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

hermmermferm said:
Ok, question.. WTF is a Kowa Prominar Anamorphic-35 1.5X? I can't find any info on this lens..



nothing much.....
only the best non isco anamorphic lens that was availlable in the 1980s and 90s.
all these lens are ex super 8 and 16mm cine.
the isco was the best and most expensive,the kowa prominar had excellent quality optics and it was expensive,1990s price £500 -£800 it had a bigger back element so it is good for camera.
most of them were 2x, so a 1.5x will be better for digital use.
if it is cheap grab it.
Click to expand...
 
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Seller says it was modified so that the anamorphic element could be spun for effect, wondering if I could reverse engineer it to work on the 7D.. might I even need too? Any tips? Revelations?
 
I dont think i would give so much for Isco lens but i tried anamorphic proskar 2X for 21GBP (30 something $)in front of 58mm lens and it works quite good,if it would be able to be closer to the rear lens of 58mm then it would be perfect cause in lowlight you can see a little bit darkened corners ,when you go outside then this problem doesnt exist at all.
I have it on 22x14 sensor not 5d full frame thats why it works and also its 16:9 ,with proskar anamorphic its super wide ,if i would have 50mm lens with smaller rear lens there would be probably no problems at all with darkened corners in low light ,OR maybe with 60 and more telephoto it wouldnt have this problem.
Proskar has 43mm rear mount,actual rear lens has 36mm,i think any lens with front glass smaller than this should work ok on APS-C sensor if you attach proskar to it ,but im not 100 % sure,must test it more.

For 35 bucks im happy with the picture,if i could remove threading from 58mm lens and move anamorphic closer to the front lens of it then it would fix corners.OR just use more lights.

There is some problem when you want to do close up,its harder to get sharpness on anamorphic nd you must move away from camera ,its visible on head close up that sharpness isnt that good even if it was sharpened in post.(all of them are sharpened)
 
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Is the Iscorama worth it? Here's some footage I shot in a music video this weekend. Sorry about the compression problems....the 2 gig version looks GREAT...the web version maybe not so much... either way...here's some more footage for YOU to decide if the Iscorama is worth 1000 dollars...that's likely what you'll pay for one.

http://www.vimeo.com/6799490
 
i just found a 0.5 diopter which is big enough for the 82mm filter size of the iscorama 42, it's 95mm in size and made by tiffen, it's not listed online but apparently according to the dealers they make them. I am also getting setup rings from 62 to 95 to fit it to the iscorama 42.
hope this works. the diopter is not cheap but sure cheaper than the arri master diopters which are about $3000 !
 
ARRI
the diopters here are 0.5 and big enough for the iscorama 42 which i am using
arri master diopters - 2,528.169

B+W
b+w 138mm - $323.944
http://www.schneideroptics.com/ecommerce/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?CID=516&IID=2810
b+w 4.5 (is this square filter for mattebox?)
http://www.schneideroptics.com/ecommerce/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?CID=529&IID=2750
b+w 6" (is this square filter for mattebox?)
http://www.schneideroptics.com/ecommerce/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?CID=100&IID=3096

TIFFEN
no links but according to agent
95mm tiffen diopter 0.5
82mm they have a set (+1 +2 +3 )
they apparently can make custom 82 -95
mind u this is all through a phone call with the agent, i am waiting for their confirmation on email.



interestingly 1.5 achromatric diopter 86mm
http://www.schneideroptics.com/ecommerce/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?CID=1088&IID=902
 
I found a used series IX (series 9 ) 0.5 close up diopter though KEH used photo equipment.... but they don't have any more at the moment. Keep checking I guess. Series 9 filters were popular with 16mm camera packages.. Maybe try some rental shops?

I think used series 9 is the way to go. It was relatively cheap... hopefully the step up rings I found are going to work... always a bit of a problem w series 9.
 
