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Square video format?
  • cbdphilcbdphil

    Will we see a square sensor format in the camera for video in the near future? Small sensors like small film formats made it necessary to 'fill the frame' and we have been doing this for nearly 100 years. Hasselblad changed the way a photographer thought about his shot – he could concentrate on the subject and format/crop it later because the quality of lens and film size allowed this. So, is a square format for video with high quality lenses, high resolution and larger sensors feasible? This places more creative control in 'post' with the editor taking control the final framing, positioning and zooming within the square recorded image. Except for the sensor itself, virtually no change to existing cameras and lenses would be required.

  • 8 Replies sorted by
  • DirkVoorhoeveDirkVoorhoeve

    No. but round sensors will be presented at photokina 2013

  • QuickHitRecordQuickHitRecord

    @DirkVoorhoeve Can you share your source?

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    I am all for square or, better, round sensors in every camera.

  • stoneystoney

    And we need HDTV in a round panel.

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    And we need HDTV in a round panel.

    No, we don't. Wide format appeared from human vision specifics.

  • cbdphilcbdphil

    @stonebat - "And we need HDTV in a round panel." - The current mind set is to frame for the final image at time of recording. A square (or round) capture format changes this, the composition of the final image being determined when the video is edited giving greater creative choices. This could also benefit news-gatherers who run and gun - concentrate on the object of the report and let the newsroom do the cropping. As with 2 1/4" square, there are also benefits for the still photographer but aimed at professionals and higher end enthusiasts, not the happy-snappers. A horizontal rectangular frame in the viewfinder/monitor is always possible if it makes you feel more comfortable.

  • dancerchrisdancerchris

    The use of a sensor that would capture all of the resolved image from the lens would allow more adjustment in editing. However it requires more bandwidth to record data. If we had no bandwidth limits we'd be running 4:4:4 at 4k (or more).

  • cbdphilcbdphil

    @dancerchris - bandwidth is about physical image quality. Square sensor is about expanding creative options. There will always be some compromise but bandwidth is increasing at a great rate so it's time to stretch the imagination and see what we can do with it. There is no reason we will not see films using a mixture of formats - e.g. a tall, narrow vertical of a climber on 'El Capitan' towering above you in the movie theatre, with an impact not possible on a home TV. The optics/lens capability is already there, but we cut the top and bottom off. Bandwidth may soon be greater than we can visually use/perceive. So for shooting, use only wide angle at your chosen distance (saves time) and then select 'focal length' in editing. Think outside the box, err sorry, pun intended....

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