Video Aspect Ratio: The Complete Guide for Weddings, Corporate Events, Drones, and Modern Video Production

Introduction: why aspect ratio in video matters more than it seems

When people hear “video quality”, most imagine resolution, sharpness or colors. However, one of the most important parameters that fundamentally affects the final impression is the aspect ratio. It determines how wide or tall the image is, how the composition feels, where the video can be used, and how the viewer perceives it.

Whether it is a wedding video, an action FPV fly-through, a corporate video, a promotional product video, a showroom presentation, a hotel, restaurant, bar or café video, or any other custom project — a correctly chosen aspect ratio decides whether the video looks professional or fails to use its full potential.

In today’s world, where videos are used on websites, social media, in advertising, on large screens and on mobile devices, choosing the right format is crucial. And because we film with both cinematic drones and FPV drones for interiors and exteriors, as well as with traditional cameras, aspect ratio is something we address on every project — from Prague and Central Bohemia through Moravia to Slovakia.

What is aspect ratio and why it matters

Aspect ratio is a simple value that defines the shape of the image. It is expressed as two numbers separated by a colon — for example 16:9, 9:16, 4:3 or 2.39:1.

The first number = width
The second number = height

For example, 16:9 means the image is 16 units wide and 9 units high.

Why is this important?

Because different platforms, devices and types of video require different formats:

• YouTube, websites, corporate presentations → 16:9
• TikTok, Reels, Shorts → 9:16
• Instagram feed → 1:1
• Cinematic look → 2.39:1
• FPV drones → 4:3 (for reframing)
• 360° video → specific ratios depending on export

Whether it’s a wedding, a corporate event, a product video or a hotel presentation, the correct aspect ratio determines how well the video fits the environment where it will be used.

History of aspect ratios: from television to mobile devices

To understand why so many formats exist today, it’s worth taking a quick look at history.

4:3 – the era of televisions and early cameras

For many decades, the standard aspect ratio was 4:3. Televisions, older cameras and early digital devices all used this format. It is close to the human field of view and feels natural.

16:9 – the modern standard

With the arrival of HD video and widescreen displays, 16:9 became the dominant format. Today, it is the most widely used aspect ratio for:

• YouTube
• corporate videos
• wedding videos
• real estate presentations
• hotel, restaurant and café videos
• most drone footage

2.39:1 – the cinematic format

This wide “cinematic” format is used in feature films. It feels luxurious, dramatic and aesthetic. It is ideal for:

• wedding highlights
• promotional showroom videos
• action FPV fly-throughs
• landscape and architectural presentations

9:16 – the mobile video revolution

Social media has changed the rules of the game. Vertical video is now the standard for:

• TikTok
• Instagram Reels
• YouTube Shorts
• mobile advertising

If a video is meant to succeed on social media, 9:16 is essential.

The most common aspect ratios today and their use

To keep this guide practical, let’s go through the most commonly used formats and their ideal applications.

16:9 – the universal standard

Ideal for:

• wedding videos
• corporate videos
• hotel, restaurant and café presentations
• product videos
• cinematic drone footage
• web presentations
• YouTube

It is the safest choice if the video needs to work “everywhere”.

9:16 – social media

Ideal for:

• short dynamic clips
• FPV interior fly-throughs
• product showcases
• behind-the-scenes
• fast advertising spots

4:3 – FPV drones and action cameras

This format is mainly used during recording, not for the final export.

Advantages:

• maximum field of view
• reframing capability to 16:9 and 9:16
• ideal for action videos, fly-throughs, sports, events

2.39:1 – the cinematic experience

Ideal for:

• wedding highlights
• promotional showroom videos
• architectural presentations
• cinematic drone shots

It feels luxurious and professional.

Which aspect ratio to choose for different types of videos

This is where the topic becomes truly interesting, because each type of video has different needs.

