFF Optimised Decoding Quality in preferences). BM does listen. Looks like it's worth banging about something on the forum Now it would be cool if we had Cineform RAW supported in cameras.

Not sure about Vegas- it may support it as well as it uses to have good Cineform support.
If HitFilm also does then this is good news for Cineform. It's such a useful feature.
You need to see about 50% CPU drop, not just eg. 10 or 20%.

This deserves new thread

Looks like Resolve 15B7 added fractional decoding- good news (it can be tested by switching ON/OFF Optimised Decoding Quality in preferences). BM does listen. Looks like it's worth banging about something on the forum Now it would be cool if we had Cineform RAW supported in cameras.

Not sure about Vegas- it may support it as well as it uses to have good Cineform support.
If HitFilm also does then this is good new for Cineform. It's such a useful feature.
You need to see about 50% CPU drop, not just eg. 10 or 20%.

This deserves new thread

May I ask what is "fractional decoding"? I've not heard this term before.

Some codecs make it possible to decode only every other pixel, every fourth and so on. AFAIK these are all Wavelet based, maybe there are others.
This saves a lot of processor cycles.

May I ask what is "fractional decoding"? I've not heard this term before.

This means you can decode at 1/2, 1/4 etc resolution which means 2x, 4x etc less CPU usage (compared to decoding full resolution).
Read this for numbers:
viewtopic.php?f=32&t=77275