Davinci Resolve 14

[Rubik]

3) Import the Yuneec files.
4) You should get this warning that the files to import do not match the timeline. Make sure to 'Don't Change'

I validated this with my video from todays shooting. It is just beginning to render, and will double check video is not stuttering.

As a 'stuttering note', from 11/17 through 1/18 I had the stuttering and tried many things. I thought I would have to go to another platform. This did work for me.

Thanks for spending the time to try and help me.
Problem is, I've done those things except that I'm importing UHD video and rendering UHD video. I set the Project Settings to match the CGO3+ file resolution and frame rate (3840x2160x29.97) before importing a file. I did not get a warning message about mismatched formats. The file I sent to the render queue is .mp4, H.264, UHD, 29.97.
I just went through it again with a 20-sec clip and the resulting video stutters during gentle panning sequences.
Perhaps the free version of Resolve 14 just doesn't like UHD drone video.

 

[Windluv]

Try this in the project settings.

 

[Windluv]

I am stuttering again as well in the new project from today's shooting.

Two months ago I got a Davinci 14 project to render without stuttering; the movie is super smooth. I believe I have copied the setting to today's new project but apparently not. I did drop in one of the 5 minute movie segments into the project from two months ago, and it renders perfect.

I will figure this out in the next day or two. I am in two start-ups doing 24/7 essentially; will get it resolved though.

 

[Tuna]

I'd have to check my notes when I was working this out, but - depending on your camera settings, the camera can record in either 25 or 29.97 fps. So don't assume it's 29.97. So i *think* you need to set Davinci to either 25 or 29.97 depending on the original footage. Most of my flight footage has been edited in Lightworks, which is a bit more straightforward when it comes to frame rates.

 

[Rubik]

I'd have to check my notes when I was working this out, but - depending on your camera settings, the camera can record in either 25 or 29.97 fps. So don't assume it's 29.97. So i *think* you need to set Davinci to either 25 or 29.97 depending on the original footage.

As I mentioned earlier here, Win10, File Explorer, Properties/Details shows the frame rate of the original footage from my CGO3+ cameras to be 29.97. Cyberlink PowerDirector 15 has no trouble with that setting and produces no stuttering. I haven't upgraded to 16 yet but it looks like it might have more color correction options than 15.

 

[Rubik]

After a little more reading on the Blackmagic forum it seems DaVinci Resolve is not real happy with h.264 video. Solutions seem to involve transcoding, cache to DNxHD or Prores, different codec, etc. etc. What??!!
I'm done with this. I'm removing Resolve from my system.
I've been producing my UHD .mpg videos from PowerDirector 15 using h.265 with excellent results.

 

[Ty Pilot]

The CG03+ Camera can record UHD at 30FPS - 25FPS and 24FPS. 30 is an NTSC standard and is actually 29.97 FPS while 25 is the PAL standard and should not be confused with 24FPS which is a film standard and actually has a frame rate of 23.976 FPS. @Rubik - in your post on the first page of this thread where you posted a screen shot of your settings (see below) - at the bottom where it says "Video Monitoring" the video format is shown as "HD1080P which is 1080 Progressive frame but then there is - "sF24"? I don't use this program so I don't know what it is referring to specifically but it looks like it is sitting at a FPS of 24 which does not match the timeline and playback frame rates. In any case I have used Power Director 16 Ultimate and it works fine with all of my cameras in UHD. The color correction tools in it are very basic compared to Premiere and so on but its got some capability. The plug in "Color Director" steps up the color correction game a bit as does Audio Director for the sound tracks.

 

[Rubik]

The CG03+ Camera can record UHD at 30FPS - 25FPS and 24FPS. 30 is an NTSC standard and is actually 29.97 FPS while 25 is the PAL standard and should not be confused with 24FPS which is a film standard and actually has a frame rate of 23.976 FPS. @Rubik - in your post on the first page of this thread where you posted a screen shot of your settings (see below) - at the bottom where it says "Video Monitoring" the video format is shown as "HD1080P which is 1080 Progressive frame but then there is - "sF24"? I don't use this program so I don't know what it is referring to specifically but it looks like it is sitting at a FPS of 24 which does not match the timeline and playback frame rates. In any case I have used Power Director 16 Ultimate and it works fine with all of my cameras in UHD. The color correction tools in it are very basic compared to Premiere and so on but its got some capability. The plug in "Color Director" steps up the color correction game a bit as does Audio Director for the sound tracks.

