Uploading directly to Vimeo vs. Apple ProRes

Hey guys!
I am in the process of uploading videos onto my new guitar instruction site ( www.kidsguitaracademy.com ) and noticed that FCP allows me to upload directly to my Vimeo account vs. creating a separate file and then uploading that.. I usually use the Apple ProRes 422 codec to create my video files, however uploading straight to Vimeo is MUCH quicker and the file size is significantly smaller (for example, a five minute video is 5GB using ProRes vs. 600MB using Vimeo). I have always equated larger file sizes with better video quality, am I correct in this? When I looked at the specs they were fairly identical and the video quality looks similiar when I used both methods on the same video.

Here's a spec comparison:

Vimeo Upload: 1920X1080, 29.97fps,
Apple Codec: 1440x1080, 29.97fps

It seems that I should expedite my process (I have 80 video clips ranging from 5 to 30 minutes) by uploading straight to Vimeo, however I don't want the quality of my videos to suffer as a result..
Thanks in advance for your input!!
David

Sometimes the direct upload from inside FCPX can be buggy and slower. Now, to correct you on one issue. What Vimeo ends up streaming, and ProRes are NOT similar codecs. Similar image size and frame rate, but no bit rate, not the same codec. Vimeo uses an H.264 codec, that will lose some image quality depending. If you start with nice video, it'll still look nice. Starting with ProRes, you're starting with the highest image quality. Vimeo uploads and transcodes that into an H.264 flavor, which is a much smaller file size, because it is very highly compressed. Compression technology has come a long way, and that can still look outstanding. Since you don't have a lot of fast action scenes (white water rafting, fight/chase scenes), you'll have an easier time maintaining image quality.

If you're having success uploading directly to Vimeo, use it. If you have issues, export ProRes and upload that directly. That's what I do. Some folks don't have the bandwidth locally, and a ProRes takes too long for them. In which case, Vimeo publishes codec, resolution, frame rate, data rate specs so you can create a custom encoding preset inside Compressor. Although it already has one for Vimeo. But what ever work for you, go with it.

Uploading directly to Vimeo won't reduce image quality. Exporting ProRes and uploading that won't reduce image quality. Not any more than Vimeo's own transcode process does. Which is much higher quality than YouTube.

Does larger file size equal better image quality? Not always, there's much more to codecs, image quality, and encoding that it isn't so cut and dried. But usually, yes, all other things being equal, large file size "in general usually can" be better image quality.

Let me ask, what camera are you shooting these videos with?

BTW, I'm a musician and I may have my kids watch your videos. They've been learning piano, and I told them once they start high school, they can move to guitar. Gotta keep that carrot dangling in front of them to keep those grades up.

Like Ben said, anything you upload to Vimeo (or Youtube) will be re-encoded by them anyways.

...but there is one thing thats worth considering when choosing your upload route...if you upload the ProRes manually, it will be there for you to download later as a sort of pseudo-back-up of the full quality master file in the case of a catastrophe happening with however you are currently archiving your projects...(with Vimeo's re-encoded copy of the file being the one that is actually streamed back online.)

Sometimes I will upload from FCPX share menu direct to Vimeo to get the meta-data auto filled in from FCPX, then I will export a ProRes 422 HQ or something and just use the Replace File feature to upload that manually, and I can then access that higher quality file later on if needed...

Uploading directly to Vimeo won't reduce image quality. Exporting ProRes and uploading that won't reduce image quality. Not any more than Vimeo's own transcode process does. Which is much higher quality than YouTube.

Ahem. *gets on soapbox* Youtube's video quality now absolutely DESTROYS Vimeo. Youtube can do 60fps. Vimeo cannot. Youtube can do 4k (also at 60fps). Vimeo won't even let you have a 1080p version without paying. And if you do upload a 1080p version, it won't create a 720p version for users who would watch it in that resolution. Youtube has made amazing strides in its video quality as well. Gone are the days of excessive artifacting on fast-moving scenes like white water rafting. The new WebM VP9 codec keeps up with even the fastest action and it blew me away and I'm very critical of such things. Even my older videos which had nasty artifacts have since been "auto updated" by Youtube and now look much better. If you still see nasty artifacting, you are getting an H.264 stream from an outdated web browser or you're on a mobile device. Still, there really is nothing better that Vimeo has any more in regards to the actual video. It's also hella easier to upload to Youtube than to Vimeo (yes I said "hella" please feel free to mock me... I would). Within FCPX and directly uploading it probably doesn't make much of a difference publishing a video.

*gets off soapbox*

EDIT: It is worth noting, however, that Youtube takes longer to process the WebM VP9 stream. The H.264 version will be available publicly and the VP9 could come a few hours later. That's why I keep my videos private until all processing has completely finished, not just Youtube's progress bar which only tells you that the video is now watchable in some form.

Thank you sooo much for your help guys! I am much clearer on how this works now. So far I have had good luck uploading straight to Vimeo and, considering the large number of videos I am working with, will probably continue to do so (however Shane makes a great point regarding the benefits of having a master file back up).

Ben, I used two Cannon Vixia HF 200's for the videos--nothing special but they did the job! I'm hoping that the site is profitable enough to enable me to upgrade to DSLR (any recommendations?). Btw, the site features a really cool step by step learning program that I put together over 20 years of guitar teaching experience--it's perfect for beginners. I'm actually launching June 30th. I think your kids would love it!

Thanks again everyone : )