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Comparing Super 35 to 35mm Anamorphic Production
Anamorphic technology has come a long way since 2th Century !o" introduced
Cinemascope to the world in #$53. %hen properly presented on a large screen& the e"tra
wide'screen& anamorphic (ormat can unleash a power and a (ascination that is di((icult to
e"plain in words.
)here are two ways to get anamorphic prints (or theatrical release. *ne method stays
anamorphic all the way through the process& just like the original +Cinemascope+. And
the other process starts as a normal spherical or +(lat+ image& and is con,erted to
anamorphic -or +s.uee/ed+ image0 later. )his other process is known as Super 35.
Super 35 makes things easier at the shooting stage& so 1.P.2s tend to lo,e this (ormat. 3ut
producers should reali/e that the e,entual con,ersion (rom the Super 35mm negati,e to
make the (inal (ilm prints is ,ery e"pensi,e. 4t always adds a signi(icant amount to the
o,erall 5udget ..... something in the order o( 6S78& to 6S7$& appro"imately.
)he price depends on where you get the (inal con,ersion done -i.e. which la50& and on the
(inal running length o( the mo,ie. )his step is necessary to get normal theatrical release
prints (or distri5ution and e"hi5ition on (ilm -......unless the production is just releasing
on ,ideo tape& or it is (or tele,ision 5roadcast only0.
%hat happens is that an optical print needs to 5e made o( your entire mo,ie. 6sing an
optical printer& the la5 takes the Super 35mm image (rame 5y (rame& 5lows it up a little
5it& and then s.uee/es it anamorphically to make the (inal printing master -also similar to
an 4nter Positi,e 94P: or 4nter ;egati,e 94;:& 5ut optically deri,ed0 . So it is just like a
giant& or super long optical. And as we know& opticals are e"pensi,e ..... especially 5ig
ones like this i.e. it costs the appro"imately 6S78& to 6S7$& mentioned a5o,e.
A(ter this step& the (inal (ilm prints look e"actly the same as i( they were shot in the true
anamorphic (ormat in the (irst place. So (or projection in the cinema& e,erything is the
same again. 4t is just that the path to get there is di((erent. )here are two main ways to get
anamorphic prints ....... -#0 shooting with anamorphic lenses& or -20 con,erting (rom a
+(lat+ or spherical Super 35mm original negati,e. As 4 will e"plain in more detail 5elow&
5oth systems ha,e their ad,antages and disad,antages.
As a matter o( interest& it is the same pro5lem with A<< the so called +Super+ (ormats
-like Super #8& Super )echniscope& Super 35 ' 3 per( etc.0. And also the same with 2=p
>igh 1e(inition& or any other system where you shoot in one (ormat that later has to 5e
con,erted to another (ormat (or release. All the ad,antages o( the +Super (ormats+ are at
the shooting stage& and all the disad,antages tend to come later in post& or in the (inal la5
work -especially in terms o( the o,erall cost0.
3oth approaches ha,e their pros and cons& which 4 will try to summari/e 5elow in point
(orm. So here is a short summary that compares Super 35 and 35mm Anamorphic
production.
Ad,antages o( shooting Super 35mm:
-#0 ?uch wider choice o( lenses -especially (or /oom'lens options0.
-20 <enses are usually smaller and lighter
-30 ?uch (aster lenses a,aila5le i.e. you can shoot in lower light with higher .uality
-30 ?ore 1epth o( !ield -5ut this is either an ad,antage or disad,antage depending on
your point o( ,iew0
3asically& Super 35 tends to make li(e easier and more con,enient (or the 1.P.& 5ut it can
also make the cinematography 5etter (or certain types o( mo,ies too. And it may gi,e the
director more options as well.
1isad,antages o( shooting Super 35mm:
-#0 @ery e"pensi,e con,ersion to make the (inal prints -an e"tra 6S78& to
6S7$& appro"imately0
-20 <ower o,erall image .uality& 5ecause o( the smaller negati,e area o( the image
-30 )he optical con,ersion step adds grain and contrast to the (inal printing master and
(ilm prints
So the disad,antages tend to come in the (inal post work& and especially the e"tra
e"penses in,ol,ed -i.e. the e"tra 6S78& to 6S7$& appro"imately0
Ad,antages o( shooting 35mm Anamorphic:
-#0 <argest image negati,e area o( any 35mm (ormat -5iggest possi5le on a 35mm (rame
apart (rom hori/ontal @ista@ision0
-20 Signi(icantly less e"pensi,e in terms o( the o,erall 5udget -sa,e 6S78& to
6S7$& appro"imately0
-=0 <ess 1epth o( !ield -5ut this is either an ad,antage or disad,antage depending on
your point o( ,iew0
-50 ;o additional costs or steps to make the (inal prints
-80 Antire process ,ery similar& and mostly the same as standard 35mm production
1isad,antages o( shooting 35mm Anamorphic:
-#0 ?uch narrower choice o( lens options -and /ooms are not ,ery practical 5ecause they
are too slow& usually around )=.5 or greater0
-20 <enses are usually physically larger and hea,ier
-=0 <enses are slower -)2.2 or greater0 so the .uality is compromised a little 5it in ,ery&
,ery low light situations.
-50 ;eed a special de's.uee/ing ,iew(inder on the camera
-80 )he lens options (or Steadicam work can 5e ,ery restricted 5ecause o( the hea,ier
lenses
Personally& 4 tend to gra,itate towards the anamorphic approach mysel(. 4 lo,e the higher
image .uality o( anamorphic& especially in terms o( less grainy release prints. )his is
5ecause the anamorphic (ormat has the largest possi5le image area o( any 35mm
-,ertically transported0 (ormat. 4 (ind that simple (act alone to 5e ,ery important. So (or
me personally& 42d rather shoot with anamorphic lenses& and cope with the slight
disad,antages o( 5igger& hea,ier and slightly slower lenses on the set.
4 also like to work with less 1epth'o('!ield. Compared to spherical cinematography&
anamorphic lenses ha,e less 1epth'o('!ield& not in (act& 5ut in its practical application.
3ut this is either an ad,antage or disad,antage depending on your point o( ,iew. 4
actually pre(er the shallower 1epth'o('!ield inherent with anamorphic lenses. 4 try to use
the shallower 1epth'o('!ield artistically to enhance or em5ellish the images. 4 try and
incorporate that (rom a dramatic or artistic point o( ,iew. 4n short& 4 try to make it my
(riend& rather than my (oe.
*( course& there can 5e reasons to shoot spherical Super 35 (or certain types o(
productions& 5ut Super 35 always comes with a ,ery 5ig price tag. 6nless the type o(
production really calls (or physically smaller and lighter lenses& then Super 35mm tends
to 5e a 5it o( a lu"ury. Same thing i( you really need (ast lenses& or want to shoot with
/oom lenses. 3ut again it costs more in the (inal analysis. And same i( you need a lot o(
1epth o( !ield (or whate,er reason& and so on. 3ut ultimately& the production will ha,e to
pay a large amount o( money (or the relati,e +lu"ury+ o( shooting Super 35.
