ANAMORPHIC INSIGHTS

[plcochet]

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone tested anamorphic lenses with a 1/4 white promist versus the Fogal 110 on the back of the lense?

It looks like I may shoot a small indie movie with a Movicam Compact and a series of Elite lenses. The movie will be mainly lit with flashlights. I won't have time to add much light since on a tight schedule and I was thinking of pushing the Kodak 500ASA low-con stock 2.5 stops to then give the lens a 2.8. Is a 2.8 enough with the Elite series? Any insight would be highly apreciated.

Thanks

<_<

[Max Jacoby]

I don't think pushing stock 2 and a half stop is a good idea, from what I've heard any push of more than 2 stops doesn't do anything anymore. Also pushing 2 stops does not actually add 2 stops to your ASA speed, rather 1 and a half. In fact it doesn't increase the speed at all, it only increases the gamma of the stock, so the information on the toe of the film will be lifted a bit.

 

I remember seeing 5218 pushed one stop and it held up very well. That was on a print from a Super35 negative. Since you are shooting anamorphic you have more underexposure latitude anyway compared to Super35, because the negative area is 1.7 times bigger.

 

Even if you are only lighting with flashlights, it would be a good idea to add some white cards around the set so that when the actors shine light onto them it gets reflected back into their faces. Conrad Hall and Darius Khondji (for 'Seven') spoke about doing this.

 

The Elites open up to 2.1, so at 2.8 they should give you a good image. Just don't expect any horizontal flares, the Elites, just like the Haws have the anamorphic element in the middle of the lens, not up front.

 

Where are you getting the lenses from?

[David Mullen ASC]

1/4 ProMist is a different look that net diffusion. Something like a #1 or #2 Soft-FX would be a little closer.

[plcochet]

My understanding was that pushing the stock 2 stops would raise the contrast. If it raises the toe of the curve, does it mean it lowers the contrast then?

If I want a little of that horizontal blue streak but not much, and I need lenses that perform best at a very small stop, what would be my best lens choice?

I may get my camera package from Slow Motion Inc.

Also, If I want the highlights to blow out in a glow like in Natural Born Killers, how do I accomplish that best with anamorphic lenses?

Thanks

[David Mullen ASC]

Pushing increases contrast BUT it also raises the base fog density, weakening your blacks unless you expose & develop in such a way to allow higher printing light numbers (let's say, by rating a stock 1 1/3 stops under but pushing by 2 stops, then printing down the 2/3 of a stop extra density.) Weaker blacks give the impression of LESS contrast even though the pushing has actually increased contrast.

 

The halation in "Natural Born Killer" (shot in spherical for 1.85 projection) is from small but intense areas of overexposure (often from using Very Narrow Spot globes in 1K ParCans) combined with ProMist diffusion (although other types of diffusion would also work to create halation.) Anamorphic lenses don't create much halation (glowing) but they can create flares, like the blue horizontal line at a point source in the frame.

[Jayson Crothers]

Perhaps take a look at "Red Dragon" shot by Dante Spinotti, AIC, ASC. He photographed it in anamorphic with 5279 pushed two stops and rated at 800, printing on Premier.

 

Day exteriors were on 5274, no 85, and pushed only one stop.