16x9 on pd 170

[jasarsenault]

While the pd 170, I believe does not have Native 16x9, it does have a 16x9 setting. Would shooting in this setting give an altered image when compared to using an anamorphic adapter to shoot 16x9 on this camera?

[Phil Connolly]

While the pd 170, I believe does not have Native 16x9, it does have a 16x9 setting. Would shooting in this setting give an altered image when compared to using an anamorphic adapter to shoot 16x9 on this camera?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Its does have a 16:9 mode but its not true 16:9, it just uses a 16:9 portion of the 4:3 chip, so you lose vertical resolution resulting in a softer image.

 

Using a 16:9 anamorphic adapter allows you to shoot 16:9 without losing any vertical resolution, but it does soften the image slightly, some vignetting and focusing is more difficult and you may not be able to use the full zoom range of the lens. But it would look better than the in camera 16:9 mode.

 

Personally I would shoot in the standard 4:3 mode, compose for 16:9, and then covert the footage in post using something like a Snell and Willcox aspect ratio converter, this would do a better job than the in camera 16:9 mode - it perhaps may no look quite as good as the anamorphic adaptor, but it would would be simpler to shoot, as the anamorphic adapter can be annoying especially if you like long lens.

[jasarsenault]

Thanks!