Weddings

• main film → 16:9
• highlight → 2.39:1
• social media → 9:16
• FPV fly-throughs → reframing from 4:3

Corporate videos

• presentation video → 16:9
• product video → 16:9 or 1:1
• social media advertising → 9:16
• showroom → 16:9 or 2.39:1

Hotels, restaurants, bars, cafés

• main promo → 16:9
• atmosphere / mood video → 2.39:1
• social media → 9:16

FPV action videos

• recording → 4:3
• export → 16:9 or 9:16

Municipalities, cities, regions

• presentation video → 16:9
• drone footage → 16:9
• social media → 9:16

How Different Aspect Ratios Affect Composition and the Overall Impression of Video

The aspect ratio is not just a technical parameter. It is something that fundamentally influences the atmosphere of a video, the way the story is told, and how the viewer perceives space. Each format has its advantages and is suitable for a different type of content. And because we work with cinematic drones, FPV drones for interior and exterior, traditional cameras, action cameras, and 360° technology, this topic is part of our everyday reality.

Let’s go through how individual aspect ratios change composition and when they make the most sense.

16:9 – Natural Space and Universal Use

The 16:9 aspect ratio is currently the most widespread format. It is wide, but not extreme, so it feels natural and balanced.

Suitable for:

• wedding videos (main film, documentary part)
• corporate videos (presentations, interviews, product showcases)
• promo videos for hotels, restaurants, cafés, bars
• drone footage from cinema drones
• video production for websites and YouTube
• presentations of municipalities, cities, and regions

Why is 16:9 so popular?

• feels natural to the human eye
• is compatible with most devices
• works well with both landscapes and interiors
• allows a balanced composition without extremes

If someone wants a “safe” format that will work everywhere, 16:9 is the clear choice.

2.39:1 – Cinematic, Widescreen, and Aesthetic Format

This aspect ratio is used in feature films and feels luxurious, dramatic, and visually powerful.

Suitable for:

• wedding highlights (short, emotional, cinematic edits)
• promotional videos for showrooms and products
• presentations of architecture, hotels, resorts
• cinematic drone footage
• dynamic FPV fly-throughs with emphasis on space

What makes 2.39:1 exceptional?

• creates a cinematic feel
• emphasizes horizontal space
• feels elegant and professional
• allows working with composition like in film

It is the ideal choice when a video should feel “different” from standard production.

9:16 – Vertical Format for Social Media

Vertical video is now the standard for mobile content.

Suitable for:

• TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts
• short, dynamic clips
• product showcases
• fast advertising spots
• FPV interior fly-throughs
• previews of hotels, restaurants, cafés

Why is 9:16 so important?

• most people watch videos on mobile devices
• social networks prefer vertical content
• fills the entire screen → maximum attention
• ideal for short, punchy messages

If a video is meant to work on social media, 9:16 is a necessity.

1:1 – Square Format for Stable Presentation

It is no longer as popular as it once was, but it still has its place.

Suitable for:

• Instagram feed
• product photos and videos
• presentations of food, drinks, interiors
• short previews from drones and cameras

Advantages of 1:1

• feels stable and balanced
• works well in mobile feeds
• is universal for different types of content

4:3 – Format for FPV Drones and Action Cameras

This aspect ratio is mainly used during shooting, not during the final export.

It is ideal for:

• FPV fly-throughs of interiors and exteriors
• action shots
• sports videos
• technical footage
• shots that will be reframed into 16:9 or 9:16

Why do FPV drones shoot in 4:3?

• captures the widest possible field of view
• allows flexible cropping into different formats
• provides maximum information for stabilization and post-production

For FPV, this is an absolute foundation.

360° Video – A Specialized World with Its Own Rules

360° cameras have specific aspect ratios depending on the export.

Suitable for:

• presentations of hotels, restaurants, cafés
• tourist locations, municipalities, cities, regions
• action shots with the possibility of reframing
• viral content for social media

The advantage is clear:
from a single shot, it is possible to create dozens of different outputs.

