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What are some common aspect ratios for DV and film? I know about 640x480 but don't really know any others.

NTSC DV is typically 720x486

Aspect Ratios (the ratio of width to height of the screen) are slightly different, these are

1.33 for standard definition televsion/DV, etc
1.78 for HDTV, 16x9 video
1.85 for 35mm widescreen
2.35 for 35mm anamorphic

NTSC DV is 720x480, not 486. PAL is 720x576. You have two
aspect ratios. Pixel & frame. Both PAL and NTSC frame aspect
ratios are 4:3 (yes, even with the above figures if you take
pixel aspect into account).

Besides frame aspect we have pixel aspect which determines
how a square pixel should look. PAL is 1.067 (ie, the pixel is
1.067 times more wide than it is high) and NTSC is 0.9 (ie, the
pixel is less wide than it is high).

Common frame aspects are 4:3, 16:9, 1.85 & 2.35.

I was talking about this with a retired friend of mine. Well, I guess he has a lot of time on his hands because he emailed me a list of many common and not so common formats.

Format......... Variation.......................................... Aspect Ratio ..........Desc ............... Type ................. Dimensions

Std 35mm Panavision Combined HR HDTV............... 1.33........................ TV 4:3............. TV Trans............... 0.617x0.464"

Std 35mm Panavision ..........................................1.33........................ TV 4:3............. TV Trans................ 0.792x0.594"

Std 35mm Panavision.......................................... 1.33........................ TV 4:3............. TV Safe Action...... 0.713x0.535"

Std 35mm Panavision.......................................... 1.78........................ HDTV 16:9...... TV Trans................ 0.825x0.464"

Std 35mm Panavision.......................................... 1.85........................ Widescreen 1.85 Projected............. 0.825x0.446"

Std 35mm Panavision.......................................... 2.4.......................... Anamorphic....... Projected............... 0.825x0.69"

Std 35mm Arri...................................................... 1.33.......................... TV 4:3.......... ...TV Safe Action......... 18.1x13.6mm

Std 35mm Arri...................................................... 1.33.......................... TV 4:3.............. TV Trans ..................20.2x15.2mm

Std 35mm Arri ......................................................1.78.......................... HDTV 16:9...... TV Trans.................. 21x11.8mm

Std 35mm Arri..................................................... 1.85.......................... Widescreen 1.85 Projected.............. 21x11.3mm

Std 35mm Arri .....................................................2.35.......................... Anamorphic...... Projected..................21x18.2mm

Super 35mm Panavision................................. 1.33........................... Full...................... Gate......................... 0.98x0.735"

Super 35mm Panavision................................. 1.33........................... TV 4:3 .................TV Trans.................. 0.706x0.531"

Super 35mm Panavision................................ 1.78............................ HDTV 16:9......... TV Trans.................. 0.945x0.531"

Super 35mm Panavision................................1.85.............................. Widscreen 1.85 ....Projected.............. 0.945x0.511"

Super 35 Panavision ......................................2.4 ...............................Widescreen 2.4 ...Projected ..............0.945x0.394"

Super 35mm Arri ..............................................1.33........................... Full ........................Gate......................... 24x18mm

Super 35mm Arri............................................. 1.33............................ TV 4:3.............. TV Safe Action............. 22.5x16.9mm

Super 35mm Arri .............................................1.78.............................. HDTV 16:9 ......TV Safe Action.......... 22.5x12.65mm

Super 35mm Arri .............................................1.85........................... Widescreen 1.85.... Projected ..............23.5x12.7mm

Super 35mm Arri .............................................2.35........................... Widescreen 2.35.... Projected ..............23.5x10mm

Std 16mm Panavision ...................................1.33............................. TV 4:3.................... TV Trans................. 0.368x0.295"

Std 16mm Panavision ...................................1.33............................. TV 4:3................ TV Safe Action...........0.331x0.248"

Std 16mm Arri .................................................1.33............................. TV 4:3.................TV Trans..................... 9.35x7mm

Std 16mm Arri ................................................1.33.............................. TV 4:3 ...............TV Safe Action........... 8.4x6.3mm

Super 16mm Panavision .............................1.33.............................. TV 4:3 ...............TV Safe Action............ 0.331x0.248"

Super 16mm Panavision .............................1.78............................ HDTV 16:9.......... TV Trans .....................0.47x0.264"

Super 16mm Panavision .............................1.66......................... Widescreen 1.66.... Gate........................... 0.486x0.295"

Super 16mm Arri ...........................................1.33.............................. TV 4:3............. TV Safe Action.............. 8.4x6.3mm

Super 16mm Arri.......................................... 1.78.......................... HDTV 16:9........... TV Trans.................... 11.95x6.72mm

Super 16mm Arri.......................................... 1.66.................... Widescreen 1.66........... Gate....................... 12.35x7.5mm

Photographic 35mm.................................... 1.33.......................... 35mm ................Negative Image........... 32x24mm

Photographic 6x4.5 ..................................... 1.33.....................Medium Format ......Negative Image ...........56x42mm

Photographic 6x6........................................ 1.0...................... Medium Format ......Negative Image ..........56x56mm

Photographic 6x7....................................... 0.85.................... Medium Format .......Negative Image......... 56x69.5mm

Photographic 4x5..................................... 1.25...................... Large Format........... Negative Image ...........4x5"

Video 2/3".................................................. 1.78....................... TV 16:9 ....................16:9 CCD Sensor ........9.6x5.4mm

Video 2/3".................................................. 1.33....................... TV 4:3...................... 16:9 CCD Sensor......... 7.2x5.4mm

Video 2/3"................................................. 1.33 ....................... TV 4:3........................ 4:3 CCD Sensor...........8.8x6.6mm

Video 2/3"................................................ 1.78 ........................ TV 16:9 ......................4:3 CCD Sensor......... 8.8x4.95mm

Video 1/2" ................................................ 1.33........................ TV 4:3 ........................4:3 CCD Sensor......... 6.4x4.8mm

Video 1/4" ................................................ 1.33........................ TV 4:3 ........................4:3 CCD Sensor .........3.6x2.7mm

Video 1/3"................................................ 1.33 ........................ TV 4:3 ........................4:3 CCD Sensor .........4.8x3.6mm

Well.. what can I say but thanks a million for all the help.. I'm digging my new community... and so many Texans... reminds me of home in Austin...

thanks again. -BJ