In Which Aspect Ratio are Most New Movies Filmed?

[Ron Resnick]

As part of our house repairs we will be putting a home theater for Tinka in the room next to the stereo room.

We watch only movies (no television and no gaming and no sports).

Should we set up a 2.4:1 widescreen or a 16:9 screen?

In which aspect ratio are most new movies filmed?

 

[853guy]

As part of our house repairs we will be putting a home theater for Tinka in the room next to the stereo room.

We watch only movies (no television and no gaming and no sports).

Should we set up a 2.4:1 widescreen or a 16:9 screen?

In which aspect ratio are most new movies filmed?

Hi Ron,

It's not quite a black and white answer.

Because of the way a digital sensor can be configured, films captured digitally can often be in either 4:3, 16:9, 2.41:1, 1.85:1 and 1.9:1 depending on whether the filmmaker is going for full resolution at a given aspect ratio (full frame), or is using an aspect ration to then crop or pad to recompose the frame in post. The latter might be in order to alter the framing within the captured frame (for repositioning, resizing, rotating or stabilizing) or because the filmmaker needs to place markers in-camera for VFX-intensive shots that are then cropped for output.

Further confusing things is that capture is not the same as output. For instance, to output to 2.39:1 one would need to shoot at 2:1 and then crop vertically, whereas for outputting 1.85:1, one would shoot at 16:9 and crop vertically. The RED has three presets it most commonly shoots at (2.41:1, 2:1 and 16:9), as well as an anamorphic preset. But from there, can still be cropped vertically or downsized depending on final output. The Alexa is similar, in that it can shoot in four different ratios, but uses three different sensors, to capture either 16:9 at various resolutions, 6:5 for anamorphic, 4:3 for VFX heavy shoots, and “Open Gate” which uses the full sensor area for output to 2.39:1 or 1.85:1 depending on the need for placement of VFX markers or repositioning, resizing, rotating or stabilizing. The Alexa 65 - their “65mm” camera - has a native aspect ratio of 2.11:1.

None of which answers your ultimate question, sorry…

I did however find this link which might be more helpful:

http://www.projectorcentral.com/build_home_theater_screen_aspect_ratio.htm

 

[audioguy]

If the source of your movies will be disc, then, in my experience, most will "tend to be" of the wider screen format. The advantage of going with a 16x9 screen (if you are willing to install a masking system) will allow you to maximize the image size of all sources. BUT, those masking systems come at a very steep price.

I chose the wide screen approach (with anamorphic lens) and on many films presented in 16x9, can comfortable watch them in the wider format .. but that does not work for ALL 16x9 presented movies.

 

[steve williams]

get an anamorphic lens

 

[Joe Whip]

Any anamorphic lens is way to go no doubt. However, just to answer Ron's original question, I believe more theatrical releases are 1:85 to 1 rather than 2:40 to 1. Give my best to Tinka!

 

[amirm]

Anamorphic lenses are yesterday's solution in my opinion. They don't provide the resolution increase they did with DVDs. They cost a lot and screw up the picture by sticking another lens in front of the one you already have. They do increase the light output though by using all the pixels.

The modern solution and my preference is a projector with zoom/shift/focus memory. You set up multiple presets and by hitting one button on the remote, the picture size changes to adapt to the movie you are watching. Get a Kaleidescape movie server and the metadata there can do this automatically.

 

[LenWhite]

I have a 2013 JVC projector and a motorized DA-LITE 16:9 Projection Screen in my media room. The projector automatically displays both 1:85 using the entire screen, and 2:40 with black bars and top and bottom. I actually prefer the 2:40 ratio because of the wider angle. The black bars are pretty much invisible in a darkened room.

 

[Ron Resnick]

Thank you, gentlemen!

We will go with a wide format screen and a projector with zoom/shift memory.