Adobe After Effects CS3 - Manual (Page 62)

AFTER EFFECTS CS3
User Guide
57
Change pixel aspect ratio for a composition
1 Choose Composition > Composition Settings.
2 Do one of the following:
• Choose a composition settings preset from the Preset menu.
• Choose a value from the Pixel Aspect Ratio menu.
Common pixel aspect ratios
Use square-pixel footage for output to D1/DV NTSC
If you intend to create a movie for the D1 output format, use the D1 NTSC or D1 PAL composition settings preset.
The correct pixel aspect ratio for D1 NTSC or D1 PAL is chosen automatically when you choose the corresponding
composition settings preset.
1 Prepare square-pixel footage that fills the entire frame for any of the following final output formats:
DV NTSC Create and save it at a 720 x 534 frame size.
D1 NTSC Create and save it at a 720 x 540 frame size.
D1/DV PAL Create and save it at a 768 x 576 frame size.
2 Import the file into After Effects.
3 (Optional) If your square-pixel footage was created and saved at 720 x 486 or 720 x 480, select it and choose File >
Interpret Footage > Main. Then choose Square Pixels from the Pixel Aspect Ratio menu and click OK.
Asset Pixel aspect ratio When to use
Square pixels 1.0 Footage has a 640 x 480 or 648 x 486 frame size, is 1920 x 1080 HD (not
HDV or DVCPRO HD), is 1280 x 720 HD or HDV, or was exported from an
application that doesn’t support nonsquare pixels. This setting can also
be appropriate for footage that was transferred from film or for custom-
ized projects.
D1/DV NTSC 0.9 Footage has a 720 x 486 or 720 x 480 frame size, and the desired result
is a 4:3 frame aspect ratio. This setting can also be appropriate for
footage that was exported from an application that works with
nonsquare pixels, such as a 3D animation application.
D1/DV NTSC Widescreen 1.2 Footage has a 720 x 486 or 720 x 480 frame size, and the desired result
is a 16:9 frame aspect ratio.
D1/DV PAL 1.0666 Footage has a 720 x 576 frame size, and the desired result is a 4:3 frame
aspect ratio.
D1/DV PAL Widescreen 1.422 Footage has a 720 x 576 frame size, and the desired result is a 16:9
frame aspect ratio.
Anamorphic 2:1 2.0 Footage was shot using an anamorphic film lens, or it was anamorphi-
cally transferred from a film frame with a 2:1 aspect ratio.
HDV 1080/DVCPRO HD 720
(After Effects), HD Anamorphic
1080 (Adobe Premiere Pro) 1.33 Footage has a 1440 x 1080 or 960 x 720 frame size, and the desired
result is a 16:9 frame aspect ratio.
DVCPRO HD 1080 (After
Effects only) 1.5 Footage has a 1280 x 1080 frame size, and the desired result is a 16:9
frame aspect ratio.