Widescreen TV owners: Do you set 4:3 aspect ratio shows to display as widescreen?
 

I prefer to shoot in 4:3 aspect ratio because in most situations it is better for framing the scene if you are shooting one or 2 people at a time.

But as widescreen TV's become more common place I am noticing that many people are setting their widescreen TVs to stretch 4:3 (normal) aspect ratio shows to stretch out and fill up their entire widescreen TVs. This makes people look distorted and fat. Of course this is the only reason I would ever want to shoot a scene in widescreen because I don't want models to look distorted.

Do you set your widescreen to stretch all 4:3 shows?

I do tend to stretch it out, usually I can't really tell the difference. If it really becomes an issue I switch it back.

me too the 4:3 looks weird

Most widescreen sets have the option to stretch a 4:3 image out so that the image in the centre of the screen isn't distorted as badly...most of the stretching occurs near the sides of the screen. It still looks funky if someone's face happens to be near the side of the screen, but it works better than a normal stretch. They sometimes call it "panorama" mode.

That's what I leave mine set at. I don't like the black bars on the sides of the screen if you try watching it in 4:3 mode.

I'll generally watch it stretched unless it's shot poorly and looks bad when stretched...in that case, I'll watch it in "Normal Mode"

Mines set to display at whatever aspect ratio it was shot in.

depends...

regular tv...4:3 (black bars set at cable box) (of course not counting the HD channels)
FS DVD's i tend to let em stretch.. cause my tv has white/grey sidebars which is kind of annoying)
tv has 3 or 4 different stretch modes..

Thanks guys, that is exactly what I have been hearing from other people. Of course pretty much every bar, casino, health club, etc have widescreen TVs and they all seem to set the 4:3 shows to stretch.

I think it looks like shit but I guess I just have to shoot more stuff in widescreen so it does not look distorted on the TVs of future.

I just ordered another widescreen camcorder from Sony.

I leave my 65" widescreen on default settings. It is stretched but I can't really tell the difference after having it for a while.

Will you not have the same exact problem if you shoot in 16:9? Meaning your newly shot widescreen scenes will look squished in 4:3.

(I'm pretty sure this is why most new DVDs have both :winkwink:)