PAL 16×9 converting to 4×3 aspect distortion

[Neil Patience]

Hi Bill

Is the distortion you describe essentially making everything tall and thin ? If so this is normal. PAL widescreen can either be 720×576 Anamorphic. (FHA) which is probably what you are seeing. OR it can be 1024×576 which will look like a normal widescreen image.

If you take one of your distorted shots into FCP and in the browser move the columns to the right and you should see an anamorphic column. Just tick this and FCP should automatically display the footage in the correct format.

Hopefully that should work aslong as the distortion is not in some other direction

best wishes
Neil
http://www.patience.tv

8 Core MacPro, Kona 3, Tangent Wave, Mackie Universal Symphony 6.5 FCP7
i7 2.7 Gig MBP (non retina) 16Gigs Ram Blackmagic Monitor Mini Symphony 6.5 FCP7

[Bill Mackanic]

Thanks for the quick reply. Unfortunately, Cannon tech support just explained that when the XA10 converts the Hi Def footage into standard def (necessary for the export from this camera to a mac) it will always distort the image! Interesting and frustrating in the sense that a PAL camera shoots in 16×9 when they are still mainly airing PAL in 4×3! I can really use a suggestion on getting this footage into FCP without the hd-sd conversion?

[Bill Mackanic]

Got the 16×9 PAL footage into FCP on the mac. How do I export it as 4×3 PAL without the distortion? Thanks…

[Neil Patience]

Sounds like you have got the HD footage in then. Totally not the case it has to be 4:3 or SD in order to import.
For ref you can use the log and transfer tool to import the clips. It does not need to be 4:3 or standard def.
Shane Ross did a tutorial which covers avchd footage here https://library.creativecow.net/ross_shane/tapeless-workflow_fcp-7/1

Also here is a picture tutorial I found on youtube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBgBm-OvxXA

Once you have it all in I would edit it all in 16:6 HD so yo have a decent master.
To use FCP to create a 4:3 mater
Set up a 4:3 SD sequence.
Copy and paste your HD material into the new sequence. You should then have the correct ratio which will be 16:9 letterbox i.e. black bar top and bottom

You can leave it like that if you wish or you can zoom the picture to fill the frame. This will mean you lose the left and right sides (centre cut out)
But in FCP you can move individual shots should something vital be out of frame.

Hope that helps

Oh and just a general point from your other post. I am UK based which obviously is PAL and we have not used 4:3 for probably 10 years now as a format. Although archive exists of course.

best wishes
Neil
http://www.patience.tv

8 Core MacPro, Kona 3, Tangent Wave, Mackie Universal Symphony 6.5 FCP7
i7 2.7 Gig MBP (non retina) 16Gigs Ram Blackmagic Monitor Mini Symphony 6.5 FCP7

[Bill Mackanic]

You have been a huge help, thanks. About the Europe thing, I am airing this on Russian TV that’s 4×3! Guess that’s not really Europe, my bad.

[Neil Patience]

Hi Bill

No worries. Yeah Russia kind of attached via Eastern Europe in between but def. not Europe. Hope all works,

best wishes
Neil
http://www.patience.tv

8 Core MacPro, Kona 3, Tangent Wave, Mackie Universal Symphony 6.5 FCP7
i7 2.7 Gig MBP (non retina) 16Gigs Ram Blackmagic Monitor Mini Symphony 6.5 FCP7