Sankor/Kowa Anamorphic Lens Discussion and Footage

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There is a site which shows how to possibly mount some of those bigger anamorphic projector lenses to a camera so it is possible, but maybe not viable, that there are a multitude of options out there:

http://owyheesound.com/anamorphic.php
 
I figured we'd make a new thread discussing alternatives to ISCORAMA anamorphic adapters considering the scarcity of ISCOs.

I still have not gotten the correct size step ring for my Sankor 2x adapter because the rear thread is actually an unorthodox 50mm or possibly 50.5mm and the cheap old Albinar FD lens I am using with it is stuck on f/3.9 because the f-stop ring is broken so I had to shoot with a high shutter speed. I am still waiting for the special size step rings from hong kong...

hey Akira, nice looking footage you got there. I purchased a Singer 16D 2x anamorphic adapter a while back, intended to be used with Super 8 but I'd also like to use it with other cameras. It has a very odd supposedly 49.5mm thread (that's what I've been told by the seller), I tried several step rings, 50mm didn't fit so I guess it really is 49.5mm.
Would you share your source for that special step rings from Hong Kong? Must be some ebay seller since I don't know a single shop here selling such specialty stuff.

edit:
Just found out that I have one lens with 49mm thread which is too small. So it must be somewhere between 49 and 50mm.
 
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....ps....I know this is severly out of focus, but you can see the bokeh that I was referring to at 5ft anamorphic adapter, 80mm focal length on the Nikkor lens.

BTW: (SQUIG) You rock! This isn't a MKII, it's a D90. I'm posting here because we're talking about Anamorphic lens options. (I know I should slink back to my own part of the forum....) :( (lol)

I suspected it was a D90, I still like the look of the D90 I hope nikon get their act together with the D400.
 
I purchased a Singer 16D 2x anamorphic adapter a while back, intended to be used with Super 8 but I'd also like to use it with other cameras. It has a very odd supposedly 49.5mm thread (that's what I've been told by the seller), I tried several step rings, 50mm didn't fit so I guess it really is 49.5mm.

edit:
Just found out that I have one lens with 49mm thread which is too small. So it must be somewhere between 49 and 50mm.

Might it be one of the Series filter sizes? (scroll down near bottom)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photographic_filter

There is also this but it may be the opposite of what is needed:
http://cgi.ebay.com/49-5mm-Lens-Thr...ash=item587d07d642&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14.l1262

Hopefully that helps.
 
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Lucky dog!!! how in the world did you manage that?

I know!

At least I think it's an Isco 36 I got.

I found it in a website Japan. This guy sells vintage camera gear and eggs and tea from his farm! This was the page:

http://www.rakuten.co.jp/moriyamafarm/471810/479969/484599/1841443/#1439676

It says "sold" on it now. It took me about a week of nervous emails back and forth to seal the deal.

It's mounted to an Exakta lens - so similar to the Nikon mount 50mm in that regard.

PS: I also went through google, searching in every individual available language looking for these things around the world. Japan was the only one that came up trumps.
 
I was blessed by this Universe in only 4 weeks to find my Isco (50mm). I dropped a "G" to get it, ....but I'm sure it's worth it. I built a friendship in Germany and it blessed me with this lens. (Isn't life wonderful? ...seriously... I'm grateful to my friend for this.)
 
Might it be one of the Series filter sizes? (scroll down near bottom)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photographic_filter

There is also this but it may be the opposite of what is needed:
http://cgi.ebay.com/49-5mm-Lens-Thr...ash=item587d07d642&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14.l1262

Hopefully that helps.

Thanks for the infos, the series table is helpful. But I don't see a filter thread of 49.5mm on the series filters. That would lead me to believe it isn't a series thread.
Too bad, in the company I used to work for many years ago we had tools to exactly measure filter threads. Maybe I can get one here.

Regarding the ebay offer... it's kind of funny.
It says "49.5mm to Series VII" adapter.. so basically, you are adapting one weird thread to another weird one since SVII is 50.8mm.

