What is the correct dimension for still images

[Heart Of Agape]

Hi and hello there again

I am not quite sure how to ask this question intelligently.
I want to incorporate still images into a movie. When I import them into the movie, I end up with black spaces on both side. I have photoshop. If I choose to resize these images, whatdimension should it be? These pics were taken with a digital camera.

Thanks

[minko]

My camcorder records in 16:9 (widescreen) - the movies I make are also encoded in widescreen (720 x 480).

For the pictures that I take with my 5.1 Megapix digital camera, I use the 3:2 Mode (so that I can get good normal sized prints).

I downloaded a Power Tool (Power Toy?) from Microsoft that allows me to resize my photos from within Windows Explorer (right mouse click, Resize Picture - Advanced - Custom - 720 x 480).

I still end up with thin black bars left and right, but I think that if I encoded in Full Screen Mode (4:3) there would be no bars.

[guns1inger]

For NTSC widescreen (16:9), 864 x 480, and for 4:3 720 x 540.

If you have Photoshop CS or CS2 then you can use templates with the correct PAR to make life a little easier.

[bobkart]

I get 854, not 864.

[Heart Of Agape]

OK, now you have flushed me out. I do have Photoshop but have absolutely no idea what you mean by "correct PAR". What is it?

[bobkart]

PAR = Pixel Aspect Ratio

[edDV]

OK, now you have flushed me out. I do have Photoshop but have absolutely no idea what you mean by "correct PAR". What is it?

What editor do you use? Many will resize for you based on project settings.

DV, DVD SD video do not use square pixels.
There are all these variations each with a different PAR

720x480 16:9
720x480 4:3
704x480 16:9
704x480 4:3

720x576 16:9
720x576 4:3
704x576 16:9
704x576 4:3

Let's pick 720x480 16:9
Author square pixel 853x480 but allow ~10% safe area for monitor overscan (similar to 10% bleed in publishing) then squeeze 853 horizontally to 720 . ... or use the Photoshop template.

Use square 720x540 for 4:3 and then squeeze 540 to 480.

and so on.

Good news, HDTV 1280x720 and 1920x1080 use square pixels but still require 5-10% safe area.


http://www.wqusability.com/articles/itv-design.html

[Heart Of Agape]

I am using Pinnacle Studio 9

[minko]

I do use Pinnacle also (10.7). I do not have an photo editing application, such as Photoshop.

As I said earlier in the thread, I shoot my photos in the 3:2 (1.5:1) mode so that I can get good borderless prints ultimately, if I like the photos. They save at 2592 x 1728 (or 1.5:1)

I think changing a photo's dimensions that was originally 3:2 (1.5:1) to something like 720 x 526 (or 1.368:1) must be more of a "cropping" versus a "resizing" operation. Photo editing software must be able to do this, but that Power Tool I mentioned can't. It always wants to maintain the same ratio as the original that it is resizing.

In Pinnacle, I use the Pan & Zoom editor for photos if I don't want to see black boarders left and right. This technique effectively Crops as it zooms in but the photo stays in proper aspect (i.e., no stretching or squishing of objects) and with very little zooming, the black borders are gone.

The Pinnacle Consumer Webboard may be the best place to get your issue resolved this answered:

http://webboard.pinnaclesys.com/read_threads.asp?WebboardID=1&ForumID=1321&lng=1&SectionID=273

[Heart Of Agape]

Thanks
You guys are awesome. (when I grow up I want to be just like you ) Thanks