Anamorphic lens filters

Reuel Gomez · December 17, 2013

I'm interested in buying a camera (most likely a DSLR) and I'd like to know what anamorphic lens filters exist? I know only of the Panasonic AG-LA7200 but other than that, I got nothing.

David Mullen ASC · December 18, 2013

Do you mean anamorphic lens attachments (which not filters) to squeeze the image or do you mean blue streak filters to create the blue horizontal line effect?

Reuel Gomez · December 18, 2013

Do you mean anamorphic lens attachments (which not filters) to squeeze the image or do you mean blue streak filters to create the blue horizontal line effect?

The first one, I thought they were filters. But the Panasonic does create flares too.

David Mullen ASC · December 18, 2013

Anamorphic lens attachments are basically wide-angle lens adaptors that only increase the field of view laterally.

In the heyday of DV, there were a few 1.3X anamorphic adaptors made to squeeze a 16x9 image onto a 4x3 sensor (and later to squeeze a 2.35 image onto a 16x9 sensor) -- Panasonic made one and I think Century Precision Optics / Schneider Optics made the other, as well as Optex; those are the three I remember. Not all of them were "zoom-thru".

Here is one on ebay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Century-Optic-anamorphic-lens-converter-1-33-16-9-Lens-Adapter-PERFECT-NEW-/261353559546?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cd9e2d5fa

Reuel Gomez · December 18, 2013

Anamorphic lens attachments are basically wide-angle lens adaptors that only increase the field of view laterally.

In the heyday of DV, there were a few 1.3X anamorphic adaptors made to squeeze a 16x9 image onto a 4x3 sensor (and later to squeeze a 2.35 image onto a 16x9 sensor) -- Panasonic made one and I think Century Precision Optics / Schneider Optics made the other, as well as Optex; those are the three I remember. Not all of them were "zoom-thru".

Here is one on ebay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Century-Optic-anamorphic-lens-converter-1-33-16-9-Lens-Adapter-PERFECT-NEW-/261353559546?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cd9e2d5fa

What do you mean by "zoom thru"?

Reuel Gomez · December 18, 2013

And what are these "anamorphic filters" you speak of?

David Mullen ASC · December 18, 2013

Being able to "zoom thru" means that it holds focus as you zoom on the lens; with some of these attachments, you can't do in-camera zooming, you have to set the focal length and then focus the lens.

Anamorphic streak filters create a horizontal line around points of light. See:

http://www.optefex.com/streak-filters

Reuel Gomez · December 18, 2013

Being able to "zoom thru" means that it holds focus as you zoom on the lens; with some of these attachments, you can't do in-camera zooming, you have to set the focal length and then focus the lens.

Anamorphic streak filters create a horizontal line around points of light. See:

http://www.optefex.com/streak-filters

Do you think it'd be a better investment to get the adapter or the filter?

David Mullen ASC · December 18, 2013

They do different things, but I don't think the anamorphic lens adaptor is going to give you the classic 2X anamorphic lens look anyway.

Adrian Sierkowski · December 18, 2013

I would recommend getting to know your camera first and investing in all the stuff bits and bobs to get it up to some kind of snuff (tripods, lenses, rails, follow focus, matte box, "typical" filters) before going for anamorphic attachments and/or streak filters.

If you want to play around with some anamorphic streaks, get some fishing line (thin stuff) and just tape it to the lens vertically. It'll streak and you can see if you like it.

As for getting a 2.40 image, you can crop it in post if you'd like-- but learn the camera first, it's quirks and then save the aspect ratio for things for which it fits.

Freya Black · December 18, 2013

Adrian makes a lot of good points.

Here's a video to show you how to do it!

Freya

David Mullen ASC · December 20, 2013

Letus now makes a high-end anamorphic adaptor:

http://letusdirect.com/cart/letus-anamorphx-adapter.html

Chris Burke · January 6, 2014

Letus now makes a high-end anamorphic adaptor:

http://letusdirect.com/cart/letus-anamorphx-adapter.html

David,

do you or anyone else know of any place renting these now?

David Mullen ASC · January 6, 2014

It just came out so I don't know who has them or if it will mostly be just for sale.

Peter James Scott · January 6, 2014

I want one! Thanks for the post David. I searched the internet far and wide for something exactly like that to no avail. I ended up buying an old projector lens with some mounts, but it's not really the same.

Peter James Scott · January 6, 2014

And Reuel, same goes for the Panasonic AG-LA7200. I've just had a look at some youtube videos with that lens. I'm not sure if the lens is worth that much money for the image it returns. Personal preference though. And I agree with Adrian's post above completely.

And in spite of fear that I will be accused to fishing for blog hits, here are some images that I took with the aforementioned anamorphic projector lens and a DSLR.

http://www.pjscottentertainment.blogspot.co.uk/#!http://pjscottentertainment.blogspot.com/2012/07/lenses-update.html

Hope this helps.

Chris Burke · January 8, 2014

I did find a place. http://divisioncamera.com/p/54580398/letus-anamorphx-adapter-rental.html

I agree that the price is a bit steep for what I have seen, but that was Youtube, which is notoriously soft. Rental is the way for me anyway, saving for a new super 8 camera. the size of the letus anamorphx is what attracts me and how many lenses it will cover. I have and use the century precision optics 1.33x adapter. Love it. I just need to find PL adaptable 58mm front (or close) primes above 20mm. Ideally a 25mm or 28mm. Anyone have any suggestions?