Lens selection for Schneider WA Cinelux Anamorphic 2x MC

[iangreenhalgh1]

Hi Folks

I bought this thing a while ago and have been using the Cine-Xenon as a taking lens.

Now i want to use the anamorphic adapter to shoot some video..




The anamorphic adapter is a WA-Cinelux Anamorphic 2x MC.

WA-Cinelux Anamorphic 2x MC:



Schneider says the adapter works with lenses of 45mm focal length and longer. Of course, I have a lot of 50mm primes I could use it with. However, I think a zoom lens would be a good idea for video shooting.

So, what I need:

Constant aperture
Two-touch
Parfocal
Front doesn't rotate

I can think of lots of very good zooms like the Canon FD 3.5/35-105 and the Konica UC Zoom-Hexanon 45-100 (which I already have) but I have no idea about if they are parfocal or not. I read that the Canon FD is if the back focus is adjusted right but has issues with the zooming cams?

Others I can think of:

Pentax A 3.5/35-105
Hoya/Tokina 3.5/35-105

Here's the adapter on a fancy cinema rig with an EOS and a 50mm prime:



So what do people recommend?

[JohnBar]

Hi Ian , I will be supporting that WA Cinelux soon


for now there is this .....

[iangreenhalgh1]

Hi John

Wow, that's a nice setup. I am aiming for something a bit more humble without getting too far into the Heath-Robinson gaffer tape n araldite territory!

What lenses do you have there? I think I an see one of the Schneider cine lenses in the middle and is that a Kowa anamorphic?

I'm intrigued to know how that setup of yours works. What model of EOS is that?

I'm not sure what camera I am going to use, got any recommendations on the camera front?

[JohnBar]

Hi Ian,

from object side
Rectilux 3FF-W single focus attachment
ES Cinelux 2X Scope
2/85mm Super Cinelux Projection Lens
Custom EOS mount
Canon 5D2


Rectilux 3FF-W works with a wide variety of scopes, there is also a 3FF-S which is more for handheld use

Some customer videos enjoy !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqLpNJjTcuM using Kowa Scope and Zeiss primes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0sDERvcesU GH4 + Sigma 30mm f1/4 + Bolex-Moller 16/32/1.5x + Rectilux 3FF-W.

and from LA based Producer/ Director Zak Forsman..

https://vimeo.com/134669608
https://vimeo.com/134593095

[JohnBar]

the above rig with SK Cine Xenon 2/55mm as prime lens on NEX 5N

[JohnBar]

the above rig with SK Super Cinelux 2/85mm as prime lens on Canon 5D2

[iangreenhalgh1]

Very interesting, that's the cinematic look I want. Is the swirl in the bokeh induced by the rectilux and/or anamorphic adapter? I haven't noticed any swirl with my Schneider Cine lenses.

Do you have an aperture fitted behing the schneider objective? I have modified my 45mm WA Cine-Xenon and my 65mm Super Cinelux to have apertures taken from Schneider enlarging lenses and my 90mm Cine-Xenon has been fitted with the aperture from a wartime air ministry lens so those three will probably be what I use with my anamorphic. All three have been fitted into helicoids.

Have you tried adding a wide angle converter to the front of the anamorphic as some people have done? I have a couple of huge ones from Schneider and Century that might work.

[JohnBar]

The last shot was from yesterday just before a shower, so it is at 11 oclock alignment As you know rain killed our summer in the North West.

Basically the anamorphic cinema projection lenses were designed for optical correction of the film print and so a litlle barrel distortion tends to show a little, when used for digital shooting.

I designed the Rectilux optics for maximum sharpness and minimum CA, SA etc. Rectilux produces a virtual image at infinity of the real world as explained in these informal white papers:

http://www.transferconvert.co.uk/cinemania/HOW%20SINGLE%20FOCUS%20ANAMORPHIC%20ATTACHMENTS%20WORK.pdf
http://www.transferconvert.co.uk/cinemania/Dummies%20Guide%20to%20Anamorphic%20Lens.pdf

I am working on a rehousing of Cinelux/Cine Xenon lenses that will feature 16 blade iris. the mount is the easy part, but I will offer PL option.

Wide angle converters with Anamorphic is a tricky thing to pull off, with acceptable results