Video should be shot and viewed in landscape mode

[jymbee]

Video should be shot and viewed in landscape mode -- that's the "long way" instead of the "tall way," the orientation that mimics your HDTV screen. ... So when you shoot a video on your smartphone in portrait mode, you're violating not only the set video standard, but also the laws of nature as they pertain to human sight.

https://www.wired.com/2013/08/tnhyut-video-in-portrait-mode/

 

[darsben]

Of all the "LAWS OF NATURE" I will take a chance on violating this one.

 

[Lou Schneider]

Your choice. Portrait mode videos annoy me too. Unless it's just a single person talking to the phone it's too much like looking through a keyhole

 

[NY_Dutch]

I use the orientation that best suits the subject I'm shooting...

 

[Krazeehorse33]

Landscape for me.

 

[Great Horned Owl]

Go shoot a video of a tall waterfall, or a geyser erupting, or anything else that is very tall and thin. Shoot it in landscape mode, ans then again in portrait mode. Then look at the videos, and tell me which you prefer.

Imagine the photo below as a video. Had I backed off enough to get the entire falls in landscape mode, The photo would havehad a huge amount of rock on each side, and DW would have been unrecognizable.

Yes, most videos should be shot in landscape, but there are exceptions.

Joel

 

[Ex-Calif]

Not only does it depend on the subject but it also depends on the output device. If you are shooting for social media - FB, Instagram, TikTok etc. Portrait is the way to go.

My phone also created a trap. When I switched from iPhone 7 to Galaxy A51 some of my videos came out in portrait even though I held the phone in landscape. Took a while to figure out but when starting a vid in close up the phone could not see/pick up a horizon so defaulted to shooting in portrait. The problem is that it comes out sideways. Like portrait video laid on its side. You need some fancy video software to rotate an entire video.

I now start all vids with a wide shot as I haven't found any setting to force portrait vs. landscape - weird phones - LOL...

 

[whiteva]

I use the orientation that best suits the subject I'm shooting...

I always allow for "windage and elevation" on long distance shots!
(Sorry the devil made me post that)

 

[SeilerBird]

Not only does it depend on the subject but it also depends on the output device. If you are shooting for social media - FB, Instagram, TikTok etc. Portrait is the way to go.

Yep it depends on what you are going to view the video on. if it is to be viewed on a phone then either way works depending on the subject.

 

[Larry N.]

I you are viewing (phone, TV, or whatever) in landscape mode, then landscape is preferred. Portrait mode for video, like for Lou, is very annoying to me. Portrait for stills is OK, but I really need to turn my phone sideways (to show in portrait mode) or else suffer a tiny picture with a LOT of black screen. For video I will not turn the hone (or more commonly my TV or my computer) sideways so I get a lot of black on the sides of a shrunken picture.

Of course nothing says I have to view a given video so I DO have a choice -- watch in annoying mode or skip it.

Obviously some folks disagree -- their choice(s).

 

[violetdvs]

landscape team!