How Aspect Ratio Influences Composition

Each format has a different “logic”:

Wide Formats (16:9, 2.39:1)

• ideal for landscapes, architecture, drones
• emphasize horizontal space
• feel cinematic and professional

Vertical Formats (9:16)

• ideal for people, detail, action
• feel dynamic
• work perfectly on social media

Square (1:1)

• stable, neutral
• suitable for products and interiors

4:3 (FPV)

• maximum flexibility
• ideal for reframing
• captures the most information

Aspect Ratio in Drones: Cinema Drones vs. FPV Drones (Outdoor and Indoor)

Drones have brought an entirely new world of possibilities into video production. And with drones, the aspect ratio is a major topic, because different types of drones work with the image in different ways.

Whether it’s cinematic drones that create stable, film-like footage, or FPV drones that fly fast, low, and often even inside buildings, each has its own specific settings and an ideal aspect ratio.

Cinema Drones – Clean Image, Stability, and a Cinematic Look

Cinema drones (e.g. DJI series Air, Mini, Mavic, Inspire…) most often record in these aspect ratios:

• 16:9 – standard widescreen format
• 17:9 – slightly wider cinematic format
• 2.39:1 – after cropping for a cinematic look

Cinema drones are ideal for:

• wedding videos (exteriors, locations, arrivals, landscapes)
• corporate videos (campuses, buildings, showrooms)
• videos of hotels, restaurants, cafés
• presentations of municipalities, cities, and regions
• promotional product videos
• architecture and real estate videos

Their image is stable, clean, and feels professional. The 16:9 aspect ratio is the most common here, because it is universal and combines well with ground-based cameras.

FPV Drones – Dynamics, Action, and Maximum Flexibility

FPV drones are a completely different discipline. They fly fast, low, between objects, around people, through doors, windows, corridors, bars, restaurants, showrooms… and that is exactly why they are recorded in the following aspect ratios:

• 4:3 – the widest field of view, ideal for reframing
• 16:9 – only if a finished widescreen image is needed without post-production

FPV drones are perfect for:

• action videos
• corporate events
• promotional videos for showrooms and products
• fly-throughs of restaurants, bars, cafés, hotels
• wedding afterparties
• sports and dynamic footage
• presentations of municipalities and cities (e.g. flying through a square, cultural center, sports venue)

Why Do FPV Drones Shoot in 4:3?

Because:

• they capture the largest possible image area
• they allow cropping into 16:9 and 9:16
• they provide room for stabilization
• they are ideal for social media as well as cinematic output

Thanks to this, FPV footage is extremely versatile — a single fly-through can be used as:

• cinematic horizontal clip
• vertical video for Reels / TikTok
• square format for the Instagram feed

This is a huge advantage, especially for custom production for companies, hotels, restaurants, bars, cafés, or showrooms.

Aspect Ratio and Social Media: How to Prepare Video to Work Everywhere

Social media sets the trends today. Whether it’s weddings, corporate videos, product advertising, or business presentations, most content ends up there.

Each platform has its ideal formats:

TikTok / Instagram Reels / YouTube Shorts

• 9:16
• vertical video filling the entire screen
• ideal for short, dynamic clips
• perfect for FPV interior fly-throughs

Instagram Feed

• 1:1 or 4:5
• stable, aesthetic, suitable for products, food, interiors

YouTube

• 16:9
• ideal for longer videos, weddings, corporate presentations, drone footage

Facebook

• supports everything, but 16:9 and 9:16 work best

Websites, Presentations, Corporate Pages

• 16:9 is the standard
• feels professional and universal

How to Prepare One Video for Multiple Platforms

This is a common request — and it makes sense.

For example:

• wedding video → main film 16:9 + short clips 9:16
• corporate video → main presentation 16:9 + ad spots 9:16
• hotel / restaurant video → 16:9 for web + 9:16 for social media
• product video → 16:9 for YouTube + 1:1 for Instagram

This gives the client maximum content from a single shoot.

Aspect Ratio and Post-Production: How to Avoid Mistakes

The aspect ratio can be changed in post-production, but it must be done correctly.

