@duartix : Thanks for sharing all these findings (2 years ago!) I had a question similar to WhiteRabbit regarding best resolution for use with anamorphic adapter (in this case a 2X).

1. Do you know if the 'magic' 2048 x 864 still applies if I change the 480p setting to this resolution? (so I can end up with 2.66:1 video after the 2x anamorphic, although at this setting the aspect ratio is slightly off.)

2. If so, do you think I could use 2048 x 768 instead and still preserve the 'magic'? (that would be correct aspect ratio to correct the 2x anamorphic.)

Of course I need to test myself, but any feedback would be appreciated. Likely I will do quick testing of these 3 resolutions myself (again modifying 480p mode)- 1920 x 720, 2048 x 864, 2048 x 768. I'll report back, for anyone using MJPEG mode with anamorphic adapters.

Thanks duartix for the reply.

It's strange that the magic resolution is 2048x864, which is not 16:9. I guess if you want best resolution, you shoot at 2048x864 and then need to squeeze the image a bit in post? This yields a final aspect ratio of 4:3 with corrected image. Interesting that shooting 4:3 (roughly speaking) gives best final video image, since 4:3 is aspect ratio of Micro 4/3 sensor- I have no idea if that's a coincidence.

I feel like what might be happening is camera starts by taking entire image off sensor, then tries to accommodate a 16:9 aspect ratio, resulting in a stretched image (who knows exactly, since the Panasonic hardware and firmware was never meant to start with changed aspect ratio.) We then squeeze it in post, restoring correct aspect ratio which ends up at 4:3. And maybe the 2048 x 864 is the best resolution as it works best for pixel-binning for MJPEG?

Hmmm... 864 x 4= 3456 which is exact vertical resolution of GH2 sensor. So maybe MJPEG binning/processing is best when vertical video resolution is a factor of the original sensor resolution? (the horizontal resolution of 2048 is not a factor of GH2 sensor horizontal resolution of 4068.) I'm talking out of my ass here and just guessing...

I wonder if 1536x864 might give good results too, but at correct aspect ratio? (meaning anything above that ends up interpolated, etc.) If you squeeze 2048x864 to correct aspect ratio, a resulting frame grab might look identical to frame grab shot at 1536x864.

Complicating matters further, I have a G3 not GH2, which have different resolution sensor. Maybe the "magic resolution" for other sensors is different. The G3 sensor has vertical resolution of 3448, this would yield a 4:3 resolution of 1532x862.