ANAMORPHIC lens to ARRI S

[Keneu Luca]

I have a "Rathenower Optische Werke" "DDR Rectimascop" lens

 

Whatever all that means?

 

This is a solid lens. Big n heavy. Im not even sure what it was exactly designed for. However, when I hold it up to some of my Arri lenses (50mm and higher), it provides excellent, clear, crisp, in-focus anamorphic images. Really beautiful stuff. And it only loses like 1/5 of a stop.

 

But I need a mount and bracket to hold it up in place. As of now, Im just temporarily placing it in front of the lenses, static.

 

Can anyone suggest mounting ideas? Places who will do it? Anyone here who can? I believe the anamorphic barrel is 62mm.

 

Thank you.

[freddie bonfanti]

all i can tell you is that DDR is the german name for East Germany (GDR in english), so i guess you have a lens from the now defunt communist East Germany...do a google, maybe youll find out more

Edited December 16, 2006 by freddie bonfanti

[Leo Anthony Vale]

I have a "Rathenower Optische Werke" "DDR Rectimascop" lens

 

---It's a 35mm projection lens, so it won't focus close enough to be really practical.

16mm anamorphots usually focus to 5', while 35mm projection anamorphots focus to 50', fine for auditorium

projection, but not that practical for general photography.

[Keneu Luca]

---It's a 35mm projection lens, so it won't focus close enough to be really practical.

16mm anamorphots usually focus to 5', while 35mm projection anamorphots focus to 50', fine for auditorium

projection, but not that practical for general photography.

 

Before I actually put the anamorphic lens up to my camera lenses, I was afraid of focusing issues. But when I look through it, objects closer than 50 feet appear to be in focus through my viewfinder.

 

I want to shoot a 100' test roll of reversal film with this anamorphic lens to truly see what it is I have. But I need a mount and bracket to do so.

 

Thank you.

[Keneu Luca]

I realize this item is not the "one-stop" solution to what Im trying to do, but it might be a part of it. Would this item be compatible with an Arri S?

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Mattebox-with-Rod-supp...VQQcmdZViewItem

 

Even if it does match up, it doesnt look like it would be suitable for the angeniuex 12-120mm zoom lens. Unless I got longer rods.

Thank you.

Edited December 19, 2006 by Keneu

[Keneu Luca]

I completely forgot that when I bought my Arri S, it came with this accessory:

 

 

 

However, my anamorphic lens requires a diameter of 2 and 1/2 inches.

The ring clamp shown here that I have is too small.

 

Anyone have suggestions, other than finding a smaller diameter anamorphic lens?

 

Also, the extension rod shown here is perfect for my 50mm prime lens,

but not long enough for my 12-120mm zoom.

So I'm on the lookout for one of those as well.

 

Thank you.

 

By the way, here is my anamorphic lens:

 

 

[Keneu Luca]

I recently obtained an anamorphic lens with a smaller diameter. This new lens has also allows me to use my 25mm prime. The larger Rathenower Optische Werke DDR Rectimascop lens would vignette with the 25mm.

 

So this new lens really works out well, although the glass is not in the best shape. But it does fit nicely into my extended lens mount attatchment. One of these extended mounts just sold on ebay for $80 I believe.

 

I shot a test roll. I'll drop it off at the lab today.

 

In the meantime, I am on the lookout for yet another new lens, about the same size as this one, but with cleaner glass. Most likely a KOWA D.

 

[Andy_Alderslade]

Wow! an Arri S with an orientable viewfiner!

 

Post some pics of the footage when you get it back.

[chuck colburn]

Wow! an Arri S with an orientable viewfiner!

 

Post some pics of the footage when you get it back.

 

Here's one.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Arriflex-periscope-for...1QQcmdZViewItem

[Keneu Luca]

It's actually non-orientable.

 

Orientable viewfinders for the Arri S don't exist.

 

I will post the results. But it won't be a professional transfer, since it's just test footage to see how the anamorphic optics hold up.

Edited January 12, 2007 by Keneu

[Keneu Luca]

I got the film back.