4( a production can a((ord the e"tra e"pense o( shooting Super 35mm& then that may ,ery
well 5e appropriate (or the type o( production en,isaged. ?any >ollywood 1.P.2s chose
this route. 4t is normally 5est suited (or ,ery high'5udget productions where money isn2t
really an issue. 3ut (or medium to lower 5udget (ilms& 4 think this e"tra money is 5etter
spent elsewhere. 4 think it is 5etter to in,est it in impro,ing the o,erall +production ,alue+
or +look+ o( the mo,ie. ?y (eeling is that it is 5etter to in,est this e"tra large sla5 o(
money in impro,ing o,erall +production ,alue+ o( the mo,ie i.e. 5y redirecting the e"tra
6S78& to 6S7$& appro"imately. 4t is 5etter to get it up there on the screen i(
possi5le.
4( you do end up choosing the true anamorphic process& here is a little more detail a5out
practical production issues. 3ut (irst& let me assure you that (or most steps in the o,erall
production process& anamorphic production is ,ery similar to normal 35mm production&
5oth on the set& and also in post production. 3ut i( considering true anamorphic
production& then here are some additional points to take into consideration:
-#0 Bental o( anamorphic lenses usually cost a little more compared to normal lenses -5ut
this relati,ely small di((erence may 5e a5sor5ed in a discounted camera/lens package'
deal perhaps0.
-20 A special de's.uee/ing ,iew(inder is re.uired& and this is an additional item to rent
with the camera package.
-30 A larger camera gate is re.uired. )his is not normally a pro5lem with newer cameras&
5ut it can 5e a di((iculty (or some older models o( cameras howe,er. )he camera
aperature needs to 5e #C.8mm high " 22mm wide& or larger. )his is e.ui,alent to .D32
inches high " .C88 inches wide e.g. Arri(le" !ormat ?ask -or gate0: E5.=23CC.
-=0 !ocus pulling tends to 5e a little more critical& and re.uires a skilled person.
-50 )he location manager and the production designer must take into consideration the
wider (rame -although there is a 5ig ad,antage in that the sets don2t need to 5e as high
comparati,ely speaking0.
-80 Fou need a projector with an anamorphic projection lens (or screening rushes or
dailies. 3ut most 35mm projectors ha,e this type o( lens as standard e.uipment.
-D0 )he telecine must 5e anamorphic'capa5le (or making ,ideo copies& which will 5e later
digiti/e (or loading into a non'linear editing computer like an A,id etc. 3ut most telecine
(acilities should 5e a5le to handle anamorphic without any pro5lems.
-C0 ;egati,e matching& is more critical and precise& 5ecause o( the ,ery narrow (rame line
5etween indi,idual (rames. )his is worth dou5le checking with local pro(essionals to
make sure this is no pro5lem (or them.
-$0 !inal la5 work is ,irtually identical. )he sound side o( things -i.e. sound negati,e '
digital or analog0 also works just the same.
-#0 )itles need to 5e shot with an anamorphic lens.
-##0 !inally& (or theatrical release& cinemas need an anamorphic projection lens& 5ut this
has always 5een ,ery standard e.uipment worldwide. 4n (act& it is pro5a5ly the most
uni,ersal o( all 35mm projection (ormats& across the entire world.
4n summary& there is not much to worry a5out when shooting anamorphic. 42d de(initely
check a5out the negati,e'matching issue& as negati,e matchers in your location may not
ha,e e"perience with con(orming anamorphic negati,e perhapsG 42d also dou5le check
with your la5& in case they ha,e any special issues or ad,ise. Also with the telecine
company to make sure they can make suita5le +letter5o"ed+ ,ideo copies. 3ut this is not
normally a pro5lem (or most (acilities.
!inally& you may 5e interested to read my compilation called +CinemaScope ' A Concise
>istory+ 4t e"plains where the anamorphic (ormat came (rom& and how it rose to
prominence. 4 think you will (ind it interesting reading i( you want to know more a5out
the history& origins and o,erwhelming success o( the anamorphic (ormat -although 5e
(orewarned& it has a lot o( historical and technical detail0.
Anyway& good luck with your preparations (or your wide'screen productionHHHHH
Copyright I Peter Jray -5th !e5ruary& 220
Peter Jray
-near <os Angeles0
P.*. 3o" 5#32
Pine ?ountain Clu5& CA $3222
6nited States o( America
telephone: K#-88#0 2=2'#23=
dpLpetergray.org



TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
FORMATS, FIELDS AND STANDARDS
by Mark Woods
SOME ENCOUNTERS WITH SUPER 35 AND OTHER THOUGHTS
4 recently shot a Super 35mm (ilm in Aurope. 1uring the prep& we shot a (rame leader. -A
(rame leader is a shot o( a chart that matches the (rame edge as indicated on the camera2s
ground glass.0 4 rarely do this when 4 shoot in #.C5:# or #.88:#& and ne,er (or )@
commercials. ?y thought has 5een that industry standards e"ist& and i( 4 use properly
maintained e.uipment (rom reputa5le rental houses& my images should drop into the
(rame they way 4 photographed them. <ittle did 4 reali/e the complications that e"ist in
Super 35& a non'standard (ormatM and little did 4 reali/e that when production misplaced
the (rame leader we shot in Aurope& ensuing pro5lems would 5e encountered 5y the
postproduction super,isor at the optical houses. 3y mo,ing through the idiosyncrasies o(
Super 35& 4 will e"plore some o( the other (ormats& and point out some potential
+opportunities+ -i.e.& pro5lems0 a cinematographer should 5e aware o(.
2.35:1 Equals 2.40:1 Equals 2.39:1
!irst 4 would like to address the true 35mm anamorphic (ormat& where the camera2s
o5jecti,e lens is anamorphic. 4n this industry& you would think that most aspects are
standardi/ed i( only 5ecause standardi/ation will ultimately make things easier& more
predicta5le& and sa,e money (or the producers. !or e"ample& it doesn2t matter what ratio
you call 35mm anamorphic lenses since they all e.ually a((ect the s.uee/e o( the image.
4n the 5eginning& the (ormat using 35mm anamorphic lenses were re(erred to as 2.35:# -or
simply& 2.350. S?P)A decided .uite a (ew years ago that this (ormat as presented in the
theatres was actually 2.=:#. ;othing had changed e"cept what ratio it was called. 4n
putting this article together& 4 spoke with a num5er o( people including my (riend )ak
?iyagishima at Pana,ision. 4 asked him i( three cameras shot the same scene at the same
time& one with a Primo 2.=:# anamorphic& one with a 2.35:# Neiss lens& and the other
with a 2.3$:# )odd/A* anamorphic& would there 5e any di((erence in the s.uee/eG )ak
said they were all the same. *nly the inherent di((erences in the lenses2 designs and
per(ormance would 5e noticed. So i( you re(er to the anamorphic (ormat with any one o(
these terms& you will 5e correct. !inally& the thing to keep in mind is that the s.uee/e is
constant no matter which (ormat you2re talking a5out.
