photojpeg codec?

I recorded a short video using a Canon 7d. I followed pond5's video requirement and convert the footage using mpeg streamclip to photojpeg mov format. However the resulting file is 1.6GB big and the original file is only 160mb. I am wondering what I am doing wrong?

What quality setting did you convert it at ?

100% ???? ..... if so, that can do it.....

do you know what codec the 7D recorded it at originally ?

7D records in H.264

How long is the clip?

I have 20 second clips that encode in 85% PhotoJPEG to around 600mb, so that's pretty normal depending on how much movement, etc. is in the clip.

If the clip does not require any editing or color correction, you can just upload the 7D clip directly to Pond5.

Scene complexity also increases file size with PhotoJPEG. Meaning, a 10 second shot of the wind blowing through a group of trees would be bigger than a 10 second stationary shot of a person leaning on a brick wall.

It was about 25-30s long and converted at 100% quality. This clip doesn't require editing. But in the future, if a clip requires editing (i plan to use vegas), should I encode the result using photojpeg? is there a more size friendly codec i can use?

If shot progressive leave progressive and use PJPEG at no more than 94%. Like you were told a 30 second clip can easily be 1 Gb depending on subject, Most of us try to work the clip to the 20 second time or less, anything longer is getting too big. I always crop a few frames off both ends ata minimum to ensure a more stable clip. With the 7D stick with .MOV and Photo JPEG, don't try anything else. Good luck.

waynestockmedia...

I do believe when you are working with PhotoJPEG and you save at 100% quality.... you impose 4:4:4 color space which balloons your file size without adding anything to your original footage which was acquired at best at 4:2:2 ... and some cameras 4:2:0 .....

just search for something like "NTSC color space" on the net and see what you get.... the explanation of the differences are TOO detailed and involved for these forums initially.... getting a good primer on the subject is best first...

hope that also helps to explain another caveat in the general workflow process...

So I converted the same clip 25s long with 80% quality and it is now 500mb, which I guess is the expected size?

Re color space, I can not find a dialog box to change it to 4 2 2 or 4 4 4 inside mpeg streamclip, can someone enlighten me where the option is?

waynestockmedia...

I never said that was an option in mpeg streamclip.... I was referring to the 'PhotoJPEG' codec itself.... doesn't matter if you rendered out of AE organically at 100% OR did a transcode in any of the various programs.... ie: Streamclip...Compressor... Episode... Quicktime Pro... to change codecs.

What I was sharing with you was HOW MUCH information the codec saves relative to a percentage selection. This is happening 'under the hood' so to speak.

So you aren't missing any 'front end' option in Streamclip. What the other members have shared with you is spot on regarding potential size of a clip relative to duration and "the motion' within the clip. These factors along with your quality setting ALL factor in to your final file size.

hope that helps...

Photo jpeg uses single frame compression and H.264 compresses over multiple frames - making it more efficient (and hence smaller file size - although very susceptible to no ice and banding if pushed around in post ).

If you are not making any colour or tonal changes, you would best to submit it in it's original format (h.264).

If you want to do some post production you should put the file into a less compressed container such as prores 422 or prores 444. Then export it as a distribution format such as photo jpeg.

Bring on the day when DSLRs shoot raw video!