H.264 vs ProRes: Why convert H.264 footage to ProRes codec?

This H.264 codec to FCP X workflow is the highest quality and best practice to transcode/prepare H.264 footage to Apple ProRes (HQ) and import ProRes into FCP X for diting on Mac OS X (Yosemite and Mavericks included). 

• See Also: Final Cut Pro (X) FAQs and FCP X Column

 

Question 1: H.264 vs Apple ProRes 422 Question - Urgent for Film 

Hello,I've completed editing a film in FCP X with Apple ProRes 422 clips at 1920×1080. I sent a cut clip from the timeline to a SFX person via dropbox. He sent the polished clip (with the new SFX) back in H.264; he's not working on a Mac because he doesn't own one. I imported the new H.264 clip into my timeline and everything looks great. Question: Does this matter? Does it matter that a clip in the timeline is H.264, while all the others are in Apple ProRes 422 clips (the ones that didn't need effects)? My guess is that it's not because H.264 is a finishing format but I want to be sure. Thank you in advance for helping out. Much appreciated. 

One of the most common questions that I get from people regarding the new breed of DLSR cameras is "What's your post-workflow?" 

Source: http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?269920-H-264-vs-Apple-ProRes-422-Question-Urgent-for-Film 

Question 2: H.264 vs ProRes 422 

Hey, i was reading this post the other day where you guys were talking about apple's ProRes 422. 

i want to know if there is a high difference working with them, i have done a few projects with Final Cut Pro using the raw H.264 footage from my 60D without knowing about the pro res. Then i red the post and i wanted to test it out so i converted a few clips with compressor too see the difference while editing or rendering and i couldnt find much. 

What do you think? 

Source: http://forum.planet5d.com/index.php/topic/1027-h264-vs-ProRes-422/ 

Question 3: Apple ProRes vs H.264 

What's the difference between the Apple ProRes codec, the Apple ProRess HQ codec and the H.264 codec. I know the filesize of the ProRess is much more then the H.264, but what's the real difference?? 

Source: http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=473438 

Question 4: Apple ProRes 422 vs. H.264 Editing w/ FCP X 

I am editing a project on Final Cut Pro X and was curious what format my video files should be for editing. I know ProRes 422 is a codec that pros use to edit and it has a much bigger file size, but I don't get the difference and which format I should be using to edit my project. Can someone please explain to me which format I should be editing on for my project! Thanks! 

Source: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3818621?start=0&tstart=0 

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Solution: 

No matter you are a filmmaker, multimedia professional or still photographer, Canon or Nikon camera will be a choice due to its highly mobile, lightweight features including Canon 5D Mark, Canon EOS 650D, Canon PowrShot G1 X, Canon SX40, Canon ESO-1DX, Canon EOS 7D/5D, Canon EOS 60D, Canon EOS 550D, Canon EOS 500D, Nikon D5100, Nikon D3100 Nikon D800, and more. What these cameras have in common is that they can record 1080p H.264 codec MOV footages. 

H.264 (an MPEG-4 variation) is an aquistion (camera) and distribution (web streaming) codec. It's highly compressed, which means that the files are small, and Final Cut has to do extra work each time you play your timeline, make an edit, etc. 

Apple ProRes 422 is an editing codec. It uses much less compression, which means that the files are big, but Final Cut can play it more easily. 

Best practice is to edit in ProRes 422, especially if you have lots of layers and effects. That means you spend a little extra time optimizing your files to ProRes 422 before you start, but you save time in the long run.

As you got into more complicated editing such as adding multiple clips and transitions and effects you would start to see a more pronounced difference, i.e. FCP would need to render more often and editing wouldn't be a smooth. H.264 is really optimized to be a delivery codec while ProRes is optimized to be an editing codec. That said, if you just need to do a simple edit and your Mac has the power to edit H.264 you can get away with it no problem, but if you plan to do a heavy edit with lots of transitions and effects and color grading you will be best served by ProRes. 

