16:9 Real World Result with PD's and VX's
 

Brooks Reid said that you coud letterbox on the fly by using memory stick but how do you know how big to make the black bands? What is 16:9 out of 720x486? could ? use for 4:3?
Please define 4:3 and 16:9 if anybody could
Thank you

Hello Mario,

Ahh, some basic math will solve this problem... of how big to make your letterbox bands...

The DV frame is 720 pixels wide by 480 pixels high. This is a native 4:3 aspect ratio, and we want to convert it to 16:9. We'll keep the same width of 720 pixels, but get a new, smaller height to make it look like a wide screen.

So, we need to divide 720 into 16 equal units, and then multiply those units by 9 to find out our new height.

720 / 16 = 45

45 x 9 = 405

Thus our new image size is 720 x 405. You'll want to crop the height from 480 down to 405 equally from the top and bottom, so your letterbox bars will be 720 x 38 across the top and 720 x 38 across the bottom... maybe 720 x 40 for each, just to be on the safe side? Hope this helps,

thanks
 

Thanks again

FYI there are some ready-to-go bars here:

http://www.streamovie.com/vx2000.htm

I haven't verified that they are correct, but they look pretty good.

Excellent link -- thanks!

Memory Stick files
 

I downloaded the two jpg files. Shot some test footage. They work great.
Would it be better/easier to do it in post (final Cut or Premeir)?

Wayde Gardner

Wayde -- you're in a better position than I am to know which is easier, but... seems to me like the memory stick option would be a *lot* easier than doing this in post...

masks...
 

I did our family Halloween party yesterday with the 16x9 mask (Chroma Key) from the memory stick with a 30fps frame rate. Added a Tiffen warming filter and dang if it didn't look pretty close to film ( I said PRETTY close). Especially when you consider I used existing lighting. Feed some footage into iMovie and it looked good. I'll play with Premeir this week and see how it turns out there.

One problem: When you turn the camera off you need to remember to reload the mask. :)
(Doah!)

I'm going to try this with some traditional 3 pt lighting and see what happens.


My next question would be how to save the "Picture Viewer" files from Photoshop or another program so that one could creat watermarks or other specialty masks.

16 X 9 (or not!)
 

What a revelation! Since joining the group I read about the "16 x 9 Myth" so today I shot 5 scenes with my VX2000 in 16 x 9 mode. Loaded them onto my VAIO, no problem. Launched Adobe Premiere 6.1, using "DV Widescreen NTSC, 32 Hz" no prob. Edited a 1 minute test video in 16 x 9...no problem. Back onto the 2000, NP.

On My VX2000, at least, I had a nice 16 X 9 video.

But...as soon as I connected the VX2000 to my Sony 1000 S-VHS deck...voila! 4x3! Nothing I did could make it true 16 x 9....it stayed 4x3.

Thanks for clueing me in...I'm glad I knew that 16 X 9 is a myth...before I promised a client a widescreen tape!

VX 2000 audio
 

I have used external microphones for clean sound for some of my docus on the VX2000. Now since I do not have a budget for a sound recordist I was wondering how would the sound be if I did use an ext. mike and keep the audio on Auto how effective would it be. I have tried it for an interview and has worked fine, but I amafraid that if i go to a crowded area there might be a lot of noise interference. Anybody any ideas on this one??

16:9 and FCP 3
 

just wondering if i use my vx2000 in 16:9 mode, if i can edit it in FCP 3 and then show it in 16:9???

i hear mixed opinions on this... and just wanted to know if it is possible...

Sure it's possible, You'll need a widescreen 16x9 monitor to view the image properly or else it'll look "squished." If you want to view it on a normal 4x3 monitor, you'll need to resize the image, stretch it and add a letterbox matte. But you can do all this in Final Cut Pro also.

one more question...
 

i am making a film for my medical school class and we have decided to shoot it in 16:9... my other question is...

can i rent a projector that is able to show it in the "widescreen" or should i use the method you described???

thanks again...

your site is awsome....

Shouldn't be a problem. There are definitely some projectors that have a 16x9 option. I don't know which ones specifically, so you'll have to make absolutely sure when you rent.

...or you could use the chroma key feature on your Sony with the memory card masks Chris has on his main page (link) That way you can shoot on the "wide format", edit it in FCP3 and use any 4:3 monitor without resizing or a squished look.

Here's the address:
http://www.streamovie.com/vx2000.htm

It's funny but people who see my DV shorts in the 4:3 they give it a "ho hum, nice home movie" but if I shoot anamorphic widescreen (from the mem card mask) they're really impressed. All of a sudden, I'm a filmmaker! Sometimes it's all in how you present your product.

Always looking for other VX2000 owners to exchange info, tricks and tips in the Dallas area.

Wayde