Anamorphic lens options

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Flintstone

New member
I spoke to my dealer today and he said that some people were not too pleased about the Panasonic anamorphic lens. Maybe they had the OIS on, I don't know. Everyone that have a Panasonic anamorphic lens, are you satisfied with the quality? And are there alternatives to the Panasonic anamorphic lens? And if yes, are they better? I've spoken to Century Optics, and they say that they won't have one for the DVX100 until January 2004.
 
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Personally, I think its crap. Optex makes a very similar one and there is the mezmerizer, but I would wait for the Century optics.

I have worked alot with the anamorphic lens, and in the last feature I shot with the DVX the producer offered me the lens instead of a deferal (nobody every gets deferals anyways) and I turned it down.
 
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Yes.. we rented one once and it was cool as hell and all metal and pretty hardcore, but I have no idea where to get them.
 
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I'm going to have to take the opposite stand -- I like the anamorphic adapter, I think it's a great piece of glass and an amazing value. Consider that the Optex lens is nearly useless on the DVX, and that the Century is supposed to retail at $2,000 -- and the Panasonic at a street price of $700 is an amazing value.

You can have effectively a native 16:9, 24P camera for under $3800...

I've been shooting a lot of footage with the anamorphic recently, and as long as you play by its "rules", the results are very good. Keep your "Z" setting between Z10 and Z90, and bring along a high-res CRT monitor so you can pull accurate focus, and it'll do a great job.

I just made a 24P anamorphic DVD and projected it on my 10' screen, and I think it looked great!

I've got one more spec commercial to shoot, and then I'm sending two minutes of footage off to be transferred to 35mm. The lab will make it available to anyone who wants to see anamorphic DVX footage projected in their theater, for a nominal fee (whatever it costs them to make duplicate prints). The footage will have anamorphic, regular, and (with fingers crossed) mini35 DVX footage on it -- I'll know more about that next week.
 
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Flintstone, who did you speak with about the Century Optics 16:9 lens? I was hoping the lens would be released early December. Where did you hear that it was coming out in January? Thanks!
 
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Oz, I called Century Optics and talked to a sales rep. She said: "We are presently working on a prototype, we should be releasing a production model on the first of next year." I did not ask what the price would be.
 
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I have to agree with Barry here. I rented the anamorphic for a short recently and I'm very pleased with the results. The only drawback to the lens I encountered was a focus issue if you're zooming in REALLY tight on something. But I mean we're talking about getting in close on a text on a computer monitor or realy tight on someone's eyeball here.
Granted, i've had nothing to compare it to, but I'm pleased with the results.

Storyteller32
PS: does anyone know anyplace else to pick one up in person (not shipped) in NYC besides B&H? Place I rented it from has it out for the weekend and B&H is closed Saturdays. Doesn't have to be a rental, I want to buy it. Thanks...
 
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Thanks, Flintstone. Last I heard from Ken was that they were hoping for a late November, early December release but since its already late November, the January prediction seems to be right.

I emailed Century Optics again to be sure though, hopefully we'll get a response next week.

Personally, I'm really looking forward to this lens. I was told that it had its own focusing ring. Perhaps the major drawback of this lens - besides the high price tag - is the fact that you'll need a very large matte box to accomodate it. Larger than 115mm diameter. Matte boxes like that with filters to match are in the $2000 - $3000 range at best, much more realistically.

If the lens comes out around the same time the AG-DVX100A does, I'm gonna have a hard time deciding which I'd like to budget for first.

Storyteller32, perhaps Adorama might carry the Panasonic anamorphic lens? Click on this link for their webpage.
 
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From: Latest DVX News / Re: Some actuall DVX100A frame shots

[quote author=Zoomforce link=board=nws;num=1069360500;start=0#4 date=11/21/03 at 09:51:59]yes.. but remember the Panasonic lens is kinda crap.. its plastic for #@#$ sake.[/quote]
(referring to the Pana anamorphic adapter)

[quote author=Barry_Green link=board=Links;num=1068678811;start=0#4 date=11/12/03 at 23:18:04]I'm going to have to take the opposite stand -- I like the anamorphic adapter, I think it's a great piece of glass and an amazing value.[/quote]

Plastic or glass? I had always assumed it was glass.

Monk
 
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sorry, lens is glass, the body is plastic.
 
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Thanks for the link OZ. They normally carry it, but it's on back order for the next two weeks so I guess my shoot won't be completed until after thanksgiving now. (can't get the cast and crew together again before then)

I see the point about the plastic body. It's something i'm willing to overlook for the price point. Hell, half the freakin' camera is plastic, right? ;D

Storyteller32
 
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I've only shot about 10 hours of footage with this lens but from what I have seen, I love. I think the quality is fine when using it with this camera. If the camera had a higher res, then maybe the images you get wouldn't be quite as nice. I have found focusing when zoomed in to be difficult. I am planning on outting about 5 min of footage to 35mm once I compile the 5 min. I think this will be the true test. I'll post the results...
 
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