Just an alternative solution: Pavtube H.264 to ProRes Codec Converter which is able to convert H.264 videos to Apple ProRes 422 HQ (*.mov), Apple ProRes 422 (*.mov), Apple ProRes 422 (LT) (*.mov), Apple ProRes 422 (Proxy) (*.mov) and ProRes 4444 (*.mov). (2015 Top 5 Best Mac HD Video Converter Review for Camcorder Lovers) 

a. ProRes 422 (HQ): offers the utmost possible quality for 4:2:2 or 4:2:0 sources and provides target data rate of approximately 220 Mbps and higher quality than Apple ProRes 422; 

b. ProRes 422: provides target data rate of approximately 145 Mbps and higher quality than Apple ProRes 422 (LT); 

c. ProRes 422 (LT): provides roughly 70 percent of the data rate of Apple ProRes 422 (thus, smaller file sizes than Apple ProRes 422) and higher quality than ProRes 422 (Proxy); 

d. ProRes 422 (Proxy): provides roughly 30 percent of the data rate of Apple ProRes 422 and high-quality offline editing at the original frame size, frame rate, and aspect ratio; 

e. ProRes 4444: offers the utmost possible quality for 4:4:4 sources and roughly 50 percent higher than the data rate of Apple ProRes 422 (HQ). 

• Types of Apple ProRes Codecs

How to Convert H.264 footage to Apple ProRes for FCP X on Mac OS X? 

Once your CF(CompactFlash) card or SD memory card is placed into a reader connected to your Mac, follow the instructure below to convert H.264 to ProRes by using Pavtube H.264 HD Video Converter for Mac. 

Step 1. Free download the trial version of Pavtube Mac H.264 to ProRes Converter, install it on your Mac and import the H.264 files from HD camcorders to the Mac H.264 to ProRes Converter, or drag recorded H.264 videos to the software. 

 

Tip: If you have multiple recorded H.264 files, you can select the "Merge into one file" box to merge your files into one single file. (Best MTS/M2TS Files Joiner on Mac Yosemite) 

Step 2. Hit the "Format" box and select one of the Apple ProRes codecs on the dropdown list. You are advised to choose "Apple ProRes 422 (*.mov)" or "Apple ProRes 422 HQ (*.mov)" format. Due to the difference in the compresstion standard of AVCHD and ProRes 422, the converted files are significantly larger than the original ones. If you prefer smaller file size, please choose "Apple ProRes 422 (LT) (*.mov)" instead. 

 

Step 3. Start converting H.264 videos to ProRes 422 (HQ) by clicking on the "Convert" icon. Based on its multi-threading and transcoding technology, the whole conversion will be done within a short time. Batch converting is also supported by the Mac H.264 to ProRes Converter tool. 

Tip: If you wanna shut down the computer after the conversion automatically, just click Option and tick the box "Shut down the computer after conversion" before conversion starts. 

After the recorded H.264 video to ProRes conversion is 100% completed, please run the FCP and click "File > Import > Files" for editing H.264 video in FCP without any rendersing and quality loss. Besides the ability to transfer the converted H.264 files to FCP X, the versatile Pavtube H.264 HD Video Converter for Mac users can help you copy/edit H.264 files into iMovie, FCE, Adobe Premiere Pro CC, Premiere Pro CS, Premiere Elements, After Effects CC/CS, Avid Media Composer, DaVinci Resolve (Lite), iPhoto, Kdenlive, Keynote, Aperture 3, etc. 

Maybe these articles can also help to you: 

• Make MXF Compatible with iMovie, FCP X, FCE, Avid, etc. 
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• Enjoy Editing H.265 (HEVC) Videos in Premiere Elements 
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Good News: Never miss to get Saving up to $44.1, MXF/MTS/M2TS/MKV/FLV/MOV Converter.etc at Pavtube Bundles Deals, such as: HD Video Converter for Mac($35) + DVD Creator for Mac($35) = $39.9, Save $30.1 

HD Video Converter for Mac Key Features: 
-Convert 1080p/720p MKV, MOV, MXF, MTS, M2TS, M2T, TS, M4V, MP4, AVI, MPG, VOB, WMV, 3GP, FLV videos for playing, editing, uploading or burning. 
-Support ProRes/DNxHD/DVCPRO/AIC and other codecs for NLEs on Mac. 
-Convert HD footages from Sony, Canon, Nikon, Panasonic, JVC, etc. 
-Convert any video and audio for multiple playback devices. 

DVD Creator for Mac: 
-Create playable DVD disc, DVD folder and DVD ISO from different file types. 
-Make DVDs from TiVo, MTS, MOV, WMV, AVI, MPEG, MP4, MKV and more. 
-Burn ISO image file and DVD folder/VIDEO_TS to a DVD disc directly. 
-Create DVD movies with NTSC or PAL video standard. 

 

Source: http://mts-to-aic-converter.com/h264-vs-apple-prores-codec/