Converting From Portrait to Landscape?

[meeshu]

Many cell phone recorded videos are recorded in portrait mode (vertical looking image with black regions to the left and right of the images; looks like you are watching video via a sideways letterbox!). This is not really realistic.

I'm aware that "vertical" video can be cropped in video editors, but a lot of image detail is usually lost in the process of cropping and converting to landscape.

Is there a way to convert portrait view video into a more realistic landscape view video AND with minimum loss of image detail during the conversion process?

Here is a sample video recorded in portrait (vertical) mode. The "vertical" view video starts after the normal view logo introduction.

Thanks for any assistance!

[Sharc]

What you get with the left an right black pillars on a 16:9 display IS realistic. If you would stretch the picture horizontally to fill the screen it would become distorted ("fat people").
Some people prefer to replace the black pillars by artificial "frosty borders" though.
If you don't want to crop vertically you should film in landscape mode with the mobile phone to obtain an undistorted full screen 16:9 picture on TV.

[meeshu]

Disagree.

Recording in portrait mode is not realistic (for general videoing) in that it severely limits the usable image area confined within the black boxes. This is not how we usually view the world. We see more in landscape which is therefore more natural.

I'm wanting full conversion (without any distortion) of portrait oriented videos to landscape videos which is more natural and easier to watch.

So. How do we convert portrait videos to landscape videos?

[lollo]

So. How do we convert portrait videos to landscape videos?

Reading again Sharc's answer

[netmask56]

As one young person said to me "Oh I didn't know it would work sideways" !!!!

[meeshu]

More constructive comments would be appreciated, please!

Apart from cropping, there is no other way to convert portrait mode videos to landscape mode videos without any distortion occurring, artifacts appearing/added, and missing detail?

[Alwyn]

Apart from cropping, there is no other way to convert portrait mode videos to landscape mode videos without any distortion occurring, artifacts appearing/added, and missing detail?

Correct, there is no other way.

Disagree.

Recording in portrait mode is not realistic (for general videoing) in that it severely limits the usable image area confined within the black boxes. This is not how we usually view the world. We see more in landscape which is therefore more natural.

That's not what Sharc said or implied. He basically said that playing portrait video in Portrait view is realistic (otherwise it'd be stretched wide). He did not say shooting in portrait is realistic.

[jagabo]

there is no other way to convert portrait mode videos to landscape mode videos without any distortion occurring, artifacts appearing/added, and missing detail?

Describe in detail in plain English exactly how you would do that.

[pepegot1]

The only time to use portrait mode is if you wish to join two or more photos into one.

[meeshu]

there is no other way to convert portrait mode videos to landscape mode videos without any distortion occurring, artifacts appearing/added, and missing detail?

Describe in detail in plain English exactly how you would do that.

That was a question. I have no idea on how to convert a portrait video to landscape video apart from cropping.

[meeshu]

Apart from cropping, there is no other way to convert portrait mode videos to landscape mode videos without any distortion occurring, artifacts appearing/added, and missing detail?

Correct, there is no other way.

Yes, it appears that there is no other way. The problem with cropping is that a lot of image detail is lost during the process, which is not really ideal.

[netmask56]

Disagree.

Recording in portrait mode is not realistic (for general videoing) in that it severely limits the usable image area confined within the black boxes. This is not how we usually view the world. We see more in landscape which is therefore more natural.

I'm wanting full conversion (without any distortion) of portrait oriented videos to landscape videos which is more natural and easier to watch.

So. How do we convert portrait videos to landscape videos?

A...If the original video was shot correctly as 16:9 with the Phone held horizontally, it certainly can be viewed holding the phone in portrait mode. The picture will simply be smaller but a 16:9 image within a 4:3 frame. Under these conditions any decent video editor should be able to increase the size of the image. and then save within a 16:9 frame or canvas size.

B...On the other hand if the original video was made holding the camera vertically then the only way to turn that image into a 16:9 widescreen image is by cropping the image to fit.

You really need to define how the original video was made ie A or B that will give you the solution

[johns0]

You can convert portrait to landscape,all you need to do is crop the top and bottom out till you get a landscape view,sure you gotta cut out a lot of scenery but that's the only way to do it,it will come out in a very small resolution so you would upscale it and after all that you will get a nasty looking video.

[abolibibelot]

The only time to use portrait mode is if you wish to join two or more photos into one.

An example.

I have no idea on how to convert a portrait video to landscape video apart from cropping.

Well you can always do what's demonstrated at 01:18 of the educational video I uploaded there...

[Attachment 60785 - Click to enlarge]

Otherwise, consider vertical video as a pandemic for which there is no vaccine and no treatment, so all ya can do is stay away from it.

[butterw]

Don't edit/re-encode vertical video. View the video on a vertical screen.

[abolibibelot]

[Attachment 60821 - Click to enlarge]
“People's eyes are horizontal. We aren't built to watch vertical videos.”

[butterw]

If the actual content is vertical as in the previous post screenshot, it is best displayed on a vertical screen with the same Aspect Ratio (or greater y/x).

Portrait mode was used in paintings and photography long before smartphones. Books are portrait mode text.

The ability to use fullscreen portrait mode is a key advantage of tablets vs regular landscape mode TV/PC monitor.

[netmask56]

Of course many people with their phones use vertical mode, simply because its easier to hold the phone and pan furiously around an accident scene they have just encountered rather than simply hold the phone horizontal to take in a wider view of the accident scene. Some of our local TV stations in Sydney that buy and use this material, crop the top and bottom to turn it into 16:9. Still doesn't look great with all the fast horizontal panning. A police officer i know throws his arms up in dismay when he gets this stuff.

[jagabo]

there is no other way to convert portrait mode videos to landscape mode videos without any distortion occurring, artifacts appearing/added, and missing detail?

Describe in detail in plain English exactly how you would do that.

That was a question. I have no idea on how to convert a portrait video to landscape video apart from cropping.

That was a thought experiment for you. You can't explain how to do it because it can't be done. You can crop, stretch, or rotate, or some combination thereof. There's no magic.

[abolibibelot]

A police officer i know throws his arms up in dismay when he gets this stuff.

So if he gets recorded by some jerk doing it, his arms will end up cropped and noone will get the gist of the gesture...

[Attachment 60838 - Click to enlarge]

That was a thought experiment for you. You can't explain how to do it because it can't be done. You can crop, stretch, or rotate, or some combination thereof. There's no magic.

Perhaps in non-euclidian geometry ?...