Matching Xl2 & DVX

[Mark Errante]

I just finished shooting a project with three dvx and an XL2. They were all set to 16:9. I know that the dvx doesnt have true 16:9 but beleived that since the xl2 is letterboxed in 4:3 televisions as well that the aspect ratios would match. I have captured the footage into vegas and am now finding that in the preview monitor, they dont seem to match at all.

I am editing in 16:9 mode. In this the dvx looks stretched and has the black bars still imprinted. I have just found out that these bars were not a guide but in fact recorded on the image.

My question I guess is, should I edit in 4:3 and somehow letterbox the xl2 to match the DVXs with the black bars? this project will mainly be viewed, if not completely, on 4:3 televisions.

I have never had to match the two cams so any help would be greatly welcomed. Thanks

[Justin Tran]

u have two options...

1. letter box the 16:9 footage from the XL2
or
2. stretch the image from the DVX (i think dvfilm program does this - or u may be able to simply do it in your NLE)

if you are going to do this next time - either do it with an anamorphic adapter (u probably already knew this, but never know...) or shoot in squeeze mode if u used a dvx100a

slightly OT - how did u find the two matched?

[Stefan Scherperel]

In vegas it is very easy. Start a 16:9 Project and then import your footage into the media bin. Each clip that you use from the DVX you need to click on the pan/crop tool, select "16:9" Preset and your done.

[Bruce S. Yarock]

Stefan,
In Vegas, could you do this with some footage shot in 4:3 and other in 16:9 (both on the XL2)?
Bruce Yarock

[Matthew Nayman]

Its quite simple to do in any editing program really. Use the 16:9 footage as your base for all the cropping and simply crop the 4:3 footage to match. Couldn't be more simple.

Matt

[Mark Errante]

Thanks everyone for your resonses. I have burnt the first test dvd and all is well. For those of you interested I did find something interesting using vegas. Heres the facts:

- 1 XL2 was used set on 24p 16:9
- 3 DVXs were on 24p with the letterbox on. (not squeezed)
- The projects in Vegas was set to 4:3.
- All was captured in its relative aspect ration, XL2 16:9, DVX 4:3

When I placed the XL2 footage into the timeline, the black letterbox bars added by Vegas didnt match up to the recorded letterbox of the DVXs. It was off by a hair. Just anough to be noticable as it jumped up and down. At first I used the pan/crop to move it in a bit but later went to the old standard of adding a mask on another track. Problum soved. The question is...does vegas not conform to 16:9 standards for letterboxing, or do the DVXs record wrong...hmmm..

As far as matching the 2. No problums. We took time to white balance all of them together and adjusted a few settings before hand to match the XL2 to the three rather then vise versa as best we could.

I dont know what people have been arguing about with the XL2 not doing as well in low light as the DVX, they both performed just as well as far as grain. The DVXs did tend to be much more
saturated when the colored lights came on, (this was a concert) then the XL2. The XL2 seemd to have a much wider range of color variation. Example, the reds would fade to slight orange, to lighter red, on a person, rather then all red. Much more gradiation.

As far as sharpness, the XL2 definitly was noticabley sharper. Edges are much more defined, but soft enough to not look video like. Although the DVX was good as well.

All in all it matched up pretty good. I was damn blown away by the audio off the built in mic. Im only using it for editing while the multi track is being polished, but it sounds great for what it is. Welp back to work, only 2 hours more show to go....err....