Start with the original, not a second crop
A vertical climbing clip can keep the climber centered while still hiding a foot placement or the next handhold. That is a framing problem, not necessarily a tracking failure. Before changing an editor setting, open the original recording and check whether the missing detail is actually there.
If the source already cuts off a hand or foot, moving a crop cannot recover it. Use a wider source if you have one, keep a different moment, or accept that this recording cannot show the full sequence. Do not describe an off-screen contact as visible evidence.
Choose what this version needs to show
A beta-review clip and a close-up social edit have different jobs. For review, retain the feet, hand contacts, relevant holds, and enough wall to understand the movement. For a social edit, you may choose a closer shot, but check that the setup and outcome are still understandable.
Keep a wider review version when a tighter sharing version loses useful context. You do not have to force every recording into a full-screen portrait crop. A wider picture inside a vertical canvas can be more useful than a close-up that hides the move.
Check the three widest moments before setting the crop
Scrub through the whole attempt, then pause where the climber reaches farthest sideways, where a foot moves farthest from the hips, and where the finish or final movement needs the most space. These moments may occur at different times.
A crop that works at the starting holds can fail halfway through a traverse. Include the space the climber moves into, not only the current body position. If the source allows it, leave some margin beyond the fingertips and shoes rather than aligning them exactly with the edge.
Understand the portrait trade-off
With a fixed-height crop from a landscape recording, switching to a narrow portrait shape removes much of the horizontal view. Centering the torso alone cannot guarantee that outstretched limbs fit. Increasing export resolution does not restore the wall area removed by the crop.
For example, a wide traverse may need a wider view throughout, while a mostly upward climb may fit a portrait crop with modest repositioning. These are illustrative framing choices, not measured product results. Choose based on the actual source and movement, not a rule that every climb needs the same zoom.
Try these fixes in order
- Widen the crop. Reduce zoom until the important contacts fit at the widest moment, if the editor offers that control.
- Reposition the crop. A small offset may preserve a crucial foot or the finish without extra zoom.
- Use a wider picture within the portrait canvas. If your editor supports fitting rather than filling, accept borders or unused space instead of hiding movement.
- Split the edit at a natural pause. If different sections require different framing, use separate shots when your editor supports them. Avoid a cut that hides the contact you want to explain.
- Keep the original aspect ratio. If no portrait option preserves the useful sequence, the wider version may simply be the better clip.
Control names vary between editors. This is a general editing workflow, not a claim that every control exists in CruxCut.
Separate crop limits from wrong-person tracking
If the frame follows another person, a wider crop may show more context but does not fix the selected subject. If it follows the intended climber but loses an extended foot at the edge, inspect the framing first. If the source itself loses the climber, no crop can supply the missing footage.
Use the climbing tracking troubleshooting guide for subject switches and obstructions. Keep those cases separate from a correctly centered but overly tight crop.
Play the export, not just the editor preview
Watch the exported file from start to finish. Pause at the wide reach, the widest foot position, and the finish again. Confirm that the actual saved version keeps the movement you selected and that any intended audio is present. A good-looking cover image is not proof that the whole clip is framed well.
Then preview it in the destination app before posting. Interface controls or captions may cover details even when those details remain inside the video. There is no single safe margin for every platform and device; inspect the actual preview and reposition optional text away from important contacts.
A quick check before sharing
- Can I see the setup before the move, rather than only the jump or reach?
- Are the necessary hand and foot contacts visible at the widest moments?
- Does the finish remain in frame long enough to understand what happened?
- Is the exported file the intended version, rather than an older crop?
- Do I have permission to share the climber and any identifiable people in the background?
For the next session, use the filming and editing guide to capture more usable wall context from a safe camera position. Keep your recording device and yourself out of landing areas and follow the gym's filming rules.
Keep the useful version easy to find
Label the wider review clip and the vertical sharing edit separately, so a close crop does not become your only reference. Our climbing video organization workflow explains how to connect derivatives to the original. For movement comparison, use the beta-review guide.
The goal is not the tightest possible zoom. It is a clip that shows the movement you want someone to understand. Browse all climbing video guides.