Any new news on the Century Anamorphic
- Thread starter goober542
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Bill__Turner
Well-known member
Re: Any new news on the Century Anamorphic
Thank you for your continued interest. As posted previously, this project has been star crossed and I will spare you the details.
We are re-making an element that should allow us to do a final evaluation of the unit prior to making the decision on going ahead with production. We would hope to have a pre-production sample by NAB (spring 2005). The results so far have been encouraging.
The likelyhood of a true 16x9 Panasonic DVX around NAB, and a projected price of $2000 certainly will call into question the demand for a high quality, focusing 1.33X anamorphic-- in my mind at least.
Bill Turner
Schneider Optics
Century Division
Thank you for your continued interest. As posted previously, this project has been star crossed and I will spare you the details.
We are re-making an element that should allow us to do a final evaluation of the unit prior to making the decision on going ahead with production. We would hope to have a pre-production sample by NAB (spring 2005). The results so far have been encouraging.
The likelyhood of a true 16x9 Panasonic DVX around NAB, and a projected price of $2000 certainly will call into question the demand for a high quality, focusing 1.33X anamorphic-- in my mind at least.
Bill Turner
Schneider Optics
Century Division
Re: Any new news on the Century Anamorphic
No, the projected price for the Century anamorphic is $2000. I think Bill is worried about going into production on an expensive product with the possibiity that Panasonic will release a 16:9 DVX at NAB. I've heard nothing about Panasonic releasing an updated DVX, but you can't discount the possibility.
No, the projected price for the Century anamorphic is $2000. I think Bill is worried about going into production on an expensive product with the possibiity that Panasonic will release a 16:9 DVX at NAB. I've heard nothing about Panasonic releasing an updated DVX, but you can't discount the possibility.
Re: Any new news on the Century Anamorphic
Oh I see. I am kind of worried that the century lens is into going to make it into anything more than vaporware. I hope I am wrong cause I would like to use it this summer on a feature we are going to shoot, cause I don't think the panasonic ana will do the job. I almost think I would opt for squeeze mode this summer over the pana ana. The depth of field blows IMHO with the ana, its far more limiting than I would have figured, I am just interested to see how it compares on blow up to 35 to the anamorphic.
It seems though if squeeze mode is more resolution than 4:3 and cropping then it should at least look better than something like 28 days later, which I honestly felt did not look that horrible on the big screen.
Oh I see. I am kind of worried that the century lens is into going to make it into anything more than vaporware. I hope I am wrong cause I would like to use it this summer on a feature we are going to shoot, cause I don't think the panasonic ana will do the job. I almost think I would opt for squeeze mode this summer over the pana ana. The depth of field blows IMHO with the ana, its far more limiting than I would have figured, I am just interested to see how it compares on blow up to 35 to the anamorphic.
It seems though if squeeze mode is more resolution than 4:3 and cropping then it should at least look better than something like 28 days later, which I honestly felt did not look that horrible on the big screen.
Barry_Green
Moderator
Re: Any new news on the Century Anamorphic
Squeeze is not more resolution than cropped 4:3, in fact it is the same resolution. And you'll still be talking about 360 lines of res, vs. "28 Days Later", which had (by my calculations) about 240 lines, so a significant boost in resolution over 28DL.
Squeeze is not more resolution than cropped 4:3, in fact it is the same resolution. And you'll still be talking about 360 lines of res, vs. "28 Days Later", which had (by my calculations) about 240 lines, so a significant boost in resolution over 28DL.
Bill__Turner
Well-known member
Re: Any new news on the Century Anamorphic
matthew,
The spacing of the elements in the anamorphic need to be set (focussed) for the object distance (subject to camera) separately from the camera lens to achieve sharp focus thru the entire zoom range at all working distances.
The current unit sold by Panasonic is a compromise design with the spacing set to give the most flexibility possible in working distances with out changing the spacing of the two elements.
The precision focusing mount will be calibrated as a guide to focussing
but short of a very complex mechanism that slaved the focus of the anamorphic to the camera lens (which we are not contemplating), proper focus will require discipline and care.
It will be most useful in controlled situations such as drama's and pose problems for documentary or "run and gun" style of production.
Bill Turner
Century Division
Schneider Optics
matthew,
The spacing of the elements in the anamorphic need to be set (focussed) for the object distance (subject to camera) separately from the camera lens to achieve sharp focus thru the entire zoom range at all working distances.
The current unit sold by Panasonic is a compromise design with the spacing set to give the most flexibility possible in working distances with out changing the spacing of the two elements.
The precision focusing mount will be calibrated as a guide to focussing
but short of a very complex mechanism that slaved the focus of the anamorphic to the camera lens (which we are not contemplating), proper focus will require discipline and care.
