Vitozonchello

Hakan, That should be fine. Personally I'm using a 1.185.1 mask in FCP as this is closer to a 'widscreen' aspect ratio than 1.1.66.1. But it is up to you. Most or all festivals should accept all aspect ratios. Carlo

Hi, I did some tests last night and certainly agree that shooting 4:3 is the better option for look. The frame in post was almost the same as 16:9 (I had it on 1:1:85) but the shot looked cleaner with better light. I kept everything in 4:3 when I took it into FCP and taking the footage across to DVDPro was very straightforward too. You end up with the bars all the way through the process but on some TVs it will read the bars and bounce out to 16:9, which I think is what happens if you went with the inbuilt 16:9 option. Hakan-you would shoot 4:3 and then mask 16:9 in post. You could still have a 4:3 version but your frame would be larger of course. This is the link to the 28 Days Later article in American Cinematographer for all those interested: http://www.theasc.com/magazine/index.htm Hope what I've said is correct. Carlo

Hi Peter, Thanks for your advice and I?d agree with everything you?ve said, especially about the anamorphic lens, and thanks for the tip about the w/a adaptor-I?ll watch out for that. One question. Am I right in thinking then that shooting in-camera 16:9 is really the same as shooting 4:3 but with black bars on - as this isn?t true 16:9 and not anamorphic? It would therefore, like you say, be safer for me to shoot 4:3 but mark for 16:9 so I can alter framing in post? Thanks Carlo

Hi, I?m planning to shoot a short film soon which I would like to have ?widescreen?. I?m aware that my PAL PD170, which I am shooting on, does not have true 16:9 and the best think to achieve anamorphic is to use an anamorphic lens. However, because the film is being shot handheld I have read a lot of articles saying this would be a nightmare for focus. I have also read not to shoot 4:3 and mask it in post so..do I just go ahead and shoot with my wide angle lens (supplied with the camera) and use the in built 16:9 mode in the camera so at least I have the desired aspect ratio (which seems almost the same as masking it in post anway?) ? I also read on American Cinematographer that Dod Mantle, who shot 28 Days Later, used the in camera Frame Move Mode 16:9 on the XL1 he was shooting on so is what?s good enough for him good enough for me etc? What is the best thing to do? Thanks Carlo