Maybe I should get another anamorphic adapter, this one is giving me a headache.
The most useful threading would be 52mm or 58mm, most of my lenses I'm using for film work are either one of those sizes.

edit:
With a "49.5mm" search on ebay you don't find anything besides the before mentioned 49.5 to SVII adapter. I found another example for this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Tiffen-49-5-F7-...0?hash=item45ed4758b6&_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116

I believe the only two options are either a custom made adapter which will most likely be more expensive than the anamorphic lens or some kind of rod based fixture. I'm curious to see how you guys have solved this kind of problem since it seems that I'm not the only one. Post pics of your setups.
It is used to put SVII filters on (front, obviously) lenses with 49.5mm threads.
 
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I know!

At least I think it's an Isco 36 I got.

I found it in a website Japan. This guy sells vintage camera gear and eggs and tea from his farm! This was the page:

http://www.rakuten.co.jp/moriyamafarm/471810/479969/484599/1841443/#1439676

It says "sold" on it now. It took me about a week of nervous emails back and forth to seal the deal.

It's mounted to an Exakta lens - so similar to the Nikon mount 50mm in that regard...

You are mistaken. What you bought is the Isco Iscorama, a 50mm lens made for Exakta cameras. It is not mounted to an Exakta lens, the whole thing was made by Isco.
Look here for more info on Isco lenses for Exakta cameras, scroll a bit down and you'll see the lens you have bought.
http://captjack.exaktaphile.com/Isco%20page.htm

I think this is the best way to go, better than an anamorphic attachment, since the Iscorama was made for a full frame 35mm film format it will cover everything up to 35mm and shouldn't how any vignetting (in theory).
 
hey Akira, nice looking footage you got there. I purchased a Singer 16D 2x anamorphic adapter a while back, intended to be used with Super 8 but I'd also like to use it with other cameras. It has a very odd supposedly 49.5mm thread (that's what I've been told by the seller), I tried several step rings, 50mm didn't fit so I guess it really is 49.5mm.
Would you share your source for that special step rings from Hong Kong? Must be some ebay seller since I don't know a single shop here selling such specialty stuff.

edit:
Just found out that I have one lens with 49mm thread which is too small. So it must be somewhere between 49 and 50mm.

doh... really? Is the 50mm ring you tried too large? Yes I tried 49 also and that is too small. Arrgh, these non-standard sizes are frustrating, about to just go to the hardware store and figure out my own way to mount this *****.

I got it from ca-market on ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370250286578&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT
 
What you bought is the Isco Iscorama, a 50mm lens made for Exakta cameras. It is not mounted to an Exakta lens, the whole thing was made by Isco.
Look here for more info on Isco lenses for Exakta cameras, scroll a bit down and you'll see the lens you have bought.
http://captjack.exaktaphile.com/Isco page.htm

Yes, I had checked that page before I bought and it states:

"It's a two part lens, a modified automatic 50mm f2.8 and a special anamorphoser."

Also I asked the seller if the front was detachable and he said it was.

Is this not the Exakta equivalent of the Nikon Iscorama 50mm - the fronts of those are detachable, no?
 
No Jean, I searched his site and he does seem to have had others in the past but has nothing at the moment.

It might be worth keeping an eye on his pages though.

His English is very good.
 
I'm just joining this discussion, and I'm still reading through all the old posts and super 8 and CML posts.... are the any clear conclusions that cut to the chase here?

From what I've seen thus far I'd say the Panasonic adapter isn't very sharp, the Iscorama comes in a few versions, one easier to adapt than others, and that other methods and lenses have been tired but not much has been determined for sure. There has been some discussion of using cimemascope projector lens adaptors but no one has posted anything that illuminates much about that yet.

What have I missed?
 
I would say wait a few days to give the guys with the Sankor 16-D some time to sort out the step ring size.

Also my Kowa 16-H will arrive soon, and as soon as I get my step rings for that I will report back.

Both of these lenses are relatively easy to find, compared to the Iscoramas, but both give an extremely wide final image (3.5:1) and apparently need to be used at longer focal lengths.
 
doh... really? Is the 50mm ring you tried too large? Yes I tried 49 also and that is too small. Arrgh, these non-standard sizes are frustrating, about to just go to the hardware store and figure out my own way to mount this *****.

