Iscorama anamorphic lenses

[ChrisLilley]

Does anyone have experience of anamorphic (widescreen) lenses, specifically those made by Iscorama? They seem mainly to be used for cine photography but some have SLR mounts.

The effective focal length is different in the horizontal and vertical dimensions, so they take a picture which is 1.5 times wider than it is high. On digital, of course, rescaling to get back a normal aspect ratio (and thus a widescreen image, 4.5:2 rather than 3:2) is trivial.

[kds315*]

I have that plastic thing in Nikon mount. Never thought it would be that great, just wanted to see if that would be a fast way to do panos. The circle of confusion will of course also be oblong (elliptic), thus the resolution in one direction will be less then the other.

That lens is actually two pieces, a 50mm lens (rear part) and a anamorphic front lens system (cylinder lenses)



Here is some info, also about anamorp. attachments:
http://super8wiki.com/index.php/Anamorphic_Lenses#1.5x_Anamorphic_lenses

[ChrisLilley]

Thanks for the info!

And what is the quality like, optically?

[kds315*]

Can't really say Chris, as mentioned, I have just played around with it some year or two ago. If I find the time this week, I could do some quick shots and post them here...

It'll be weekend most likely, since I just got another task in, sorry...

[kds315*]

Test shots using this lens in two orientations, wide and narrow mode (so to speak). It has a 1.5x compression ratio in one, user selectable, axis.

This is narrow (original file from the cam):


and this is wide (lens front rotated 90 degrees):


now the narrow one horizontally compressed by 1.5x:


and the wide one vertically compressed by 1.5x:


clearly showing the variation of the angle of field covered, which due to the compression, is not the same in both directions (vert./horiz.).

And here some 100% crops to judge on quality,

first the narrow version:


and the wide version:


which both, of course, show about the same content, yet maybe in different quality due to the different compressions (elliptic circles of confusion).
I leave the judgement to the viewer....

[Fotal]

hmm, wierd lens

thanks for the samples and the comments Klaus

[luisalegria]

Its not bad at all - as far as I can see anyway.

[hacksawbob]

Hi I have a kowa anamorph that came mounted to the filter end of a jupiter 9! not really tested it yet

[ChrisLilley]

Klaus, many thanks for taking the time to do these tests. Gives me a much better idea of how the lens would be used. The quality is not bad at all. Interesting that it can be used to get a square format as well; its the wide panorama that is most interesting though.

The model I saw on ebay looked to be slightly different to yours (seems to be metal body, and markings on the front are different).

Click here to see on Ebay

It shot up to 149 GBP at the end of auction so I would not have got it anyway, had I bid on it. Coincidentally, that purveyor of astounding bargains Photo-Arsenal is now selling one for ... US $1594 while mis-describing it as a 'prototype' and guessing its focal length as 135mm. I gather its actually around 50mm in the 'normal' (non-stretched) direction?

Click here to see on Ebay

Interesting lens anyway.

[kds315*]

Most welcome Chris! I had that lens bought quite a few years ago and never really made use of it, so mine is a different, older type actually as compared to the one you showed in that link. The body/barrel is all plastic unfortunately, but still it makes a sturdy impression.

I was always only interested in the panoramic view and bought it when I experimented with PanoTools years ago. Using a normal or wide angle lens and stitch is so easy now, so these lenses are obsolete.

That company in Nuremberg is know to be overpriced and he has some many "prototypes" that makes me wonder. That is a f2.8 50mm lens, but not written on the lens unfortunately.

[indonesiafoto]

I do used iscorama 54 , on Nikon body Analog (with 50mm)and digital (with 35mm).

It has 77 filter thread and 54 rear lens element, so that you can use it for nearly all lens.

you can see the photo and some picture taken in this links:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/indonesiafoto/1508977548/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/indonesiafoto/1508649898/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/indonesiafoto/1508647208/in/set-72157603514452154/

[kds315*]

I have that attachment too, but it is not that useful since it weights about 1000grams, quite a monstruous piece. It works, but more for slide projection.

The lens we talk about is also called Iscorama-36 if I remember correctly and it has a built in 2.8/50mm lens.

[zewrak]

I suggest taking vertical portraits with that lense, if the subject is a female. Horizontal if a man.

[kds315*]

Opposite is much better, most women are slim....

[kds315*]

A shot using that Iscorama 54, not as sharp as the ones above....

[Flor27]

I used to have one, 50mm f:2.8 in M42 mount :



But the apterture rign was so tight that I've asked a refund to the seller.

On EOS 5D, there were some clearly visible vigneting each wide side.

[kds315*]

Well, since it fits here, the balloon shots I recently made
using the ISCORAMA lens on Nikon - too bad I don't have a
D90, I could have shot some videos.

All handheld, ISO1250, shot fully open:

[patrickh]

Last one is very impressive Klaus. What a strange lens


patrickh

[kds315*]

Well, anyone here who would/could lend me his D90 / 5D MkII for a few anamorphic test videos?

[luisalegria]

Ditto, very impressive balloons.

I wonder what focal-length equivalent that would be.

[kds315*]

The lens itself is 50mm focal length, but since the front anamorphic built in adaptor stretches the image horizontally, the angle of view is 1.5x larger than with a normal 50mm lens.

[fates]

[ChrisLilley]

[kds315*]

The damage has already been done Chris, sadly enough.

And yes, I know the RED and had the pleasure to work with
it - not mine though. Shooting 4k is REALLY impressive!

There are rumours that ISCO will come out with a successor
of the ISCORAMA soon, so I hope this will keep the prices
low ... I need another one for my stereo project

[Pancolart]

Anyone seen optical design of Iscorama?