H! "#s a 2$ Squ##%# Equal 2.40:1&
All 35mm anamorphic lenses s.uee/e the image 2:#. %hat that means is& i( you look
through the camera2s optics at your star or starlet& and the image isn2t uns.uee/ed& you see
an image that has a major astigmatism and looks like something like a ?odigliani
painting. )he scene through the lens appears to 5e twice as high as it is wide& or the
con,erse& hal( as wide as it is high. %hat the num5ers on each side o( the colon represent
is the relationship o( the width to height o( the (rame in the theatre. So the s.uee/e is
constant in the camera and in projection& only the proscenium changes.
W'a()s s su*#+ a,u( Su*#+ 35&
Super 35 is an anamorphic (ormat (ilmed with spherical lenses. )his image is composed
side to side on the (ull aperture. )he di((erent ground glasses utili/e di((erent parts o( the
,ertical area o( the aperture. )ake a moment to look at Clairmont Camera2s ground glass
diagram la5eled Super 35 Centered on !ull ground glass. )he 2.=:# (ormat is indicated in
the center o( the (ull aperture& which includes the sound track area. )he (inal 2:# s.uee/e
(or the theatrical release is accomplished optically (rom the 4P to the dupe negati,e. -A
side note a5out this step. ?y (riend Bo5 >ummel told me (rom his own e"perience that i(
the s.uee/e were put on the 4P instead o( (rom the 4P& the .uality would 5e much 5etter. 4
checked this out at !oto'Eem& and they agreed that the .uality would pro5a5ly 5e 5etter&
5ut they currently don2t ha,e printers capa5le o( per(orming this operation.0 All dupe
negs are generated optically (rom the 4P. As you can see& the Super 35 (ormat is actually
an anamorphic (ormat shot with spherical lenses. 3y the way& the term +Super+ in (ront o(
any (ormat indicates that the (ull aperture is 5eing used -or more in the case o( Super
#8mm0. Again& i( you look at ground glass with Super #.C5& Super 35& and Super )@ all
centered on (ull -aperture0 you will see how the (ull aperture is utili/ed. Compare this
ground glass to the 2.35 Anamorphic Centered on Academy ground glass. Fou will see
the space le(t (or the sound track. )he optical houses2 (ield charts are o( little use to us
now& since they only indicate the si/e o( the (inal image (or theatrical presentation& not
the (inal position on the (ilm. <ook at Paci(ic )itle2s #.33:# (ield chart with #.C5:#& #.88:#&
and #.D5:# -#.DC:#0 all indicated with a common optical center. )his is important to note.
Alements with a common optical center shi(t the top and 5ottom o( the (rame e.ually.
Shots with a common top shi(t only the 5ottom o( the (rame. Fou can see this di((erence
on the Super 35 Common )op with Dmm and #.C5:# also indicated.
)hese charts would 5e used to set up the optical printer (or elements (or the 4P& in the pre'
s.uee/e stage. )his is also the (ield chart the optical house would use to place the top o(
the (rame as indicated with a (rame leader. )hey would note the settings on the optical
printer and use them as a starting point (or all opticals 5eing done on the production.
!inally look at the +A5yss !ormat+ ground glass. Super #.33& Super #.88& and Super #.C5
are all centered o( the (ull aperture& while Super 2.2 and Super 35 share a common top
line with Super #.C5. )his is an ultimate e((ort to protect the composition (or all (ormats.
42m sure you are aware that )itanic was (ilmed in Super 35& and helmed 5y the same
director as The Abyss& Oames Cameron.
All 12 -.#l"s A+#/)( Equal0
Part o( what 4 intended to accomplish in this article was to relate di((erent (ormats to a
#.33:# (ield chart. 4 (eel this is the most logical +)a5la Basa+ since it2s the most common
(ield chart in use. 4t2s 5een standardi/ed (or many years& and each o( the (ormats 4 discuss
can 5e placed somewhere on the chart and 5e (airly accurate. A #2 (ield (or #.33:# is #2+
wide and $+ high. 3y de(inition& all #2 (ields are #2+ wide -Aast/%est0. )he di((erence in
(ormats determines the di((erent si/e o( the increments in each (ield ;orth/South. !or
e"ample& the increment 5etween an ## (ield and a #2 (ield Aast/%est& is .5+. )he
incremental di((erence ;orth/South on our #.33:# chart is .3D5+. As you can see on the
(ield chart pro,ided 5y Paci(ic )itle2s Chris 3ushman& the (ollowing (ormats #.33:#&
#.88:#& #.D5:# -#.DC:#0& and #.C5:# can 5e re(erenced on the same (ield chart. )he simple
e"planation (or this is that the (ormats are created with mattes on the projector& or& in
some instances& hard mattes in the camera. )his (ield chart shows (ormats that share a
common optical center'and not a common top. All o( this is 5ased on a #.33:#& or )@
aperture. ;ow take a look at the Super 35 Common )op <ine !ield Chart. 4( you notice&
the increments ;orth and South are smaller& e,en though this is a #2 (ield chart& and the
#2 (ield indicators ;orth/South stop at the edge o( the 2.=:# (ormat2s 5ottom. )he reason
is simple& the ratio is di((erent& and there(ore the increments are di((erent& and smaller.
)he (ield indicators can2t e"ceed the 5ottom edge o( the (rame& i.e. indicate a #3th (iled&
since a #3th (ield would 5e out o( (rame. )he #2 (ields de(ine the total area o( the (rame.
)his is the case i( the #2 (ield chart were 5ased on #.C5:#. )here would 5e no (ield
indicators 5elow or a5o,e the edge o( the #.C5 (rame. Since the sides remain a constant&
each (ield side to side is .5+ -#/2+0 apart. )he di((erent (ormats are re(lected in di((erent
incremental ,ertical measurements. Again& these (ield indicators don2t e"ceed #2 (ields.
)his doesn2t seem to 5e much o( a pro5lem& 5ut in shooting Super 35 with a common top
line& the ,ertical increments are di((erent (or each (ormat. *( course you can try to
compose a shot (or all (ormats& 5ut that doesn2t really work. 4n postproduction the
situation continues to 5ecome more in,ol,ed. %hat i( a director o( photography shoots
the negati,e in Super 35 (or an anamorphic releaseG <ater& (or whate,er reason& the
producer decides to release in #.C5:#. Suddenly there2s a great deal more in(ormation on
the 5ottom o( the (rame. Also& i( any /ooms were done& and the camera2s optics were
centered to the 2.=:# s.uee/e (ormat& they would 5e o(( center and appear eccentric.
