A DPX file contains:
- Header: ~2 KB of metadata (resolution, color space, source format)
- Image data: pixel values in YUV or RGB
- End-of-file marker: file integrity
Each DPX is one frame. A 24fps cinema scan produces 24 DPX files per second. A 10-minute reel is 14,400 separate DPX files.
The "frame sequence" structure has trade-offs:
- Pros: parallel processing, partial-file recovery, streaming-friendly
- Cons: filesystem overhead, naming complexity, hard to share
DPX supports multiple color modes:
| Variant | Use case |
|---|
| 10-bit RGB linear | VFX compositing |
| 10-bit RGB log | Film scanning (Cineon, Phantom) |
| 10-bit YUV | Some broadcast workflows |
| 16-bit RGB | High-end finishing |
| 12-bit RGB | Sony cameras, some scanning |
For most film scanning: 10-bit RGB log (Cineon log). The log curve packs more shadow detail into fewer bits than linear RGB.
For 1 frame at typical cinema resolutions:
| Resolution | Bit depth | File size |
|---|
| 2K (2048×1080) | 10-bit RGB | 8.5 MB |
| 4K (4096×2160) | 10-bit RGB | 34 MB |
| 6K (6144×3240) | 12-bit RGB | 88 MB |
| 8K (8192×4320) | 16-bit RGB | 220 MB |
For 1 second of 4K 24fps: 800 MB. For 90 minutes: ~4 TB. Storage is significant for cinema workflows.
For comparison:
- ProRes 4444 XQ at 4K 24p: ~50 MB/s = 270 GB for 90 minutes
- DPX at 4K 24p: ~800 MB/s = 4 TB for 90 minutes
DPX is uncompressed; ProRes is heavily compressed. For master cinema scanning, DPX preserves more information.
| NLE | DPX read | DPX write |
|---|
| DaVinci Resolve Studio | Yes | Yes |
| Premiere Pro | Yes | Limited |
| Final Cut Pro | Yes | Limited |
| Avid Media Composer | Yes | Yes (legacy) |
| Nuke | Yes | Yes |
| Fusion (in Resolve) | Yes | Yes |
For modern cinema workflows: DaVinci Resolve Studio is the production default. Nuke for VFX integration.
For ProRes alternatives, see Apple ProRes Windows Workflow.
A typical cinema workflow with DPX:
- Film scan: 35mm reel scanned at 4K to DPX 10-bit log
- Color grade: ingest DPX in DaVinci Resolve Studio
- VFX compositing: render DPX from Houdini, composite in Nuke
- Final master: render to ProRes 4444 XQ for delivery
- Archive: keep DPX original for future re-grades
DPX is the "negative" of the digital age. It preserves the highest-quality data; compressed formats are derivatives.
DPX 10-bit log requires conversion to display gamma:
# 10-bit log DPX to linear sRGB PNG
ffmpeg -i frame_%04d.dpx \
-vf "lut1d=cineon_to_rec709.cube" \
-pix_fmt rgb24 \
-c:v png \
output_%04d.png
The lut1d filter applies a 1D LUT that converts the log curve to linear. For DaVinci Resolve, this conversion is automatic via the IDT (Input Device Transform) in ACES color management.
For ACES details, see ACES Color Pipeline.
For converting DPX sequence to a single ProRes file:
ffmpeg -i frame_%04d.dpx \
-c:v prores_ks -profile:v 4 \
-vendor apl0 \
-pix_fmt yuv422p10le \
output.prores.mov
Profile 4 is ProRes 4444. For ProRes 422 HQ: profile 3.
The conversion preserves the 10-bit data. The output file is much smaller than the source DPX sequence but loses the per-frame independence that DPX provides.
For sharing DPX content outside cinema workflows:
# DPX sequence to H.264 MP4
ffmpeg -framerate 24 -i frame_%04d.dpx \
-c:v libx264 -preset slow -crf 18 \
-pix_fmt yuv420p \
-movflags +faststart \
output.mp4
The conversion from 10-bit log DPX to 8-bit H.264 loses dynamic range but produces a universally-playable file. Suitable for streaming, social, or quick reference.
For HDR delivery, encode to 10-bit HEVC instead.
File sequence missing frames: filesystem error or incomplete copy. Verify with ls | wc -l against expected frame count.
Color shift after DPX-to-ProRes: log-to-Rec.709 conversion not applied. Use a LUT or ACES IDT.
Mac displays DPX as wrong colors: macOS Preview shows the raw 10-bit log values. Use a proper viewer (DJV, RV) for accurate preview.
DaVinci Resolve crashes on import: 6K/8K DPX with high frame count exceeds memory. Generate optimized media at lower resolution.
File timestamps drift: large DPX sequences cause filesystem performance issues. Use professional storage (RAID, NAS) for cinema-scale work.
For batch processing context, see Batch Processing Files Guide.
Both are uncompressed-or-lightly-compressed cinema formats:
| Aspect | DPX | OpenEXR |
|---|
| Bit depth | 10/12/16-bit | 16-bit half-float, 32-bit full-float |
| Color space | RGB log or linear | Scene-linear typically |
| Compression | None or basic | RLE, ZIP, PIZ, DWA |
| Multi-layer | No | Yes |
| Cinema scanning | Yes (legacy) | Increasingly common |
| VFX rendering | No (dated) | Yes |
For scanning: DPX legacy, EXR modern. For VFX: EXR. For compatibility with cinema legacy pipelines: DPX still common.
For OpenEXR details, see OpenEXR VFX Compositing.
For cinema productions:
- Active storage: NVMe RAID for current work (fast access)
- Archive: LTO tape for long-term (cheap, durable)
- Cloud: S3 Glacier or Azure Archive for off-site backup
A typical cinema feature uses 50-100 TB during production. Archive costs at scale demand careful storage tier planning.
For archival format choice, see FFV1 Archival Codec.
Yes for cinema workflows. Major studios still use DPX for film scanning. New productions increasingly favor EXR for modern features. Legacy support remains.
Yes. Premiere imports DPX sequences via the File > Import dialog. Modify the import to recognize the sequence pattern.
Native 35mm film is roughly 4K equivalent for scanning. 6K and 8K scans capture more grain detail but don't recover detail beyond the film's optical resolution.
No. DPX is a cinema/professional format. Consumer cameras output JPG, HEIC, MP4. The DPX wrapping happens in cinema scanning or post-production for professional pipelines.
No. iMovie doesn't support DPX. For Mac casual editing: convert to ProRes first via DaVinci Resolve or FFmpeg.
DPX is acceptable but not the most efficient. FFV1 in MKV is more compressed and is the modern preservation choice. Some archives keep DPX for compatibility with legacy tools.
For cinema scanning and master cinema workflows: DPX remains the legacy default. Modern productions favor OpenEXR for VFX integration and FFV1 for archival. Convert DPX to ProRes for editing, to H.264/HEVC for delivery. Keep DPX original as cold archival backup. Our video converter hub handles encoding from DPX sequence to delivery formats.