 

The stock I used is from a very old batch of 7240 color reversal. Its age does show as the footage is quite grainy and the blacks are a little milky/foggy. But the film is still useable by my standards, for the right project....I just love reversal, I can't help it.

 

When projected anamorphic, the image is a bit soft, as is the case with anamorphic. But as I said before, I am on the lookout for better glass which may help. Although I'm not entirely against the softness of the anamorphic image.

 

Results will be posted soon.

[Keneu Luca]

I shot a new test with yet another new anamorphic lens. I'm becoming quite the collector.

 

And this was with some 7239...12 years old.

 

 

 

 

Alright, so I did a little film to digital experiment. I scanned some of my film with my cheapo Dell Scanner. 4800 DPI. These frame grabs do not do the actual results any justice. This is just in the meantime til I do a better transfer. And it was a fun lil experiment. I never tried to scan film with this scanner. Again, the scanner quality is lacking. The actual projected film looks much better than this.

 

I "unsqueezed" the anamorphic images in photoshop to give an idea.

 

 

 

 

[Keneu Luca]

[Leo Anthony Vale]

I shot a new test with yet another new anamorphic lens. I'm becoming quite the collector.

 

Which lens is it?

[Dennis Kisilyov]

Super results. I love how NYC photographs. Check out Nikon CoolScan 9000 ED Slide Scanner it has a 16mm film strip adapter. You can do up-to 12 frames of film in one shot - scans to 12bit raw for color correction.

[Keneu Luca]

Super results. I love how NYC photographs. Check out Nikon CoolScan 9000 ED Slide Scanner it has a 16mm film strip adapter. You can do up-to 12 frames of film in one shot - scans to 12bit raw for color correction.

 

Thanks. I'll look for that. These newest frames that I posted were done from projecting onto my wall and capturing with a digital still camera in video mode. Oh so primitive. I first projected without the anamorphic lens, then with - the stetching this time was not done in photoshop.

 

It's quite grainy, but then again it is 12 year old stock.

 

Which lens is it?

 

I got it off ebay. This is how the item was described:

 

KALART VICTORSCOPE 16C Anamorphic (SCOPE) Lens 16MM All items and equipment listed below has been my personal property. I am the original owner. Nothing is from surplus for resale on eBay. I have personally used and am very familiar with all items I am offering. This lens is identical in size and shape to the Sankor 16C. However, the Kalart is a little bit better in quality. The glass lenses have a finer ground then the Sankor. For super sharp projected image. The lens also comes with its own leather carrying case! This is a very rare lens! And in perfect used condition.

 

[Keneu Luca]

I finally uploaded my test footage onto youtube.

 

As you will see, it's not the sharpest footage in the world. This is due to several factors which I was aware of ahead of time. Age of the film, lenses used, and transfer method.

 

Other tests are in the works.

 

[Christian Appelt]

I'd recommend a better anamorphic lens - you can get the KOWA 8Z (also called 16H) for little money on eBay. It will give you sharper pictures and has a larger diameter than the Sankor.

[Dennis Kisilyov]

I think we should have merged the two anamorphic 16 threads. But I see you're experiencing the same problem that I'm looking to solve.

 

How to ALIGN the anamorphic attachment with some degree of accuracy so a s not to get that 89 degree tilt/slant into either right or left direction. On a DSLR it's easy to see as you can just zoom in to the final picture.

In 16mm the view-finder is small and is distorted in my case (not stretched back into 2.40) so the eye gets tricked into thinking everything is aligned, as the 4:3 image is so stretched in the vertical direction.

 

 

Most of the DIY footage for anamorphic that I've seen exhibits exactly the same tilting into one or another direction.

 

 

P.S. First shot is right under Queensboro in the opening, where the Taxi and Limo commision office is?

 

 

 

Also through my experimentation, I've found that a 35mm lens will work way better with a Sankor 16-D than a 50mm lens. I don't know why that is.

