shooting 16:9 vs 4:3

[Todd Gillespie]

Not really.
To get 4×3 footage to look like 16×9, you need to zoom in 15-25% which doesn’t look that good.
Especially if you are cutting in DV.

Todd at UCSB
Television Production

[Enzo Tedeschi]

How much has already been shot? Finishing in 4×3 would give you consistency across all material. If you haven’t shot much so far, definitely go 16:9.

Todd’s right, though, you don’t want to do a blowup to 16:9 from 4:3 – would pillarboxing be an option for the 16:9 conversion?

Also, as a matter of interest – some countries (eg UK’s BBC) have found a compromise for their archival stuff which is in 4:3 – they blow it up slightly so that it is 14:9 aspect ratio. On a 16:9 screen it gives a small amount of pillarboxing, and crops a small amount off the top and bottom. The advantage is that it fills more screen than 4:3, and you don’t have to blow it up nearly as much.

Not suggesting this as an option – just as a matter of interest.

Enzo Tedeschi
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Editor
Sydney, Australia

[Craig Alan]

Depends if your camcorders shoot in 16:9 native. If so, use 16:9, if not…