FULL AP VS. ACADEMY LENS CENTRATION

[dan kessler]

There are cameras that allow for a lens offset to accommodate either format.

 

My question is this: In practical terms, if you have a camera set up for full ap,

is it ever really necessary to change it?

 

If the lens covers full ap (and which of them don't?), then I can't see why

a mechanical shift would be necessary. Mask for the format you want, then pan

over a smidge either way to compose for that format.

 

Even in 4-perf anamorphic, is it a problem?

 

Granted, one could conceivably have a centration mismatch between camera and

projector anamorphs, but it's so small... does anyone see the difference on-screen?

[David Mullen ASC]

There are cameras that allow for a lens offset to accommodate either format.

 

My question is this: In practical terms, if you have a camera set up for full ap,

is it ever really necessary to change it?

 

If the lens covers full ap (and which of them don't?), then I can't see why

a mechanical shift would be necessary. Mask for the format you want, then pan

over a smidge either way to compose for that format.

 

Even in 4-perf anamorphic, is it a problem?

 

Granted, one could conceivably have a centration mismatch between camera and

projector anamorphs, but it's so small... does anyone see the difference on-screen?

 

Obviously if your camera has a Full Aperture gate and your lens is centered for Full Aperture but you put an Academy/1.85/anamorphic groundglass to guide you in framing for contact printing to a standard 35mm release print format, then you won't have framing problems, but...

 

If you shoot for contact printing standard 35mm but your lens is centered for Full Aperture, then your zoom ins and outs will drift to one side. The center of the image won't be where you get the most rings from a lens flare either. And any lens on the verge of vignetting will do it more on one side of the frame.