Lossy color grading?

[Donald Riley]

Would a music video look better if it was color graded with a lossless file rather than a lossy file?

[Tyler Purcell]

Well, it depends on the type of compressed lossy format you're using.

 

In most cases, lossless formats like JPEG2000 (Red Code) and Tiff (Cinema DNG) are far better as source materials then compressed formats like MPEG2/MPEG4 which is what MOST consumer cameras shoot.

[Donald Riley]

Thank you, Tyler. I'm wondering if lossless color grading is overkill for a music video instead of color grading with Prores 422 or 4444.

[Tyler Purcell]

Pro Res 444 should be fine, if it comes out of the recorder of the camera and not converted.