Anamorphic need help

J

johnny001

Member
Hi guys i have question about anamorphic lens i have canon 60d and i am looking to purchase one anamorphic lens for that film look. Can you please tell me what is the good way to go about it since i have no idea about what lens options are available here or how is mounted. I have seen something about using projector lens how does this work can i place this projector lens on any canon lens to get that anamorphic look?

Here i can buy this SCHNEIDER SUPER CINELUX ANAMORPHIC lens adapter is this what i need
link -http://ontario.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-sell-cameras-camcorders-SCHNEIDER-SUPER-CINELUX-ANAMORPHIC-2X-MC-75-MM-f-2-LENS-ADAPTER-W0QQAdIdZ466989951

Thanks
 
A few of the many things to consider:

- minimum focus distance of the projector lens, some are 5 feet, some are 5 metres. I am not sure or familiar with the SCHNEIDER-SUPER-CINELUX. I have a few Isco Cinemascope Ultra Star HD, you remove the back half, they focus reasonable close, or use a diopter. See eBay item number: 261193978024 to understand this particular Isco. btw, not me selling. This particular Isco comes up from time to time, old cinema lenses, can sell as low as $200 - $250, perhaps more. It is no Isco 36 or 54. The Isco I refer is only because it is what I have. Kowa and Sankor seem to be popular and can cost more, probably for good reason. Research or study footage from YT or Vimeo, and ask others questions.

- the taking lens, such as 50mm for a camera like the GH2, and an 85mm for a 5D. These are approximates. Go below, and you may start to vignette, although it may depend on the anamorphic you attach, another factor. Compare the sensor size of the 60D to the aforementioned GH2 or 5D and you should get an idea of what lens you should test. I would test existing lenses you may have before rushing off to buy one just yet. Other 60D users with anamorphic attachments can chime in here.

- depending on the anamorphic lens design and diameter, you will likely need a lens clamp. Type into an eBay search "anamorphic lens clamp". Buy one after you know which anamorphic you're buying and have diameter information, etc. You'll likely need step up or step down rings to match the clamp to the taking lens front filter diameter.

- dual focusing. You will have to focus the taking lens (lens to camera) and the anamorphic lens which attaches to the taking lens. Difficult to pull focus during a take, so talent in narrative project hitting marks is not always practical to do in my experience. That said, you can capture amazing images with this lens combination, although it will be a little softer than what you are familiar with from just your taking lens. Who knows, perhaps there is hope for this cause after all: https://vimeo.com/60863477

There is heaps more to discuss and others can probably give you some more tips and warnings. Good luck!
 
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Thanks for reply i am looking at Sankor 16c Anamorphic lens i seen some test videos on canon 7d and it looks good (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEfQaIN7qck) i am also thinking between sankor or
Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Lens i seen some test videos and i have noticed some vignetting is this normal for anamorphic lens and can it be removed?

thanks
 
Just want to remind everyone that there is a big difference using an anamorphic lens that was designed to be a taking lens, and those that are projection lenses/attachements.

Sorry for the interruption; Please continue.
 
Sure it can be removed if you scale up the image, however, this may soften your image, and may make any CA more pronounced, etc. I have found results better with a sharper taking lens, so that is also a factor, whereas some of my legacy glass, which has great character, is not as sharp when combined with an anamorphic lens attachment. My GH2 requires around a 50mm lens to avoid vignette, whereas the 5D required an 85mm lens to avoid vignette, that is when using my Isco, as described above. I am not sure what the minimum for a Sankor 16C will be, they are all different. You'll have to research videos and their description. Sorry I am not specifically helpful with regard to your taking lens question, although the lens you mention is likely to be a great lens, and the fact that it is not super fast at f3.5, personally, is a good thing, save low light shooting. Dual focusing is hard enough, SDOF on top of that is complicated unless point of interest being recorded stays within the narrow focal plan. Just my experience, I love the look, somewhat frustrated with the somewhat lack of freedom in various situations. Your experience may vary. Keep researching, and hopefully someone will chime in with specific knowledge regarding your camera and lens combinations when using a Sankor.
 
johnny001 said:
Thanks for reply i am looking at Sankor 16c Anamorphic lens i seen some test videos on canon 7d and it looks good (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEfQaIN7qck) i am also thinking between sankor or
Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Lens i seen some test videos and i have noticed some vignetting is this normal for anamorphic lens and can it be removed?

thanks
Click to expand...

In that video, a 58mm Helios taking lens was used. No vignette is apparent. The Canon 10-22mm likley to vignette, even at 22mm. It could be real lot of cropping. I do not think this is the correct lens. As I said, find footage that matches your camera and/or sensor size to help gauge the minimum taking lens required. Then you can extend the long end with other lenses, zoom, etc.