%hat i( a production was shot in anamorphic 35mm (or a 5low up to DmmG Fou would
think that e,erything should (it& 5ut it doesn2t since the (ormats don2t match e"actly. )he
edges o( the original 35mm image are cropped slightly to center the image ,ertically. As
you can see& when you enter the anamorphic world& things aren2t what they appear to 5e&
and the edge o( the (rame isn2t where you think it is when you 5low up to Dmm or
reduce to 35mm (rom Dmm. )his has 5een a pro5lem (or some pictures shot in
anamorphic 35mm and released on Dmm. 4( the director wants to use the whole (rame&
side to side& when shooting in anamorphic 35mm& something2s going to 5e lost on the
5low'up. )his happened to Jeorge <ucas in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.



P+"u1(./ R#al.(2 a/" Ps( P+"u1(./ Cs(s
4 know o( a production that used two supposedly compati5le Super 35 ground glasses on
two di((erent cameras. *ne camera had a ground glass similar to Clairmont Camera2s
3ird on a %ire ground glass. )he other camera had a ground glass much like Clairmont2s
A5yss (ormat. )hese two ground glasses appear to 5e e"actly the same& 5ut aren2t totally
compati5le. 4( the director o( photography had the ground glass (ormat specs laid out the
way they2re presented here& it would 5e o5,ious to him. *ne o( the keys to look (or is the
,ertical o((set. *n the A5yss ground glass it2s .5=& while the o((set (or the 3ird ground
glass is .83. )his doesn2t seem like much& 5ut it2s a5out # (oot on a 8 (oot wide screen.
%hile these two ground glasses are (airly close& and it may not make much di((erence in
a gi,en shot& you can imagine the pro5lems you2d encounter with ground glasses
su5stantially di((erent. A shot in this picture was composed correctly (or the ground glass
it had& 5ut which one was itG And which ground glass would the postproduction
super,isor indicate to the optical houses to use. *n this project& the postproduction
super,isor had to do D5 opticals to reposition the (rames& partially 5ecause o( the di((erent
ground glasses.
;ow on to a 5igger pro5lem& a (riend o( mine (amiliar with Super 35 pro5lems told me
a5out a (ilm that had a num5er o( cameras set up with a Super 35 common top. *n a
couple o( 5ig action days& C cameras were added to the production. 6n(ortunately& these
cameras came with the Super 35 ground glasses all centered on (ull aperture. )here was
no ,ertical o((setH )his o((set is a5out = (eet on the same 8 (oot wide screen. Fou can
imagine the num5er o( opticals necessary to reposition the image and correct this
mistake. %ho was to 5lameG )he director o( photography is responsi5le (or the picture&
(ormats& and selection o( ground glasses. %hoe,er prepped the cameras needed to 5e
made aware o( the ground glasses 5eing used on the production& and the pro5lems that are
caused i( they don2t match& and this is the director o( photography2s responsi5ility.
Su*#+ 35 3 S(a/"a+"s
4 think you understand now that Super 35 is a non'standard (ormat& and are 5eginning to
reali/e what that means. As you can see with the ,arious ground glass (ormats Clairmont
has pro,ided& the commonality o( them all is the (ull aperture indicator. 4( a (rame leader
were shot with the (ull aperture indicated& and the (rame lines o( pre(erence& then all
cameras could 5e checked against this master chart. 4( the lines match& then the (rames
should also match. )his might 5e a simple solution (or the multiple camera scenarios& and
an assistant prepping other cameras could check the ground glasses in the 5odies with the
master chart. 4t isn2t practical (or each camera to (ilm a (rame leader. 3esides& who is
going to compare the images& and how is the optical house going to know which camera
shot which imageG ;oM the camera department needs to standardi/e itsel( in this non'
standard Super 35 en,ironment.
3y the way& there may 5e 5oth hori/ontal and ,ertical o((sets to place the optical center
o( the lens in the center o( the image area as indicated 5y the ground glass. %ith this in
mind& you can see the need (or production to rent (rom reputa5le rental houses that are
a5le to o((set the lens ports o( the di((erent cameras in a consistent and precise manner.
Also& pro5lems might arise with su5'rentals where only the ground glass is changed and
not the lens ports. %ith /oom lenses& this can cause a major headache 5eyond the o((set
o( /ooms during the shot. )he lens may not co,er the image area and ,ignette slightly&
where you might not see it until dailies. Fou can imagine how that could ruin your day.
S4# -./al T'u5'(s
%ith all the things to think a5out when choosing to (ilm in Super 35& there are always
other choices& #.C5:#& #.88:#& or anamorphic (or theatrical release. 4n tele,ision& the
producers are making the decisions& sometimes with little 5ackground or knowledge
a5out the potential pro5lems. Fou might take a moment to look at the Paramount !ormat.
4t seems to sol,e many pro5lems& 5ut it2s a pro5lem itsel( since it2s another (ormat using
Super 35. Pana,ision has also responded to directors o( photography and created their
,ersion o( common top line. 4n the past& there were some e((orts to standardi/e this
(ormat& 5ut they collapsed. %ith the changes in 1)@ and possi5ly >1)@ coming& there
is a lot o( scurrying to co,er all (ormat possi5ilities. )here is e,en a +E+ (rame idea 5eing
(loated now where an image would 5e shot with a compromise side indicated hal(way
5etween #.DC:# and #.33:#. )he resulting image would 5e slightly s.uee/ed (or 5roadcast
on ;)SC )@& and would 5e slighting e"panded (or >1)@ 5roadcast. )hat would sol,e
our (ormat pro5lemsH 42m not sure what the actors would say a5out 5eing 5roadcast in
>1)@ e"panded. 4 could see this 5eing a pro5lem (or the cast o( AB& or the cast o( any
other high pro(ile program.
3ut& it2s an e"citing time in which we li,e. Shoot in Super 35& make wonder(ul images.
Oust 5e care(ul and consistent in your approach so the images you (ilm make it to the
screen in a smooth and pro(essional manner. 3e care(ul and know the pro5lems since you
can2t rely on S?P)A& the la5s& or e,en the camera manu(acturers (or guidance. %hen you
use a non'standard (ormat& you de(ine the parameters. Oust think through what you want
to accomplish and how to go a5out it. 42d hoped that when 4 started this article& 4 would 5e
a5le to pro,ide an indication on the #.33 !ield Chart (or the di((erent (ormats. !or
e"ample& the Common )op <ine on the Super 35 !ield Chart is also the #.C5 top line in
the #.33 !ield Chart. At this point 4 don2t think it2s wise to approach opticals in this
manner. A #.33 !ield Chart could 5e modi(ied with the help o( a (rame leader (ilmed 5y
the director o( photography on the production. 4n (act& shoot& and protect& that (rame
leader shot (rom a master chart indicating (ull aperture and the (rame lines you2re using.