Most common mistakes:

• black bars on the sides
• image distortion
• cropping important parts of the frame
• mixing formats without planning
• exporting in the wrong resolution

How to prevent this:

• plan the aspect ratio already during shooting
• use the correct project settings
• reframe from 4:3 for FPV footage
• export according to the target platform
• have multiple versions of the video (16:9, 9:16, 1:1)

This is especially important for custom production — weddings, corporate videos, business presentations, product videos, videos for municipalities and cities.

Aspect Ratio and Different Types of Projects (Practical Examples)

To make the article truly useful, let’s look at specific situations:

Wedding in Prague or Central Bohemia

• main film → 16:9
• highlight → 2.39:1
• social media → 9:16
• FPV fly-through of the venue → reframing from 4:3

Corporate Video for a Showroom in Prague

• main presentation → 16:9
• short advertising spots → 9:16
• FPV fly-through of the showroom → 4:3 → reframing

Hotel or Restaurant Video

• promo video → 16:9
• atmospheric clips → 2.39:1
• social media → 9:16

Promotional Product Video

• YouTube → 16:9
• Instagram feed → 1:1
• Reels / TikTok → 9:16

Presentation of a Municipality, City, or Region

• main video → 16:9
• drone footage → 16:9
• social media → 9:16

How to export video correctly: CapCut, DaVinci Resolve, Premiere Pro

Aspect ratio is not just about shooting. Export is just as important, because that is where it is decided how the video will look on the web, social media, or a large screen. Whether it is a wedding video, corporate presentation, product video, or an FPV fly-through of a restaurant, correct export settings are crucial.

Below you will find clear, understandable, and practical tips that work in common editing software.

CapCut – fast and simple export for social media and classic video

CapCut is extremely popular today because it is fast, intuitive, and ideal for:

• short videos
• Reels / TikTok / Shorts
• FPV fly-throughs
• quick event edits
• product showcases

Recommended export settings in CapCut

For 16:9 (YouTube, web, corporate video):

• Resolution: 4K or 1080p
• FPS: according to source (25 / 30 / 50 / 60)
• Bitrate: high
• Codec: H.264

For 9:16 (Reels, TikTok, Shorts):

• Resolution: 1080×1920
• FPS: 30 or 60
• Bitrate: high
• Watch for cropping – protect heads, text, important objects

For 1:1 (Instagram feed):

• Resolution: 1080×1080
• Ideal for products, food, interiors

CapCut is great for fast work, but for larger projects (weddings, corporate videos, hotel/restaurant promos) DaVinci or Premiere is the better choice.

DaVinci Resolve – professional export for a cinematic look

DaVinci is ideal for:

• wedding films
• corporate videos
• cinematic drone footage
• presentations of hotels, restaurants, cafés
• showroom promotional videos
• longer projects with post-production

Recommended export settings in DaVinci

For 16:9:

• Timeline: 3840×2160 (4K) or 1920×1080
• Color management: DaVinci YRGB
• Export: H.264 or H.265
• Bitrate: 40–80 Mbps (4K), 15–30 Mbps (1080p)

For 2.39:1 (cinematic):

• Timeline: 3840×1607
• Export: H.265 for the best quality-to-size ratio
• Ideal for wedding highlights and promo videos

For 9:16:

• Timeline: 1080×1920
• Export: H.264
• Watch safe zones for text

DaVinci is perfect for projects where color, atmosphere, and the overall impression matter.

Premiere Pro – a universal tool for professional production

Premiere is great for:

• corporate videos
• product advertising
• longer projects
• combining drones, cameras, and FPV
• videos for municipalities, cities, and regions

Recommended export settings in Premiere

For 16:9:

• Sequence: 3840×2160 or 1920×1080
• Export: H.264 (YouTube 4K preset as a base)
• Bitrate: VBR 2-pass

For 9:16:

• Sequence: 1080×1920
• Export: H.264
• Important: switch orientation to Vertical

For 2.39:1:

• Sequence: 3840×1607
• Export: H.265 for smaller file size

Premiere is ideal for projects that combine multiple cameras, drones, and audio tracks.

