I'm a newbie and have been searching for the proper pixel dimensions to import footage shot with the Anamorphic adapter (which I rented). I know that the proportions have to be 16:9 but what is the highest quality pixel dimension? I have scoured the boards and have not been able to find an "actual" number. Any input would be greatly appreciated!!!
importing anamorphic footage???
- Thread starter JibJab
- Start date
Barry_Green
Moderator
Re: importing anamorphic footage???
The footage on tape is 720 x 480. Your NLE should provide for an aspect ratio of 1.2, which will "unsqueeze" the footage on your computer monitor. If you're compositing some graphics created in a computer program that uses "square pixels" like PhotoShop, you'd create those graphics at 853x480. But your NLE and AfterEffects and all programs that edit the video footage should be working at 720 x 480, using a 1.2 aspect ratio. (Assuming you're NTSC, of course... if PAL, it should be 720x576).
The footage on tape is 720 x 480. Your NLE should provide for an aspect ratio of 1.2, which will "unsqueeze" the footage on your computer monitor. If you're compositing some graphics created in a computer program that uses "square pixels" like PhotoShop, you'd create those graphics at 853x480. But your NLE and AfterEffects and all programs that edit the video footage should be working at 720 x 480, using a 1.2 aspect ratio. (Assuming you're NTSC, of course... if PAL, it should be 720x576).
Re: importing anamorphic footage???
When I go into After Effects and lock the 16:9 it reads 864x486. Does that sound correct? Also, does the camera record information tightly at 864 wide? I thought it's standard was 720 wide? We shot a short 7-12 min. doc and hope to eventual have to transfer to 16 or 35. Will 8640x 480 hold?
When I go into After Effects and lock the 16:9 it reads 864x486. Does that sound correct? Also, does the camera record information tightly at 864 wide? I thought it's standard was 720 wide? We shot a short 7-12 min. doc and hope to eventual have to transfer to 16 or 35. Will 8640x 480 hold?
Re: importing anamorphic footage???
well, if you divide 864 by 16, and 486 by 9 youll get 54 for each.. so that is a correct 16:9 ratio, but the issue is that youre video is really only 480 tall, and as barry said the correct 16:9 ratio for DV is 853x480, now pending what program your working in it will ask for a different size of imported file to be rendered in a 16:9 project. adobe products seem to ask for an 864x480 or 864x486 file. so if thats what youre using, just go with that. or else use the recommended size of the software your working with. ..as far as the anamorphic footage holding up on the big screen. barry green just did a sort of review on some footage he had blown up to 35mm and projected(thanks again for this barry!), and you can read it here:
http://www.dvxuser.com/cgi-bin/DVX/YaBB.cgi?board=news;action=display;num=1083285062
well, if you divide 864 by 16, and 486 by 9 youll get 54 for each.. so that is a correct 16:9 ratio, but the issue is that youre video is really only 480 tall, and as barry said the correct 16:9 ratio for DV is 853x480, now pending what program your working in it will ask for a different size of imported file to be rendered in a 16:9 project. adobe products seem to ask for an 864x480 or 864x486 file. so if thats what youre using, just go with that. or else use the recommended size of the software your working with. ..as far as the anamorphic footage holding up on the big screen. barry green just did a sort of review on some footage he had blown up to 35mm and projected(thanks again for this barry!), and you can read it here:
http://www.dvxuser.com/cgi-bin/DVX/YaBB.cgi?board=news;action=display;num=1083285062
Barry_Green
Moderator
Re: importing anamorphic footage???
You're facing the perils of square vs. non-square pixels.
ALL DV is 720 x 480, all the time, whether it's anamorphic or not. It will never not be 720 x 480. The pixels don't change, but the monitor changes the way it displays the pixels.
So your DV project will still be 720 x 480.
That's where you start getting into aspect ratios. A 720x480 composition with a pixel aspect ratio of 1.2:1 should look optically correct on a square-pixel display device. (think about it... 720 x 1.2 = 864). But there aren't 864 pixels in the composition, there's only 720, you just have to think of them being 20% wider than they are tall.
If working in a square-pixel environment like PhotoShop, you'd create your graphics at 864x480 but tell AfterEffects to interpret them at a 1:1 aspect ratio. Then it should know to automatically resize it down when it composites it into a 720 x 480 x 1.2 project.
With that said, I barely ever use After Effects and IAL uses it all the time, so I'll shut up now and quit stirring up trouble... ;D
You're facing the perils of square vs. non-square pixels.
ALL DV is 720 x 480, all the time, whether it's anamorphic or not. It will never not be 720 x 480. The pixels don't change, but the monitor changes the way it displays the pixels.
So your DV project will still be 720 x 480.
That's where you start getting into aspect ratios. A 720x480 composition with a pixel aspect ratio of 1.2:1 should look optically correct on a square-pixel display device. (think about it... 720 x 1.2 = 864). But there aren't 864 pixels in the composition, there's only 720, you just have to think of them being 20% wider than they are tall.
If working in a square-pixel environment like PhotoShop, you'd create your graphics at 864x480 but tell AfterEffects to interpret them at a 1:1 aspect ratio. Then it should know to automatically resize it down when it composites it into a 720 x 480 x 1.2 project.
