4K Cropping on 1080HD Timeline

Reyfox wrote on 8/22/2025, 5:56 AM

With the discussions in this THREAD, it got me to thinking and wanting to ask others out there, when 4K was coming into its own, there was a lot of discussion in various editing forums of how you can crop into the 4K clip and maintain definition on a 1080HD timeline.

I rarely, if ever mix 4K and 1080HD, but wondered if this is true. And how can it be done if you have a 1080HD project, bring in a 4K clip, and it is displayed in Preview as the same size as the 1080HD? Technically, it isn't the same size.

Comments

3POINT wrote on 8/22/2025, 6:10 AM

@Reyfox When importing a photo let's say 4000x3000 pixels into a 1080 project, how do you want that photo been showed, at original size (pixel size) or at project size? The same is for 4k video in a 1080 project.

Reyfox wrote on 8/22/2025, 6:15 AM

@3POINT in my quest for more information, I want things to appear at their original pixel size. My reason for the 4K illustration is that you won't lose resolution (up to a point) when zooming in or panning of a 4K video on a 1080HD timeline. If the 4K clip is now a "1080" clip, zooming in 4x, would it not become not clear as if you zoomed into an original pixel sized 4K video?

3POINT wrote on 8/22/2025, 6:34 AM

Everything imported into Vegas is treated at original size and not at project size. So zooming in on a 4k clip in a 1080p project is no issue as long you use pan/crop tool and not for example trackmotion or piptool. Besides piptool can also been used at original size when you place pipFx before Pan/crop tool in the FXchain.

EricLNZ wrote on 8/22/2025, 6:36 AM

My experience is your 4K clip is a 4K clip until you render out as 1080 as VP timeline works on the source media resolution. But Track motion works on project resolution which is where a less clear result will occur as you are zooming/panning into a 1080 image instead of 4K.

EDIT: 3Point beat me to it but here to confirm is the Pan/Crop image of a 4k still (I don't have any 4K video) in a 1080 25p project. Note the pixel size shown. When cropping I try to have this not go lower than 1920x1080 to maintain maximum 1080 quality on render

Dexcon wrote on 8/22/2025, 6:43 AM

Everything imported into Vegas is treated at original size and not at project size.

@3POINT ... just for clarification, does that still apply if "Adjust source media to better match project or render settings" in Project Preferences has been checked or should that option remain unchecked?

3POINT wrote on 8/22/2025, 6:48 AM

@Reyfox Just make an 1080p project and import a 4k event and open pan/crop, there you see always the original size:

EricLNZ wrote on 8/22/2025, 6:51 AM

@3POINT ... just for clarification, does that still apply if "Adjust source media to better match project or render settings" in Project Preferences has been checked or should that option remain unchecked?

Not 3POINT but the answer is yes as explained in the "1080HD on 4K timeline" thread this is the answer

3POINT wrote on 8/22/2025, 6:52 AM

Everything imported into Vegas is treated at original size and not at project size.

@3POINT ... just for clarification, does that still apply if "Adjust source media to better match project or render settings" in Project Preferences has been checked or should that option remain unchecked?

That's just for old 16:9 DV footage to import into a square pixel 16:9 project, not necessary nowadays, doesn't matter.

Reyfox wrote on 8/22/2025, 8:45 AM

Thanks all for clearing this up for me. Again, I basically work in 4K, but after UpRes and Boris suggest a slightly different workflow, I wondered about bringing in a 4K clip into a 1080HD project.