Aspect ratio and images being stretched, a problem.

[LLiam]

I am new to Video Pad and am on the learning curve, I have looked for the version info but nothing is to be found in the 'about' section. As I installed this in 2024 I am assuming I have a version in at the 13 level?. I am coming from Microsoft Movie Maker, looking for an alternative as we have no idea just how long it can be used.

I make 'holiday videos' from a collection of photos and clips, all of different aspect ratios. I appreciate this and have no problem with black [or blank] bars either aside or above and below images and clips. Whilst I am getting along well with duration, transitions and other effects I just can not find out how to stop images being stretched out to fit the aspect ratio I choose.

As the screens I shall be playing my videos on are all 16.9 I see no reason not to choose otherwise, but to have portrait snaps stretched out is not what I want. Even if I try 'Match content' all images of a different size get stretched. Movie maker leaves the aspect ratio [and size] of the images alone. How can I prevent Video Pad from resizing my images?

[borate]

The release # can be seen at the left-bottom of the Videopad window.

Registered versions never expire and are good for free updates for six-months.  If all is working well, there's no need to update.  The latest can always be test driven, unlicensed, to see what's new.  Retain your old installer and license key.

Match Monitor displays what the export will look like.  In the EXPORT window it will show

To eliminate black bars on 'cropped' scenes, use the ZOOM effect.

Presets, such as 16:9, will constrain the active area to the chosen aspect ratio, no matter where the box is positioned.

Share your project.  Someone will take a look and come up with suggestions.  The process is easy, and can be private.  Follow these steps closely...

•     Back up --- With your project on the timeline, click on MENU at the top-left.  Click FILE|BACK UP PROJECT FILES TO FOLDER.  Choose a folder and SELECT FOLDER.
•     Upload ---  Use a free server - Google Drive, MS OneDrive, etc.* - to upload the saved, numbered FOLDER.    Do NOT upload the individual VPJ or export file. 
•     Get link --- Get a public link.  Right-click the file and click SHARE. When using Google Drive, if necessary change "restricted" to "anyone with the link can view" 
•     Share ---     Click COPY LINK | DONE.  Paste that link here, or click the folder at the top-right of this forum to message it privately to me.  It won't be shared.

          *    Before uploading, right-click the folder, click PROPERTIES.  Look at the File Size to confirm that it's not too big for the free space on the server.

As with any editor, there's a learning curve.  Videopad is more fully featured than Movie Maker, but compared to some others, it's relatively easy to navigate.

[LLiam]

Borate, thank you for the prompt response. No matter what setting I choose my contentl [all different aspect ratios] gets distorted [so stretched out] to fit.

What you are saying is that there is no preset or basic setting to avoid this.

As I stated I have no problems with black bars, for who wants to have distorted or cropped content to avoid them, I do not.  My version is 11.7 by the way. If there is no preset or basic setting [like 'retain all content aspect ratio' or 'do not modify content aspect ratio'] and therefore I would have to make adjustments for each individual content then VideoPad would not appear to answer my hopes.

As for uploading, that could be a possibility I suppose but if you, as support, have no direct [preset/setting] solution then any answers are likely to involve adjustment for individual content which would be very time consuming.

I shall await what other suggestions may be forthcoming. Thank You.

[borate]

The best way to track the down is to see the project, as instructed above.  If no effects are applied then there should be no aspect ratio changes.

But if they effects are used, It may not be necessary to make individual adjustments, as they can be applied simultaneously to multiple clips.

ZOOM, as opposed to CROP, should not stretch.  For example, this is the full-screen original... 

 

This is the full-screen zoomed corner...   No preset was applied.

[LLiam]

Borate, it would appear that I have 'cracked' this problem on my own. I could not come to terms with suggestions of cropping [I have no wish to remove any parts of my content] or zooming [which effectively does the same thing, one only uses part of the content]

No, after selecting a series of content 'frames' I invoked 'Image Effects' and selected 'letterbox to aspect ratio' in the 'Aspect ratio Transforms' section and then simply left the aspect ratio setting as 'Auto Aspect Ratio' and voila everything 'got left alone'. My problem solved. It would be nice if there was a 'button' to 'select all content', but I shall manage quite well with the present select with 'Ctrl' pressed, or selecting and 'shift' selecting at the end.

I should add that I have the 'main' aspect ratio set to 'Match Content' which effectively sets the aspect ratio to that of the 'largest' or perhaps 'common' aspect ratio in the project. And also, up to now all involvement has been with stills, I have yet to tackle the [occaisional] movie clip I shall be adding to the sequence later. One step at a time.

I thank you again. 

[borate]

Glad it worked out.  To select all content try <ctrl-A>.