Most common video export mistakes (and how to avoid them)

1) Black bars on the sides or top/bottom
Reason: incorrect timeline aspect ratio.
Solution: set the timeline according to the target format.

2) Cropping important parts of the image
Reason: switching from 16:9 to 9:16 without reframing.
Solution: manually reposition the image, use keyframes.

3) Mixing different FPS
Reason: combining 25 / 30 / 50 / 60 FPS.
Solution: unify FPS in the timeline.

4) Exporting at low bitrate
Reason: trying to save space.
Solution: stick to recommended values.

5) Incorrect resolution
Reason: exporting 720p instead of 1080p / 4K.
Solution: always export at the highest available quality.

Aspect ratio and storytelling: how format affects video atmosphere

16:9 – balanced storytelling
ideal for documentary style, weddings, corporate videos, business presentations

2.39:1 – cinematic experience
dramatic compositions, luxurious and aesthetic feel

9:16 – dynamics and speed
short messages, FPV interior fly-throughs, social media

4:3 – flexibility and action
ideal for FPV drones, allows reframing, captures maximum space

How aspect ratio affects different types of projects

Weddings (Prague, Central Bohemia, Moravia, Slovakia)
main film → 16:9
highlight → 2.39:1
social media → 9:16
FPV fly-throughs → 4:3 → reframing

Corporate videos
presentation video → 16:9
product video → 16:9 or 1:1
advertising → 9:16
showroom → 16:9 or 2.39:1

Hotels, restaurants, bars, cafés
promo video → 16:9
atmosphere → 2.39:1
social media → 9:16

Municipalities, cities, regions
main presentation → 16:9
drone footage → 16:9
social media → 9:16

Conclusion: aspect ratio as the foundation of quality video

Aspect ratio is often underestimated, but in reality it is one of the most important decisions when creating video. It affects composition, atmosphere, usability across platforms, and the overall impression. Whether it is a wedding video, corporate presentation, product video, hotel video, restaurant, bar, or café, an FPV interior fly-through, cinematic drone footage, or a presentation of a municipality, city, or region, a correctly chosen aspect ratio can elevate the video to a completely new level.

Today’s video world is diversehorizontal formats for web and YouTube, vertical for social media, cinematic formats for aesthetic projects, and flexible FPV formats for dynamic fly-throughs. Each has its place and purpose.

That is why it is important to consider aspect ratio already when planning the project, not just at export.

Summary: which aspect ratio to choose based on video type

Weddings (Prague, Central Bohemia, Moravia, Slovakia)

• main film → 16:9
• cinematic highlight → 2.39:1
• social media → 9:16
• FPV fly-throughs → 4:3 → reframing

Corporate videos

• presentation video → 16:9
• product video → 16:9 / 1:1
• advertisement → 9:16
• showroom → 16:9 / 2.39:1

Hotels, restaurants, bars, cafés

• promo video → 16:9
• atmosphere → 2.39:1
• social media → 9:16

Municipalities, cities, regions

• main presentation → 16:9
• drone footage → 16:9
• social media → 9:16

FPV action videos (interior and exterior)

• shooting → 4:3
• export → 16:9 / 9:16

Aspect ratio and the future of video

Trends change, technology evolves, but one thing is certain:
aspect ratio will always remain a fundamental part of video production.

• With the growing importance of social media, vertical video will continue to dominate.
• With increasing quality of drones and cameras, the cinematic 2.39:1 format will remain popular.
• With the spread of FPV drones, 4:3 will continue to be the king of flexibility.

For video creators, this is great news — we have more options than ever before.

Are you interested in the pricing and specific service offerings of FPVvideo? Visit the page Services / Pricing, where you can find an overview of all packages – from wedding drone videos and FPV indoor flights to complete productions for family events (baptisms, birthdays, anniversaries), corporate parties, team building, product presentations, manufacturing process videos, corporate spaces, or promotional videos for municipalities, towns, and regions. We film in locations such as Prague, Central Bohemia, Říčany, Benešov, Beroun, Kamenice, Moravia, and Slovakia. Everything with a focus on quality, safety, and a creative approach.