ProRes vs DNxHR vs H.264 for editing proxies

How the three proxy codecs compare on size, speed and NLE support, and which one to pick for your editor.

Published on September 10, 2026·Updated on November 6, 2026·7 min read

proxycodecproresdnxhr

Every proxy workflow starts with one question: which codec. The three real options are H.264, ProRes Proxy and DNxHR LB. They all look the same for offline editing, so the choice comes down to file size, which app reads them natively, and your platform.

The short answer

Heavy camera formats are a common reason to reach for proxies. Footage from a Sony FX3 in 10-bit 4:2:2, for instance, often stutters on playback until you cut on a proxy.

Pick H.264 for Adobe Premiere Pro and the smallest files, ProRes Proxy for Final Cut Pro and DaVinci Resolve, and DNxHR LB for Avid Media Composer. If you move a project between several editors, ProRes Proxy is the most portable choice.

Side by side

Codec	Size vs 4K original	Container	Native NLE	Platform
H.264 720p	about 3 to 5 percent	.mp4	Premiere Pro	Windows, Mac, Linux
ProRes Proxy 720p	about 6 to 8 percent	.mov	Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Premiere	Mac native, Windows via encoder
DNxHR LB 720p	about 5 to 7 percent	.mxf	Avid Media Composer	Windows, Mac

DNxHR vs ProRes

DNxHR and ProRes are both intra-frame intermediate codecs, and at matching tiers their data rates land within a few percent of each other, so quality is rarely the deciding factor. The split is platform. On a Mac or in Final Cut Pro, ProRes is the native choice. On Avid, or across a Windows-heavy or mixed pipeline, DNxHR is the one every app reads. Both also work in Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve. For offline proxies use ProRes 422 Proxy or DNxHR LB; for a heavier mezzanine master use ProRes 422 or DNxHR SQ. The rough pairings are DNxHR LB with ProRes 422 Proxy, SQ with 422, and HQ with 422 HQ.

One common mix-up: DNxHD is the older HD-only family, fixed to 1080, while DNxHR is resolution independent and scales to 8K. For anything above HD, DNxHR is the one you want.

Codec	Bitrate 1080p	Bitrate 4K	GB per hour 1080p	GB per hour 4K	Native NLE
ProRes 422 Proxy	45 Mbps	180 Mbps	20 GB	81 GB	Final Cut, Resolve
ProRes 422 LT	102 Mbps	410 Mbps	46 GB	185 GB	Resolve, Premiere, FCP
ProRes 422 HQ	220 Mbps	880 Mbps	99 GB	396 GB	Resolve, Premiere, FCP
DNxHR LB	36 Mbps	145 Mbps	16 GB	65 GB	Avid, Resolve, Premiere
DNxHR SQ	145 Mbps	580 Mbps	65 GB	261 GB	Avid, Resolve, Premiere
DNxHR HQ	220 Mbps	880 Mbps	99 GB	396 GB	Avid, Resolve, Premiere
H.264 (reference)	about 25 Mbps	about 100 Mbps	11 GB	45 GB	All

Approximate targets at around 30 fps. ProRes is variable bitrate and DNxHR is constant, so the real figure moves a little with the picture. 4K here means UHD, 3840 by 2160, and gigabytes per hour follow from the bitrate. H.264 is a long GOP delivery codec whose rate varies the most. Sources: Apple ProRes White Paper and Avid DNxHR data rates.

H.264: smallest and universal

H.264 makes the lightest proxies and every machine decodes it in hardware, so playback is smooth even on an older laptop. The trade off is that it is a long GOP codec, which means scrubbing frame by frame can feel slightly less snappy than an intra frame codec like ProRes or DNxHR. For most Premiere Pro timelines that difference is invisible, and the small file size wins.

ProRes Proxy: the Apple and Resolve standard

ProRes Proxy is an intra frame codec, so every frame is complete and scrubbing stays instant. It is native to Final Cut Pro and reads cleanly in DaVinci Resolve and Premiere Pro. On Mac it decodes in hardware. Files are a little larger than H.264, which is the price of that frame accurate response. If you bounce one project across several editors, ProRes Proxy is the safest common ground.

DNxHR LB: made for Avid

DNxHR is Avid's codec family, and LB (Low Bandwidth) is its proxy tier. It is also an intra frame codec, wrapped in MXF for Avid Media Composer to detect through its media database. Outside Avid you rarely need it, but inside Avid it is the right and expected choice.

Which one for your editor

Premiere Pro: H.264 720p for the smallest files, or ProRes Proxy if you also open the project elsewhere.
Final Cut Pro: ProRes Proxy, the native Apple choice.
DaVinci Resolve: ProRes Proxy for frame accurate scrubbing.
Avid Media Composer: DNxHR LB in MXF.
Moving between several NLEs: ProRes Proxy, the most portable of the three.

Resolution and bitrate matter too

The codec is only half the decision. Resolution changes the file size more than the codec name does. A 720p proxy is the usual default for laptop editing. Move to 1080p only when the offline cut needs rough color or fine detail, and expect the file to roughly double.

A 1080p ProRes 422 LT proxy is far heavier than a 720p H.264 proxy, sometimes by ten times. Match the resolution to the machine you actually cut on, not to the camera.

Skip the choice with presets

If you would rather not weigh codecs for every project, Sanbila ships 30 proxy presets covering five codec families: H.264, ProRes Proxy, ProRes 422 LT, DNxHR LB and DNxHR SQ, from 540p to 8K. Proxies are generated on Sanbila's cloud rather than your CPU, and the Premiere Pro plugin attaches each one to its 4K original so export needs no relink.

Watch Sanbila in action

30 proxy presets across H.264, ProRes and DNxHR, generated on the cloud and attached automatically.

Try Sanbila free

Sources

Apple ProRes White Paper, Apple
Avid DNxHR data rates and naming scheme, Avid
Compare 50 intermediate codecs, Frame.io Insider
Codec and bitrate cheat sheet, The Post Flow

FAQ

DNxHR or ProRes for proxies?

Either works. Pick ProRes 422 Proxy if you edit on a Mac, in Final Cut Pro or in DaVinci Resolve, and DNxHR LB if you edit in Avid Media Composer or run a Windows or mixed pipeline. Both read in Premiere Pro. At the proxy tier the file sizes are close, so the factor that decides is which codec your editor reads natively.

Which proxy codec is the smallest?

H.264 produces the smallest proxy files, typically 3 to 5 percent of a 4K original at 720p. ProRes Proxy and DNxHR LB are a little larger because they are intra frame codecs that store every frame in full.

Is ProRes Proxy better than DNxHR?

Neither is better in absolute terms. ProRes Proxy is native to Final Cut Pro and reads well in DaVinci Resolve and Premiere, while DNxHR LB is the right choice inside Avid Media Composer. Pick the one your editor reads natively.

Can I use H.264 proxies in Avid Media Composer?

Avid works best with DNxHR wrapped in MXF, which its media database detects automatically. H.264 in an MP4 is not the expected Avid proxy format, so DNxHR LB is the safer choice there.

Do proxy codecs affect the final export quality?

No. A proxy is preview only. The editor relinks to the full resolution original at export, so the codec you chose for the proxy has no effect on the quality of the master.