HD 720p: 4:3?

T

Terence

Member
Sometimes you just have to swallow hard and ask a stupid question:
So if I shoot in HD 720p, am I shooting in 4:3 as opposed to 16:9?
Since so much output will initially still be delivered in SD, I want to match the HD footage as closely as possible to, say client provided footage, that is traditional Beta or DV.
Thanks!
 
Hi Terence:

All HD formats are 16x9 aspect ratio so it would be impossible to shoot 4x3 720p.

All the best,

Dan
 
So I guess my real question is this: If Im shooting in native 16:9, what's the best way to ensure that it will still look OK on a 4:3 screen in SD. Im thinking for example, if I want to use HD in shooting, convert to SD and output to DVD. Will a 4:3 setting, simply chop off the ends of my footage, or squeeze it all into the ratio and distort the image. Again--kind of a newbie question, but I gotta learn somehow!

Thanks,
T-
 
If your making a DVD, simply encode it as a 720x480 16:9 widescreen mpeg2 file, and whatever DVD player you use will automatically letterbox it for 4:3 viewing. You could make a pan and scan version of it as well, (Something I absolutly hate and will refuse to watch any movie that has been converted to pan and scan) but that is always a possiblity.
 
Terence said:
So I guess my real question is this: If Im shooting in native 16:9, what's the best way to ensure that it will still look OK on a 4:3 screen in SD. Im thinking for example, if I want to use HD in shooting, convert to SD and output to DVD. Will a 4:3 setting, simply chop off the ends of my footage, or squeeze it all into the ratio and distort the image. Again--kind of a newbie question, but I gotta learn somehow!

Thanks,
T-
Click to expand...

If you're shooting in 16:9, I would not worry about it. Just down-rez your 16:9 HD video to SD. The DVD player will automatically letterbox your 16:9 on a standard 4:3 set.

Well, I guess if you wanted to, you could always crop your 16:9 in your NLE to 4:3.
"Ouch" I hate that thought! Of course you will want to crop without destroying valuable scene information. This process is the basis of Pan & Scan.

Steve
 
Dang! Sorry scharky! You must of been typing just before me. Our replies are dang near identical.

Steve
 
i watched NFL in a stream of the HD channel (via streamtvnow.com) and it was interesting to see how well the graphics and cameraangle are desinged to look good in HD AND still be able to crop away the sides to practically use the middle of the screen as the fullformat 4:3 programme.
it is really impressive that they can do that as cameramen and production on a live event. topclass.
but for everyday use i also suggest to go for a 16:9 DVD and 4:3 screens will letterbox
 
Many directors actually direct HD shows in 4:3 with pan&scan. (without haing a 16:9 monitor) - They still make the program for their primary audience of 4:3 (obviously) . what you see in HD is the extra bits that the camera ops /CGers, etc.. get(put) in the frame. - They just about always have 4:3 markers on all their monitors too for framing. They do some really good work.

- Mikko
 
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