How to De-Squeeze 1.33x Anamorphic Footage

Anamorphic lenses are a must-have for filmmakers, delivering a superior result with their wide aspect ratio and higher resolution. Its optical compression creates an oval bokeh, flares, and distortion like no other lens type, giving projects a stunning 3D effect and unparalleled detail. Professionals everywhere are embracing this elite-level technology.

But if you're new to shooting with Anamorphic-stylized lenses or lens adapters, you might notice how funky the RAW footage seems — that's because it's "squeezed".

Anamorphic lenses have squeezed footage to increase the resolution of a given image. By stretching the horizontal aspect ratio, more information can be captured in the same amount of space. This allows for a higher-resolution image without increasing the size of the camera sensor, allowing filmmakers to capture more detail and create sharper images with wider fields of view.

But how do you do that? Read below our step-by-step guide to de-squeezing anamorphic footage.

1. Premiere Pro

To de-squeeze 1.33x anamorphic footage in Premiere Pro:

1. Import the footage into Premiere Pro.
2. Right-click on the footage in the Project panel and select “Modify -> Interpret Footage.”
3. Under Pixel Aspect Ratio, Choose “Confirm to:” and select 1.33.
4. The footage should now be de-squeezed and appear in its correct aspect ratio in the Program panel.
5. You can right-click on the footage and select “Create new sequence from Clip.”

2. Final Cut Pro X

To de-squeeze 1.33x anamorphic in Final Cut Pro X, you can use the following steps:

1. Create a New Project with a custom resolution of 1920x830 if you’re delivering in HD.
2. Import your anamorphic footage into Final Cut Pro X.
3. Drag your footage into the timeline.
4. Select your clip(s) in the timeline, and in the top right corner of FCPX you’ll find “Transform” once there, set Scale Y to 77%.
5. Scroll down in the top right corner until you see “Spatial Confirm” and set “Type” to “Fill.”
6. Your footage should now be correctly displayed in the timeline.

3. Davinci Resolve

To de-squeeze a 1.33x anamorphic in DaVinci Resolve, you can follow the steps below:

1. Create a New Project and Import your footage onto the timeline.
2. Right-click on the clip in the timeline and select “Clip Attributes.”
3. Under “Pixel Aspect Ratio,” set to “1.3x Anamorphic”
4. Your footage should now be correctly displayed in the timeline.
5. If you have the black letterbox bars on your footage and don’t wish to have those, right-click on your timeline and go to timeline settings.
6. Uncheck “Use Project Settings” and set the timeline resolution to 1920x830.
7. You should no longer have black bars displayed on your timeline.

Happy Editing!

Did you know we made our own Anamorphic lens adapter? Our 1.33x adapter is an affordable and high-quality alternative to Hollywood-style cinematics. Perfect for any filmmaker that doesn't want to break the bank on a $10K lens. It's a consumer-level and cinematic-ready tool for those that love buttery frames. Plus, it's damn good quality. And if you're looking to set up your Adapter and need a quick getting-started guide, check out our article here.

We also have a Mobile Anamorphic 1.33x Lensfor those that like to keep it simple with their iPhone.