FlyWithX

Minimize Compressions in the Video Workflow

A common video workflow:

  • Camera records video in H.265
  • Then use DaVinci Resolve to edit the video and export H.265
  • Then upload the video to YouTube which will convert it to AV1/VP9

In that workflow, your video data is effectively compressed three separate times.

The 3 Stages of Compression

  1. Camera Recording (1st Compression): Your camera takes the raw sensor data and compresses it into H.265 to save space on your memory card. This is "Generation 1."
  2. DaVinci Resolve Export (2nd Compression): When you export, Resolve decompresses the camera footage to process your edits (cuts, color grade, text). It then re-encodes that data into a new H.265 file. Even if you don't add effects, Resolve typically re-encodes the entire stream unless specific "bypass" settings are met. This is "Generation 2."
  3. YouTube Processing (3rd Compression): When you upload that file, YouTube's servers decompress it again and re-encode it into various streaming formats (like VP9 and AV1) to create different resolution versions (1080p, 4K, mobile, etc.). This is "Generation 3."

Why this matters (Generation Loss)

Every time video is re-encoded using a "lossy" codec like H.265 or VP9, information is thrown away to save space. This is called Generation Loss.

  • Pass 1 to 2: You might introduce slight banding or blockiness, especially if the export bitrate isn't high enough.
  • Pass 2 to 3: YouTube's compression is very aggressive. If your uploaded file (Generation 2) already has compression artifacts, YouTube's encoder will struggle to interpret them, often resulting in "muddy" or pixelated fast-motion scenes.

How to minimize the first compression

To avoid that damaging "first compression," you generally cannot record zero compression (uncompressed video requires roughly 3 GB per second), but you can record in formats that are "visually lossless" or "intra-frame."

These formats (like RAW or ProRes) store every single frame individually, rather than compressing groups of frames together like H.265 does. This keeps your footage thick and rich, so it survives the editing and upload process much better.

1. How to avoid the "Bad" First Compression

You need to switch your camera's recording format from a "delivery codec" (H.264/H.265) to an "editing codec" or "acquisition codec."

  • ProRes / DNxHR: These are the industry standard. They are compressed, but very lightly. Footage looks virtually identical to what the sensor sees.
  • RAW (BRAW, ProRes RAW, N-RAW): This captures the raw data from the sensor. It offers the highest quality and flexibility but requires color grading.

2. Cameras that can record better than H.265 (Internally)

Historically, you needed an external recorder (like an Atomos Ninja) to get these formats. However, many modern cameras can now do this internally to CFExpress or SD cards.

Budget / Entry Level Cinema

  • Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Cameras (4K, 6K, 6K Pro):
    • These are the kings of affordable high-quality video.
    • Formats: They record BRAW (compressed RAW) and ProRes 422 internally.
    • Cost: ~ 1 , 300 – 1,300 – 2,500.
  • Sigma fp / fp L:
    • Records CinemaDNG RAW internally (very high quality, but huge file sizes).

Hybrid Mirrorless (Photo + Video)

  • Panasonic Lumix GH6 / GH7 / G9 II:
    • Can record ProRes 422 HQ internally.
  • Fujifilm X-H2S:
    • Records ProRes 422 HQ internally.
  • Nikon Z8 / Z9:
    • Powerhouses that record N-RAW (Nikon's raw format) and ProRes 422 HQ internally up to 8K.
  • Canon EOS R5 C:
    • Records Cinema RAW Light internally.

Professional Cinema (Mid-Range)

  • Sony FX3 / FX30:
    • Note: These mostly record XAVC S-I (All-Intra) internally. This is better than standard H.265 because it compresses frame-by-frame, but it is not quite as robust as ProRes. To get ProRes RAW with these, you usually need an external HDMI recorder.
  • Canon C70:
    • Records XF-AVC (Intra-frame) and RAW internally.

How to minimize the 2nd compression

You cannot avoid the YouTube compression (Pass 3), but you can virtually eliminate the damage from the middle step (Pass 2).

The Better Workflow: Instead of exporting H.265 from Resolve, export a "visually lossless" or high-bitrate format.

  • Best Option: Export as DNxHR or ProRes 422. These files are huge, but they preserve virtually 100% of the quality from your timeline. When YouTube compresses this file, it is working from a much cleaner source.
  • Good Option: If you must use H.265 (to save upload bandwidth), set the Bitrate to "Best" or manually set it very high (e.g., 80,000–100,000 kbps for 4K). This ensures the "2nd compression" loses almost no data before YouTube gets it.

Summary of the "Pro" Workflow

If you buy a camera like the Blackmagic Pocket 4K and record in ProRes 422, your workflow changes to this:

  1. Recording (Pass 1): ProRes 422 (High bitrate, visually lossless).
  2. Export (Pass 2): Export a ProRes Master file (No quality lost).
  3. YouTube (Pass 3): YouTube compresses the file.

Result: Since the first two steps were effectively lossless, YouTube is compressing your video for the first time, resulting in much cleaner video with less banding and blocking.