PharmerPhil 0 #1 March 12, 2008 I am considering going widescreen on my tandem videos this year (16:9 letterboxed). However, the other camera flyers at my DZ only have 4:3 cameras. My A1U would edge-crop to 4:3, but that doesn't look like it is a feature in the HC-5, and I will still be doing a lot of linear, analog editing. I would like to hear what the customers' response has been to widescreen letterbox videos vs. standard 4:3 videos. I am particularly interested in hearing from camera flyers at tandem DZs that otherwise offer a consistent product from one videographer to the next, but where some videographers produce 16:9 videos and some produce 4:3 videos. i.e. any comments positive or negative when groups watch their videos side-by-side and there is a difference ("Why does mine have black bars on it?" "Why didn't I get the cool widescreen video?")? Just to emphasize, I am not really looking for videographers' opinions on whether 16:9 videos are better/worse intrinsically, just how the tandem customers are responding to the widescreen format at other DZs. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DSE 5 #2 March 12, 2008 Ours are flagged to letterbox on 4:3 monitors and be full on wide monitors. Customers have appreciated it. We received 2 letters (yeah, only two) that commented on how great the vids looked, and one specifically complained/commented how much more "pro" his looked than another guy's looked from the same load (shot with a 109). I wrote a tutorial on matching 4:3 to wide, simply because so many folks are starting to expect it. Wide for tandems works well, although wide for 4-way isn't the most awesome thing in the world. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 20 #3 March 12, 2008 I'm also intersted in this since I want to upgrade to a HD camera but it looks like the NLE setup I'll be using a few times only has 4:3 in its templetes. That means jumping formats in the middle of the video.Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DSE 5 #4 March 12, 2008 what NLE only offers 4:3? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Icon134 0 #5 March 12, 2008 QuoteI'm also intersted in this since I want to upgrade to a HD camera but it looks like the NLE setup I'll be using a few times only has 4:3 in its templetes. That means jumping formats in the middle of the video.Are you sure of that? The opening sequence and closing sequence are both letterboxed. It should be easy enough to modify the output such that it generates a 16:9 output. I know that one HC5 is already being used by a jumper at our DZ and appeared to be shot in widescreen format (though I don't know if it had been recorded in HDV or just DV format)Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Icon134 0 #6 March 12, 2008 Quotewhat NLE only offers 4:3?It is Sony Vegas (ver 7, I believe) but I doubt it only offers output in 4:3.Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DSE 5 #7 March 12, 2008 I thought Phree was a Premiere boy, but Premiere offers wide or 4:3/standard. Vegas offers both, and mixes both very, very nicely. Since version 2. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 20 #8 March 12, 2008 I thought a few I saw last year were 4:3 format since thats what the jumpers were shooting. I might be wrong, I hope I am since I am currently high bidder on an HC3 Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DSE 5 #9 March 12, 2008 All HD cams from Sony (and Canon) shoot native wide, and can downconvert to crop, squeeze, or letterbox in camera on capture/output. I still jump with HC3---it's a great cam, IMO. Prolly have 350 jumps on mine. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Icon134 0 #10 March 12, 2008 QuoteI thought Phree was a Premiere boy, but Premiere offers wide or 4:3/standard. Vegas offers both, and mixes both very, very nicely. Since version 2.I believe he is... but the DZ uses Vegas... and I agree that Vegas transitions between 4:3/16:9 very easily. I've used both Vegas and Premiere. Personally, I kind of like Vegas better.Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
beowulf 1 #11 March 12, 2008 It was most likely shot in HD. All HD is 16:9. When I hookup my HC5 to a 4:3 television it displays in letterbox 16:9. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
beowulf 1 #12 March 12, 2008 QuoteAll HD cams from Sony (and Canon) shoot native wide, and can downconvert to crop, squeeze, or letterbox in camera on capture/output. I still jump with HC3---it's a great cam, IMO. Prolly have 350 jumps on mine. I have been looking for a setting in the HC5 to have it crop to 4:3 when outputing SD. Is that even possible to do on the camera? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HSPScott 0 #13 March 12, 2008 Just got my HC9 in and mounted into the cookie box. QuoteWide for tandems works well. That's what I was thinking. I'll have to see how it works out. QuoteWide for 4-way isn't the most awesome thing in the world. I plan on shooting my 4way team in 4X3. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Icon134 0 #14 March 12, 2008 QuoteIt was most likely shot in HD. All HD is 16:9. When I hookup my HC5 to a 4:3 television it displays in letterbox 16:9.I'll have to explore the settings on my camera but I believe that even if I record in SD wide screen (DV) it will still display in letterboxed format on a 4:3 display. It will merely record fewer pixels per frame. (DSE: please correct me if I'm wrong... I've never done this...) ScottLivin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
beowulf 1 #15 March 12, 2008 I think you will have to switch to SD to shoot 4:3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dragon2 2 #16 March 12, 2008 Haven't heard any comments whatsoever, we shoot about 50/50 4:3 and 16:9 now. Videos are always shown on a huge plasma tv at 16:9, I really really really hate how 4:3 videos come out then, I prefer the black sides (did I mention I don't like stretched-out videos? ) but still, no comments at all one way or the other. ciel bleu, Saskia Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dragon2 2 #17 March 12, 2008 Quote I'm also intersted in this since I want to upgrade to a HD camera but it looks like the NLE setup I'll be using a few times only has 4:3 in its templetes. That means jumping formats in the middle of the video. So? Fix them I had to update my templates too.... Will have to be done eventually as more and more people switch to HD. ciel bleu, Saskia Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
