Why do so many videos have blurry sides and clear focus in the middle?

[Retmeishka]

This is an example. I'm seeing this all the time: WATCH: Animal Control, Residents Hurry to Save Brutus - Trending Now - AccuWeather VideoWall

The middle of the video is a narrow rectangle which has clear focus. The right and left sides are blurry, and they show parts of what's already showing in the middle. It must be coming from a particular kind of smartphone or something, but I don't have one so I don't know what it's all about.

It almost reminds me of a camera I used to have which had a 'panoramic' option, but it had a cheap way of making it happen - it just simply closed a little barrier over the top and bottom of the image, making it narrower, but not actually increasing the width. Regular pictures were all just extremely zoomed-out all the time if you weren't using the 'panorama.'

 

[PeaceBaby]

It's modified because the video was shot in a vertical position rather than horizontal. The blurry bars on the edges are just post-processing of the same video playing in the center, split in two to fill either side of the frame to fulfil the required aspect ratio of the broadcast.

 

[93JC]

It's modified because the video was shot in a vertical position rather than horizontal. The blurry bars on the edges are just post-processing of the same video playing in the center, split in two to fill either side of the frame to fulfil the required aspect ratio of the broadcast.

It's simply an alternative to "pillarboxing" (a.k.a. "reverse-letterboxing"), where the image would be presented with black bars up the sides of the display.

 

[Retmeishka]

Oh! Well, thanks, I'm glad I asked.

 

[Kimmie]

Thank you...

 

[Hlc]

I'd rather have the sides cropped and blacked out. Also, I see it with photos and not just videos. I really dislike it.

 

[JO55]

I find the blurry edges off putting. Better to simply grey or black out the sides in my opinion.

 

[John d]

Solid or patterned sides would much more visually appealing, blurry images are distraction

 

[MDM]

Solid or patterned sides would much more visually appealing, blurry images are distraction

How about just rotating the camera to horizontal?

 

[Jamescat]

I think it's just lazy that people use their cameras on their phones in the vertical format position knowing very well that they're going to get a narrow slot of video. Having the blurry moving side panels as reflections of the main image is offputting. I also would prefer a simple blurred grey non-active panel on each side if the video was recorded in vertical format. But, why not just tell people to rotate their phones and take videos that are presentable on a regular screen

 

[lazeebones]

just dont rotate while filming when you go to show play it it will be sideways or at least my phone does that.