People seem to be loosing perspective on what the primary purpose of codecs is - that is, to compress video data while maximizing perceived quality by discarding less perceivable video data.

You can make any frame look bad by extracting visual elements that the codec sacrificed. For the most part AVCHD codecs do a good job of maintaining visual quality. Depending on what you are shooting, however, criteria that define visual quality will change. If you are doing slow motion work, for example, motion rendering becomes more important than it normally is.

Compression doesn't come for free - something is always sacrificed. It comes down to how you prioritize visual elements. Fortunately, the hack allows you to choose what is important to you. To each his own - and for very good, but often different, reasons.

Chris

@ PerryWilson I don't think your "dick head" comment is relevant to our discussion unless you are referring to something you see in your viewfinder every time you face the mirror. I am not using GOP1 because I think it simply doesn't suit my purpose: documentary filmmaking. I was going to try initially and that was why I asked. No further explanation needed. Comparing my 66mbit footage to your 100000 mb is plain stupid. I would have had to be filming the same wedding for accurate comparison.

@ cbrandin "Depending on what you are shooting, however, criteria that define visual quality will change". Absolutely.

Keep up the battle, guys. It's entertaining, really. But lets also define some objectives a bit.

For example- what's the best settings for the best image possible? What's the best settings for the best, most stable image possible? What's the best settings for the best, stable and lowest bitrate possible? Why use more space than required if we can use less and get more out of it? My two year old imac struggles with cutting basic HD and learning to shoot and cut something that I CREATE is more important to me than…ah, what was I writing about..?

And then we get into film styles and so much of it is so very subjective. And there's no right or wrong in this stuff, just point of view, opinion and tastes and all that wonderfully diverse stuff that should always be appreciated and respected, especially when we disagree.

Good news is it's just going to get better. Unless, of course, we continually destroy the planet or blow up the world, shoot each other instead of movies or just kick back and not worry. So remember the mantra, however old or new- "Pictures or bombs? That is the question"

Well I've got me a cute little camera, see. It's a fine little beast. I like it!