Iscorama Anamophic Lens Test

Good news from the Iscorama/5DII front line . . . . . . Iscorama + Nikon success ! :thumbsup:

The front section of the Iscorama 50mm mounts perfectly on a Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 - as the front element is so recessed on the Nikon 50mm it only takes the extra 3-4mm of the (49mm - 52mm) step up ring to allow it to happily accommodate the large protruding rear element of the Iscomrama's anamorphic front half.

Hardly any vignetting, just a subtle soft shading towards the far corners - which I actually like !

The Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 lens is said to be Nikon's sharpest lens ever - even when compared to pro lenses costing many thousands of pounds - the Nikon 50 f/1.8 is only about £90-£100 brand new here in the UK.

So . . . it seems like a great way to make the Iscorama sharper and faster - and for not too much money.

If you try this you will end up with a multi-Brand Frankenstein of a set up - Canon >Novoflex > Nikon > Step-Up-ring > Göttingen - but it will be faster and sharper than the standard Iscoramam 50mm - and still retains all those lovely light aberrations and flares, and oval Bokeh which would seem to be soley a propety of the anamorphic part of the Iscorama.

post-39-1233922041.jpg


I was going to try the same thing with my Nikon f/1.2 50mm, but the front element is pretty standard (ie: not very recessed) so I would have to put a stack of extension rings between the Nikon f/1.2 and the anamorphic element - and I can't see how this would not introduce bad vignetting. (But I have not tried it and could well be wrong - it might work).
 
I wasn't going to say this as I had only done a few tests with the Nikon + Iscorama combination . . . but having just stood outside in the street filming cars going by (it's 11pm here in the UK / nightime) . . . .


. . . . . from what I can see the Nikon + Iscorama combination is making it far easier to generate lens flares and streaks and general light mayhem than the standard Iscorama 50mm !?

The light aberrations would seem to be nicer too, more colourful. Technically I have no clue why this would be the case, perhaps it is just the difference between f/2.8 and f/1.8 ?. . . . but whatever the reason, I like it, I like it alot :)

Might have to do more testing to confirm I am not imagining this . . . if the larger aperture is helping the flares do their thing, stopping the aperture down should kill them off ?

In fact if I stop the Nikon down to f/2.8 I should see the lens flares go back to what you see with a standard Iscorama 50mm . . . . . ?


Just thinking out loud here . . . .
 
Thanks Lee,

So, have you been trying other focal lengths?

BTW, Congrats for your rare purchase nowadays (it is sold out everywhere) or were you that $911 ebay bidder?

E :-)
 
Emanuel said:
Thanks Lee,

So, have you been trying other focal lengths?
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I was initially only going to try using the front anamorphic part from the Iscorama with lenses that had recessed front elements - and the Nikon 50 f/1.8 was the only one that fitted the bill that I had lying around. . . .

. . . . plus you cannot really go wider than 50mm - you will just end up in a world of vignetting . . but longer focal lengths might work out ok (?).

I am going to try and make a connection from the Iscorama front element to a Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM - not a fast lens, but it would be nice to have an image stabilized anamorphic zoom . . .

I will try it out next week when I can get to my step-up-down-ring guy . . . . it might not work, but worth the price of a few cheap step up/down rings to find out.


Emanuel said:
BTW, Congrats for your rare purchase nowadays (it is sold out everywhere) or were you that $911 ebay bidder?

E :-)
Click to expand...

If I told you were I got my Iscorama from I would have to kill you, then anyone you had spoken to, then myself :Drogar-Evil(DBG):
 
Just back from more pointing the camera at lights . . . .

Ok, I am going to stick my neck out here and say that without a doubt taking out the back half of the Iscorama 50 and replacing it with the Nikon 50mm f/1.8 gives you much more lens flare loveliness !

Stopping the Nikon lens down to f/2.8 takes you back to where the standard complete Iscorama was with regard to lens flare - although the Nikon is still much sharper - and the lens flares look much sharper too !

+ the Iscorama's rear 50mm lens element has 5 blades where as the Nikon has 7 - which also effects the look of the flares . . .
 
jamesmallonuk said:
Would it be possible to see some samples of the Nikon's with the Iscorama?
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Sure, I have been mainly just pointing the camera at some street lights and playing with how different set-ups effect the image - nothing nice to look at - but I could post some screen grabs for you . . .

Give me 10 minutes, I will upload a few stills . . . .
 
My step rings finally arrived and I'm still testing but I've been able to mate the isco 36 to my russian tair 11a 135mm with a step ring, the tair has a built in hood with recessed glass. The result is very good and I'll shoot some examples over the coming days.

I've also been able to mount it to my helios 44-2 58mm, it wasn't quite as sharp as the isco back end wide open but the helios isn't very sharp wide open like a nikon. I'll get my hands on a nikon 50mm.
 
squig said:
My step rings finally arrived and I'm still testing but I've been able to mate the isco 36 to my russian tair 11a 135mm with a step ring, the tair has a built in hood with recessed glass. The result is very good and I'll shoot some examples over the coming days.

I've also been able to mount it to my helios 44-2 58mm, it wasn't quite as sharp as the isco back end wide open but the helios isn't very sharp wide open like a nikon. I'll get my hands on a nikon 50mm.
Click to expand...

NoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO !!!!!


Don't tell them about the tair 11a !!!!!!!!!!!!!


:grin:
 
sok I just bought the 8 that were on ebay and I'll be happy to sell one to you for $911 :grin::nads:
 
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oh I forgot to mention friend price is $1001

recessed glass was never something I paid attention to buying lenses....until now.
 
Anthony,

Other glass, recessed or not, already tested in anamorphics by you?

BTW Lee, I didn't buy the tair yet, but I'll buy one soon. I buy each lens recommended by you or piece of technology you buy, well, except RED ONE. LOL

E :-)
 
squig said:
oh I forgot to mention friend price is $1001
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I don't know, it feels all too easy, I need some fear, some stress, I need to be in the throng of 50 people all trying to get the same lens, the fight, the smell of blood, the sense of victory, the misaligned aperture blade . . . .

This is like someone killing your lunch for you, I need to see that chicken and stare him in the eye before I murder him in cold blood and lower him into those two slices of bread.


squig said:
recessed glass was never something I paid attention to buying lenses....until now.
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What's the deal with recessed glass ? By that I mean why is it recessed ?
 
Emanuel said:
Anthony,

Other glass, recessed or not, already tested in anamorphics by you?
Click to expand...

I don't have enough step rings to try the isco 36 on a lens without recessed glass but I assume it won't be a problem, I'll get some more rings to be sure. My isco 54 fits on lenses with non recessed glass and is almost as sharp as the 36 but there are some chromatic aberrations.
 
squig said:
I don't have enough step rings to try the isco 36 on a lens without recessed glass but I assume it won't be a problem, I'll get some more rings to be sure. My isco 54 fits on lenses with non recessed glass and is almost as sharp as the 36 but there are some chromatic aberrations.
Click to expand...
Yeah, it is possible to see on that example posted previously. Only longer than 50mm? As same as 50mm quality, is this your bet?
 
35mm will probably vignette too much but I'll try it when I get some more rings. The isco 54 is ok down to 35 and was good to 28mm on the D90 1.5x crop
 
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