4X3 Image on Widescreen TV

Rick Meyer

Rick Meyer

Veteran
This is such a freaking Barry Green question:

So, I have a DVX100a and I am looking to get a second DVX. I will most likely get a 100 (not A) because the cost would be significantly lower. However, it does concern me that the 100 cannot do squeeze. I rather like that feature with my 100a and getting a 100 will change my workflow. If I opt to match cameras and shoot both in 4X3, and play it back on a widescreen TV, will the picture look okay? Will it chop off the image anywhere?

Thanks. I just want to make sure that if I get a second camera, the non A won't be too much of a hassle before I buy it of course.

Rick
 
Well..if you shoot 4x3 and playback on a widescreen tv..its gona get stretched out.

Shoot 4x3...crop in post to 16x9...export as 16x9 footage...not 4x3 letterboxed...and it sholud be good.
 
Most any widescreeen tv will give you (the viewer) a choice of 3 ways to dispaly 4:3:
Stretched fullscreen (so everyone looks fat) - incorrect setting for aspect ratio.
Pillarboxed (black on each side of the 4:3 image)
Pan&Scan (with the image zoomed in so that you loose the top and bottom and display the center of the image in full 16:9 (desisnged for cutting off the black from a letterboxed picture))

AspectRatioConversions.jpg


P.S. In my oppion that verticle Pan&Scan should be called "Tilt&Scan"

- Mikko
 
Hey Just another afterthought (question):

Does the DVX100(non A) shoot in letterbox mode and if so, would the letter box footage viewed on a WIDESCREEN TV need to be viewed in the "Pan and Scan" mode to properly view it?

Thanks again in advance-
Rick
 
Not sure if the 100 shoots in letterbox (also sometimes refered to as "cinema" mode by some manufacturers)...
But if it doesn't shoot Letterbox, then just shoot 4:3 and mask in the letterbox in post. - just remember to mask of your shooting monitor so you frame correctly!
<neat trick> By shooting 4:3 and then converting to letterbox in post, you can actualy slide the image up and down to correct for vertical framing (headroom) </neat trick>
From a technical quality point of view, there is NO difference wether the letterboxing is done in camera or in post.

However yes, letterbozed footage should be "zoomed in" to crop off the black bars on a 16:9 monitor/TV. If you dont' you'll have what I like to call "postage stamp" - a small 16:9 image in the center of the monritor, surnounded by both a Piller AND Letterbox!
The oposite of Letterbox is Pan&Scan, so they cancel each other out.
The area cropped by the Pan&Scan is exactly the black letterbox bars. - This is normally refered to by TVs as "zoom" of "16:9 zoom"

...I can't wait untill there are cameras that shoot "pillabox", just to cause some more confusion!! ..you know *somone* will make one!

- Mikko
 
mikkowilson said:
I can't wait untill there are cameras that shoot "pillabox", just to cause some more confusion!! ..you know *somone* will make one!

- Mikko
Click to expand...
Ha! You know it's just a matter of time...
You know, I think your suggestion for filming in 4X3 and cropping in post might be the best suggestion. I won't lose any resolution and I would be able to combine 100 and 100a footage. Thanks Mikko.
 
Of course you can also just bring the 4:3 footage into a 16:9 edit project and do the cropping/streatching there to conform it to tru 16:9.

- Mikko
 
mikkowilson said:
Of course you can also just bring the 4:3 footage into a 16:9 edit project and do the cropping/streatching there to conform it to tru 16:9.

- Mikko
Click to expand...

Sure-

Just when I think I have it down, you throw another log onto the fire. So, if I filmed 4X3 footage, I could bring it into a widescreen project and stretch there? How would I prevent everyone from looking like little fat people? (not that there is anything wrong with being a little fat person...and if you Mikko, are a little fat person, I ah, I'm sorry.)

And after I stretch and re-size, I can export it as a widescreen MPEG2 to have it be a true widescreen project? And, how much resolution is lost with this process?

Thanks for your patience-
Rick
 
Back to the original question: if you already have a 100A, and you want to get a second camera to match footage, I'd recommend biting the bullet and getting a 100A (or a 100B). The original 100 is an awesome camera, sure, but the 100A does have a new prism and it does render color differently. It'll be easier to get a 100A to match a 100A (or 100B) than it will to get it to match a 100.
 
rlm7189 said:
Sure-

Just when I think I have it down, you throw another log onto the fire. So, if I filmed 4X3 footage, I could bring it into a widescreen project and stretch there? How would I prevent everyone from looking like little fat people? (not that there is anything wrong with being a little fat person...and if you Mikko, are a little fat person, I ah, I'm sorry.)

And after I stretch and re-size, I can export it as a widescreen MPEG2 to have it be a true widescreen project? And, how much resolution is lost with this process?

Thanks for your patience-
Rick
Click to expand...
Okay, regarding the whole 4:3 and 16:9 question: keep in mind one simple fact -- you CANNOT shoot something that will display properly on both types of televisions. It just can't be done. You would have to make two different versions, one suitable for 4:3, and one suitable for 16:9.

Now, if you're distributing on DVD the work is done for you automatically by the DVD player. A DVD player will resize the footage to display properly on whatever TV you're displaying it on (and it'll do so according to the chart that Mikko so thoughtfully provided).

If you want it to play on 16:9 TVs, I'd vote for just using squeeze mode. Squeeze is the easiest way to make a 16:9 project on a DVX, and if you're shooting progressive/thin, it'll look awfully good. Then when you render out your DVD, if you play that DVD on a 4:3 TV the DVD player will resize and letterbox the footage for you, and the results should look just about as good as if you'd shot 4:3/letterbox in the first place.

If you don't care about displaying on a widescreen TV, I'd vote for letterbox mode. But if you DO care about displaying on a widescreen TV, I think squeeze is the easiest way to make footage that will be the most useful.
 
Barry preaty much covered it.

My last soment there was to do the "16:9 zoom" (P&S) on the 4:3 footage in post to end up with a 16:9 picture. (so instead of on the final monitor.)

Youa re quite right that you will loose some resolution.. man i cna't rmerbe the presnetage off the top of my head, but it's a bit.. not too bad on most TVs though.

EDIT: DUH, there's a sticky thread at the top of this section about "uprezzing letterbox to 16:9..

- Mikko
 
Mikko/ Barry- you guys are the best, thanks. I can't say that I am 100% confident in my understanding but I'm pretty close. And, when I begin to put it into practice, it'll all make sense to me I'm sure. Thanks again.

Rick
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top