It will be most useful in controlled situations such as drama's and pose problems for documentary or "run and gun" style of production.
Bill Turner
Century Division
Schneider Optics
Barry_Green
Moderator
Re: Any new news on the Century Anamorphic
I think Century's lens will require about as much care and setup. Where Century's will have a *huge* advantage is that you should be able to get razor-sharp focus at any distance, any zoom setting, any aperture. With the Panamorphic there are simply some combinations that you just can't do. Century should let you get every shot, but you will have to focus two elements separately to do it (which means autofocus will be out of the question).
Mr. Turner, please correct any of that that I got wrong...
I think Century's lens will require about as much care and setup. Where Century's will have a *huge* advantage is that you should be able to get razor-sharp focus at any distance, any zoom setting, any aperture. With the Panamorphic there are simply some combinations that you just can't do. Century should let you get every shot, but you will have to focus two elements separately to do it (which means autofocus will be out of the question).
Mr. Turner, please correct any of that that I got wrong...
Bill__Turner
Well-known member
Re: Any new news on the Century Anamorphic
Barry,
What you say is correct, tho tests we have done with the smaller version of the focussing 1.33x anamorphic that is currently in production on the PD150/170 and similar cameras shows that turning on the auto focus and slowly focussing the anamorphic until maximum sharpness is acheived-- then switching the auto focus off, can be a good way to achieve accurate focus--- these camera's do not have the digital read out of focus position that the DVX does.
The prototypes we have built over the past 18 months have not had a true focussing mount, but rather a moveable cell to change the spacing, so I am not yet sure what the most reliable way of focussing will be on the DVX in the units final form--- but a table for the DVX's zoom similar to what you have done, plus setting the focus scale on the anamorphic might prove to be the most accurate , repeatable way.
Bill Turner
Century Division
Schneider Optics
Barry,
What you say is correct, tho tests we have done with the smaller version of the focussing 1.33x anamorphic that is currently in production on the PD150/170 and similar cameras shows that turning on the auto focus and slowly focussing the anamorphic until maximum sharpness is acheived-- then switching the auto focus off, can be a good way to achieve accurate focus--- these camera's do not have the digital read out of focus position that the DVX does.
The prototypes we have built over the past 18 months have not had a true focussing mount, but rather a moveable cell to change the spacing, so I am not yet sure what the most reliable way of focussing will be on the DVX in the units final form--- but a table for the DVX's zoom similar to what you have done, plus setting the focus scale on the anamorphic might prove to be the most accurate , repeatable way.
Bill Turner
Century Division
Schneider Optics
Re: Any new news on the Century Anamorphic
thanks for the fuller explanation. i pretty much understood it before but the extra detail was useful.
i guess what gets me is i helped shoot some stuff this weekend with a group who didn't want to use the anamorphic and it really struck me how much sharper the footage looked without the anamorphic adaptor and i am quite certain i have done everything i can with the anamorphic + barry's guide.
so if/when there is a dvx-100b? with true 16:9 out of the box would it have anamorphic ccd's?
and the biggest question, would it have a focus that would do away with any special focus needs?
i ASSume it would focus pretty much like a stock dvx-100 now?
matthew
thanks for the fuller explanation. i pretty much understood it before but the extra detail was useful.
i guess what gets me is i helped shoot some stuff this weekend with a group who didn't want to use the anamorphic and it really struck me how much sharper the footage looked without the anamorphic adaptor and i am quite certain i have done everything i can with the anamorphic + barry's guide.
so if/when there is a dvx-100b? with true 16:9 out of the box would it have anamorphic ccd's?
and the biggest question, would it have a focus that would do away with any special focus needs?
i ASSume it would focus pretty much like a stock dvx-100 now?
matthew
Re: Any new news on the Century Anamorphic
I think people are getting lazy with technology. Go watch a feature film being shot. They still drag out the tape measure for checking focus. I have no problems using Barrys guide because the steps involved are just part of the filmaking process as they always have been.
I think people are getting lazy with technology. Go watch a feature film being shot. They still drag out the tape measure for checking focus. I have no problems using Barrys guide because the steps involved are just part of the filmaking process as they always have been.
Re: Any new news on the Century Anamorphic
True those steps are part of regular filmmaking, but to get a true film look out of the DVX the deep focus that the anamorphic makes your maintain truely sucks compared to how free you are to play with depth of field with out it.
True those steps are part of regular filmmaking, but to get a true film look out of the DVX the deep focus that the anamorphic makes your maintain truely sucks compared to how free you are to play with depth of field with out it.