[Christian Appelt]

Dennis,

 

to align your anamorphic attachment:

 

- Mount it on a projector (slide, video, data) and use a test image with grid lines. Rotate the scope lens until the rectangles are without distortion. Now put a mark on top of your lens - when you put the lens on your camera, you can check easily that it is on top.

Anamorphic adapters like the Kowa 8Z/16-H do already have that positioning mark.

 

- Even without a mark, you can rotate the anamorphic lens mounted on-camera by looking into the lens and turning until the oval lens circle looks upright. I have adjusted many adapters on all types of vieo and film cameras and never had it off.

 

Another important thing: I suppose you have done your lens tests at home with the aperture rather wide open.

When using the Sankor lens with a 35mm, make sure you have tested it stopped-down. Point you camera at a bright diffuse source (sky, white screen), stop down to f16 or whatever is the smallest stop on your lens, and look out for dark edges and vignetting!

 

When you shoot wide open or at f4-5.6, the vignetting remains invisible, but you want to be sure that your footage does not have dark edges when you shoot out in bright sunshine! It has to do with the diameter of the scope lens.

 

Another sensible thing to do is finding out at what f-stop your spherical lens in combination with the scope lens will give best overall sharpness and resolution. Shoot test charts at different f-stops, and if you find out that the best sharpness comes at, let's say: f5.6, you can use ND filters out in the bright sunshine to avoid having to stop down unnecessarily.

 

Just my 0.02$...

Edited March 1, 2007 by Christian Appelt

[Dennis Kisilyov]

Dennis,

 

to align your anamorphic attachment:

 

- Mount it on a projector (slide, video, data) and use a test image with grid lines. Rotate the scope lens until the rectangles are without distortion. Now put a mark on top of your lens - when you put the lens on your camera, you can check easily that it is on top.

Anamorphic adapters like the Kowa 8Z/16-H do already have that positioning mark.

 

- Even without a mark, you can rotate the anamorphic lens mounted on-camera by looking into the lens and turning until the oval lens circle looks upright. I have adjusted many adapters on all types of vieo and film cameras and never had it off.

 

Another important thing: I suppose you have done your lens tests at home with the aperture rather wide open.

When using the Sankor lens with a 35mm, make sure you have tested it stopped-down. Point you camera at a bright diffuse source (sky, white screen), stop down to f16 or whatever is the smallest stop on your lens, and look out for dark edges and vignetting!

 

When you shoot wide open or at f4-5.6, the vignetting remains invisible, but you want to be sure that your footage does not have dark edges when you shoot out in bright sunshine! It has to do with the diameter of the scope lens.

 

Another sensible thing to do is finding out at what f-stop your spherical lens in combination with the scope lens will give best overall sharpness and resolution. Shoot test charts at different f-stops, and if you find out that the best sharpness comes at, let's say: f5.6, you can use ND filters out in the bright sunshine to avoid having to stop down unnecessarily.

 

Just my 0.02$...

 

I though it would be a ...tad.. more complicated that that.

I'd hate to end up with tilted footage...

 

Like this one:

 

http://owyheesound.com/web_hosted_cinema/theuprisermbig.rm

 

I guess I'll devise some pattern thats visible under squeeze in the view finder and make sure that

it is parallel to the film plane..

 

I just thought there was some "method" as anamorphic lenses are abundant, (not the sankors, the panavisions/todd-ao and kinor/lomo's) esp. Kinor/Lomo those are front attach for the most part, to regular primes in the NAS (not MAS) configuration.

 

But I guess the method is to just look at it.

 

I thought there was also something about centering the lens onto the same axis as the regular lens, as in dead center of the film gate.

Edited March 1, 2007 by Dennis Kisilyov

[Jonathan Taee]

Hello,

 

This is my first post to this forum. I'm excited to have found this little enclave.

 

I am looking to shoot my next film on an Arri BL 16mm. I really want a wide screen look to it. Where can I find a cheap, yet good anamorphic lens for the BL? I have been looking but can't seem to find any.

 

Any advice on this little venture would be much appreciated.

 

JT