What would be the best method to shoot in 1.85:1? Is there a converter? Do I just frame carefully and crop in post? If thats the case do I just tape bars on my external monitor? I want it to be precise, I don't want to have to do a pick up just because someones head is cut off? Please help.

1.85:1 is really close to 16:9, which would be 1.78:1. On a monitor with square pixels, 16:9 works out to 854x480 in the NTSC world. 1.85:1 would be 854x462. So a 9 pixel wide black band at the top and bottom of a 16:9 frame would give you 1.85:1. On most TV sets that would probably disappear into the overscan area of the image and not even be visible.

Why not just work in 16:9, which is a standard?

Ok well what about 2.35:1?

See the following:

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=53389
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=51607
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=46091
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=40964
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=35524
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=32017

Ok well what about 2.35:1?

I am in your boat too. I want to shoot 2:35.1 so if you are willing to put up the dough here is an option:

http://www.canon-europe.com/TV-Products/Products/AVC_Converter.asp?ComponentID=237551&SourcePageID=33109

It will cost about 20-30K. =)

wow! thats awesome. Man my rig is goin to get silly on the front end with that, and the 35mm converter, and a lens and mattebox. whew!

wow! thats awesome. Man my rig is goin to get silly on the front end with that, and the 35mm converter, and a lens and mattebox. whew!


Better make sure the canon adapter will work on your system.

If I read correctly, that adapter is for 2/3 chips, not 1/3 (XL1s)