Using 2.35:1 Aspect ratio at DVinfo.net

Julian Frost · August 21st, 2008, 03:46 PM

Using my Canon XH-A1, I turned on the Aspect Ratio guide to 2.35:1 and shot some footage in Canon's 30F mode. I know that the aspect guides don't do anything to the actual footage recorded to tape, but is there a setting in PPro to display safe guides in 2.35:1 aspect ratio?

I did some additional searching around, and found the Crop effect in PPro. This seems like an easy solution! By capturing some footage with the aspect guide on and eyeballing it, it looks like cropping 10% from the top and bottom achieves the proper aspect ratio (2.35:1). Is this about right?

Mitchell Skurnik · August 21st, 2008, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Julian Frost

Using my Canon XH-A1, I turned on the Aspect Ratio guide to 2.35:1 and shot some footage in Canon's 30F mode. I know that the aspect guides don't do anything to the actual footage recorded to tape, but is there a setting in PPro to display safe guides in 2.35:1 aspect ratio?

I did some additional searching around, and found the Crop effect in PPro. This seems like an easy solution! By capturing some footage with the aspect guide on and eyeballing it, it looks like cropping 10% from the top and bottom achieves the proper aspect ratio (2.35:1). Is this about right?

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Set the Title Safe area to what you think is correct

Julian Frost · August 22nd, 2008, 01:32 PM

Thanks Mitchell.

Mike Gunter · August 22nd, 2008, 02:08 PM

Hi Julian,

Mitchell has something there, and I think you can use an image as a template to parse a ratio out to fit the aspect you want.

Here is a png file that could help. It is from the Wiki site and is used by permission.

The purple image is 2.39:1, quite close enough for output.

Mike

Julian Frost · August 22nd, 2008, 02:27 PM

Hi Mike,

Thanks for posting the PNG. I'll give it a try and see how closely it matches my "eyeballing". Basically, what I did, was put a sheet of newspaper in front of the camera, turned on the aspect ratio guide and captured some footage. Then, I looked at the captured footage and compared it to the live image in the camera's LCD screen. I noted the position of the Aspect Guides on the LCD screen relative to the print on the newspaper. I then simply used PPro's Crop effect to crop the top and bottom of the captured footage so that cropped portions matched what I saw in the live LCD view. This came out to 10% at the top and bottom. I'venot used this aspect ratio before, and it definitely adds a certain something to the composition. I can't wait to shoot some landscape footage with it this coming "weekend" (I work weekends so today is my Monday, unfortunately).

Mike Gunter · August 22nd, 2008, 03:13 PM

Hi Julian,

You're welcome, but do remember that your show is still a HDV show at that aspect. It will have to be letter-boxed to simulate actual viewing at that ratio.

You could just overlay a matte like similar to this over the project when you're done.

My best,

Mike

Julian Frost · August 22nd, 2008, 03:26 PM

Mike,

I think we're achieving the same thing, but by different means. When I use the Crop effect, it looks like it's placing black bars at the top and bottom (and side, if you want it to), just like the matte you posted. PPro doesn't crop the center section and expand it to fill the frame, or anything like that. The footage is still HDV (1440x1080) and when I output it to an MPEG2 file, it has black bars (letterboxing) on the top and bottom. If I were to use the matte you so generously provided, it would be the same, no?

Mitchell Skurnik · August 26th, 2008, 09:11 PM

Can you post a 10 second clip of your footage?

Julian Frost · August 28th, 2008, 12:29 AM

Sure... here's a clip.

When I uploaded it to Exposureroom, I told it to crop to 2.35:1 aspect ratio which cropped the mattes.

Here's another clip, with the mattes in place.

Martin Chab · September 2nd, 2008, 01:30 PM

just for reference: 2,40 (or 2,39 if you prefer) from HD format is 1920x817. Thats the preferred size the lab request to transfer to film.