Can you post a pic? All of the flares I've been seeing run vertical and horizontal...
From your first and only example pic it looked like the elements were at a 45 degree angle, but you probably have it lined up now right? Red arrow at the top?
 
i just did some test - rotated the iscorama around it distorts the image but the flare line stays at that angle. Then I unmounted my lecia, and turned it around while it still being on the camera. and presto! the flare line rotates accordingly to the lens. So now I am wondering, We need to have a rotating lens adaptor! LOL
But this is interesting, cause it can be controled.
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after this i checked through some footage in vimeo with flares and noticed that all of them have the flare at an angle,
http://www.vimeo.com/6102896
http://www.vimeo.com/6370039
Great footage but now we have the option, just need a rotating mount. Thinking of modifying my adaptor.
 
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deadfish said:
i just did some test - rotated the iscorama around it distorts the image but the flare line stays at that angle. Then I unmounted my lecia, and turned it around while it still being on the camera. and presto! the flare line rotates accordingly to the lens. So now I am wondering, We need to have a rotating lens adaptor! LOL
But this is interesting, cause it can be controled.
3967859276_1c5cf2fc85_o.jpg

3967859670_44631fa0f4_o.jpg

after this i checked through some footage in vimeo with flares and noticed that all of them have the flare at an angle,
http://www.vimeo.com/6102896
http://www.vimeo.com/6370039
Great footage but now we have the option, just need a rotating mount. Thinking of modifying my adaptor.
Click to expand...

That's pretty interesting, I wonder why on some people's footage the angle is less severe. I didn't notice it on Rich's footage though. I guess the 50mm element on that lens happens to be properly aligned with the adapter.
 
just modified the lecia to canon adaptor took out all the locking parts . It's abit of a pain to get the adaptor out , cause the lens will not lock, and grip the adaptor when u want to get it out . anyway this is a hack job. Would be nice to get the sweet spot and lock it up.
here's the test
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I am begaining to think that RICH is a real Jedi master of camera stuff.
 
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Be advised... I just acquired an Iscorama 42 with the M42 isco rear lens and it does NOT clear the mirror on my canon 5D mk2. I'm posting pics soon, it looks like it may be fixable but straight out of the box there was an issue. The tolerances are very close, and maybe I can get a small flange filed down... or switch out the B lens (the rear, spherical/non-anamorphic one.)

Pics to come. Excited to get one of these, sad that it still needs help. The lens arrived in the mail today and ten minutes after UPS brought the M42 to EOS adapter.
 
So here is my current problem, any advice appreciated. I just just acquired an Iscorama 42 with the M42 isco rear lens and it does NOT clear the mirror on my canon 5D mk2. I'm posting pics here, it looks like it may be fixable but straight out of the box there was an issue. The tolerances are very close, and maybe I can get a small flange filed down... or switch out the B lens (the rear, spherical/non-anamorphic one.) Take a look

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I'm guessing the mirror is grazing the edge of A or B. It's quite close to clearing, so I am hoping maybe it can be milled or filed down a hair and then it will work. Of course, the cheap hong kong M42 to EOS adapter MAY be the problem but the lens seems to focus when I carefully lock up the mirror and screw the lens in to fit.

I can't really shoot stills but I suppose I could shoot some test video while carefully (!!!) mounting and unmounting the lens to check back focus issues. But I'd rather solicit some helpful advice and take it slow.. I just got the thing.
 
If the 42 is similar to the 36 insofar as it may have a 49mm rear thread then I would say get a 52mm to 49mm step down ring and.....

......throw away that M42 lens and stick the front on a Nikon 50 1.8!!!
 
*ahem* http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showpost.php?p=1756095&postcount=42

You have 2 options: http://www.cinema5d.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=5779

Don't hack up the lens. It will be worth more than your 5D in a few weeks. There are a few benifits to using the stock Isco 2.8 rear, and honestly the 1.8 Nikkor AF while sharper and faster, is plastic bollocks and flexes when you rotate the Isco. I'm still searching for the better rear 50 lens over the AF Nikkor, that hits the nodal point of the anamorphic perfectly.
 
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