Panasonic LA7200 Anamorphic Adapter Build

[Zachary Austin]

Hi, I'm posting for the first time on here. I have been researching the Panasonic LA7200 concerns for quite some time now, and I am pretty informed on the former "tactics" to acheive a near single focus system for Near objects under 4 meters (13.1234 ft) to the camera. If you aren't informed on this dilema, On the Panasonic LA7200 1.33x Anamorphic Adapter, there is a blind focus area from the camera to 13.1234ft in front of the camera. Areas past 13ft are in focus to infinity, and that area is focusable, with the taking lens.

I am aware of the method where the guy cut the LA7200 in half and the incremented the exact distance between the LA7200 Lens and the Adapter separately. This seems too much for me.

I am also aware of the Front Diopter Fix. Most people have been suggesting +0.4 - +1 Diopters, and these are mounted DIY in front of the Glass Matte Box thingy on the front of the LA7200.

I have been dabbling with the mathematics, and I'm not an expert, and I haven't bought an LA7200 yet, but I was hoping some experts could entertain the ideas I'm about to list, that are completely different from other things I've heard to fix this problem. Please be nice, because I am hoping for a miracle here.

Here is the camera and Lenses I want to Shoot this on:
Camera: Canon 5d Mark iii
Firmware: Magic Lantern (For anamorphic preview monitoring)
Lenses: Canon 50mm f 1.8 STM Lens :

https://www.amazon.com/Canon-50mm-1-8-STM-Lens/dp/B00X8MRBCW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1493533574&sr=8-3&keywords=canon+ef+50mm

Canon 35mm F/2 Old Model:
https://www.amazon.com/Canon-35mm-Angle-Cameras-MODEL/dp/B00009XVCU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1493599832&sr=8-1&keywords=Canon+ef+35mm+old

Here is a list of Items that I am hoping might bring about a configuration that could possibly solve the LA7200 situation:

1. 95mm Close Up Diopters : preferably +0.4, but that is just a guess

2. 0.6x Wide Angle Adapter Lens : this link is to one for the panasonic HVX200
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/421915-REG/Century_Precision_Optics_0HD_06WA_HX2_0_6x_Wide_Angle_Adapter.html

3. 1.4x Teleconverter Lens For Canon EF Lenses :
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/390164-USA/Sigma_824101_1_4x_DG_EX_APO.html


And now, onto a configuration:
Here is a picture to display the configuration I am suggesting.

 

 

I am aware that some items in this configuration might be irrelevant. I am wondering whether or not mounting the 0.6x wide angle adapter lens backwards from its normal and current position, would do something to the anamorphic squeeze and desqueeze it back from 1.33x.

I am hoping we can discuss the theoretical effects that this configuration, or something like it by even eliminating some items here could have a major effect on correcting the blind focus area of up to 4meters from the camera, and correcting the loss of infinity focus from the diopter correction.

Thanks :]

 

[Zachary Austin]

By the way, this actually worked about a month ago. Shattered the minimum focus distance problem. I have been kindof scared to say anything because we got such amazing results, we pursued options to document and possibly market this solution. I am probably not business minded enough to do that. But I can tell you for sure, that if you get the correct size lenses with the exact right spacing, and the aperture must be cranked very high (F14)

Keep in mind results will vary, we basically eventually miraculously guessed exactly right with about a year of testing this solution. Our results were inclusive of these lenses,

12-44m zoom lens on Micro 4/3 GH5 camera body. The step down with the flange focal distance gives the zoomed in and not full frame field of view and higher depth of field. This is similar to a teleconverter paired with a lens turbo on the same camera. The lens had to be zoomed to 44mm to get past the vignetting and get a usable Depth of Field
The wide angle adapter lens was a rare single element 0.7x wide angle adapter lens 52mm in diameter, paired with (on it's rear side) a +5 Achromatic Diopter 55mm at exactly the correct spacing.

The Anamorphic adapter lens was the SLR Magic Anamorphot 40

The fractional diopter was a rare 77mm Camerz +0.5 Achromatic diopter.

Aperture had to be closed or cranked up to F.14. Did not get any really noticable results until aperture was at that setting. You would have to shoot things with an intense amount of professional lighting, because a high aperture like that will perform VERY POORLY in low-light. But if you are serious about anamorphic shooting, you will likely take lighting very serious as well, and not just go out and guerilla shoot everything. hahah

I can't promise you will like the "LOOK" of the exact setup we found results in, seeing as we had a rather wide Depth of Field, similar to something like a 28mm-35mm Anamorphic Lens. We are currently testing a method to achieve a shallower DOF look similar to a 50mm lens. We are getting pretty close to some decent results.

This method may seem as though it is not working AT ALL until you get it exactly right. It is a marvelous and miraculous discovery when you actually hit the hammer right on the nail. But it tends to look like "WHY AM I DOING THIS?.......THIS IS TOTALLY NOT WORKING AT ALL" until you basically get it exactly right.

It took us one FULL YEAR to find this specific combination, and has outstanding Sharp Close focus all the way up to about 1ft or less in front of the long lens combinations. It makes for a very feasible solution for Professional TV/Film use.