Actually, that was Windluv's screen. But I get your point. I set all those things to UHD 29.97 for my testing.
My interest in DaVinci Resolve was their color correction tools. I should give Cyberlink's ColorDirector a try.
Here's what they say about a clever feature that appears to be available in all levels of PowerDirector 16:
"Color Match intelligently analyzes your video footage and adjusts lighting, saturation, and color variables to achieve a consistent look across an entire clip." Just what we need when CGO3+ white balance changes unexpectedly.

 

[Ty Pilot]

You're right, it was Windluv's, sorry bout' that. I just saw that and it stuck out to me. The Power Director's Color Match thing is sorta okay, but for some scenes; it gets in over its head - so to speak.
Power Director is a good basic tool that is trying hard to be a lot more than it is - or needs to be. Once you learn a camera's particular quirks, I've found it is a lot easier to just manually fix and match different cameras if your in a pinch. I've not tried Color Director yet as I am not sure I am staying with this program but so far it is doing well, and for the cost it's a no brainer. I am used to the Adobe Suite but never went with the subscription when they started that. Now that the newer formats and 4K are here, my older version of Adobe (CS4) is not playing nice with these new formats and so far, I'm pretty happy with what PD offers for the price. And when working with as many as four different camera types - to be able to directly import and edit these is a big plus as well as the fact that you can do offline or indirect editing (proxies) of 4K without lagging and stuttering.

 

[Windluv]

This is the critical thing.

I had my new project for the footage from yesterday without this setting, but all the other setting as mentioned above for the 29.97 settings. Created a new project, set the imports to 29.97, and set this. Rendered fine. I will detail in a video / screen shots tomorrow. If you are following this might be enough to get you there until then.

 

[Windluv]

Following are several screen shots of a Davinci 14 project to produce a non-stuttering video. This was from video shot yesterday, with a new project. I will try to shoot some screen capture video this week and attempt to make a video as good as a couple of the guys here on how do something with excellent results for this terrific bird. For now, these will hopefully get you going. I am as frustrated as a lot of you on how difficult simply importing video and producing a decent result is. I will 'ding' Yuneec on this for not working with the video software companies on not resolving this in an easy LUT/import that should exist.

 

[Windluv]

New project initial settings that need to be changed.

Note : all changes below are done before importing the video files.

 

[Windluv]

In the project settings, set the timeline and playback to 29.97 FPS.

 

[Windluv]

This is super critical. Apparently Davinci works best with setting the Frame Interpolation with optical flow. Be sure to set the motion estimation flow to 'Better' ; if not, you may remove stuttering but get what I call 'bubbles' of rendering abstracts every second. This will double or triple the rendering time. You will get stuttering without this. (Request : verify why this is necessary)

 

[Windluv]

Now, import the video files.
You should get this warning.
When you import, make sure to not change the settings.

 

[Windluv]

Note that in the 'Media' view, the native Yuneec file shows the 25.000 fps value. The rendering timeline will change this.

 

[Windluv]

This is the Timeline (in the Media view) after adding your files to the timeline in the "Edit" mode. Note the 29.970 fps.

It is interesting to that the format has changed from 4096x2160 to 3072x2048. I do not know how this effects the rendering. ??

 

[Windluv]

Video timeline is set. Render the puppy. This is my default for initial output; I have no idea on the best rendering for size/quality at this point. No color correction; I will address the base line I use with raw to get as good / better then natural and gorgeous from the CG03+. It does not matter. Actually, I don't think the rendering timeline matters at all as far as the stuttering issue once the frame interpolation is set.

 

[Tuna]

Following are several screen shots of a Davinci 14 project to produce a non-stuttering video. This was from video shot yesterday, with a new project. I will try to shoot some screen capture video this week and attempt to make a video as good as a couple of the guys here on how do something with excellent results for this terrific bird. For now, these will hopefully get you going. I am as frustrated as a lot of you on how difficult simply importing video and producing a decent result is. I will 'ding' Yuneec on this for not working with the video software companies on not resolving this in an easy LUT/import that should exist.

I demonstrated an on-controller tool that did basic LUT, colour correction and overlays for video. Neither Yuneec nor the forums where I posted it showed enough interest (i.e. any) to make it worthwhile developing further. Go figure.

 

[Rubik]

Thanks Windluv but I'm not sure I want to reinstall Resolve to see how your suggestions work. Your Frame Interpolation settings may be the secret. Have you tried processing Yuneec UHD video straight through? Make sure you include scenes with gentle panning. Those were the most problematic.