Different aspect ratios at DVinfo.net

Tom Blake · March 21st, 2011, 03:36 PM

I'm editing a 2 camera shoot in FCE 3.5; an SD camera in 4:3 and an HD cam in 16:9. Is there a way to export using Quicktime conversion so the 1280x720 clips will have the same height of the 720x480 clips, and the difference in the frame will just be the width. I know I can resize the HD footage and re-cut but want to know if there's a quicker solution. Thanks.

William Hohauser · March 21st, 2011, 04:30 PM

If you were using a later version of FCP I would tell you to simply drop the HD camera files on a SD timeline and zoom in until it filled the screen. Then edit the SD camera on the second video track. But I don't remember how 3.5 deals with modern HD files if at all. Otherwise, if you can you should convert the HD files to SD anamorphic and adjust the distort on the files until it fills the screen with undistorted images.

Shaun Roemich · March 22nd, 2011, 11:45 AM

You can export the 720P files to be 852 x 480 square pixels (PAR of 1.0) as well and you won't need to worry about "Distort" or any other adjustments besides Position.

William Hohauser · March 22nd, 2011, 01:29 PM

Does this take care of the ratio difference? My experience is that FCP will letterbox the widescreen footage with an automatic distort.

Shaun Roemich · March 24th, 2011, 01:08 PM

William, I've had FCP do different things at different times with anamorphic material so I just normally do a PAR = 1 resize and move on. Your mileage may very well vary... Of course, my method requires that the codec will SUPPORT an 852x480 frame size as well...

Tom Blake · March 26th, 2011, 09:00 PM

Thank you gentlemen, I'll let you know how it goes.

Aric Mannion · March 27th, 2011, 01:30 PM

720x480 4:3 is not a square pixel setting, so it is possible that final cut will distort your clip automatically in the timeline. After you drop the clip in the timeline just take a look at it in the viewer and see if it's distorted, you can always just correct it -and paste those attributes to all of your other clips simultaneously.

March 21st, 2011, 03:36 PM	#1
Tom Blake New Boot Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: NY, NY Posts: 10	Different aspect ratios I'm editing a 2 camera shoot in FCE 3.5; an SD camera in 4:3 and an HD cam in 16:9. Is there a way to export using Quicktime conversion so the 1280x720 clips will have the same height of the 720x480 clips, and the difference in the frame will just be the width. I know I can resize the HD footage and re-cut but want to know if there's a quicker solution. Thanks.

March 21st, 2011, 04:30 PM	#2
William Hohauser Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: New York City Posts: 2,650	Re: Different aspect ratios If you were using a later version of FCP I would tell you to simply drop the HD camera files on a SD timeline and zoom in until it filled the screen. Then edit the SD camera on the second video track. But I don't remember how 3.5 deals with modern HD files if at all. Otherwise, if you can you should convert the HD files to SD anamorphic and adjust the distort on the files until it fills the screen with undistorted images. __________________ William Hohauser - New York City Producer/Edit/Camera/Animation

March 22nd, 2011, 11:45 AM	#3
Shaun Roemich Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia (formerly Winnipeg, Manitoba) Canada Posts: 4,088	Re: Different aspect ratios You can export the 720P files to be 852 x 480 square pixels (PAR of 1.0) as well and you won't need to worry about "Distort" or any other adjustments besides Position. __________________ Shaun C. Roemich Road Dog Media - Vancouver, BC - Videographer - Webcaster www.roaddogmedia.ca Blog: http://roaddogmedia.wordpress.com/

March 22nd, 2011, 01:29 PM	#4
William Hohauser Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: New York City Posts: 2,650	Re: Different aspect ratios Does this take care of the ratio difference? My experience is that FCP will letterbox the widescreen footage with an automatic distort. __________________ William Hohauser - New York City Producer/Edit/Camera/Animation

March 24th, 2011, 01:08 PM	#5
Shaun Roemich Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia (formerly Winnipeg, Manitoba) Canada Posts: 4,088	Re: Different aspect ratios William, I've had FCP do different things at different times with anamorphic material so I just normally do a PAR = 1 resize and move on. Your mileage may very well vary... Of course, my method requires that the codec will SUPPORT an 852x480 frame size as well... __________________ Shaun C. Roemich Road Dog Media - Vancouver, BC - Videographer - Webcaster www.roaddogmedia.ca Blog: http://roaddogmedia.wordpress.com/

March 26th, 2011, 09:00 PM	#6
Tom Blake New Boot Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: NY, NY Posts: 10	Re: Different aspect ratios Thank you gentlemen, I'll let you know how it goes.

March 27th, 2011, 01:30 PM	#7
Aric Mannion Major Player Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Boston, Massachusetts Posts: 616	Re: Different aspect ratios 720x480 4:3 is not a square pixel setting, so it is possible that final cut will distort your clip automatically in the timeline. After you drop the clip in the timeline just take a look at it in the viewer and see if it's distorted, you can always just correct it -and paste those attributes to all of your other clips simultaneously.