Is the Iscorama worth it? Dispelling the myth... or "Let's Shoot it out!"

The 28mm is cool on a crop sensor but it will vignette like a fisheye on a full frame.

+0.5 diopters are essential I reckon.
 
I'm doing it in compressor, when I convert to prores for editing in fcp I change the aspect ratio to 2.35:1
 
something weird going on...
that guy sold a 16.9 isco last week to a o feedback bidder he re listed and it has just been won again by a 0 feedback bidder..
and this one looks odd 2.
the 54 for is the most expensive weighs a ton and is softer than the other 2 lens.


I agree...there are only two bidders that look legitimate...the two that are pushing up the price have 2 and 0 feedbacks.
 
Is the Iscorama worth it?

i think the 3 iscorama's are worth at least 1500 us dollars each.
they are just so well made and super sharp.
isco make a projection lens which has similar technology within and it retails new for over 5000 usd.
we here lot's of talk about a race to build these new generation anamorphics lens..zeiss,isco hot rod etc. but folks really, you are going to have a heart attack when you see the price.
does anyone really believe these companies are going to get out of bed to work on an 800 dollar lens, 2000-6000 usd more like.and it will have a tough tough time besting the existing product. if hot rod do it cheaper they will be knocking together old russian or hong kong optics. the iscoramas price cannot be seen as a bubble because they are so scarce and the quality is so high.
 
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...431739&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_500wt_1182

Did anyone on this list buy this?

I wonder what this was.... an Isco anamorphic lens of some kind, listed as a projector lens, no documentation on what the squeeze factor is. How close it might focus is anyone's guess. Projector lenses aren't designed with a close focus range in mind, but this one seems to have markings of 2 meters, if I see the blurry photo right.

Speaking of projector lenses, what sort of results might one expect in trying to shoot with an anamorphic 35mm projector lens adaptor? I'm guessing some of the same problems would be there - difficulty in close focus being one, besides the part about finding a spherical lens that works well with it and figuring out how to mount it.
 
the 54 for is the most expensive weighs a ton and is softer than the other 2 lens.
The Iscorama 54 is the only one that can be well adapted to a 77mm thread lens like 24-105 correct?

I found someone interested to sell me two units. I'll be buying them for a project but only if I will find someone interested to buy them from me for USD1500. Any takers?
 
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I can try to get some documentation from Isco as you wish.

While you're at it could you ask them if they have a service manual for the 36, one of mine has some fungus so I want to open it up and try to give it a clean. The funny thing is that it's my sharpest one.

Maybe you could talk them into doing a run of 72mm +0.5 diopters too.
 
Ok, question.. WTF is a Kowa Prominar Anamorphic-35 1.5X? I can't find any info on this lens..

Barry Green
Barry Wan Kenobi

Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 3,606


I did indeed. And if you're taking anamorphic stills, it just seemed odd... I mean, would you be printing using an anamorphic lens on your enlarger? Etc...

(with that said, there was a Kowa 1.5x anamorphic attachment for still cameras, in M42 mount...)

So anyway, yes, for mini35 usage it does seem like it could work and might be one way to get full-res 16:9 imagery with a mini35.

Barry Green, time for you to join this conversation.. :)
 
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Never used it, only was aware of it.

Cine anamorphics are 2x squeeze, which would make for a profoundly widescreen image on any HD camera (3.56:1). Ideally you'd want a 1.333x squeeze, which would turn 16:9 into 2.37:1. The Kowa 1.5x was pretty much close enough; it'd give you a 2.67:1 aspect ratio, which (with a little horizontal cropping) could easily become 2.40. But, again, I haven't used it, just heard about it.
 
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