16x9 -- DVX100 vs. XL1s

[Thomas Burns]

I've got a two camera shoot going with the XL1s and the DVX100. Both are set for 16x9 mode (I'm cropping the image on the Panasonic and digitally squeezing the Canon image. When I import into Final Cut the aspect ratios are slightly different. Anyone had this experience? Suggestions? What am I missing?

 

Thomas

[Phil Rhodes]

Hi,

 

Please be more specifc. Certainly you're missing something - if you put both cameras into their internal 16:9 mode, or if you crop and stretch both of them using the same algorithm, the results should be identical as far as aspect ratio goes. If, as you say, you've got them both set to 16:9, why are you cropping and squeezing at all?

 

Phil

[Thomas Burns]

My understanding is that because neither cameras have native 16x9 capability, one must either crop or squeeze the 4x3 image in order to arrive at a 16x9 image. The DVX100 only allows me to crop. The XL1s allows me to either compose for 16x9 in a 4x3 image (through the use of 16x9 guides in the viewfinder) or digitally squeeze the image to be expanded in post to 16x9. From now on I plan to use the guidelines in the XL1s viewfinder to compose 16x9 (while recording a 4:3 image), but that still doesn't explain why Final Cut is showing me two different aspect ratios for what I got from the two cameras. I agree, I must be missing something. Any thoughts?

 

TMB

[Alvin Pingol]

My camera (not an XL1S or DVX) does the crop thing as well, and when I import into Adobe Premiere, it thinks the footage is stretched widescreen (1.2:1 versus 0.9:1 pixel aspect ratio). This thereby causes the letterboxed footage to be stretched horizontally.

 

I see that FCP does the same thing, so I'm guessing that this is a bug that is common with different camera manufacturers and different NLE's.

 

I overcome it by simply telling Premiere to ignore the clip's pixel aspect ratio and use the project file's (which is 0.9:1, as it should be).

 

I'm sure you can do something similar in FCP?

[John Atala]

if both cameras are set for 16.9 mode,then on the capture preset editor, on fcp, check the 16:9 box. then save and the footage should be imported as 16:9.

 

i think its a software present problem.

 

jon

[tristan]

I would like to know if I crop 16:9 on the camera, would I get the letterbox when I export to FCP?

[Jon Allen]

I would like to know if I crop 16:9 on the camera, would I get the letterbox when I export to FCP?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Can't you test this yourself? It usually depends on the camera and NLE. Experiment! Have Fun!

[Joe Black]

I would like to know if I crop 16:9 on the camera, would I get the letterbox when I export to FCP?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Only if you want it to. You have to change your settings.

If you're just capturing w/ Firewire, just use 3:2 DV and don't check the anamorphic box.