Hi forum members,

I've changed some e-mails with Gwegner regarding the best video output quality and the right workflow. In order to hear what other forum members have to say, so we all can learn something in the process, I've decided to follow gwegner suggestion and put here our conversation.

So, here it is:

My first attempts in video editing were with iMovie, but the results very bad (posterization in the skies and color banding). I've tried several export ways but given up after reading in several places that iMovie have problems with its codec AIC.

I've started with Final Cut Pro X importing the project from iMovie and after some audio adjustments I've exported the first version. It looks better, but one can still see some posterization and banding in the skies. Perplex with that, I've watched again more carefully the videos exported from Lightroom directly using the PRO LRTimelapse templates, and saw that after all, the posterization was already there!
Gwegner's comment: it depends of the scene. In 95% of all cases the PRO templates deliver very good results, they try to circumvent the limitations of the H.264 encoder with a very high bitrate. The thing is, H.264 is know to produce banding, there is not much you can do about it - the good thing is, this will only be visible in some certain scenes with color gradients.

I also noticed that even with the huge RAW files from D800 camera, and using the export PRO template 1620p30fps the exported MPEG-4 file has only 156 MB, wich means that there is a BIG lossy compression in the file.
Gwegner's comment: That's nothing to do with the huge RAW files they are scaled down nevertheless - it depends of the scene becaus H.264 compresses "visually" and lossy.

Here are some more specific questions:

1 - What is exactly your workflow (and with what software) in order to achieve the best possible results in your timelapse videos?
Gwegner's answer: If you want the best results, go with the image sequence form LRTimelapse into after effects and export with a lossless codec, use that as starting footage for further editing. But: some time you will have to go to H264 anyway, latest if you upload to YT or vimeo... But this saves one compression step.

2 - I'm correct assuming that the export facility of LR (even with the LRTimelapse PRO templates) will always generate a very compressed MPEG-4 file formate that may show this video artifacts?
Gwegner's answer: Not very compressed, in fact the least compresse possible, see above.

3 - If the answer to the above question is "yes", my next question will be: Will it not be a better workflow (in quality terms) to do the usual stuff (LRTimelapse +LR4) to edit the individual images and achieve a good transition between them but, instead of exporting a video with LR4, just exporting individual TIFF images, that latter will be added to the timeline in FinalCut Pro X to make the timelpase video? That way we will not force Final Cut Pro to work over already compressed files...
Gwegner's answer: I wouldn't go the tiff way, it's too complicated and generates too much data. See above.

4 - Regarding fps, is there any advantage of using another fps rate other then 25? Of corse that if I plan to do some slow motion sequence I should use a higher frame-rate, but if not, should I always stick with the 25 fps number all the time?
Gwegner's answer: Sure you can use any fps you want. Check my EBook for an in depth explanation when to use wich fps. Just make sure that you use the same fps in every step of your workflow and in every sequence. Otherwise you'll get jitter in the resulting movie.

I believe that the supreme quality of our end movies is something that we all should be very critical, since we spend so much effort making them in the field, hours and hours at the cool outdoors :-)
So what is your "best quality workflow"?

All the best,

Hi. I've used all the editing apps so I feel I have a good perspective on these specific issues.

- You should try to avoid rendering or compressing out until the very end, to avoid losing any quality.

- FCX is fine for quality, but After Effects or LR will prob give you more control.

- If possible, work in 16 bit colour space. Banding is an artefact of 8 bit colour and is apparent in gradients of colour, especially in skies.

- To help minimise banding, apply a very slight amount of noise filter to video (such as 0.4% colour noise). This will help break up the gradients and also makes it easier to get a decent result in your final H264 file. Film grain (real or animated) also works when used over the video in overlay mode.

Encoding to H264 is always going to give you banding. It's a highly compressed, 8 but colour format. Best you can do is try to minimise it

So what is your "best quality workflow"?