Using N16 lens on S16 camera

[Alexander Boyd]

Hey there,

 

beginner's question, just for clarification: if I were to use a N16 lens on a S16 camera (S16 gate installed and all), what would the image look like? Could I simply use a 4:3 mask in post to end up with a 4:3 image?

 

Of course, I would have wasted the extra information that S16 would give me. Simply asking because S16 lenses are currently out of my budget, while N16 lens are more affordable and I generally dig the 4:3 aspect ratio anyway.

 

Thanks for your help!

[Jay Young]

Technically it depends on the lens, its construction, and the size of the image circle at the specific focal length.

 

90% of the time, its usually ok, and slight vignetting may occur.

 

You can always mask the image to suit your needs.

[Alexander Boyd]

Hi Jay,

 

thanks for the quick reply. That's what I thought, just wasn't sure if anything "strange" would happen that would make the entire image unusable. Guess I'll just have to careful regarding the image circle of the focal length, but as long as I end up with a 4:3 image in the end I'm happy.

[Dom Jaeger]

There's really no difference between a lens made during the Standard 16 era and one labelled for S16 other than the size of the image circle coming out the back (and maybe the improvements in mechanics, coatings and optical quality that come with 'progress', although some might argue that older designs have more personality - idiosyncratic and organic qualities that diminished with the advent of more modern, computer designed lenses.)

 

Most prime lenses designed for Standard 16 tend to cover S16 anyway, it's only wide angles (under say 20mm) that may vignette in the corners. But it tends to be a lens by lens thing, some wide angles cover more than others.

 

Standard 16 zooms almost always vignette at the wide end on a S16 frame, unless the wide end is not so wide, like an Angenieux 15-150.

 

But if you intend to crop the S16 frame back to 4:3 anyway you shouldn't have any issues.

[Alexander Boyd]

Thanks Dom, helpful as usual! :)

[Satsuki Murashige]

The one issue you might have is if you wanted to make a 16mm print of your film. Since the lens mount in a Super 16 camera is shifted from the Normal 16mm position, your image would appear off-center with vignetting on one side when projected with a normal 16mm projector. Also, if you used a zoom, your tracking would be off as well.

 

But very few people still want to make 16mm prints for projection these days, so it's not likely to affect you.

[Alexander Boyd]

Thanks for pointing this out Satsuki. Yet your assumption is correct, I'm not one of the few who still needs/wants a 16mm print. But a good thing to keep in mind nevertheless.

[Tim Carroll]

The early Cooke Kinetal 16mm lenses will work with N16 (regular 16) and Super 16, all except the 9mm one. So you're good to go with the 12.5mm, 17.5mm, 25mm, 37.5mm, 50mm, and 75mm. Some of the early Zeiss, and Schneider lenses, especially anything below 25mm, will vignette on Super 16.

 

Best,

-Tim