Custom Anamorphic desqueezing ratio in Camera?

[Matt Choules]

Hi Everyone,

I have acquired an Iscorama anamorphic adapter that squeezes to an approximate value of x1.42. I was wondering what resolution modes you would recommend, or if indeed there was a way to add in a custom desqueeze ratio to a Epic Dragon / Weapon Dragon?

My plan was to shoot with a 16:9 proportion of the sensor to get a 2.52:1 aspect (with room to crop off the edges to achieve 2.35/2.40:1 - if so desired).
I am able to cheat with monitors to display the correct ratio, and the editor will be able to easily desqueeze in Resolve (by overriding the Image Scaling ratio in the project settings), but I ask the above question as maybe I am missing a step which could save on time and effort by dialling custom settings in, in camera...

Any thoughts or experiences are gratefully received!

Many thanks,
Matt.

 

[Marc Wielage]

I think trying to come up with a custom aspect ratio is fraught with problems, because you're trying to buck the trends of 60 or more years. This will also greatly affect your workflow for editorial, dailies, VFX, and color on down the line. Why not just find a way to work with the options already available now?

 

[Björn Benckert]

Set camera to 1.3 squeeze that would be close engough to have somthing to look at and then 6kHD then you get a 19:9 that looks like a little wider than DCP wide screen. Then in post you just crop out what you want or use the slice that it gave you.

or if you shoot full sensor that would give you when disquieted with 1.42 a fat 2.84:1... just saying "The Hatefull 8" was 2.76:1 so you would beat Quentin...

And if you shoot 16:9 / 1.7777:1 aspect ratio then you land a 2.52:1 result with your isorama. then you can set a 5% safe mark in the camera monitor setup to get blacks or guides on the sides and what you look at then is 2.39:1 which is dcp standard.

 

[Matt Choules]

Thank you Bjorn, very helpful ideas.

Marc, you'll note I wrote in my original post that those interested in the more traditional ratios could crop down from 2.52:1 to 2.35/2.40:1.
On a side note though, the standard aspect ratios have indeed been around for many years, but these were often born of technological necessity (for the best part) but some DPs have/are choosing other ratios.

Recently
John Swartzman on Jurassic World opted for 2:1
Robert Richardson on Hateful Eight opted for 2.76:1 (as Bjorn also pointed out)
Andre Turpin on Mommy chose 1:1 (which then extended it out for a few shots)

Historically
Freddie Young on Lawrence of Arabia went for 2.2:1 on 70mm
Robert Surtees on Ben Hur went for 2.76:1

My point is I'm not trying to start a semantic argument over aspect ratios, this thread is simply asking a technical question about how this COULD be done, not if it SHOULD be.