Cropping question

[minuteman1976]

I need to crop my images into a 2:1 ratio. Would it be advisable to shoot in camera in a 16:9 ratio vs a 4:3 ratio in order to achieve a more accurate composition during the actual capturing of the image?
Shooting in a 4:3 aspect and reducing it to a 2:1 crops allot of the image off (obviously) so my thinking is to shoot in a 16:9 for framing reasons then crop to a 2:1 in post.

Thoughts?

 

[Don Fischer]

Nott very understanding of photo terms but 2-1 would be something like 7x14 wouldn't it? That's about all I do but start at 8x16 and go up to 12x24. I do try to crop in the camera some, getting rid of parts that do nothing for me. Do dog's a lot and seems to me 2-1 is about perfect for them! I don't like a lot behind the dog, I do pointing dogs and I like room into the area it's pointing, Sometime I simply center the dog and crop out what I don't want. I find it much easier to take a photo and crop out what I don't want than to try to do that with the camera lens. Cropping on the computer also let's me edit out to much of nothing at the top and bottom of the photo. I even started doing old deteriorating houses in 2-1. Again it allow me to eliminate top and bottom stuff I don't care for.

 

[SquarePeg]

Yes I believe 16:9 is the closest available to 2:1. If you’re not wanting to remember to shoot wide, you can either tape over the display or you can make a cardboard or plastic template that you attach with an elastic. Or maybe try using a dry erase marker to mark your frame on the display.

I usually shoot 3:2 but almost always crop to 5:4. I remember to allow space around the edges 90% of the time. I use the viewfinder not the display so my only option is remembering to allow space. Someday they’ll make a camera that allows you to customize either the aspect ratio or at least the view through the viewfinder. Maybe this is already an option on one of the new models?

 

[greybeard]

It would be best to shoot it in the largest available frame and not any sort of pre-crop. That way you will have the most mega pixels to work with.

 

[SquarePeg]

It would be best to shoot it in the largest available frame and not any sort of pre-crop. That way you will have the most mega pixels to work with.

But it will be the same thing once OP crops the pixels will still be gone.

 

[greybeard]

But it will be the same thing once OP crops the pixels will still be gone.

starting with the full frame will give you more composition choices while ending up with the same amount of pixels

 

[SunriseAvenue]

I agree with the previous poster, shooting in the largest frame just gives you more opportunity. When I was like a beginning beginner I took a lot of photos that could've been much better shall I moved back from the subject(s). This may not be the case for OP here, but it's still a solid advice I personally got back then, too.
OP, there is a guide on photo cropping techniques that might be worth taking a look at as well.

 

[greybeard]

Shoot loose and crop