ProRes Codec

The Apple ProRes family is a suite of high-quality codecs developed for professional video production. It delivers excellent image fidelity while keeping file sizes manageable. Designer supports multiple ProRes variants tailored to different quality bandwidth requirements.

ProRes 422

ProRes 422 is the standard variant that provides excellent quality for most professional video applications. It offers a good balance between file size and image quality, making it ideal for broadcast and post-production workflows. ProRes 422 supports up to 10-bit colour depth and is ideal for most video content.

ProRes 4444

ProRes 4444 is the highest quality variant in the ProRes family, supporting up to 12-bit colour depth and an alpha channel for transparency. This codec is designed for visual effects work and high-end post-production where maximum image quality is required. ProRes 4444 provides virtually lossless compression with larger file sizes.

ProRes HQ (High Quality)

ProRes HQ offers higher quality than standard ProRes 422 while maintaining reasonable file sizes. It provides enhanced detail preservation and is particularly useful for content that will undergo multiple generations of processing or when the highest quality is needed within the 422 colour space.

ProRes codecs are widely supported across professional video applications and provide excellent quality for high-end video production workflows.

Performance Consideration

Check the performance capabilities of the individual server you intend to playback ProRes on, as performance may be more limited than GPU accelerated codecs like HAP/DXV and NotchLC.

Best Practices

• Use ProRes 422 for standard broadcast and streaming content.
• Choose ProRes 4444 when alpha channel support or maximum quality is required.
• Select ProRes HQ for content requiring enhanced detail preservation.

Quality Comparison

ProRes codecs are designed to maintain high image quality across different compression levels and file size:

• ProRes 4444: Highest quality, supports alpha channel, largest file size,.
• ProRes HQ: Enhanced quality over standard 422, moderately larger file sizes.
• ProRes 422: Standard quality, a good balance of quality and file size.

Choose the appropriate variant based on your quality needs, storage capacity, and whether alpha channel transparency support is required.

Further Information

Read more about Apple ProRes on the Apple Support website.