Why you should stop shooting video in 16:9 aspect ratio

In this video, we will go over the difference between 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratio when shooting video. We cover the benefits of shooting in 4:3 for social media and why it’s been such an important feature for our workflow. We will show examples of each format to clearly illustrate the differences and benefits.

S5 Camera:

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[Roysphotos]

I struggle with instagram being a trash toxic platform. Tired of seeing artists selling their soul for click bait nonsense.

[SipandFeast]

It's a good strategy for cropping in post, but I think trying to be on all of the platforms all the time is a losing strategy both mentally and content-quality wise. To any aspiring creators, I say work hard at one platform and then later go for another one. Don't let the platform control you and don't feel the need to be everywhere all the time. Your family would like to see you a bit lol. Or wait for an offer from one of those new cutting companies to plaster cuts from their editors on every platform.

[ScottBalkum]

The interesting thing here is you are ignoring that aspect ratio is a style/character/emotion for anything you film. Something that is intended for 16:9 will not have the emotion in 9:16. Even if you shoot it in 4:3, it will have the emotion for 4:3 and won’t translate to 16:9 and 9:16. Its not possible to set design, act the same, move the same, etc in 16:9 and 9:16. Here is where I challenge the entire thing: Created content for YouTube should different, completely, than content for TikTok, Stories, Reels, etc. They have different audiences with different retention, expectation, and frankly their purpose for watching. Make videos specifically for your audience on each platform. There is no one size fits all. If there was, there would be no other platforms. And believe me, I struggle with this a ton. I’d love a much larger audience and I try putting videos everywhere but in the end, I focus my video efforts for YouTube because the audience has a longer expiration date. Anything “shorts” or anything intended to be viewed on a phone by scrolling will never retain an audience. You’re only as good as your frequency and quality of uploads. YouTube has similar issues but a YouTube viewer is more forgiving by the nature of how the platform works. Fastest way to get burned out is to try to accommodate every platform. 3-5X the work. All of this is just my opinion.

[larbueno]

I'm 70 years old and have been a professional video producer for over half my life. I wouldn't be doing it this long if I didn't care deeply about how I do what I do and the impact I want it to have on my audience.

I can see that you care about the quality of what you shoot and produce because your videos are excellent and in this video you are referring to the high-resolution capabilities of each of these crops, but most ends up on a phone anyway for the most part doesn't it? If I am missing something clearly obvious, please educate me.

Even though I value my smartphone a lot, it isn't part of everything I do. I use social media sparingly because I do not want to be a Slave to this device. I use it for what I want it to do to serve me and then I put it down. I don't walk into doors and other people because I am stupidly staring down at it as I am moving through life. This is probably a funny old guy comment, but I get extremely annoyed when I see a vertical video on a TV or a computer or laptop screen. Having all that wasted real estate visually on the sides of a vertical image just pisses me off. Once again an old guy who doesn't want to watch important things on a phone if there's a larger screen elsewhere.

[jakthebomb]

Vertical Video is pointless, does it really hurt people to simply twist their phone 90 degrees to enjoy video as it has always been? Vertical Video is simply a byproduct of laziness and the uninformed rather than something that could have been simply been solved by phone manufactures in software or hardware.

[spdcrzy]

I completely disagree. Stretching yourself too thin (and attempting to find a way to stay afloat in the process by finding hacks like this) is, and always has been, a terrible idea. Focusing on one useful thing is much better IMO. The "hustle" mentality on social media is killing content creators' creativity.

[marsgizmo]

Great tips! I was also thinking to record in 8K for similar reasons.

[AndyLSB]

glad you found Lumix, I've used many brands and models (A7SIII, R6, etc.) but Lumix cameras have showed me what a true filmmakers or content creators camera should be, love my GH6 its a true BEAST!

[huwpenson]

you shoot for the love of the art or for social media, i never let any app dictate what my creative choices
, ,, NEVER

[ScreenFiends]

When you watch enough YT you realise that everyone just recycles everyone else's content and passes it off as their own "big idea". I've seen this anamorphic aka open gate covered by 3 or 4 other creators theast few weeks. 1. I'm surprised this has only just become a thing and 2. Pretty sure you can all thank Micro Four Nerds for originally pointing it out. 😉

[socas_nic]

I use a Lumix G7 and I absolutely LOVE the 4:3 ratio for pictures. It just looks correct either vertical or horizontal. I can crop to a 16:9 or even more if I want to. It just so easy to work with and especially when you correct your rotation in post and lets say you have a group picture of people then you can rotate your picture without risking cutting people off.

[JondyGems]

Thanks for giving me a reason to use my monitors resolution without cropping 👍

[MarioSoMedia]

Didn't know Panasonic could do that! I usually just tend to shoot a little wider so I can repurpose but that messes up with lens choice and composition 😩.
Also great to meet you at Matti's meet up!

[burtun]

I feel like the elephant in the room that would solve all the issues he listed would simply be to zoom out or back the camera away from the subject. I shoot news footage and have to consider different platforms that the content will be used, that's the solution that all the news photogs that I work with use. It's a lot simpler and faster.

[carsnob]

Bro I figured out a little hack around this when I was figuring out how I could record car exits to make compilation videos at some point but be able to use them for shorts. I know cropping makes the res worse, but I would just start recording cars exiting from car shows horizontally with a grid/keep subject(car) in the middle vertical frame of the wide video. So then I would just simply hit post a short, hit any horizontal video and adjust the frame. I still do this to this day and I’m only using an iPhone 11 that’s it no pro camera! 🤙🏽

[thechrishau]

Anyone else struggling to keep up with all the platforms? Where do you currently post the most?

[TobyWoodPhoto]

I totally agree! I have turned a few videos into shorts but these have had to be on a 1:1 ratio because I was soo close but its not ideal

[impatrickt]

this is also the major benefit of cameras that are shooting 6k and 8k. I dont even mind it on 4k cameras - but almost all of my shoots need vertical spec so I just shoot extra wide (even wider than the 16:9 frame I need) and I crop both vertical and horizontal out of it. Social doesn't anything more than HD and even a marginally cropped 4K image looks indiscernible from full res when upscaled.

what every camera actually needs though is 9:16 vertical crop markers. currently only the Ninja V gives you this frame guide.

[Indo_chef]

This is a great tip. I heard about other people doing this but nobody else said where the setting is in the menus. It never crossed my mind to use anamorphic mode.

[christiancloete]

I can never seem to remember that instagram crops images, so I get hyped about a shot and when I load it into Insta it looks objectively not as good.