Shooting widescreen with DVX100

E

ericcosh

Well-known member
I'm in the process of shooting my events in widescreen. As most of you are aware, shooting widescreen using the DVX100A is a pretty simple thing. You either use the squeeze mode (which gives you approximately a 25% loss in resolution) or you use an anamorphic lens, which I do use on the 100A.

Here is my problem. I use three cameas when doing an event such as a wedding. I use my Panasonic EZ30 as a stationary camera for cutaway shots, and backup shots. All I have to do is put the EZ30 in the "Wide" setting and then when I import that footage into FCP, as long as I have the Anamorphic settings in the Capture and Sequence, I can edit all my footage in widescreen without having to render.

So my 100A with the Anamorphic lens and my EZ30 in wide mode cut perfectly in FCP. How do I get my 100 to match that?

The letterbox setting on the 100 places black bars on the top and bottom of the image and sets it as 16:9 into a 4:3 image for playback on a 4:3 screen. That's great for 4:3, but I want to cover the entire 16:9 screen so that when I cut from camera to camera, it all has the same aspect ratio (although of course not the same resolution).

Is there something that I'm missing here? It's hard for me to believe that the only way you can get 16:9 with the 100 is to either use an anamorphic lens or shoot it 4:3 (with a 16:9 mask) and then stretch it in post.

Any help on this issue would be greatly appreciated.

eric
 
Re: Shooting widescreen with DVX100

Could you not just put the anamorphic adaptor on your 100, and use squeeze mode on the 100A and your EZ30?
 
Re: Shooting widescreen with DVX100

Hi Mike:

Yes, that was in fact one of the few options that I've had on this. But I don't want to use my 100A as the backup camera. If there is another method that I can use in post with the 100, that would be a much better option. I was thinking of just masking off the viewfinder to 16:9 and then doing the distortion in post, but that sure is a terrible method to use when you have to "run and gun".
 
Re: Shooting widescreen with DVX100

I wouldn't say it would realle be a problem with the run and gun situation...but it would lose quality by stretching in post...

As far as I've heard, though..the 100 and the A are pretty much the same camera, so it wouldn't be a huge detriment to use the 100 as your main...

I'd think the quality loss by stretching the footage in post would be worse than by shooting with the 100 as your main.
 
Re: Shooting widescreen with DVX100

Hi Mike:
There are as you might know quite a few changes in the two cameras. I use the slow shutter speeds which the 100 doesn't have. I also shoot in 24PA, and you're really restricted with the 100 compared with the 100A and it's new settings.

In any case, I'll just have to bite the bullet and buy another Anamorphic Lens. As you know, the quality of the Anamorphic lens is night and day about the squeeze mode.

Thanks again for your comments and input Mike.

take care,

eric
 
Re: Shooting widescreen with DVX100

Unless you are blowing up to film, I wouln't quite write off the squeeze mode on the 100a. I guarantee that side by side on a television screen, you would in no way be able to tell the difference between queeze mode and the anamorphic lens. I used an anamorphic lens for a while, and decided for myself that the benefits don't pull enough weight to get me to buy one for myself. I actually found it restrictive in the way that I focus and the limit on the already limited zoom range on the dvx. I personally find the squeeze mode to give excellent results, and it would definatly make your life easier when shooting weddings.
 
Re: Shooting widescreen with DVX100

I agree (mostly) with scharky on this one. I am an anamorphic-adapter owner and advocate, but squeeze mode on the 100A is quite good, and if your destination is small-screen televisions, I doubt anyone will ever know the difference. The anamorphic was designed for aspiring filmmakers, and in my testing, the larger the screen, the more noticeable the difference. So if your target is a 60" HDTV, the anamorphic adapter will definitely show a quality improvement. Is that quality improvement justified, considering the compromises you have to make?

I think for most shooters, for TV work (and especially for weddings and such) you should definitely experiment with squeeze mode and see if it's satisfactory to you. Odds are pretty good that you'll be happy with it.
 
Re: Shooting widescreen with DVX100

I gotta swing the Scharky way as well. We used the Anamorphic for a few projects but figured it was too much of a pain in the ass for what its worth. However Barry is right, If I knew something was strictly for a filmout, I would use the Anamorphic and just make sure I had a Hi-res 16:9 field monitor on hand. Focus can be an issue and even a minute miss thread or gap can give a swing tilt effect if the adapter is put on wrong. Flairs also become severe, and you gotta use a mattebox or some french flags (we had to use an ARRI 6x6 mattebox, which is very heavy and very expensive). Chroz now makes one for the adapter and I know a few companies are coming out with lower cost ones.

I think Im a little jaded though, as we broke the plastic body of the anamorphic adapter the first day we used it ( to be fair, the 1st AC broke it, and he wasnt a video guy but a film guy used to expensive equipment that was built like a truck )

I just bought a projector though and a 10' screen, and am going through alot of footage shot with and without the adapter and at that size you can just start to see the quality difference.
 
Re: Shooting widescreen with DVX100

Thank you all for your comments. I already have one Panasonic Anamorphic Lens and it works great. I'm somewhat confused about the quality issue though. Correct me if I"m wrong, but am I not losing approximately 25% of my pixels using the squeeze mode?

During some test shooting of a fence that had lattace work (cross diagonals of wood) you could see a real quality difference between the squeeze mode and using my Anamorphic lens shooting in 24P Advanced. I use FCP 4.5 .

In order for me to shoot all my weddings in 16:9, I will have to at least use the anamorphic lens on my 100 since I use 3 cameras on all shoots.

On your advise, I'm going to go back to the drawing board and re-test the anamorphic against the squeeze mode.

Thanks again everyone.

take care,

eric
 
Re: Shooting widescreen with DVX100

Yes, you do lose 25% when using squeeze mode. That's why the anamorphic adapter exists: because it gives you better quality.

Many people may be satisfied with the quality from squeeze mode, but the anamorphic adapter definitely provides higher resolution.
 
Screen Grab Samples

Screen Grab Samples

Barry, you're obviously the "man" around here (Jarred too, and a few others probably.)

Where can I view screen shots comparing the following in a similar image setting:

1. 4x3 letterbox (this is how they shot November, wasn't it? How bad can it be?)
2. 16x9 anamorphic lens adapter
3. Squeeze mode

I have a DVX100, (not a) and I want to know how much I should want the anamorphic adapter, given its inherent limitations.

I've looked far and wide for direct screen grab comparisons but have been continually disappointed. Any help you can provide would be highly appreciated...
 
Re: Shooting widescreen with DVX100

Barry, the link seems to link back to this same page we are on now....
 
Re: Shooting widescreen with DVX100

thanx barry...
I posted u a question about the limit of 'big screens' in another thread...but got my answer in one of ur posts here.
 
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