Canon GL1 Video Capture

Question

Level 1

10 points

Canon GL1 Video Capture

When I import DV from my Canon GL1 into iMovieHD or Final Cut Express through my Firewire port, I get two vertical black bands about 40 px wide on both the left and right sides of the frame; i.e. it looks as if I am only getting 640 pixels horizontal resolution instead of 720 pixels that DV is supposed to have. This happens regardless of whether the DV from the GL1 was shot in the 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratio.

Canon of course has washed its hands, saying "There are no settings in the camcorder itself that will affect your resolution. From what you have described, we would suggest reviewing the instructions for your software application for further information. Canon does not produce or provide video editing software, therefore, we can offer no advice on specific editing programs. Those programs are supported by the software companies."

However, when I import DV from my Sony DCR-PC 101 (that can also shoot in both 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratios) using the Firewire port on my Mac, the DV from my Sony camcorder fills the entire horizontal width of 720 px and I don't get any black bands on the sides of the frame.

Why does the GL1 give me less horizontal resolution and how can I correct this problem?

Mac G4 Quicksilver Mac OS X (10.4.7) iMovieHD and Final Cut Express

Posted on Jul 4, 2006 10:49 AM

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Answer 1

Jul 4, 2006 1:47 PM in response to Don Manolin

Strange. Do you have automatic pillar and letter boxing turned on in iMovie preferences? Also, when you created the iMovie project, did you select DV or Widescreen DV? If I make a Widescreen DV project and then import regular DV format video, it will pillarbox it as you describe.

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Answer 2

mishmumken

Level 5

4,000 points

Jul 4, 2006 1:58 PM in response to Don Manolin

Hello Mediameister,

what does it look like, when you connect the camera directly to your TV via A/V out? Or try hooking up the camcorder to your Mac via FW and to TV via A/V out. Now open the editing app and play your video through the camera (in iMovie you'll have to enable that in preferences). Do you have the bars on TV as well?

post back

mish

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Answer 3

Don Manolin Author

Level 1

10 points

Jul 4, 2006 7:04 PM in response to SkipHaughay

I have tried it with and without automatic pillar and letterboxing in iMovie's preferences. The results are the same. I get pillarboxing from the GL1.

The project I'm working on was shot in 16:9 with the GL1 and I chose Widescreen DV as the format for the new project.

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Answer 4

Don Manolin Author

Level 1

10 points

Jul 4, 2006 7:13 PM in response to mishmumken

Hello Mish,

I've tried what you suggested, i.e., I hooked up my GL1 to my Mac through Firewire and to my TV via A/V out (actually, through S-Video out). I get pillarboxing in iMovie but no pillarboxing on my TV.

The project I'm working on was shot in 16:9 but my TV is a 4:3. So in my TV the human figures look thin and elongated (probably because of the different aspect ratios), but I get no pillarboxing on my TV.

My next step will be to play back DV shot with the GL1 using the Sony DCR PC101 and see if that gets rid of the pillarboxing. I will post the results later.

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Answer 5

Don Manolin Author

Level 1

10 points

Jul 4, 2006 7:25 PM in response to Don Manolin

Here are the results of my next step:

I took a miniDV cassette shot with the Canon GL1 and played it back using the Sony DCR PC101 camcorder, hooked up as Mish suggested. The DV still looks pillarboxed.

Then I took a miniDV cassette shot with the Sony DCR PC101 camcorder and played it back using the Canon GL1, again hooke up as Mish suggested. The DV shot with the Sony camcorder looks perfect (no pillaboxing) even when played back through the Canon GL1.

The inevitable conclusion seems to be that there must be some setting I don't know about in the Canon GL1 camera mode that is causing the pillarboxing.

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