GL2, using 16x9 - why are there no black bars in the LCD?

[Martin Perreault]

Hi,

I used to own a GL1. I sold it in order to purchase a Nikon D1x photo camera. Bakc then, it sounded like a good idea... But i am starting to seriously miss my GL1. So I'm thinking into getting the GL2.

But there is one thing I always hated about the GL1, and today at the local store, I saw that the GL2 seems to have the same "problem". It's with the 16x9 function. Why is it that it squishes the image in the LCD??? I understand how 16x9 works (using the full frame of the screen in order to use the full heigh resolution, and it squishes the image horizontally, unsquishing it when viewing on 16x9 TVs). But I wonder why there isn't a way to view the image in letterbox format (with black bars) in your LCD in order to achieve proper composition and framing when shooting. Or is there....?

So far, at the store, I only saw that the image was squished again in 16x9 mode. Did anyone find a way to preview the image in letterbox in their camera LCD in order to view the ratio properly?

Thank you,

Martin Perreault

[Chris Hurd]

Hi Martin,

Indeed this is a frustrating oversight on Canon's behalf... I think they wanted to show you exactly what the 16:9 output would look like on a 4:3 screen. You're right, it would have been better for them to show you a letterboxed 16:9 image in the LCD screen and EVF, as some Sony camcorders will do.

However there is an easy work-around available: see Tustin Larson's "Title Mix Tutorial," which unlocks a hidden GL2 feature: the ability to overlay an 16:9 letterbox matte on top of incoming 4:3 video, right in the camera.

See the GL2 Sonf of Watchdog pages for more info. Tustin's tutorial is also discussed within this forum as well.

Still want to record in 16:9 mode, and view it in the LCD screen properly? Get ahold of the Century Optics 16:9 viewer, which attaches to the GL1 / GL2 LCD screen and stretches the squished image back into its proper aspect ratio. It's advertised as an accessory for their 16:9 anamorphic adapters, but will work fine with the in-camera electronic 16:9 as well.

Hope this helps,

[Martin Perreault]

Thanks for the info.
I can't believe they didn't add a simple switch feature that would allow you to change between squished and letterboxed viewing. I thought they would have learned since the GL1.

Purchasing an additional screen just to be able to achieve true 16x9 and view it properly is extremely annoying. This simple fact alone might push me towards Sony.

How sad.

Thanks again!


Martin Perreault

[Chris Hurd]

Hi Martin,

Well if you really want to achieve "true 16:9," as you describe it, neither the Canon nor Sony in-camera electronic 16:9 modes will do. Both are interpolated and will incur a loss of vertical resolution. It doesn't matter that the Sony displays 16:9 with letterbox in the LCD screen; it's still a fake, lossy way of doing it as is the Canon. These camcorders have native 4:3 CCD's, after all.

The best way to do 16:9 on either Sony or Canon camcorders is with an anamorphic adapter on the end of the lens, such as the Century Optics products; if you opt for this solution then you'll need the slip-on widescreen viewer described above in order to see the 16:9 image properly, no matter which camera you go with, Sony or Canon.

Yes it's an annoying oversight on Canon's part, but I would certainly consider a lot of other features than this before making a purchase decision, such as the focal lengths of the lenses (12x vs. 20x), progressive modes (15fps vs. 30fps), and layout of the controls. There are many factors to look at as a whole.

[Charles King]

Martin, Canon does have a 16:9 guide lines(basically white lines) above and below the screen that simulate this mode. All though the portion is not blacken it gives you an idea how it will look in 16:9 mode. You have to activate it in the set up feature in the camera menu. I am sure you seen have it.

[Martin Perreault]

<<<-- Originally posted by Chris Hurd : Hi Martin,

Well if you really want to achieve "true 16:9," as you describe it, neither the Canon nor Sony in-camera electronic 16:9 modes will do. Both are interpolated and will incur a loss of vertical resolution. It doesn't matter that the Sony displays 16:9 with letterbox in the LCD screen; it's still a fake, lossy way of doing it as is the Canon. These camcorders have native 4:3 CCD's, after all.
-->>>

Hi Chris,

Thanks for the details.
I was not aware that it was not true 16:9. I was under the impression that the camera was really using the full screen with no interpolation. But you're telling me that it's using the middle of the screen, and then it stretches it vertically to fill the 4:3 frame. In other words, why shoot in this mode when you can simply shoot normal 4:3 and stretch it later.

But you say there is an anamorphic adapter that will do true 16:9 ? Interesting... Now it would make sense to purchase that extra external slip-on widescreen...

Thanks again.

Martin

[Tustin Larson]

If you have any questions about the Title Mix Function... please email me... I will be happy to help

Tustin Larson

[Rob Lohman]

That is correct, Martin. There are anamorphic attachments. I do
believe you loose some (or all?) of the zooming capability (whilst
recording). Not sure though. Perhaps someone else knows this?

Chris is correct in stating that the Canon and Sony camera's
only have "fake" 16:9 instead of true 16:9 CCD chips....