Hi there,
I'm shooting a short film on a Sony DVCAM dsr250 camcorder next year. I'm thinking of shooting in 16:9. I know that there are two ways you can achieve 16:9 on video:
1) You simply put the camcorder into 16:9 mode via it's menu
2) You film in 4:3, except frame the film as if you were shooting 16:9 and then add the appropriate letterboxing in post.
I've heard conflicting arguments. Some sources say letterboxing in post is bad for video because it takes up a lot of extra processing space, which puts an extra strain on the image. Others, however, have told me that using the built-in 16:9 mode on the camcorder is a complete waste of time, unless you own a Digital Betacam camera, which shoots in true 16:9. Which method produces the best overall quality at the end of the day? 1) or 2)?
Thanks,
David Morrah
I'd say both are true,
built in 16:9 generally stretches the image, and in turn you have to compress it back with a resize effect.
if you have 16:9 guides and you just crop the image into 16:9 you're losing image space.
i would say, you're shooting video, its not film dont try and pretend
it is. lave it 4:3
There are three sides to every story. My side, your side, and the truth. And no one is lying. Memories shared serve each one differently.
-Robert Evans
There are three sides to every story. My side, your side, and the truth. And no one is lying. Memories shared serve each one differently.
-Robert Evans
quote:
built in 16:9 generally stretches the image, and in turn you have to compress it back with a resize effect.
The first part of this is true in the case of shooting with anamorphic lenses, but some of the more expensive cameras actually have a 16:9 CCD in so there isn't any compression/stretching.
Even if you do shoot anamorphic, most half-decent editing systems should be able to deal with this without the need for resizing.
The widescreen issue is a bit cloudy. You might want to check out the FAQ question "The Wide Screen Maze" for a bit more commentary.
Ben C.
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Benjamin Craig
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