)hen match that chart to e,ery camera2s ground glass you use. )hat is only protection you
ha,e that you images will line up and 5e consistent.
http://www.cameraguild.com/technology/(ormats.htm
Anamorphic widescreen is a cinematography and photography techni.ue (or capturing a
widescreen picture on standard 35mm (ilm. 4t can also re(er to a related techni.ue (or
ma"imi/ing picture .uality in 1@1 ,ideo recordings.
Contents
9hide:
# 3ackground
2 2.35& 2.3$& or 2.=G
o 2.# 2.35 spherical -hard matted0
3 1@1 ,ideo
o 3.# Anamorphic lens enhancement
= Be(erences
5 See also
8 A"ternal links
9edit:
Background
!igure #. %ithout an anamorphic lens& the a,aila5le (ilm area is not used completelyM
some o( the (ilm sur(ace is wasted on the (rame lines.
!igure 2. %ith an anamorphic lens& the picture is optically +s.uee/ed+ in the hori/ontal
dimension to co,er the entire (ilm (rame& resulting in a 5etter picture .uality. %hen
projecting the (ilm& the projector must use a complementary lens o( the same anamorphic
power to stretch the image hori/ontally 5ack to its original proportions.
Anamorphic widescreen in cinematography was (irst populari/ed with CinemaScope&
which was one o( many widescreen (ormats de,eloped in the #$5s. The Robe was the
(irst (eature (ilm released to use anamorphic photography& premiering in #$53. )he need
(or anamorphic widescreen arose due to an incompati5ility 5etween the aspect ratio o( the
photographic (ilm& and that o( the resulting picture. )he modern anamorphic widescreen
(ormat has an aspect ratio o( 2.3$ to #& meaning the picture width is 2.3$ times its height.
+Academy (ormat+ 35mm (ilm -standard non'anamorphic (ull (rame with sound0 has an
aspect ratio o( #.3D to #& which is not as wide -or& con,ersely& is too tall0. 4n con,entional
spherical -+(lat+0 imaging& the picture is recorded on (ilm so that its (ull width (its within
the (ilm (rame& and su5stantial (ilm (rame area is wasted on portions that will 5e matted
out 5y the time o( projection& either on the print or in the projector& in order to create a
widescreen image in the theater -!igure #0.
)o make (ull use o( the a,aila5le (ilm& an anamorphic lens is used during recordingM this
lens e((ecti,ely stretches the picture ,ertically so that it (ills the a,aila5le (ilm area
-!igure 20. Since a larger (ilm area is 5eing used to project the same picture& .uality is
increased. -)he (ilm (rame itsel( is also ,ery slightly larger.0 )he distortion introduced in
the picture must 5e corrected when the (ilm is played 5ack& so another lens is used during
projection that returns the picture to its correct proportions.
4t may seem that it would 5e easier to simply use a wider (ilm (or recording mo,iesM
howe,er& 35mm (ilm was already in widespread use& and it was more economically
(easi5le (or (ilm producers and e"hi5itors to simply attach a special lens to the camera or
projector& rather than in,esting in a new (ilm (ormat& along with the attendant cameras&
projectors& and editing e.uipment.
Cinerama was an earlier attempt to sol,e the pro5lem o( high .uality widescreen
imaging& 5ut anamorphic widescreen e,entually pro,ed to 5e more practically ,ia5le.
Cinerama preceded anamorphic (ilms& 5ut consisted o( three projected images side'5y'
sideM the images ne,er 5lended together per(ectly and it re.uired three projectors& a 8 per(
high (rame& which re.uired (our times the (ilm& and three cameras -e,entually just one
camera with three lenses0. ;onetheless& the (ormat was popular enough with audiences to
spur studios to the widescreen de,elopments o( the early #$5s. Anamorphic widescreen
was attracti,e to studios 5ecause o( its similar high aspect ratio -Cinerama was 2.5$0
without the disad,antages that came with the Cinerama (ormat2s simultaneous reels.
Becently part o( the Cinerama (ormula has come 5ack into consideration (or (uture
widescreen projection. 4t is the 8 per( pull'down& which with digital sound& eliminates the
sound track and makes a #.8 times increase in the (rame si/e prior to anamorphic& 2 to #
width e"pansion. )hat process is called +Cine #8+& and is also use(ul (or 5etter 31
projection. )his (ormat is a5out 2 times cheaper to impliment than =E digital& that will
likely 5e the digital successor to regular 35mm theater projection. Current interest in 31
may spur on the use o( the new (ilm (ormat.
)he common anamorphic widescreen (ilm (ormat in use today is commonly called
+2Scope+ or 2.35 -the latter 5eing a misnomer 5orn o( old ha5itM see +2.35& 2.3$& or 2.=G+
5elow0. +Shot in Pana,ision+ is a phrase contractually re.uired (or (ilms shot using
Pana,ision2s anamorphic lenses. All o( these phrases mean the same thing: the (inal print
uses a 2:# anamorphic projector lens that e"pands the image 5y e"actly twice the amount
hori/ontally than ,ertically. )his (ormat is essentially the same as at the time o(
CinemaScope e"cept (or minor technical de,elopments.
)here are arti(acts that can occur when using an anamorphic camera lens that do not
occur when using an ordinary spherical lens. *ne is a kind o( lens (lare that has a long
hori/ontal line usually with a 5lue tint and is most o(ten ,isi5le when there is a 5right
light& such as (rom car headlights& in the (rame with an otherwise dark scene. )his arti(act
is not always considered to 5e a pro5lem. 4t has come to 5e associated with a certain
cinematic look and is in (act sometimes emulated using a special e((ect (ilter in scenes
that were not shot using an anamorphic lens.
Another characteristic o( anamorphic camera lenses is that out'o('(ocus elements tend to
5e 5lurred more ,ertically. An out'o('(ocus point o( light in the 5ackground will appear
as a ,ertical o,al rather than a circle. %hen the camera shi(ts (ocus& there is o(ten a
noticea5le e((ect where elements appear to stretch ,ertically when going out o( (ocus. An
anamorphic lens will also ha,e a more shallow depth o( (ield compared to a spherical
lens (or a gi,en aperture.
%hile the anamorphic scope widescreen (ormat is still in use as a camera (ormat& it has
5een losing popularity in (a,or o( (lat (ormats& mainly Super 35. 4n Super 35& the (ilm is
shot (lat and can then 5e matted and optically printed as an anamorphic release print.
)here can 5e se,eral reasons (or this:
An anamorphic lens can create arti(acts as descri5ed a5o,e.
An anamorphic lens is more e"pensi,e than a spherical lens.
3ecause the anamorphic scope camera (ormat does not preser,e any o( the image
a5o,e and 5elow the scope (rame& it may not trans(er as well to more narrow
aspect ratios such as =:3 or #8:$ (or (ull screen tele,ision.
!ilm grain is less o( a concern 5ecause o( the a,aila5ility o( higher .uality (ilm
stocks and digital intermediates.
