I guess if you have access to FFmpeg (like the Linux version), you can use it to encode your master video to H.264. While it is only available for Windows platform, x264vfw is the VfW (Video for Windows) version of well known x264 encoder + ffh264 decoder (from FFmpeg/Libav project) as described on their site. I did a few more tests and noticed that x264vfw is the better H.264 codec if you need to export directly from Premiere Pro/After Effects. Nuke supports it in case if you want to give it a shot.

I know there is DNxHD by Avid which is another alternative for intermediate codec like Apple ProRes.Personally I think MainConcept codec is the weakest compared to the others as MainConcept have higher blocky artifact when exporting at the same bitrate specs. For the web, I prefer to use Handbrake for exporting H.264 MP4 although you have several choices like the MainConcept codec in Adobe suites or x264 codec through FFmpeg.I love ProRes for the minimal degradation from the final EXR (although it can’t match the dynamic range of EXR) and use ProRes 444 whenever possible. Nuke support exporting to Apple ProRes with version 9.0 onwards.

Here’s my list of tips when you need to export your work for final mastering or online: The GIF is a self-explanatory again and I boost the gamma for the comparison to showcase the artifact produced in H.264 compression. I didn’t include the final render EXR file but the ProRes screenshot should serve as the benchmark versus the H.264 screenshots.Ĭompression can be a pain in the butt when the many details that you had worked on lost in translation from the original final render (preferably saved in EXR). : I realise I didn’t attached the screenshots zip file for this article.

After effects h264 codec