Split Field Lens

[SGFilms]

Split Field Lens - Has anyone used the lens yet, and if so, do you like it? I remember they had a lens like this in Carrie when Tommy Ross and Carrie are in the Classroom and you see the both of them in the shot, also known as a Split Diaptor. Thought it would be a cool lens to play around, especially for scenes where I need two of the characters in focus.

 

[OmaR]

Brian DePalma use many times this kind of lens (The Untouchable for example, opera scene and Dressed to kill is full of frame of this kind). I think that with DV could be done in post-production, like a split-screen: 2 shot of the same scene... the first (for example) focus on the subject near the DVX on the left, the second one focus on the subjet far from the DVX on the right, and split-screen on the NLE

 

[Noel Evans]

It has some limitations. Being a SPLIT diopter there is actually a line that goes right down the centre so you have to put it somewhere in the shot that it cant be seen, Id imagine this would be pretty hard. Also once you have concealed the line in the shot you cant move the cam at all, otherwise you will see it again.

Brian DePalma use many times this kind of lens (The Untouchable for example, opera scene and Dressed to kill is full of frame of this kind). I think that with DV could be done in post-production, like a split-screen: 2 shot of the same scene... the first (for example) focus on the subject near the DVX on the left, the second one focus on the subjet far from the DVX on the right, and split-screen on the NLE

This would work, still I imagine it would be hard to do, and you still need to consider the join and how to minimise it while shooting and not waiting for post to cure it.