Anamorphic vs. Spherical

[Jeremy Langford]

I understand that an anamorphic 50mm lens would capture the same horizontal FOV as a 25mm spherical lens but a vertical POV of a 50mm spherical lens.

 

What would the difference be between something shot with a 50mm anamorphic lens and a 25mm spherical lens where the 25mm spherical shot was vertically cropped to equal the FOV and aspect ratio of the 50mm anamorphic lens? Would the only difference be the possibility of anamorphic lens flares and distortion?

 

Thanks

[John-Erling Holmenes Fredriksen]

Resolution would be one difference.

[Jeremy Langford]

Resolution would be one difference.

 

Yea, I meant to add that to my original post. I understand that anamorphic lenses provide a way to use wide lenses and not sacrifice space on the negative, meaning more resolution compared to a wide spherical lens. But if you did use a spherical lens that is double as wide as the anamorphic lens, is resolution the only thing sacrificed? Or are there qualities that are dependent on the anamorphic lens that can't be created with spherical lenses?

[David Mullen ASC]

There will be a difference in depth of field at the same f-stop because in spherical, your focal length is half as long.

 

You have more vertical resolution with 2X anamorphic IF you are shooting on a 4x3 format but the anamorphic lenses are a bit softer unless stopped down, so the main difference isn't so much that anamorphic looks sharper but it looks less grainy (if shooting film) due to the larger negative area and less enlarging of the image, and there is some feeling of increased detail.

 

Anamorphic lenses have unique optical characteristics, aberrations.

[Jeremy Langford]

There will be a difference in depth of field at the same f-stop because in spherical, your focal length is half as long.

 

You have more vertical resolution with 2X anamorphic IF you are shooting on a 4x3 format but the anamorphic lenses are a bit softer unless stopped down, so the main difference isn't so much that anamorphic looks sharper but it looks less grainy (if shooting film) due to the larger negative area and less enlarging of the image, and there is some feeling of increased detail.

 

Anamorphic lenses have unique optical characteristics, aberrations.

Ok I was just scared that it might be impossible to attempt to mimic a Wes Anderson, wide, distorted look without an anamorphic lens. I have a Minolta MD 16mm fisheye that is pretty sharp and produces lots of distortion. I'm thinking about buying a crop factor DSLR to try to achieve something similar to a 40mm anamorphic.