How does Vegas prepare diff. res. clips internally

ritsmer wrote on 8/9/2015, 7:15 AM
Say you have some "4K" 3840x2160 clips and want to edit them together with some FHD 1920x1080 clips resulting in FHD 1920x1080 output.

The 4K clips were recorded because you planned to pan/crop in them with less resulting quality loss compared to recording the same clips in FHD.

The question is now: which project properties do you chose for editing - 3840x2160 or 1920x1080 ??
since you do not want Vegas to kinda downres. the 4K clips before pan/cropping them.

I have made some tests - and it seems that the 4 K clips remain 4 K a long way internally in Vegas -no matter how you set the project properties.
The 4 K clips even remain 4K res. even if you mix FHD and 4K clips in the very same video track (i.e. not having separate tracks dedicated for 4K and FHD clips)

Question: Is it correctly understood that Vegas keeps the 4K clips at 4K res in a FHD project - even while pan/cropping them - and only in the very last moment before previewing or rendering them downres. the 4K clips to the FHD project properties ??

In other words: There is nothing gained (video quality wise) by setting the project properties to 4K in such a project with mixed res. media ??

And: Is this correct for other filters than pan/crop too - such as different FX'es ? - even from different suppliers ?

Comments

musicvid10 wrote on 8/9/2015, 7:33 AM
The project properties above the line do not affect the output, just the preview.
Only the render settings can affect the output.
This is true for all imported media, but not for generated media, which adopt the initial project settings.

Former user wrote on 8/9/2015, 8:05 AM
If I have mixed resolutions/formats, I will normally set properties for my final output. If all files are the same, I will match the file format.
It is the final output though when files are reformatted if necessary.
ritsmer wrote on 8/9/2015, 10:13 AM
Yes, you are right - my question is more about the internal mechanics of Vegas, however -
to find out if there is a possible gain / loss in the resulting video quality of the cropped portion of the media if you crop some 4 K media in a project with 4 K properties compared to doing the same crop to the same 4 K media in a project with "only" full HD properties.

But, as I wrote, I have made some tests already - and they are indicating that there is no difference - and I just wanted to hear some other opinions on this issue.
Former user wrote on 8/9/2015, 10:32 AM
As long as you use PAN/CROP the original resolution is saved until final output.

If you use track motion, it works differently.
Chienworks wrote on 8/9/2015, 11:26 AM
In short, Vegas does not "prepare" source media like other NLEs do.