I got it from ca-market on ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370250286578&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

Akira, I have to change my earlier statement. I don't know why I believe that I have tried a 50mm step ring but I didn't. I was sure I had but apparently I haven't because I don't have a 50mm step ring so it might work.
But I tried to measure the diameter as good as possible and it is more likely to be 49.5mm and that is also what the seller told me it was.

And as it turns out there are Series filter to 49.5mm filter thread adapters I believe these anamorphic adapters have been made at a time when lenses with a filter thread of 49.5mm were quite common. So on thing to do might be to look for lenses with said 49.5mm filter thread, I could imagine there are quite some M42 lenses out there, they would be easily adaptable.

I'd still like to use it with my Canon and Nikon lenses though. If I only were still living in Germany, I know at least 3 people who could make a custom adapter, maybe even for free :(

Any other ideas for mounting?
-Mac Guyver style? (duct-tape)
-rod based
...
 
Akira, I have to change my earlier statement. I don't know why I believe that I have tried a 50mm step ring but I didn't. I was sure I had but apparently I haven't because I don't have a 50mm step ring so it might work.
But I tried to measure the diameter as good as possible and it is more likely to be 49.5mm and that is also what the seller told me it was.

And as it turns out there are Series filter to 49.5mm filter thread adapters I believe these anamorphic adapters have been made at a time when lenses with a filter thread of 49.5mm were quite common. So on thing to do might be to look for lenses with said 49.5mm filter thread, I could imagine there are quite some M42 lenses out there, they would be easily adaptable.

I'd still like to use it with my Canon and Nikon lenses though. If I only were still living in Germany, I know at least 3 people who could make a custom adapter, maybe even for free :(

Any other ideas for mounting?
-Mac Guyver style? (duct-tape)
-rod based
...

Ah, well I went to a professional camera store in Palo Alto where they did a formal measurment of the threads for me and concluded that it was 50mm, however I could see them possibly being off by .5 so I don't doubt that might be the case. Hopefully the 50mm will work, if not it may end up being a 50.5 or even a series 7 (50.8) which is the same as some of the Kowa but mouch easier to come by than 49.5, which I really hope is the case.

BTW- I did use duct tape today, lol. it's a pain though because the albinar zoom turns the entire front half of the barrel, which screws up my focusing ability.
 
Yes, I had checked that page before I bought and it states:

"It's a two part lens, a modified automatic 50mm f2.8 and a special anamorphoser."

Also I asked the seller if the front was detachable and he said it was.

Is this not the Exakta equivalent of the Nikon Iscorama 50mm - the fronts of those are detachable, no?

My Japanese is not that good as that I could read everything on there. I never had one of those lenses unfortunately but if it says the front is detachable that should be correct. But aren't you going to use it as is? You want to use the anamorphic element on another lens?
 
Ah, well I went to a professional camera store in Palo Alto where they did a formal measurment of the threads for me and concluded that it was 50mm, however I could see them possibly being off by .5 so I don't doubt that might be the case. Hopefully the 50mm will work, if not it may end up being a 50.5 or even a series 7 (50.8) which is the same as some of the Kowa but mouch easier to come by than 49.5, which I really hope is the case.

BTW- I did use duct tape today, lol. it's a pain though because the albinar zoom turns the entire front half of the barrel, which screws up my focusing ability.

I see how you could relatively easily be off measuring such a fine thread. I just found some interesting insights in an article on a Super 8 website I used to read every now and then, let me quote:
" ... there is reference to Kowa 16-H which was apparently named the Kowa 8-Z in Europe. Note, the article mentiones the 16-H/8-Z has a 52mm rear thread. My version does not. As 52mm is a standard Nikon lens size, I quickly determined the thread is much closer to 50-ish.And it's not 49mm since I tried that one too. My best guess is that it is something like a "Series 6" thread which is something like 49.5mm..."
http://home.pacbell.net/mnyberg/super8mm/super8_39.html


Let me know how your 50mm step ring turns out, I will sit this one out as I don't really need the lens now. On the other hand, just by holding it in front of my Canon, vignetting is a ***** on full frame!
I tried it with my Olympus Pen (4/3 sensor) with a 35mm lens and there is almost no vignetting.

Hahaha, you went the Mac Guyver way, sweet. I don't wanna do that to my good lenses though, was just kidding earlier ;)
 
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