I recently purchased a Flip video camera. According to GSpot, it
records into an MP4 v2 container at 1280x720 using the AVC1 codec (H.
264/MPEG-4 AVC).
I would like to edit these clips using Premier Pro 2.0 which doesn't
import MP4 directly. So I converted some of the source clips into an
MPG container with the MPEG-2 codec using Super (by eRightSoft). The
conversion went fine and I am able to import the clips to PP 2.0.
However the files sizes went down by about 80% (a typical file went
from 119MB to 24MB). I'm concerned that I'm losing a significant
amount of image quality or something.
I downloaded a trial version of AVCHD UpShift by NewBlueFX but it
didn't work. Their tech support said, "AVCHD UpShift was not designed
to work with the .mp4 files from the Flip video camera. Therefore, it
does not know how to read those particular files."
Am I losing significant image quality with the conversion from MP4 to
MPEG-2?
No, if you do it right, you should see no quality loss simply because you converted to mpeg2. You'll have bigger files, but they'll be easier to edit without a supercomputer.
On Tue, Jun 23, 2009 at 3:01 PM, sanjosedave <dturkcs...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I recently purchased a Flip video camera. According to GSpot, it > records into an MP4 v2 container at 1280x720 using the AVC1 codec (H. > 264/MPEG-4 AVC).
> Am I losing significant image quality with the conversion from MP4 to > MPEG-2?
I don't have an answer but wanted to add I just got a Flip UltraHD and the footage under proper lighting is incredible. Although the editing software is pretty limiting, it's great how simple it is to trim clips, and build a movie! But now I'm needing to branch out to some better software too although it's fun staying confined to the limitations.
sanjosedave wrote: > I recently purchased a Flip video camera. According to GSpot, it > records into an MP4 v2 container at 1280x720 using the AVC1 codec (H. > 264/MPEG-4 AVC).
> I would like to edit these clips using Premier Pro 2.0 which doesn't > import MP4 directly. So I converted some of the source clips into an > MPG container with the MPEG-2 codec using Super (by eRightSoft). The > conversion went fine and I am able to import the clips to PP 2.0. > However the files sizes went down by about 80% (a typical file went > from 119MB to 24MB). I'm concerned that I'm losing a significant > amount of image quality or something.
> I downloaded a trial version of AVCHD UpShift by NewBlueFX but it > didn't work. Their tech support said, "AVCHD UpShift was not designed > to work with the .mp4 files from the Flip video camera. Therefore, it > does not know how to read those particular files."
> Am I losing significant image quality with the conversion from MP4 to > MPEG-2?
Something's definitely odd with that -- file sizes should get bigger going from mp4 to mpg2, not smaller, for the same picture quality. Did the conversion software change the frame size -- say knock it down to a web-sized 320x240 or somesuch? Or maybe knock down the fps from 30 to 8? Or??
Need to dig into it a bit more; you're definitely losing something there if the files sizes you're quoting are accurate....
> import MP4 directly. So I converted some of the source clips into an > MPG container with the MPEG-2 codec using Super (by eRightSoft). The > conversion went fine and I am able to import the clips to PP 2.0. > However the files sizes went down by about 80% (a typical file went > from 119MB to 24MB). I'm concerned that I'm losing a significant > amount of image quality or something.
One thing I can say for sure is that Sony Vegas Movie Studio 9 reads the Flip video files and renders them correctly. I was able to take the MP4 clips from the camera, put them on the timeline, trim them, then render back out, and then compared the file sizes. I love Vegas!
sanjosedave wrote: > I recently purchased a Flip video camera. According to GSpot, it > records into an MP4 v2 container at 1280x720 using the AVC1 codec (H. > 264/MPEG-4 AVC).
> I would like to edit these clips using Premier Pro 2.0 which doesn't > import MP4 directly. So I converted some of the source clips into an > MPG container with the MPEG-2 codec using Super (by eRightSoft). The > conversion went fine and I am able to import the clips to PP 2.0. > However the files sizes went down by about 80% (a typical file went > from 119MB to 24MB). I'm concerned that I'm losing a significant > amount of image quality or something.
> I downloaded a trial version of AVCHD UpShift by NewBlueFX but it > didn't work. Their tech support said, "AVCHD UpShift was not designed > to work with the .mp4 files from the Flip video camera. Therefore, it > does not know how to read those particular files."
> Am I losing significant image quality with the conversion from MP4 to > MPEG-2?
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