Anamorphic Lens setup and mechanix

[Sean Hegarty]

Hi Guys

Happy holiday. I just bought a Sankor 16c and adapter to use with my Nikkor primes and Canon 7D. My primes include 28mm,35mm,50mm,105mm, 135mm and a 35 to 105mm zoom. What would be the best lenses to use with the Sankor? Also, if I am correct, all focusing will be done with the anamorphic once the back focus is set on the Nikkor. With this setup I imagine that the fstop will have no effect on the depth of field of the subject but only on the sharpness of the image captured through the anamorphic, is this correct? I have read that wider apertures will introduce vignetting and other image problems, are these the only effects that varying the aperture will have and is it better to use the smallest ap possible?

[Ben Brahem Ziryab]

I recommend a set of Kowa anamorphic lenses for the Sankor16c. The rule of thumb with anamorphic lenses, is to expose at a deeper stop. Stopping down to around T5.6 will give you a relatively sharp image. This is due to their curved field of focus, so stopping down will eliminate the worst chromatic aberration and distortion, as well. Either way the Kowa certainly produces a clean image, but, of course, they are not as sharp as spherical Zeiss glass, or many of the modern anamorphic lenses.

[Sean Hegarty]

I recommend a set of Kowa anamorphic lenses for the Sankor16c. The rule of thumb with anamorphic lenses, is to expose at a deeper stop. Stopping down to around T5.6 will give you a relatively sharp image. This is due to their curved field of focus, so stopping down will eliminate the worst chromatic aberration and distortion, as well. Either way the Kowa certainly produces a clean image, but, of course, they are not as sharp as spherical Zeiss glass, or many of the modern anamorphic lenses.

 

Thanks Ziryab

The Sankor 16c that I have should be the same as the Kowa but I may pick up a Kowa since you recommend the sharpness and quality of the lens. You have confirmed my understanding that the smaller the Ap the cleaner the image. The Sankor 16c that I have has spots in the coating on the front and back elements and alot of play in the focusing ring. So I will either have it serviced or just buy a lens in better condition such as a Kowa which you recommend. Will all focusing be done with the anamorphic lens while the lens it is mounted on stays stationary focused on the back element of the anamorhic?

[Leo Anthony Vale]

Will all focusing be done with the anamorphic lens while the lens it is mounted on stays stationary focused on the back element of the anamorhic?

 

With these attachments, you will have to adjust focus on both lenses.

 

The Iscorama has what is basically a variable diopter for the front elements. That one is focused by setting the backing lens at infinity and focusing on the Iscorama. Many pro 35mm

lenses-Technovision, LOMO round fronts & Hawks-use that type of focusing.

The 16mm atachments use the same type of focusing that was on the earliest anamorphic attachments-Cinemascope, TotalScope & the LOMO square fronts.

[Sean Hegarty]

With these attachments, you will have to adjust focus on both lenses.

 

The Iscorama has what is basically a variable diopter for the front elements. That one is focused by setting the backing lens at infinity and focusing on the Iscorama. Many pro 35mm

lenses-Technovision, LOMO round fronts & Hawks-use that type of focusing.

The 16mm atachments use the same type of focusing that was on the earliest anamorphic attachments-Cinemascope, TotalScope & the LOMO square fronts.

 

Thanks Lee. So if I want to attempt any type of follow focus I will have to put the money out for an Iscorama or Lomo round front? Are there any other anamorphs that will allow you to follow focus like this that can easily be adapted to the 7d or mounted onto a Nikon prime? Any suggestions would be welcome with whatever details you can add.

[Leo Anthony Vale]

Thanks Lee. So if I want to attempt any type of follow focus I will have to put the money out for an Iscorama or Lomo round front? Are there any other anamorphs that will allow you to follow focus like this that can easily be adapted to the 7d or mounted onto a Nikon prime? Any suggestions would be welcome with whatever details you can add.

 

You'll notice in this 'Lust for Life' promo that there are TWO focus pullers on the camera.The one on the veiw-finder side pulling the prime lens, the other focusing the anamorph. Not practical if you're focusing on the fly.

 

I don't know of any other 16mm anamorphs, other than the iscorama, that has that sort of focusing.

[Brandon Ruiz]

Any kind of rack focusing is very difficult with an anamorphic adapter - even an Iscorama. My Iscorama 54 doesn't focus closer than 8 feet without diopters. The Iscos allows you to make small focus adjustments but nothing dramatic.

 

LOMO square fronts by the way, have the same minimum focus distance.

 

I haven't used the Sankor adapter yet, but I would imagine anything 50mm and wider will vignette.