The Idiot's Guide To Aspect Ratio's at DVinfo.net

G. Lee Gordon · February 29th, 2008, 04:35 PM

It may have been mentioned here before, but, can someone please give me the Idiot's Guide To Aspect Ratios (e.g. 1.85:1).

Scott R. Smith · March 1st, 2008, 07:49 PM

Craig Syverson has a video podcast that he never updates (hint, hint to Craig) called Videogrunt at:
http://gruntmedia.com/videogrunt_directory.html

Since there are only five of them (hint hint to Craig), and they are only about 4 minutes long, it won't take you long to watch them all. Episodes 2, 3, 4, & 5 are all basically about aspect ratio, letterboxing and pan & scan.

Unfortunately Craig never did one on pixel aspect ratio like he said he would (hint, hint, Craig), but screen/picture aspect ratio is very elegantly covered there.

Pixel aspect ratio is a different beast than aspect ratio, and can occasionally bite you in the butt when editing video. If you are on a quest to learn about aspect ratio, make sure you also gain an understanding of pixel aspect ratio.

Bill Ravens · March 1st, 2008, 10:54 PM

hey, don't be intimidated. It's like learning to ride abicycle. Once you get it, you never forget it.

David Mullen · March 4th, 2008, 06:35 PM

The aspect ratio number is just a ratio between height and width, or vice-versa. Film keeps the vertical height to a value of 1, so the horizontal units can be in fractions, whereas Video keeps the ratio in whole numbers.

Hence 4x3 (video) is the same ratio as 1.33 : 1 (divide 4 by 3 and you get 1.33). 16x9 video is the same ratio as 1.777777... : 1 (1.78 : 1).

Some film aspect ratios over the years:
4-perf 35mm Full Aperture (Silent Era & Super-35): 1.33 : 1
4-perf 35mm Sound Aperture (Academy): 1.37 : 1
4-perf 35mm Matted Widescreen: various -- can be matted (using a projector mask) to 1.85, 1.75, 1.66 but 1.85 is the most common
4-perf 35mm Anamorphic Widescreen (CinemaScope): when the image with a 2X horizontal squeeze is stretched back out to look normal, the current shape is 2.39 : 1 (rounded up to 2.40 by some people) but it used to be 2.35 and this is still a common term.
3-perf 35mm Full Aperture: 1.78 : 1
Super-16 Full Aperture: 1.68 : 1

Many formats involve cropping Full Aperture (the maximum possible area that can be exposed on the negative) to different aspect ratios. Super-16, for example, may have a 1.68 : 1 negative but it is often trimmed a little to 1.78 : 1 for transfer to full-frame 16x9 HD, or blown-up to 4-perf 35mm for projecting with a 1.85 projector mask.

Bill Ravens · March 4th, 2008, 07:00 PM

GLG...

Maybe this will help

G. Lee Gordon · March 5th, 2008, 12:50 PM

Thanks everyone. Scott, that website was just what I needed.

Scott R. Smith · March 5th, 2008, 05:37 PM

Don't you wish Craig would make some more?? Until I saw videogrunt, I had no idea Thomas Edison and George Eastman conspired to make my iPod Video screen 4:3.

G. Lee Gordon · March 5th, 2008, 09:30 PM

Yeah Craig, make some more!!!

Adam Beck · March 14th, 2008, 05:23 PM

American Cinematographers Manual goes into each format extensively.

February 29th, 2008, 04:35 PM	#1
G. Lee Gordon Major Player Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 431	The Idiot's Guide To Aspect Ratio's It may have been mentioned here before, but, can someone please give me the Idiot's Guide To Aspect Ratios (e.g. 1.85:1). __________________ "Get Er Done!!!"

March 4th, 2008, 06:35 PM	#4
David Mullen American Society of Cinematographers Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 123	The aspect ratio number is just a ratio between height and width, or vice-versa. Film keeps the vertical height to a value of 1, so the horizontal units can be in fractions, whereas Video keeps the ratio in whole numbers. Hence 4x3 (video) is the same ratio as 1.33 : 1 (divide 4 by 3 and you get 1.33). 16x9 video is the same ratio as 1.777777... : 1 (1.78 : 1). Some film aspect ratios over the years: 4-perf 35mm Full Aperture (Silent Era & Super-35): 1.33 : 1 4-perf 35mm Sound Aperture (Academy): 1.37 : 1 4-perf 35mm Matted Widescreen: various -- can be matted (using a projector mask) to 1.85, 1.75, 1.66 but 1.85 is the most common 4-perf 35mm Anamorphic Widescreen (CinemaScope): when the image with a 2X horizontal squeeze is stretched back out to look normal, the current shape is 2.39 : 1 (rounded up to 2.40 by some people) but it used to be 2.35 and this is still a common term. 3-perf 35mm Full Aperture: 1.78 : 1 Super-16 Full Aperture: 1.68 : 1 Many formats involve cropping Full Aperture (the maximum possible area that can be exposed on the negative) to different aspect ratios. Super-16, for example, may have a 1.68 : 1 negative but it is often trimmed a little to 1.78 : 1 for transfer to full-frame 16x9 HD, or blown-up to 4-perf 35mm for projecting with a 1.85 projector mask. __________________ David Mullen, ASC Los Angeles

March 5th, 2008, 12:50 PM	#6
G. Lee Gordon Major Player Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 431	Thanks everyone. Scott, that website was just what I needed. __________________ "Get Er Done!!!"

March 5th, 2008, 09:30 PM	#8
G. Lee Gordon Major Player Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 431	Yeah Craig, make some more!!! __________________ "Get Er Done!!!"

March 1st, 2008, 07:49 PM	#2
Scott R. Smith New Boot Join Date: May 2007 Location: Clemson, SC Posts: 19	Craig Syverson has a video podcast that he never updates (hint, hint to Craig) called Videogrunt at: http://gruntmedia.com/videogrunt_directory.html Since there are only five of them (hint hint to Craig), and they are only about 4 minutes long, it won't take you long to watch them all. Episodes 2, 3, 4, & 5 are all basically about aspect ratio, letterboxing and pan & scan. Unfortunately Craig never did one on pixel aspect ratio like he said he would (hint, hint, Craig), but screen/picture aspect ratio is very elegantly covered there. Pixel aspect ratio is a different beast than aspect ratio, and can occasionally bite you in the butt when editing video. If you are on a quest to learn about aspect ratio, make sure you also gain an understanding of pixel aspect ratio.

March 1st, 2008, 10:54 PM	#3
Bill Ravens Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: santa fe, nm Posts: 3,264 Images: 10	hey, don't be intimidated. It's like learning to ride abicycle. Once you get it, you never forget it.

March 5th, 2008, 05:37 PM	#7
Scott R. Smith New Boot Join Date: May 2007 Location: Clemson, SC Posts: 19	Don't you wish Craig would make some more?? Until I saw videogrunt, I had no idea Thomas Edison and George Eastman conspired to make my iPod Video screen 4:3.

March 14th, 2008, 05:23 PM	#9
Adam Beck Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Visalia, California Posts: 41	American Cinematographers Manual goes into each format extensively.