Anamorphic scope as a printed (ilm (ormat& howe,er& is well esta5lished as a standard (or
widescreen projection. Begardless o( the camera (ormats used in (ilming& the distri5uted
prints o( a (ilm with a 2.3$ theatrical aspect ratio will always 5e in anamorphic
widescreen (ormat. )his is not likely to soon change 5ecause cinemas around the world
don2t need to in,est in special e.uipment to project this (ormatM all that is re.uired is an
anamorphic projection lens& which has long 5een considered standard e.uipment.
*ther widescreen (ilm (ormats -commonly #.C5:# and #.88:#0 are simply cropped in
,ertical si/e to produce the widescreen e((ect& a techni.ue known as masking or hard
matte. )his can occur either during (ilming& where part o( the picture is masked out in the
gate& or in the la5& which can optically create a matte onto the prints. Aither method
produces a (rame similar to that in !igure #. ?any (ilm prints today ha,e no matte&
though the (ilm is (ramed (or the intended aspect ratioM this approach is called full frame
(ilming. 4n these& the (ilm captures additional in(ormation that is masked out during
projection in the projector gate& known as soft matte process. )his approach allows
(ilmmakers the (reedom to include the additional picture in a =:3 trans(er o( the (ilm and
a,oid pan and scan& though doing so may introduce areas o( the picture that were not
intended (or ,iewing& such as microphone 5ooms or other (ilming accessories that would
not ha,e 5een ,isi5le in the widescreen (rame. !or this reason& o(ten productions will
+protect (or =:3+ 5y making certain the (rame is clear o( these o5jects& e,en though that
part o( the image will not remain ,isi5le in the theater.
9edit:
2.35, 2.39, or 2.4?
*ne common misconception a5out the anamorphic (ormat concerns the actual num5er o(
the aspect ratio itsel(. Since the anamorphic lenses in ,irtually all 35mm anamorphic
systems pro,ide a 2:# s.uee/e& one would logically conclude that a #.3D (ull academy
gate would lead to a 2.D= aspect ratio i( used with anamorphic lenses. >owe,er& due to a
di((erence in the camera gate aperture and projection mask si/es (or anamorphic (ilms&
the image dimensions used (or anamorphic (ilm ,ary (rom +(lat+ -spherical0 counterparts.
)o complicate matters& the S?P)A standards (or the (ormat ha,e ,aried o,er timeM to
(urther complicate things& pre'#$5D prints took up the optical soundtrack space o( the
print -instead ha,ing magnetic sound on the sides0& which made (or a 2.55 ratio.
)he (irst S?P)A de(inition (or anamorphic projection with an optical sound track down
the side -P>22.#8'#$5D0& made in 1ecem5er #$5D& standardi/ed the aperture to .C3$ in
5y .D#5 in. )he aspect ratio (or this aperture& a(ter a 2" uns.uee/e& rounds to 2.35. A
new de(inition was created in *cto5er #$D -P>22.#8'#$D#0 which made the ,ertical
dimension slightly smaller in order to make splices less noticea5le -as anamorphic prints
use more o( the negati,e (rame area than any other modern (ormat0 when projected. )his
new aperture si/e& .C3C in 5y .D in& makes (or an uns.uee/ed ratio o( 2.3$. )he most
recent re,ision& (rom August #$$3 -S?P)A #$5'#$$30& slightly altered the dimensions so
as to standardi/e a common aperture width -.C25 in0 (or all (ormats& anamorphic and
(lat. At these modern dimensions -.C25 in 5y .8$ in0& the uns.uee/ed ratio remains at
2.3$.
Anamorphic prints are still o(ten called +Scope+ or 2.35 5y projectionists&
cinematographers& and others working in the (ield& i( only 5y (orce o( ha5it. 2.3$ is in (act
what they generally are re(erring to -unless discussing (ilms using the process 5etween
#$5C and #$D0& which is itsel( sometimes rounded up to 2.=. %ith the e"ception o(
certain specialist and archi,ist areas& generally 2.35 P 2.3$ P 2.= to most pro(essionals&
whether they themsel,es are e,en aware o( the changes or not.
9edit:
2.35 spheria! "hard #a$$ed%
)o complicate matters e,en (urther...
Some (ilms -including Jeorge <ucas2 THX0 are shot in a 2.35 aspect ratio 5y using
spherical lenses on super'35mm and using only 2'per(erations o( the 35mm (ilm. )his
hard'matted& spherical 2.35 aspect ratio used to 5e called +)echniscope+. )his 2.35
spherical (ormat is gaining popularity again as a capture (ormat. 4t (ell out o( (ashion a(ter
the #$8s 5ecause it is di((icult to optically print a 2'per( negati,e onto an anamorphic
positi,e. )he process o( going (rom negati,e to distri5ution is now much easier thanks to
the hy5rid celluloid'digital'celluloid work(low that many (ilms use today -the digital part
o( this process is the 1igital 4ntermediate0. 2'per( 35mm is seen as an attracti,e
alternati,e to super'#8mm as a capture (ormat.
9edit:
DVD video
A similar anamorphic techni.ue is used to store ,ideo on 1@1. 1@1s using anamorphic
widescreen make e((ecti,e use o( the a,aila5le resolution& as well as allowing a (ilm to
automatically e"pand to (it widescreen tele,ision sets. Anamorphic widescreen 1@1s
store a stretched picture& to make more optimal use o( ,ertical resolution& that is to a,oid
or decrease wasted lines o( resolution on the 5lack letter5o"ing 5ars. Sources that are
close to #8:$ can 5e trans(erred to 1@1 taking up the entire #8:$ (rame with no wasted
space. >owe,er& sources that are wider than #8:$& such as #.C5:# or 2.3$:# ,ideo& must
still 5e letter5o"ed into the #8:$ (rame with ,arying amounts o( 5lack 5ars.
%hen a 1@1 is inserted into a player& the player will do one o( two things depending on
the type o( tele,ision set in use: 4( the 1@1 player is set up to output a widescreen image&
the player will signal to the )@ that the ,ideo is anamorphic& and then sends the ,ideo&
still hori/ontally s.uee/ed& to the tele,ision& which will stretch it hori/ontally to (ill the
screen. )he com5ination o( this s.uee/e'and'stretch restores the ,ideo 5ack to its original
widescreen aspect ratio& minimi/ing the loss o( .uality. 4( the 1@1 player is set up to
output a letter5o"ed picture& the 1@1 player stretches the picture hori/ontally to restore
the correct aspect ratio& and adds letter5o"'style +5lack'5ars+ 5e(ore sending the signal to
the display de,ice.
)his techni.ue is not used on all 1@1 discsM some use the standard letter5o"ing
techni.ue. )hose that do use the anamorphic techni.ue typically speci(y +anamorphic
widescreen+& +enhanced (or #8"$+& +enhanced (or widescreen tele,isions+ or a similar
statement on the packaging& though there is currently no widely accepted standard (or
such la5eling. 4( a 1@1 claims to 5e widescreen& 5ut does not ha,e a la5el like one o( the
pre,ious& it may use the standard letter5o" techni.ue& resulting in decreased resolution (or
widescreen pictures. Some 1@1 packaging e"plicitly mentions that the lower'.uality
letter5o" techni.ue is usedM when ,iewing such a letter5o"ed 1@1 on a widescreen
display& it may 5e necessary to /oom in on the picture in order to utili/e the (ull width o(
the screen.
