SmallHD monitors and anamorphic footage

[QuickHitRecord]

I just got an email from SmallHD about some of the features of their new DP7 monitors that will be hitting the market this Fall. Of particular interest to the people who frequent this forum:

[i][b]ANAMORPHIC DE-SQUEEZE[/b][/i]
[i]2x, 1.5x, 1.33x — However your image is squeezed, the DP7 can correct the image to appear at the correct aspect ratio, even with DSLR scale. Particularly handy is the ability to send the un-squeezed picture downstream to other monitors for clients/directors who usually prefer non-squishy images [url="http://www.smallhd.com/site/dp7-pro/roadmap.html"](Coming Fall 2012 via free software upgrade)[/url].[/i]

You can already more or less manipulate the DP4 and DP6 to display your 3.55:1 image (as well as the other standard crop ratios), but it's nice that they thought to add it in as a preset. After shelling out all of this dough for anamorphic lenses, not everyone will be able to afford a DP7 (myself included), but I would not be surprised if this is pushed out to the lower-end monitors as well in the next firmware update. Let's hope that the good folks at SmallHD are feeling generous!

[au8ust]

$2700 is just too much for me for a field monitor. I'm happy with my Zacuto EVF Pro.

I've mentioned them about the 2x squeeze a few months ago they asked for more info and I sent them. They replied it might be included in the new version of their EVF.

I think cheaper monitor like Lilliput might have these options soon. I've emailed them sometimes ago. They seemed to be interested in the feature as well since it requires only some firmware tweaks. Maybe, if we have enought voices they might add it sooner :)

[QuickHitRecord]

An e-mail that I sent last night:
___________________________

[size=3][i]Dear SmallHD,[/i][/size]

[size=3][i]I am a big fan of your products. You seem like a company that thrives on innovation, so here is a measure of functionality that I'd like to suggest that no other monitor company offers (as far as I know):

When you put out the upcoming firmware update with improved anamorphic functionality, please consider adding an option that "crops" a 3.55:1 image to 2.66:1 (perhaps similar to the 'pixel to pixel' mode). Many of the anamorphic lenses on the market today have a 2x stretch factor, which is simply too wide for most applications. By offering the crop mode that I am suggesting, a shooter would still be shooting in 2x, but able to view 1.5x easily and in more detail, and then he could crop when importing and never even have to deal with the unwanted pixels! This would be a godsend for anamorphic shooters. I know that your company could make this happen, and I truly hope that you do!

Regards,

Nick[/i][/size]


And their response:
__________________

[size=3][i]I will pass that along to the firmware team for you, it does sound like a cool feature. [/i][/size]

[size=3][i]Thanks[/i][/size]

[size=3][i]Dave[/i][/size]

[septemberdawn]

[quote]
You can already more or less manipulate the DP4 and DP6 to display your 3.55:1 image (as well as the other standard crop ratios).
[/quote]

Could someone offer advice regarding this 'tweak' for the DP6. I've just received a smallHD DP6. I assume anamorphic settings are made via the 'Custom Scale' feature?

[richg101]

[quote name='QuickHitRecord' timestamp='1344010724' post='14917']
An e-mail that I sent last night:
___________________________

[size=3][i]Dear SmallHD,[/i][/size]

[size=3][i]I am a big fan of your products. You seem like a company that thrives on innovation, so here is a measure of functionality that I'd like to suggest that no other monitor company offers (as far as I know):

When you put out the upcoming firmware update with improved anamorphic functionality, please consider adding an option that "crops" a 3.55:1 image to 2.66:1 (perhaps similar to the 'pixel to pixel' mode). Many of the anamorphic lenses on the market today have a 2x stretch factor, which is simply too wide for most applications. By offering the crop mode that I am suggesting, a shooter would still be shooting in 2x, but able to view 1.5x easily and in more detail, and then he could crop when importing and never even have to deal with the unwanted pixels! This would be a godsend for anamorphic shooters. I know that your company could make this happen, and I truly hope that you do!

Regards,

Nick[/i][/size]


And their response:
__________________

[size=3][i]I will pass that along to the firmware team for you, it does sound like a cool feature. [/i][/size]

[size=3][i]Thanks[/i][/size]

[size=3][i]Dave[/i][/size]
[/quote]

Nice work man:) i think a custom zoom feature in general would be good. to allow custom framing without using masking tape ie. if you wanted to zoom into a de-squeezed 1.5x anamorphic image (2.66:1) in order to see a 1.33x (2.35:1) cropping off the edges by zooming in. I have to say. it is hard enough getting focus bang on with a wide angle and anamorphic attachment (21mm on the width for my setup) even while using the full surface area on my 5" screen. a desqueeze would hinder me while acquiring footage, but would be nice on a larger additional monitor for showing a director who wants to see the final aspect ratio on set.

[QuickHitRecord]

[quote name='septemberdawn' timestamp='1346309082' post='16922']
Could someone offer advice regarding this 'tweak' for the DP6. I've just received a smallHD DP6. I assume anamorphic settings are made via the 'Custom Scale' feature?
[/quote]

[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]There are[/font][/color] 16:9, 4:3, 2.35:1, 1.85:1, 15:9, and 16:10 aspect ratio presets. There's nothing for 3.55:1 (2x stretch), but if you start[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif] out with the the 2.35:1 aspect ratio, you can push the V-size parameter until right before it unmistakably corrupts. It's a lot of button presses and you'll have a bar of garbled nonsense underneath the image area, but it can be useful. Do this while you are in one of your presets so that you don't have to do it every time.[/font][/color]

I have mine set so that presets 1, 3 and 5 are anamorphic stretches of 2x, 1.5x and 1.33x respectively. Presets 2, 4 and 6 have all been set to Pixel-to-Pixel (or whatever SmallHD calls it) with Focus Assist enabled. That way, I can jump over into an even-numbered preset and check focus quickly.

[QuickHitRecord]

[quote name='richg101' timestamp='1346313566' post='16930']
Nice work man:) i think a custom zoom feature in general would be good. to allow custom framing without using masking tape ie. if you wanted to zoom into a de-squeezed 1.5x anamorphic image (2.66:1) in order to see a 1.33x (2.35:1) cropping off the edges by zooming in. I have to say. it is hard enough getting focus bang on with a wide angle and anamorphic attachment (21mm on the width for my setup) even while using the full surface area on my 5" screen. a desqueeze would hinder me while acquiring footage, but would be nice on a larger additional monitor for showing a director who wants to see the final aspect ratio on set.
[/quote]

That would indeed be very useful. Maybe if we make enough noise about it, they may include it in the firmware update.

[galenb]

The focus peaking on those SmallHD monitors is so worth it though. The DP4 looks awesome and it can double as a EVF too. I want one so bad.

[nahua]

I sure hope they do this. I hate having to custom stretch the picture. I do it for the mkIII, and my anamorphics, and it still doesn't look right.
A quick setting that actually works would be nice.

[septemberdawn]

I saw this blog and thought it would be a useful feature.

[url="http://ryancglover.blogspot.com.au/"]http://ryancglover.blogspot.com.au/[/url]

[url="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8430/7797609660_17406346e3_c.jpg"][img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8430/7797609660_17406346e3_c.jpg[/img][/url]