Also, using a 16:9 sensor is going to result in around 3.55:1 with the 60D, instead of around 2.40:1, if using a 4:3 type record mode in various cameras, such as the Alexa Studio, Red One or Red Epic, to name a few. It still looks great at 3.55:1, however, I personally am trying to get closer to 2.40:1, so the GH2 is not going to get me there.
 
Hi Johnny I also have a canon 60d, and here are some things that I have learned that may be helpful:

Stay away from the schneider cinelux. I own this lens and there are several things that make it difficult for anamorphic film making:

Too big. Mounting it is a pain.
Very little horizontal flare. (You might prefer this but I'm a huge anamorphic flare fan)
Have to stop down to f11 to get anything in focus. (This reduces the flare as well)
Minimum 6 feet focusing distance.
Tiny focusing knob on the front is brutal for duel focusing.

I paid twenty dollars for the cinelux, I wouldn't dream of paying anything more.

The anamorphic lenses that are much more useful are these:

Sankor 16c, 16d, 16f etc
Singer 16d
Kowa 8z/16f

This is just a handful, but there's many more. These lenses are typically among the cheaper options, ranging from $200 to $1000. They are easier to duel focus because they have a nice big focus ring, smaller, lighter (although still relatively heavy considering some options) better flare, and just all around easier to handle and mount.

I own the singer 16d graflex and its a pretty good option. I can shoot about f2.8 and still get things in a sharper focus, although not perfect. The slower your f stop, the sharper things become. But less flare, and shallow depth of field. Minimum focusing distance is around 5 to six feet, so a diopter is needed. It vignettes quite easily at 50mm, even a little at 85mm on the canon 60d.

Its a lot of fun and I am in love with the anamorphic look, but it can be quite a headache, and expensive. Just experiment and find something that works for you, but stay away from the big bulky projection lenses. If you won't the best option for lower budget anamorphic film making grab an iscorama 36 if you can find one. Last one on ebay was going for $5200. Hope this helps.
 
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I have a schneider and a singer 16d. The singer is very sharp. The Schneider blows it out of the water in sharpness though. People on EOSHD agree that it is extremely sharp. Unfortunately there are some caveats. It uses a screw focus. Basically you won't be able to change focus during your shot (unless you hack the lens up). Doesn't flare great probably because it has good coatings. So the trade off is probably better contrast. The thing weighs about 600 grams. Has a 2x squeeze. I still prefer it to the Singer, mainly b/c I can use wider lenses on the schneider without vignetting.

Here is a page I am writing, that lists some common anamorphic lenses

There are many additional expenses. If you don't want to dual focus your lenses, you will need to spend more money. Isco, century optics, panasonic, etc...
Also if you want to focus to things close up you may need diopters. Finally, there is the issue of mounting the lenses. You will most likely want the lens to be supported via tripod collar or rail system. The lightest lenses can dangle off of your taking lens via an adapter (lens clamp), no additional support needed. But if your lens is on the heavier side, you will want it to rest on something.

Also, I am wondering what taking lens you will be using with the anamorphic lens. If you use something under 55mm on a 60d, it will vignette on many anamorphic adapters. So, you can use it on wide angle lenses like the canon 10-22, but you will get a ton of vignetting. Your usable resolution would be tiny.

Lastly, keep in mind that there are different squeezes. A lens that has a 2x squeeze might be too crazy for some; (16 x 2):9 = 32:9 aspect ratio = 3.56.
 
David B said:
Sankor 16c, 16d, 16f etc
Singer 16d
Kowa 8z/16f
Click to expand...

This.

Don't bother with other models unless you can afford to fork out for a proper anamorphic. Aside from the fact these perform well and possess the best balance of desirable features (for repurposed projector lenses) there are custom clamps available for these models. Buy one of these, Sankor 16c is probably best bang for buck, it is lightweight, sharp, close focussing and flares beautifully. If you are patient on ebay expect to pay between 300-600. The Kowa 8Z or 16H (not 16f - typo) is the best of the bunch but will set you back 800-1200 unless you are lucky. Buy quality clamps from ebay seller redstan, the quality is worth the extra cost. There is enough fiddly work involved with using projector anamorphics to worry about to spend 10 minutes trying to balance and centre the anamorphic, poor alignment, slipping etc. For the sake of an extra $30 or so don't cheap out. redstan clamps are custom fitted to the model and he has clamps available for all the ones David listed.

Anything cheaper than the Sankor 16c is going to be rubbish if it is usable at all. Unless you are well educated (which comes from experience alone, most of us anamorphic addicts have a ridiculous collection, I have 8 or is it 9...why? Truth is there is no rational reason) you won't find an unusual rare bargain that is worth the money. Stick with the tried and true. And be aware even these good ones are a PIA to use. But if you love the look it's the cheapest way to get it.
 
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