9edit:
A&a#orphi !e&s e&ha&e#e&$
Anhancing 1@1'@ideo 5y using an anamorphic lens
Since the anamorphic widescreen standard (or 1@1 disks includes letter5o"ing (or
aspect ratios wider than #8:$& the display de,ice will still lose some resolution to the
display o( 5lack 5ars (or wider (ormats such as 2.35:# (ilms. )his wasted resolution can
5e eliminated 5y using a (ront projector in conjunction with an anamorphic lens and a
,ideo processor: (irst& the ,ideo processor or scaler -such as an >)PC0 stretches the ,ideo
up to the (ull resolution o( the projector& eliminating the wasted resolution 5ut also
distorts the image ,ertically. As the distorted image is projected& it passes through an
anamorphic lens which will either shrink the ,ideo ,ertically or e"pand it hori/ontally&
restoring the original aspect ratio in 5oth cases
9#:
. 1epending on the .uality o( the scaler
and the lens& the end result is potentially a smoother ,ideo due to increased ,ertical
resolution. 4( the anamorphic lens shrinks the image ,ertically& there is an added
ad,antage o( increased 5rightness& since light output has 5een condensed. 4n contrast& an
anamorphic lens which stretches the image hori/ontally will also decrease its 5rightness.
A similar approach can 5e used to con,ert a =:3 projector into a #8:$ projector
92:
& or a
#8:$ projector into a =:3 projector -5y rotating an anamorphic lens 5y $ degrees0.
:3 to 16:9 conversion
Image size
without the lens
(1
Image size with the
horizontal stretch model
(2
Image size with the
vertical squeeze model
(2
Diagonal Height Width Diagonal Height Width Diagonal Height Width

0 0 0

0 0 0

0 0 0

Native image size?
#0 #8:$ source aspect ratio
20 #8:$ source aspect ratioM #.33:# lens stretch/s.uee/e ratio
Q0 All units are the same as input units


16:9 to 2.35:1 conversion
Image size
without the lens
(3
Image size with the
horizontal stretch model
(4
Image size with the
vertical squeeze model
(4
Diagonal Height Width Diagonal Height Width Diagonal Height Width

0 0 0

0 0 0

0 0 0

Native image size?
30 2.35:# source aspect ratio
=0 2.35:# source aspect ratioM #.33:# lens stretch/s.uee/e ratio
Q0 All units are the same as input units
W.6.*#".a 7u/"#+ 8.442 Wal#s)s *#+s/al a**#al 7+ "/a(./s
Aspect ratio (image)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Oump to: na,igation& search
For an article on the aeronautical term, see aspect ratio !ing"# For other uses of
as*#1( +a(., please see its disambiguation page# For the band $#A#R# $f a
Re%olution", see $f a Re%olution.
)he aspect ratio o( an image is its displayed width di,ided 5y its height -usually
e"pressed as +&:y+0. !or instance& the aspect ratio o( a traditional tele,ision screen is !"&
or #.33:#. >igh de(inition tele,ision uses an aspect o( #$!%& or a5out #.DC:#. Aspect ratios
o( 2.3$:# -2.35:# prior to S?P)A re,ision in #$D0 or #.C5:# are (re.uently used in
cinematography& while the aspect ratio o( a sync'sound 35 mm (ilm (rame is around
#.3D:# -also known as +Academy+ ratio0. Silent (ilms which used the (ull (rame were shot
in #.33:#.
Contents
9hide:
# )he e,olution o( (ilm and )@ aspect ratios
2 Pi"el aspect ratio
3 >istoric and commonly used aspect ratios
= *riginal aspect ratio -*AB0
5 Criticism
8 See also
D A"ternal links
9edit:
The evolution of fil and TV as!ect ratios
Comparison o( three common aspect ratios constrained 5y the screen diagonal si/e -the
5lack circle0. )he smaller 5o" -5lue0 and middle 5o" -green0 are common (ormats (or
cinematography. )he largest 5o" -red0 is the (ormat used in standard tele,ision.
)he =:3 ratio (or standard tele,ision has 5een in use since tele,ision2s origins and many
computer monitors use the same aspect ratio. Since =:3 is the aspect ratio o( the usa5le
(rame within the Academy (ormat once the soundtrack had 5een taken into account& (ilms
could 5e satis(actorily ,iewed on )@ in the early days o( the medium. %hen cinema
attendance dropped& >ollywood created widescreen aspect ratios to immerse the ,iewer
in a more realistic e"perience and& possi5ly& to make 5roadcast (ilms less enjoya5le i(
watched on a regular )@ set.
#8:$ is the (ormat o( Oapanese and American >1)@ as well as Auropean non'>1
widescreen tele,ision -A1)@0. ?any digital ,ideo cameras ha,e the capa5ility to record
in #8:$. Anamorphic 1@1 trans(ers store the in(ormation in #8:$ ,ertically stretched to
=:3M i( the )@ can handle an anamorphic image the signal will 5e de'anamorphosed 5y
the )@ to #8:$. 4( not& the 1@1 player will unstretch the image and add letter5o"ing
5e(ore sending the image to the )@. %ider ratios such as #.C5:# and 2.3$:# are
accommodated within the #8:$ 1@1 (rame 5y adding some additional masking within
the image itsel(.
%ithin the motion picture industry& the con,ention is to assign a ,alue o( # to the image
height& so that& (or e"ample& an anamorphic (rame is descri5ed as 2.3$:# or just +2.3$+.
)his way o( speaking comes a5out 5ecause the width o( a (ilm image is restricted 5y the
presence o( sprocket holes and a standard intermittent mo,ement inter,al o( =
per(orations& as well as an optical soundtrack running down the projection print 5etween
the image and the per(orations on one side. )he most common projection ratios in
American theaters are #.C5 and 2.3$.