With that said, I barely ever use After Effects and IAL uses it all the time, so I'll shut up now and quit stirring up trouble... ;D
Re: importing anamorphic footage???
I read Barry's post on transfering to film and it was awesome (thank you, Barry). I'll be sure to sit in the back row if I ever make it to the big screen!
I think I'm starting to get the pixel idea thanks to all of this input. Since I'm working w/ After Effects I will play around with the 864x486 dimension. That would be square pixels, right? Thanks so much for all your help!
I read Barry's post on transfering to film and it was awesome (thank you, Barry). I'll be sure to sit in the back row if I ever make it to the big screen!
I think I'm starting to get the pixel idea thanks to all of this input. Since I'm working w/ After Effects I will play around with the 864x486 dimension. That would be square pixels, right? Thanks so much for all your help!
Re: importing anamorphic footage???
lol barry! if you were to shut up we'll all be stupider for it! ...untill you just stated the simple fact that the 864 is derived from the 1.2 pixel aspect ratio of 720, i never actually knew where that silly 864 # was coming from..
.. lolol i just never thought about it. becuse it doesnt make sense as far as 16:9 from 720x480 goes. interesting though is that what the issue seems to be is that the 1.2 pixel aspect is what seems to be causing the trouble.. it just doesnt quite equate to 16:9..unless you are in D1 resolution is it?(720x486).. or am i thinking weird here. they must have just decided that DV is close enough to D1 to stick with the same pixel aspects for stuff?
anyhoo.. the nice part about all this is that one of the new features of photoshop CS is that you can create files within the video pixel dimensions.. in other words you can make a file in NTSC widscreen at a 1.2 or .9 or whatever pixel aspect you want..just like you were making a new video project in ppro or AE, so that it imports into your video work without all the extra headache. so the file is always 720x480 like barry said, but you can set the pixel aspect ratio like in a video program. ..see! the answer to all you problems is to spend more money.. jus grow some more on the tree out back you sillyhead evan. 
lol barry! if you were to shut up we'll all be stupider for it! ...untill you just stated the simple fact that the 864 is derived from the 1.2 pixel aspect ratio of 720, i never actually knew where that silly 864 # was coming from..
.. lolol i just never thought about it. becuse it doesnt make sense as far as 16:9 from 720x480 goes. interesting though is that what the issue seems to be is that the 1.2 pixel aspect is what seems to be causing the trouble.. it just doesnt quite equate to 16:9..unless you are in D1 resolution is it?(720x486).. or am i thinking weird here. they must have just decided that DV is close enough to D1 to stick with the same pixel aspects for stuff? anyhoo..
the nice part about all this is that one of the new features of photoshop CS is that you can create files within the video pixel dimensions.. in other words you can make a file in NTSC widscreen at a 1.2 or .9 or whatever pixel aspect you want..just like you were making a new video project in ppro or AE, so that it imports into your video work without all the extra headache. so the file is always 720x480 like barry said, but you can set the pixel aspect ratio like in a video program. ..see! the answer to all you problems is to spend more money.. jus grow some more on the tree out back you sillyhead evan. Re: importing anamorphic footage???
I hate to come across as a dummy but... when I go into After Effects and set up a new project at 720x480 with a "D1/DV NTSC Widescreen (1.2)" it does not look or feel like it's crunching my 16:9 footage to the right proportions. Am I missing something?
I hate to come across as a dummy but... when I go into After Effects and set up a new project at 720x480 with a "D1/DV NTSC Widescreen (1.2)" it does not look or feel like it's crunching my 16:9 footage to the right proportions. Am I missing something?
Barry_Green
Moderator
Re: importing anamorphic footage???
Wow - I didn't know PhotoShop CS incorporated pixel aspect ratio options -- that's great news. Means I have to upgrade, but still... that's excellent!
(unless you're talking HDV, where it's 1440 x 1080, and the pixels are non-square again... sigh.)
Wow - I didn't know PhotoShop CS incorporated pixel aspect ratio options -- that's great news. Means I have to upgrade, but still... that's excellent!
Well, you gotta remember, 720x480 doesn't work for 4:3 either. Reduce the fraction, and 720x480 comes out to 3:2, not 4:3. The pixels aren't square, never have been and never will be (until HD becomes commonly accepted -- HD pixels ARE square, and 1280 x 720 does reduce to 16:9, and so does 1920 x 1080).
(unless you're talking HDV, where it's 1440 x 1080, and the pixels are non-square again... sigh.)
Re: importing anamorphic footage???
check out page 7..its got a pic!
http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/pdfs/photoshop_nfhs.pdf
but whats even cooler, is that the new PPRO lets you create a photoshop cs document at your current project dimensions when you select "new->photoshop image" from the project bin, and it opens up photoshop, and when you save your file, its automatically imported into your PPRO project, with all the layers on seperate tracks..or together on one track...pending what you choose.
check out page 7..its got a pic!
http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/pdfs/photoshop_nfhs.pdf
but whats even cooler, is that the new PPRO lets you create a photoshop cs document at your current project dimensions when you select "new->photoshop image" from the project bin, and it opens up photoshop, and when you save your file, its automatically imported into your PPRO project, with all the layers on seperate tracks..or together on one track...pending what you choose.