August 21st, 2008, 03:46 PM	#1
Julian Frost Major Player Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: California USA Posts: 576	Using 2.35:1 Aspect ratio Using my Canon XH-A1, I turned on the Aspect Ratio guide to 2.35:1 and shot some footage in Canon's 30F mode. I know that the aspect guides don't do anything to the actual footage recorded to tape, but is there a setting in PPro to display safe guides in 2.35:1 aspect ratio? I did some additional searching around, and found the Crop effect in PPro. This seems like an easy solution! By capturing some footage with the aspect guide on and eyeballing it, it looks like cropping 10% from the top and bottom achieves the proper aspect ratio (2.35:1). Is this about right? Last edited by Julian Frost; August 21st, 2008 at 04:53 PM.

August 22nd, 2008, 02:08 PM	#4
Mike Gunter Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Kalispell, Montana Posts: 164	Hi Julian, Mitchell has something there, and I think you can use an image as a template to parse a ratio out to fit the aspect you want. Here is a png file that could help. It is from the Wiki site and is used by permission. The purple image is 2.39:1, quite close enough for output. Mike Attached Thumbnails __________________ Mike Gunter VideoTidbits.com

August 22nd, 2008, 03:13 PM	#6
Mike Gunter Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Kalispell, Montana Posts: 164	Hi Julian, You're welcome, but do remember that your show is still a HDV show at that aspect. It will have to be letter-boxed to simulate actual viewing at that ratio. You could just overlay a matte like similar to this over the project when you're done. My best, Mike Attached Thumbnails __________________ Mike Gunter VideoTidbits.com

August 26th, 2008, 09:11 PM	#8
Mitchell Skurnik Major Player Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Rancho Santa Margarita, California Posts: 201	Can you post a 10 second clip of your footage? __________________ Mitchell J. Skurnik http://www.mjcsstudios.com/ - EX1, 4x hoodman 16GB, Libec Tripod, Sony LAV

August 28th, 2008, 12:29 AM	#9
Julian Frost Major Player Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: California USA Posts: 576	Sure... here's a clip. When I uploaded it to Exposureroom, I told it to crop to 2.35:1 aspect ratio which cropped the mattes. Here's another clip, with the mattes in place. Last edited by Julian Frost; August 28th, 2008 at 10:45 PM. Reason: Added the 2nd clip.

August 22nd, 2008, 01:32 PM	#3
Julian Frost Major Player Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: California USA Posts: 576	Thanks Mitchell.

August 22nd, 2008, 02:27 PM	#5
Julian Frost Major Player Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: California USA Posts: 576	Hi Mike, Thanks for posting the PNG. I'll give it a try and see how closely it matches my "eyeballing". Basically, what I did, was put a sheet of newspaper in front of the camera, turned on the aspect ratio guide and captured some footage. Then, I looked at the captured footage and compared it to the live image in the camera's LCD screen. I noted the position of the Aspect Guides on the LCD screen relative to the print on the newspaper. I then simply used PPro's Crop effect to crop the top and bottom of the captured footage so that cropped portions matched what I saw in the live LCD view. This came out to 10% at the top and bottom. I'venot used this aspect ratio before, and it definitely adds a certain something to the composition. I can't wait to shoot some landscape footage with it this coming "weekend" (I work weekends so today is my Monday, unfortunately).

August 22nd, 2008, 03:26 PM	#7
Julian Frost Major Player Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: California USA Posts: 576	Mike, I think we're achieving the same thing, but by different means. When I use the Crop effect, it looks like it's placing black bars at the top and bottom (and side, if you want it to), just like the matte you posted. PPro doesn't crop the center section and expand it to fill the frame, or anything like that. The footage is still HDV (1440x1080) and when I output it to an MPEG2 file, it has black bars (letterboxing) on the top and bottom. If I were to use the matte you so generously provided, it would be the same, no?

September 2nd, 2008, 01:30 PM	#10
Martin Chab Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Malmo Sweden Posts: 103	just for reference: 2,40 (or 2,39 if you prefer) from HD format is 1920x817. Thats the preferred size the lab request to transfer to film.