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4-3 to 16-9
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[Robin Probyn] ”
Can you explain this in layman,s terms… sorry.”Can’t get much more layman than that. You edit the video. You then lay a Widescreen Mask over the entire timeline.
[Robin Probyn] ”
To go anamorphic would mean using an attachment to the lens?”I’m not a cameraman, you would have to ask another cameraman. I’ve heard of both anamorphic lenses and anamorphic adapters.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.STOP STARING AND START GRADING WITH APPLE COLOR
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Hi, I will try to help. First off, DO NOT shoot with the top of your viewfinder/lcd screen on the camera as the top of your frame. What if the editor wants to show more sky? Nothing there eh. Try to tape over the top and bottom of your lcd viewfinder with the same width of tape(preferably gaffers tape or something that does not stick permanently or leave sticky residue). Measure this width so you can do it again if needed. So basically you will be cropping the top and bottom of your viewfinder so that there is equal stuff out of frame at the top and bottom of your clips. The editor can then move some up or move some down to fit the edit. Much safer than just taping off the bottom of your frame. Same results, just one way leaves more options. Sweet!
Dual Core 2 Duo 3.0Ghz, 6GB ram, 2x500GB Raid, Tiger 10.4.11, FCP 5.1.4
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Time line … ok thanks
Yes ofcourse I know about anamorphic lenses for film camera,s but never seen them in the video world,but Iam sure them exist.
Thanks
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Hi Erik
Thanks for your reply.Iam not trying to be funny.. but then couldnt that logic be applied to all shoots.
Not sure I want the editor deciding to add more headroom to my shot 🙂 or am I missing the point entirely !
Thanks
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[Robin Probyn] “Not sure I want the editor deciding to add more headroom to my shot 🙂 or am I missing the point entirely !”
You would not believe how many times I’ve gotten interviews that are framed so tightly the lower third is over their mouths. More headroom would allow me to move the video up to get the lower third in a better position.
The more options you give the editor, generally the better the project will be.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.STOP STARING AND START GRADING WITH APPLE COLOR
The new Color Training DVD now available from the Creative Cow! -
Nope, no funny business here. I would shoot with the ability to add or remove headroom. Options are good in this sense. What you could do is have a photoshop file that corresponds to your crop. Provide that to the editor. You could just tell the editor to mask say 96 pixels top and bottom. Then you end up with the same crop you shot at. Does this make any sense?
Dual Core 2 Duo 3.0Ghz, 6GB ram, 2x500GB Raid, Tiger 10.4.11, FCP 5.1.4
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[Robin Probyn] “So what is the best way to shoot 16-9,with a 4-3 camera?”
I’m assuming we’re talking about a standard-def 16:9 sequence.
If the editor drops your 4:3 shots into a 16:9 sequence, your shots will normally center in the frame with black pillarboxes on the sides. Editor will then scale the image up 133% until the width is filled and the top and bottom of the 4:3 footage are cropped to the height of the sequence. This 133% scale can easily be placed onto all of the clips from your camera.
But, as you can see, all your 4:3 shots will be scaled up 133% and will look somewhat jaggy and soft because of it. Anamorphic lens would eliminate the scaling up, but it will be hard to shoot with your image squished in the viewfinder.
If you can tolerate the scaling and don’t shoot with the anamorphic lens, I’d put your action in the center and try to create a good mask for the viewfinder. It will not only be easier for the editor to get a handle on it, but he could also adjust the crop in post if needed. Also, most lenses are sharper in the center and less so at the edges, aren’t they?
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Thankyou all for the info.
As you all say I should go for the middle.. thats what I,ll do.
Many thanks again
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Robin
Just to weigh in here, please note that by far the best way to deal with this TECHNICALLY is to shoot with an anamorphic lens. You can use an external monitor when you shoot with a 16:9 button on it to correct the distortion, allowing you to preview everything on the shoot.
Why? Because although all the info you have been given about cropping is correct, you are not shooting film. With film, cropping in post causes no appreciable loss in quality. Here, the editor will have to crop what you shoot, and the zoom in on the picture to get his letterboxed image to fill the 16:9 frame (that’s assuming he’s not doing a letterboxed edit, which I doubt from your post).
Even when shooting on a pro format, this will look bad. Worse than the 4:3 original by some margin, as the pixels you shot do longer coincide with the pixels in the final edit, causing jaggies and other zoom artifacts. If you use an anamophic adapter/lens you can give him a full height image which FCP can automatically stretch to fill the frame in his 16:9 timeline – all he has to do is check a box on the capture to get everything correct. It’s easier for him, and ultimately easier for you, as you can use the full sensor on the camera to shoot. Yes, the image you shoot is stretched horizontally, but that is not NEARLY as visible in post.
This is a far better workflow. Feel free to ask if what I’ve said isn’t clear. In the UK we have been dealing with 16:9 issues for years, so I think I can be of some help.
Ben
Editec Broadcast Editing Ltd
EVS & FCP specialists for live broadcast.
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[Ben Holmes] “Here, the editor will have to crop what you shoot, and the zoom in on the picture to get his letterboxed image to fill the 16:9 frame (that’s assuming he’s not doing a letterboxed edit, which I doubt from your post).”
Quite honestly, in reading all of his initial posts, I think he’s been talking about letterboxing the final output and not truly doing a 16:9 widescreen output. I could be wrong, but this is what I thought he meant all along.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.STOP STARING AND START GRADING WITH APPLE COLOR
The new Color Training DVD now available from the Creative Cow!
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