How to change the video frame dimensions

ckwiesner

VP Version: 7.03

I have what I thought would be a very straightforward task but one that I am unable to find a solution for. Basically, I want to change the video frame size to match a cropped portion of the original video.

For example, if my source video was 1000x1000 and I was interested only in the lower right quarter (i.e., 500x500, starting from the center of the image to the lower right corner), what I want as eventual output is the video file's frame size to be 500x500 and only showing the lower right corner of the original video. I do not want to crop the original and then resize it to the original frame size (1000x1000) and then effectively resize it again down when exporting it to a different pre-set. I basically want what simple picture editors (e.g., MS Paint) do when cropping, they save only the crop portion, do no resizing, and then save the file to those new dimensions.

I have searched this forum and the various tutorials. but every time I find something that looks close, it always ends up with solutions that result in the original frame size being preserved, many times with various black bars around edges added. Nowhere have I seen how one can actually change the frame size directly (except upon output, which generally incurs an image resize operation).

Am I being naive here? Are there truly only certain fixed frame sizes that are supported?

borate

Perhaps this is what you want - which when exported results in a full frame of only the boxed area.

ckwiesner

Thanks, but that was one of the first things that I tried...

That indeed results in a video file containing only that lower quadrant, the actual frame size of that video file though is the same frame size as the original, 2560x1920. In effect, it did what it was asked to do, it resized that lower quadrant (i.e., Zoomed it) to fit the source frame size. What I want as a result is a video file that has a frame size of 1280x960 for the above case.

Now here is where my naiveté might be showing through, my assumption is that the file size of the "zoomed to 2560x1920" image would be greater than the same image if it were left in its original 1280x960 size. I do understand (to a limited extent ;-)) that the compression algorithms (e.g., mpg4) will recover some of that, assumed zoom-induced, size increase, but I am skeptical that it would be a wash either way. If indeed it is, I would be more than willing to call it a day.

borate

Source 2560x1920. Custom export aspect ratio 1280x960.

ckwiesner

Hum... OK, so if I am interpreting this correctly, the process is to do the zoom as normal but, in the save, select Custom resolution and specify the actual frame size... I seem to recall trying that earlier but not having it work. I just tried it now and indeed it does appear to do what I want. Many thanks and my apology for not checking for a response earlier, I had assumed it would be days, if ever, for a reply. I am truly grateful.

-0-

Opps, spoke too soon...

I know that I had tried that before and it did not work (in all cases). It works in the cases we did above, I think, because the "cropped" image aspect ratio was identical to the source. But now try to select only half the image, e.g., full height but only the left or right side of the image. When I attempt to set the custom frame size from 1920x1080 to 960x1080 the resulting dimensions are snapped to 704x576 and the aspect ratio is altered to match this new frame size (i.e., squashed and stretched). I tried the same thing starting with the crop operation rather than the zoom with similar results, the frame size was snapped back to that above one but this time although there was no image distortion, a black bar was left on the side (where the other half of the image would have been).

[deleted]

Is this what you want?....

Original frame...

Exported result......

If this is what you are after then simply

Add clip to timeline
Crop (in this case) 50 50
Position -25 -25

Nat

ckwiesner

Not quite, notice the black areas around the image. I basically want what a simple picture image editor does when a crop operation is performed on a photo, i.e., the crop portion becomes the final image, not scaled, not distorted and not the uncropped areas turning black. I want the final image size to be the size of the cropped area so that when I play back the video, it fills the player's entire screen area with only the player itself adding black trim to fill in if needed to preserve the aspect ratio (i.e., not part of the image itself as is the case in your example above).

I am getting the impression that this is not possible (or at least not possible with VideoPad 😞 ).

borate

There may be a communication breakdown here. An HD 1920x1080 image was zoomed to 50% left - that half cut off. Then exported at 960x1080.

The original...

The result...

ckwiesner

Most likely some communication issues here and I am sure that it is mostly on my side, sorry. Thanks for sticking with me though.

What you show above is what I desire, yet when I attempt to duplicate it locally, all sorts of unwanted outcomes result. I think outlining exact steps might be helpful. For my case:

Load mp4 file into a new project.
Add entire vid to clip area.
Define zoom rectangle (how did you insert images into this thread, copy/paste does not work, did you code raw HTML?)
- Important to note here that doing this results in the clip area images being distorted
Export video file, using custom resolution that should match the size of the zoomed (i.e., cropped) area

The resultant video file for me is basically what was shown in the clip area, a distorted video, although the property details of the file at least had the correct dimensions.

As an extra data point, I did reverse steps 2 and three, specifying the zoom rectangle first then do the add, but that way seemed to alter the original thumbnail image on the Video Files tab, and it remained altered even after the clip was deleted and I tried to start over again. It did not alter the original file, only the thumbnail on that pane. I ended up closing the program and then restarting from scratch, just to be sure.

If you would outline the exact steps you took to produce your latest example, I would appreciate it.

P.S., I am still a little leery of using the zoom function as a starting point for all this, as to me this is a cropping task. Zoom implies to me that the image will be altered, which is not what I want, I only want a small portion extracted.

borate

Handling has changed several times since 7.0x, and that may be the problem. ZOOM should maintain quality.

Install this version. For licensed users upgrades are free for up to six months from purchase date. After that, VP will continue to fully function but a fee will be required in order to register the newest. Retain your old install file and registration info. Even unlicensed, many features will work, at least for a trial period. If mp4 export balks, try AVI.

Load the HD image to the sequence. ZOOM the area. Export at the desired custom setting. You should get the result shown above.

You can post a link to images, but direct image insertion has been disabled by the administrators.

Upload the image to Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, etc.

Copy (share) the URL and paste it into your post here. If using Google Drive, click on GET | COPY, and confirm that it's not RESTRICTED.

The screenshot itself won't be posted, but clicking the link will display it.

ckwiesner

Interesting...

You are quite correct in that the upgrade does indeed appear to function as you described. Seems to have fixed a few other minor issues that I had too. Well worth the upgrade price.

Thanks once again.

borate

There's no mandate to upgrade if things are working well. It's often best to wait a bit, lest quirks be discovered. As in life, nothing is perfect.

Newer versions can always be test driven unregistered, to check out features. Just retain the old installer and licensing info.

[deleted]

If you don't want a black border then....

Original...

Exported result...

Simply use Zoom with 50 50..

Note that in order to fill the frame use AR of 16:9. A 1000 x 1000 pixel image (square) will have a border on each side before you start. If you want to just have the bottom right hand corner fill the export frame then use zoom*** with the AR set to 1:1. (16:9 will stretch the image) You will still have a border to each side in the GUI but you can export at a selected AR.

*** VP version 10.56 has a zoom bug that doesn't scale correctly horizontally if 1:1 is chosen but it works correctly with Pan and Zoom. This may have been corrected in later versions. e.g.

Nat

ckwiesner

To NationalSolo & Borate, thanks for all your help. The primary issue, as I stated above, was apparently due to a very old version (7.03). I agree that once I have a working version, I too am loath to upgrade it. However, I have bought/upgraded this package several times over the years and, although I use it infrequently, am generally quite pleased with the cost/benefit of it and most of the other NCH SW that I have bought. I have found them to be well written and generally intuitive for the most part. VideoPad has been the most challenging to work with/understand (e.g., I still contend that this should have been approached as a CROP operation and not a ZOOM 😛), but still quite useful for the video editing novice, which I proudly claim membership in 😉. So, I have no problem forking over the relatively small price for an upgrade.

Thanks again folks for sticking with me and if either of you are actually affiliated with the folks at NCH, please forward my appreciation for their various SW packages.