This one is a little bit more technical for the video creators.
Basically a codec is like a wrapper. When an image is recorded, your camera will package it into a “wrapper” for you to use later. This helps reduce file size. RAW files are usually directly the image from the sensor straight onto your storage device. I have listed some codecs and some pros and cons below:
ProRes
This is an industry favourite - easy to edit, but the files are large.
Pros:
It’s an industry standard, so editors are familiar with the codec
It isn’t very compressed, which makes it much easier to edit
The quality is amazing, ProRes 4444 XQ - the best ProRes format which is amazing for VFX and keying
Cons:
If compared to h.264 and h.265 the files are much bigger. So you need to consider storage when shooting ProRes. We’ve had a one day shoot that had about 2TB of ProRes footage
Most mirrorless/DSLRs don’t have ProRes as a shooting option. It’s more available on the the cine cameras. If you want to shoot ProRes on your mirrorless camera, you most likely will need to purchase an external recorder like the Atomos Ninja V.
H.264
This is the most popular codec on mirrorless and DSLRs, and not really used on cinema cameras.
Pros
It’s reasonably compressed, so files are not that big
Most cameras have this codec built in
Editing this codec is more forgiving that h.265, especially 8 bit footage
Cons
When shooting 10bit 422, you will need a more beefy computer to handle it.
It doesn't hold that much information, so it won't be the preferred codec for people that do VFX, keying or very advanced colour grading
H.265/HEVC
This is a high efficiency codec which results in smaller files while holding decent amount of information.
Pros
As mentioned, the files are a lot smaller so it saves you on memory card and drive storage
Cons
This codec can be really tough to edit. If you’ve used the recent DJI drones, most of the codecs are in h.255 - so if your computer is a little old or not specced up, you will have a tough time editing this codec.
Similar to h.264, while it is able to hold a lot of information, it’s still not as much as ProRes or RAW. So for those doing VFX and advanced colour grading, it’s the preferred codec.
RAW
The best codec to shoot but it might not be for everyone, even if you have the option
Pros
Holds the most information. True RAW video codecs allow you to change white balance and ISO in post from all the meta data.
It’s the image directly from the camera sensor, which means you will have the most flexibility in post to edit - especially when shooting in log.
Cons
As you can imagine, the file sizes can be really big, even on Black Magic’s BRAW compression. So you will most likely need to invest in a professional storage solution
A lot of RAW codecs are very tough to edit, so make sure you have a good computer.
Since it’s information directly from the sensor, it might require you to do more work in post. For example on the Sony a7Siii, when shooting ProRes RAW, the image is not denoised as opposed when shooting on one of Sony’s codecs. Some might like the option to do it manually, however, de noising footage in post can take a really long time.
We use all of the codecs for different use cases. There is no right or wrong codec to use. You simply need to know what you’re shooting and what the footage is going to be used for.
If you know there are going a VFX team working on the footage, then RAW or ProRes will be the best options. If you are a solo film maker that does creative grades on your own, then h.264 or h.265 will be perfect.
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