1e,elopment o( ,arious camera systems must there(ore ultimately cater to the placement
o( the (rame in relation to these lateral constraints. !or e"ample& one cle,er widescreen
process& @ista@ision& used standard 35mm (ilm running sideways through camera gate&
so that the sprocket holes were a5o,e and 5elow (rame& resulting in a larger negati,e si/e
per (rame. >owe,er& the #.5 ratio o( the initial @ista@ision image needed to 5e cropped
down to #.C5 and optically con,erted to a ,ertical print (or projection. )hough the (ormat
was 5rie(ly re,i,ed 5y <ucas(ilm in the #$Ds (or special e((ects work that re.uired larger
negati,e si/e due to image degradation& it went into o5solescence largely due to 5etter
cameras& lenses& and (ilm stocks& in addition to increased la5 costs o( making prints in
comparision to more standard ,ertical processes. -)he hori/ontal process was later
adapted to Dmm (ilm 5y 4?AR.0
)he #8:$ (ormat adopted (or >1)@ is actually narrower than commonly'used cinematic
widescreen (ormats. Anamorphic widescreen -2.3$:#0 and American theatrical standard
-#.C5:#0 ha,e wider aspect ratios& while the Auropean theatrical standard -#.88:#0 is just
slightly less. -4?AR& contrary to some popular perception& is #.33:#& the traditional
tele,ision aspect ratio.0
Super #8mm (ilm is (re.uently used (or tele,ision production due to its lower cost& lack
o( need (or soundtrack space on the (ilm itsel(& and aspect ratio similar to #8:$ -Super
#8mm is nati,ely #.88 whilst #8:$ is #.DC0.
)wo aspect ratios compared with images using the same hori'ontal si/e.
!" (#&""!#)
#$!% (#&'(!#)
)wo aspect ratios compared with images using the same %ertical si/e.
!" (#&""!#)
#$!% (#&'(!#)
9edit:
"i#el as!ect ratio
)he term pi)el aspect ratio& sometimes shortened to aspect ratio& is also used in the
conte"t o( computer graphics to descri5e the shape o( an indi,idual pi"el in a digiti/ed
image. ?ost digital imaging systems use s.uare pi"elsSthat is& they sample an image at
the same resolution hori/ontally and ,ertically. 3ut there are some de,ices that do not
-most nota5ly some common standard'de(inition (ormats in digital tele,ision and 1@1'
@ideo0 so a digital image scanned at twice the hori/ontal resolution to its ,ertical
resolution might 5e descri5ed as 5eing sampled at a 2:# pi"el aspect ratio& regardless o(
the si/e or shape o( the image as a whole.
9edit:
$istoric and coonl% used as!ect ratios
#&#%: +?o,ietone+ '
early 35 mm sound
(ilm ratio used in the
late #$2s and early
#$3s& especially in
Aurope. )he optical
soundtrack was
placed on the side o(
the #.33 (rame& thus
reducing the width o(
the (rame. )he
Academy (rame
-#.3D0 (i"ed this 5y
making the (rame
lines thicker. )he
5est e"amples o( this
ratio are !rit/ <ang2s
(irst sound (ilms: (
and The Testament
of Dr# (abuse
#&*+: Commonly
used computer
resolution o(
#2C"#2=. ;ati,e
aspect ratio o( many
<C1s. Also the
aspect ratio o( ="5
(ilm photos.
#&*%: Batio o( 6S
<etter si/e paper
-##:C.5 inches0& in
landscape (ormat.
#&"": 35 mm original
silent (ilm ratio&
common in )@ and
,ideo as =:3. Also
standard ratio (or
4?AR.
#&"': 35 mm (ull'
screen sound (ilm
image& nearly
uni,ersal in mo,ies
5etween #$2C and
#$53. *((icially
adopted as the
Academy ratio in
#$32. Still
occasionally used.
Also standard #8
mm.
#&#: Aspect ratio
o( standard 4S*
paper si/es -A=& A3&
et cetera0. Also the
s.uare'root o( 2.
#&+: )he aspect ratio
o( 35mm (ilm used
(or photography.
%ide'aspect
computer display
-3:20. 6sed in Apple
Power5ook J= #5.2+
displays with
resolutions o( most
recently #=="$8.
Also the nati,e
;)SC 1@1'@ideo
resolution& D2"=C&
although most ,ideos
use non's.uare
pi"els (or a =:3 ratio.
#&$: computer
display widescreen
-C:5& commonly
re(erred to as #8:#0.
6sed in
%SRJAPlus&
%6RJA and other
display resolutions.
#&$$: 35 mm
Auropean widescreen
standard& also Super
#8 mm.
#&'+: early 35 mm
widescreen ratio&
since a5andoned.
#&'(: ,ideo
widescreen standard
-#8:$0. Also used in
6S high'de(inition
tele,ision.
#&(+: 35 mm 6S and
6E widescreen
standard (or
theatrical (ilm. 6ses
appro"imately 3
per(orations -+per(s+0
o( image space per =
per( (rameM (ilms can
5e shot in 3'per( to
sa,e cost o( (ilm
stock.
*&*,: D mm
standard. *riginally
de,eloped (or )odd'
A* in the #$5s.
*&"+ : 35 mm
anamorphic prior to
#$D& used 5y
CinemaScope
-+2Scope+0 and early
Pana,ision. )he
anamorphic standard
has su5tly changed
so that modern
anamorphic
productions are
actually 2.3$& 5ut
o(ten re(erred to as
2.35 anyway& due to
old con,ention. ;o
recent anamorphic
(ilms are 2.35. )ote
that anamorphic
refers to the print
and not necessarily
the negati%e#"
*&"%: 35 mm
anamorphic (rom
#$D onwards.
Sometimes rounded
up as 2.=. Sometimes
re(ered to as 2Scope.
*&+%: Cinerama at
(ull height -three
specially captured 35
mm images
projected side'5y'
side into one
composite
widescreen image0.
*&'$: D mm
anamorphic -6ltra
Pana,ision0. *nly
used on a hand(ul o(
(ilms 5etween #$58
and #$8=& such as
3en'>ur -#$5$0.
&,,: Poly,ision&
three 35 mm #.33
images projected
side 5y side. *nly
used on A5el
Jance2s )apol*on
-#$2D0.
9edit:
&riginal as!ect ratio '&()*
Original Aspect -atio -*AB0 is a home cinema term (or the aspect ratio or dimensions
in which a (ilm or ,isual production was producedSas en,isioned 5y the people in,ol,ed
in the creation o( the work. As an e"ample& the (ilm +ladiator was released to theaters in
the 2.3$:# aspect ratio. 4t was (ilmed in Super 35 and& in addition to 5eing presented in
cinemas and tele,ision in the original aspect ratio o( 2.3$:#& it was also 5roadcast without
the matte its original aspect ratio release had.
9edit:
Criticis
?ultiple aspect ratios create additional 5urdens on consumers and con(usion among )@
5roadcasters. 4t is not uncommon (or a widescreen program to em5ed a =:3 commercial.
A person owning a =:3 set would see an image with 2 sets o( 5lack stripes& ,ertical and
hori/ontal -match5o"ing0. A similar scenario may also occur (or a widescreen set owner
when ,iewing #8:$ material em5edded in a =:3 (rame. 4t is also not uncommon that the
image is stretched hori/ontally or ,ertically. )hese arti(acts can2t 5e dismissed as
negligence on the part o( program ,endors. )hey could 5e a,oided i( the decision a5out
widescreen (ormat standards were taken more seriously. )here is good reason (or )@
screen design to a5andon arti(acts o( the analog era& and start to mimic computer
monitors.
9edit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AspectTratioTU2CimageU2$