Now that Scale To: 'No Stretch' and 'No Scale' has been fixed to work with non-square pixels accurately, I found the use of 'No Stretch' much better suited for general scaling to container dimensions than the existing fixed presets. I noticed that it is much easier now to scale non-standard aspect ratios without introducing any skew/distortion, including cropping. So much easier, that I would actually opt for removing ALL existing fixed aspect ratios (from e.g. 1.19 to 2.39), and leave only three options:
No Stretch
No Scale
custom (custom will allow to enter a specific aspect ratio numerically, or using up/down buttons).
I think these three options, in combination with preview and cropping, will allow to scale all types of content properly and with a much lower risc of introducing skew. The No Stretch option will always maintain the right aspect ratio of the image, so only the size is altered.
For footage that is incorrectly flagged or has unknown non-square pixel aspect ratios, the custom option should fix all possible issues.
In addition to this major change, I also opt for the introduction of an automatic container selection (with override, of cause).
The container should be chosen automatically based on source content, and based on the ISDCF container recommendations.
e.g. if any source dimension is larger than can be mapped to a 2k container, choose a 4k container.
ISDCF recommended practice for aspect ratios under 1.85 (such as academy aperture 1.33) is to pillar box in a flat package. For aspect ratio from 1.85 to 2.30 letter box in a flat package. For aspect ratios above 2.30 letter box in a scope package.
This automatic container selection should be an installation default and can be selected in DCP default prefs (same as 'ScaleTo: Guess from content' is now). If someone wants to override automatic container selection, allow to choose flat or scope in prefs (never allow full container to be a default choice).
The ScaleTo default in the future should be 'No Strech'. Currently, I believe the 'Guess from content' chooses the closest preset aspect ratio - which will skew a lot of content not matching standard dimensions. 'No Stretch' should precisely match at least all content that is correctly flagged (square pixel AND non-square pixel, with and without pillar/letterboxing).
'No Scale' could be chosen automatically for content that matches 2k/4k flat/scope/full container resolution down to the single pixel.
So to assure people that absolutely no scaling will take place.
From my workshops and email and forum conversations, I understand that scaling and aspect ratio is the most complicated single issue to explain for DCP conversions. I think these new options will get rid of most of these problems.
In order to make scaling even easier, the crop input boxes for L/R and T/B could be 'linked' (add a 'link/unlink' button between them), to allow quick symmetrical cropping from left/right and top/bottom. I know letterboxes and pillarboxes are not always perfectly symmetric, but, you can quickly crop symmetrical to a coarse result, then 'unlink' for individual side correction. See my GUI simulation below. Clicking on any of the up/down arrows will increase or decrease the linked value by the same amount.
I am sure that this new scheme will immediately be understood by existing and new users. I also think that this way we could get rid of those nasty 'fill container vertically/horizontally' on the menu, which I always hated.
We could also automatically check/show 'outline content' for all content not matching any of the standard containers - that is, all content that will most likely need adjustments.
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