I was watching this Walter Murch (Boston Super Meet) video:

Walter Murch at the Boston SuperMeet - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYgoDcHhZ-o)

He was talking about being able to blow up shots 240%

Now I know there is a big difference between an Arri Alexa and HDCAM EX output, but does anyone here blow up EX shots to reframe them? Even just a little?

I would guess it would have to be progressive video, but that's all I ever shoot.

Any tips for doing this and maintaining quality?

Sure, I do that fom time to time. But more in the +20%max region.

240% seems a little too much ... or so to say a little too Murch :)

Sometimes a tasteful amount of unsharp-mask can help.

BTW: I really love that Video of Walter Murch. Very interesting info and full of great humor :)

Peter

I have to watch that again but he might be referring to using 4K in a 1080p timeline (or actually a timeline specific to fill which is slightly different aspect ratio).

It was a bit vague, and 240% seems unbelievable to me, but who am I to question somebody like Walter?
4k down to 1080 - yeah, that seems a bit more possible. I thought he was talking about the Alexa and I thought that was 1080 ProRes 444...

They used Alexa with the Codex-Raw recorder. But Still it's 1920 x 1080. I can't believe it looks ok with 240%.

He later says that they went even further as they intercut the material with historic footage that had heavy grain anyway.

Peter

We occasionally blow up at 140% max with some sharpening added later, but it's for DVD/Broadcast, not for theatrical release, so I'm not sure it really counts, especially since final delivery on DVD is SD.

I sometimes blow my 60fps footage up to 1080. It actually holds up pretty well. But 240% sounds crazy.

The max I push it is 10-15%, unless I'm using HD to make and SD finished product in which case I have pushed as far as 80% to create a zoom-like move from a static shot.