Calibrated Software MXF Import v3 - Manual (Page 37)

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‘dnxhd’ options for Sony Vegas 11 (Build 512) 64-bit
Control file used was the XDCAM-MXF file.
QuickTime Player 7.7.1 was also installed for the test, and no third-party hardware I/O boards were used in this test.
All
visual comparison tests were performed on the computer monitor by sight.
Sony Vegas does not use Calibrated{Q} MXF Import to natively import MXF files so your workflow would be to create
QuickTime Reference MOV files of DNxHD MXF files using Calibrated{Q} Import Assist and import the QT Ref MOV files
into Vegas. After importing the QT Ref MOV files into Vegas you could either edit with them or convert them into a native
Vegas format. Please note that no realtime editing speed tests were done with the QT Ref MOV files on a Vegas timeline.
In our Vegas tests the files, DNxHD-RGB-GAMMA-REFMXF & DNxHD-RGB-REFMXF are visually the same
– so the
Gamma Extension appears to not make a difference in Vegas.
Sony Vegas has 3 Pixel Formats for their Projects:
1.) 8-bit
2.) 32-bit floating point (video levels)
3.) 32-bit floating point (full range)
The first two Project Pixel Formats ( 8-bit and 32-bit video levels) seem to display and work with RGB data in the SMPTE
RGB Range on the timeline, and the third Project Pixel Format (32-bit full range) seems to display and work with RGB
data in the Full Range RGB on the timeline.
The Trimmer Window appears to always display RGB in the SMPTE RGB Range; regardless of what Pixel Format the
project is set to.
When working in Pixel Format 8-bit and Pixel Format 32-bit video levels Vegas projects, the XDCAM-MXF file was
visually the same as DNxHD-709-REFMXF on a Vegas timeline, while the file DNxHD-RGB-REFMXF was darker than
the other two files a Vegas timeline.
Likewise while working in a Pixel Format 32-bit full range Vegas project, the XDCAM-MXF file was visually the same as
DNxHD-RGB-REFMXF on a Vegas timeline, while the file DNxHD-709-REFMXF was brighter than the other two files on
a Vegas timeline.
RECOMMENDATION
It would appear that Vegas will always request RGB video from the Avid QuickTime Codecs, and whether to create QT
Ref MOV files with a SMPTE RGB Color Level or a Full Range RGB Color Level would depend on the Pixel Format in the
Vegas project you are working in.
No exporting or render tests were done in Vegas. Please note that no realtime editing speed tests were done with the QT
Ref MOV files on a Vegas timeline, presumably playback speeds would be slower than realtime since you are not working
in a native Vegas format.