Should You Use ProRes or H.264 Proxies in Final Cut Pro?

Every week, Frame.io Insider asks certainly one of our skilled contributors to share a tip, device, or approach that they use on a regular basis and couldn’t dwell with out. This week, Reuben Evans discusses the variations between utilizing ProRes and H.264 proxies in your Final Cut Pro workflows.

ProRes vs H.264 Proxies in Final Cut Pro

I’ve at all times thought of Final Cut Pro’s proxy workflow to be probably the greatest options of the software program. I’ve been capturing 8K REDCODE RAW since its launch again in 2016, so modifying with proxies has been vital to workflow.

Once the pandemic began, we have been able to adapt to it with cloud-based applied sciences like Frame.io and Postlab. That made a proxy workflow much more vital. But initially, FCP solely provided ProRes Proxies. These are very simple in your Mac’s CPU and GPU. But extra just lately, Apple added H.264 proxies and the power to vary the body dimension of the proxies.

Final Cut Pro has been able to transcode your media into proxies for some time. — Final Cut Pro has been in a position to transcode your media into proxies for a while.

To create proxies, simply choose your clip(s) within the browser, right-click, and choose “Transcode Media….” Now you’ll have the choice of ProRes or H.264 proxies. But which one must you select?

Should you choose the ProRes Proxy or H.264 transcode option? — Should you select the ProRes Proxy or H.264 transcode possibility?

Basically, you probably have an older mac select ProRes. If you have got a more recent one, give H.264 a attempt. ProRes has a bit higher picture high quality, however you may at all times swap again to the unique for full constancy. H.264 is smaller, so it’s higher for cloud-based collaborative workflows, and placing proxy footage in your system drive whereas your unique footage stays on exterior storage.

My advice is to use the Proxy Preferred or Proxy Only option at 50 percent of the original dimension. — My recommendation is to make use of the Proxy Preferred or Proxy Only possibility at 50 p.c of the unique dimension.

My go-to setting is H.264 at 50 p.c dimension. Then simply choose Proxy Only or Proxy Preferred on the high of your viewer. Now you’ll be able to take your high-resolution modifying with you on the go.

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Screenshots from Amazing Grace (due for launch in 2024). Courtesy of Visuals 1st Films, LLC.