Need resolution fix for 4.5K (4480 x 1920) please help

[John Darko]

Hey guys, please take it easy on me here. I'm somewhat camera savvy, just not enough to figure out my resolution problem.

I recently directed a web series with the RED MX. Of course everyone wanted to go 4.5k so I obliged, seemed like the right choice for DOF.

Now I know 4.5k has only one setting (4480 x 1920) (just figured this out) but for some reason we were able to mask a 2:40 over my monitor... and it appeared as if we were shooting 16X9 with 4.5k??? - everything seemed right through the on-boards and playback.

POST: We originally tried the export as it's native (4480 x 1920) alas the frame was completely wide and had removed the guide I was framing for this whole time. Impossible to throw any mask on this wide of an image.

So we tried a regular 16x9 4k output and the video came out stretched/pulled but my 2:40 guide was able to fit correctly. The video was just overstretched. Giving it an "off" look.

HERE'S MY EXAMPLE: http://vimeo.com/12407975

AND A PHOTO OF MY TAPED OFF MONITOR
http://img580.imageshack.us/img580/9643/29851121854984519561100.jpg

I hope this information works. Because I would like to reconvert all of R3D files to the exact specifications they need to be - for my 2:40 framing - non stressed, skewed.

There is so many options in Red Cine X I get easily confused, also do not have red rocket!

QUESTIONS
- IN RED CINE X
What are the ideal settings for export to FCP when shooting 4.5k (pixel size), I don't mind going to 2k or anything like that. Just want the best output process, original aspect, apple pro res 422 or (HQ)? What is debayer? Should I treat color in red cine as 1st pass?

Thank you guys so much, would be a dream to get this situated! Thanks.

 

[MichaelP]

Why don't you just export/transcode out with "fit width" and create a custom matte for 2.40 in your NLE that matches a framing chart you shot? That way in case you need to reframe, you can still move the image up and down behind the matte.

Michael

 

[Cail Young]

Are you being confused the lookaround area visible in the live output above and below the frame?

4.5K WS records in 2.33:1 - you get a live picture of the full sensor but the camera only records the 2.33:1 frame.

It sounds to me like you were expecting to get a full height picture and be able to rack up and down in post. Not possible in 4.5K WS.

To get an aspect-corrected image into a 16:9 editor like FCP, you will need to export for 1920x1080 and use FIT WIDTH - that will give you the right frame aspect letterboxed in a 16:9 frame.

 

[Keith Putnam]

Of course everyone wanted to go 4.5k so I obliged, seemed like the right choice for DOF.

Your resolution choice has no effect on your DOF, just so's you know. Your 35mm format lens is always throwing its image over the full Super 35-sized chip, so any resolution you pick will always have that 35mm format DOF.

Now I know 4.5k has only one setting (4480 x 1920) (just figured this out) but for some reason we were able to mask a 2:40 over my monitor... and it appeared as if we were shooting 16X9 with 4.5k??? - everything seemed right through the on-boards and playback.

I don't entirely understand what you mean by this, but I have a suspicion that the earlier response about overlook vs. active image area is correct. Remember that in 4.5K you lose the overlook on the sides of the image, and your overlook on the top and bottom becomes quite large, compared to 4K 16:9, for example. But yes, you're still going to see active area + overlook on the monitor just like you always do.

What is debayer? Should I treat color in red cine as 1st pass?

Debayering is the process of converting pixel data collected by a Bayer Pattern sensor (such as the RED M and MX chips) into a visible image. The choices you have in RedCine-X under "Debayer" refer to how much of the data you want to use to generate your image. If you're transcoding there's really no reason to use anything other than "Full" quality. If you're simply previewing or doing color work it will make your life much easier if you choose, say, 1/8 quality so that you can actually play back your footage in real time. Of course, if you have a RedRocket card you're always using Full quality no matter what you've chosen.

RedCine-X has some decent, but relatively limited color tools compared to a full color correction suite, so in that sense RedCine-X is essentially a one-pass color corrector, yes.