Anamorphic lens for copy work.

Paul Bruening · August 22, 2007

I intend to shoot the LCD screen of an IBM T221 DG5 (3840 x 2400 res monitor) with a 4-perf, 35mm cine camera through single frame advance. I would like to use an anamorphic lens to squeeze the image rather than squeeze it digitally. I can probably alter the mount for the camera so mount is the lesser issue. What anamorphic taking lens is suitable for this kind of copy work? Would I rather prefer a longer lens for this application? Will a square front work here as well as a round front? I can't think of a printer lens that will capture a 21" diagonal image such as this monitor. I assume Hollywood had to shoot title cards and the like, so, someone has made a lens for this.

Please, if you have any anamorphic copy work experience or just know the trick of it, let me know.

Thanks,

Paul

Christian Appelt · August 22, 2007

Well, there are some special close focus lenses for rent from Panavision and Hawk/Vantagefilm

Panavision Special Purpose Anamorphic lenses

www.vantagefilm.com (go to Equipment > Hawk anamorphic > V-Series)

Their V-Series 120mm will focus down to 1.5 ft / 42 cm.

I assume that renting is not the best solution because your single-frame filming will take some time. I would recommend an 80mm Lomo Square Front lens with a high quality close focus diopter lens. I did some reproduction work (transparent title artwork and paintings) with this setup and was satisfied - but with diopters, stopping down is essential, so better do some tests before to find out at what f-stop the combination lens will give the best resolution.

If you already have an excellent spherical lens for your single frame camera, you could also use an anamorphic front element like part of a 80mm SF or a Foton-A adapter. Might be easier to build a perfect mount for a front element than to rebuild your camera.

Just my two cents... ;)