rage against the widescreen format

[Solly]

What's the aspect ratio on a camera lens?

[Wernazuma III]

Originally posted by Q Cubed
Actually, it's not so much that, and certain geeks who get their knickers in a twist when some ignorant git speaks out of his depth.

Personally, I'm more offended by your callous disregard for an artist's craft--saying that the "fullscreen" version is suitable and that all the extra detail is "bad camerawork"...

Ah, well, you're not a film critic anyway, so what does it matter?

I don't think it's about films. Of course, every widescreen movie on a 4:3 will be shown with black bars and not be cut. Maybe they do this for programs made for TV etc., I haven't really compared yet. Anyhow, in this case it's known that some customers will see more on the edges than others, so putting relevant stuff on the edges, where you know a good part won't see it is either bad work or arrogance.

Plus, I'm not talking about the pragmatic of a widescreen. I too think that more and more stuff will be produced in widescreen format, thus I'd surely buy widescreen if I needed a new TV set. I´t's just that I don't like the development itself.

It's no tragedy for me for TV but I can't get used to the widescreen monitor idea.

[Asher]

Originally posted by Doddler
What's the aspect ratio on a camera lens?

Depends on the lens.

Movie cameras tend to be 1.85:1 or higher.

TV shows are typically 16:9.

Still photos are typically 5:4, with widescreen lenses and formats becoming increasingly popular.

[Adagio]

Originally posted by Asher
When you watch your TV shows and movies on a 4:3 screen, you're not seeing the full image. The sides are cut off.

Not where I live, here you just get top/bottom black bars

[Imran Siddiqui]

Unless they show the movies in "Pan and Scan" mode where they chop off the sides or squish things together. Most of the time movies with the letterbox are DVDs on 4:3 screens or some movie channels here. Widescreen TVs will prevent having to letterbox movies (for the most part.. 'epic' movies have an even more pronounced widescreen effect leading to small letterboxing on widescreen TV's).

[Q Classic]

Originally posted by Wernazuma III
It's no tragedy for me for TV but I can't get used to the widescreen monitor idea.

This, I agree with. I don't like widescreen monitors, as I enjoy having the black bars visible when watching something--mostly because that's where the subtitles go.

Then again, I'm also one of those weird folk who likes having the English subtitles on, even though English happens to be my primary language of choice.

[Dis]

Originally posted by Asher
You guys ought to educate yourself...

Go to a friend's house (or an electronics store...). When a show is on the TV in HDTV, switch it to the non-widescreen feed.

You don't gain any image on the top/bottom of the screen, you just lose the images on the edge of the widescreen version.

The sooner you guys get your head around this, the better. 4:3 < 16:9, in that 4:3 is a cropped 16:9. There is no gain in vertical image with 4:3, just a loss in horizontal image.

I think he was trolling you.

[Dis]

Originally posted by Wernazuma III


I don't think it's about films. Of course, every widescreen movie on a 4:3 will be shown with black bars and not be cut. Maybe they do this for programs made for TV etc., I haven't really compared yet. Anyhow, in this case it's known that some customers will see more on the edges than others, so putting relevant stuff on the edges, where you know a good part won't see it is either bad work or arrogance.

Plus, I'm not talking about the pragmatic of a widescreen. I too think that more and more stuff will be produced in widescreen format, thus I'd surely buy widescreen if I needed a new TV set. I´t's just that I don't like the development itself.

It's no tragedy for me for TV but I can't get used to the widescreen monitor idea.

you are missing the scope of the scene. In some closeups an entire character is missing!!! Because the camera goes in for a closeup of 2 people in a conversation.

And some movies like Saving Private Ryan look impressive in widescreen. As you can see more of the beach action.

[Dis]

http://www.widescreen.org/examples/starwars/index.shtml

[Wernazuma III]

Originally posted by Dis


you are missing the scope of the scene. In some closeups an entire character is missing!!! Because the camera goes in for a closeup of 2 people in a conversation.

And some movies like Saving Private Ryan look impressive in widescreen. As you can see more of the beach action.

Again: I'm not against widescreen as a cinema format in the first place. I can also live with my bars and smaller image.

But if a TV show is produced in a way that 4:3 owners won't get the whole picture, it's either dumb or arrogant.