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Applications
by Martin W. Baumgarten
True aspect ratios vary slightly since projector gates vary a little bit here
and there...however, suffice it to say these ratios are based on the 1.33:1
Edison standard in films. Some film formats have more rectangular frames
thus yielding a wider aspect ratio. To avoid getting too technical
here.....let me state that in professional use.....the final format whether
anamorphically compressed or adjusted otherwise in the laboratory when
the film are printed on whatever gauge they will be released in.....there
are all kinds of "aspect ratios," and this changes in the theater (cinema)
upon projection as well, based on the equipment a given theater(cinema)
has to show the films with. Many times...films are drastically cut down
from their intended projection formats.
Anyhow...how does all this affect the 8mm or Super 8mm filmmaker? All
you have to decide on is what aspect ratio format you'd like to have, and
hunt for a suitable lens. Since most 16mm release prints that are in
WIDESCREEN, use the 2x lens, and also Super 8mm release prints that
are in WIDESCREEN/CinemaScope also use 2x lenses......I decided long
ago that I would film in this same format....thus having to only buy one
lens initially. With this one lens...I could then film and project my own
movies, as well as purchased prints....with the same lens. I also was able
to shoot 35mm slides in this 2x compressed format for a stunning 3:1
projected aspect ratio.....SUPER WIDE!
Most any focusable anamorphic lens that you can find used...in
SHUTTERBUG classifieds, on eBay, or other online used photo
shoppers......will usually work for filming with. You will need to fashion up
some sort of custom bracket to hold the lens in front of and in alignment
with the camera lens. Also....if you use an anamorphic lens that is smaller
than the diameter of your Super 8mm zoom lens for example....you'll be
limited only to the longer focal lengths...often 40mm or higher.
As my lens of choice, I use the KOWA 16-H lens (also known and marked
outside of the USA as the 8-Z) which is a 2x anamorphic lens focusing as
close as about 5ft, and will match up quite well to any Super 8mm or
Regular 8mm movie camera with a front standard filter thread in the
42mm to 52mm range. Matched to my SANKYO XL-620 Supertronic
camera, I am able to film as wide as about 15mm on the zoom lens. Don't
let this throw you off....remember that the 2x anamorphic lens will
compress 2x the amount of information in the horizontal plane. Thus in
reality, the 15mm setting becomes an effective 7.5mm focal length. So,
even used on a camera where you are restricted to 20mm or 25mm, the
effective focal length will still be a decent 10mm to 12.5mm range. It
takes a little bit of practice to compose while seeing a compressed image
in the viewfinder where everything appears tall and skinny...but you catch
on quickly.
New lenses are still being made....such as the range of lenses sold by The
Widescreen Centre...however..new lenses are VERY expensive. If you have
the money though...and want a lens to fit some special rig.....new might
be one alternative...but not one that I would recommend except to a
professional filmmaking company perhaps.
Yes, you will either need to use the same lens to project with, or a similar
or extra lens purchased just for projection. There are many smaller lenses
for sale on eBay at times...for example the KOWA 16-D, which is fine for
projection...but would only work for filming with small lens cameras or
those having only prime lenses and no zooms. So, if you buy one of these
at a lower cost than your main filmmaking lens....you will have one to
dedicate for projection only.
The older anamorphic lenses made for Regular 8mm were generally all of
the 1.5x compression format...however...they are still quite useable...and
can be fitted to many smaller Super 8mm cameras as well. Some of these
lenses are: YashicaScope, Bolex-Moeller Anamorphot, VistaScope,
Delrama, Iscorama, KinoScope and others.
I hope this has given you some helpful information. For moredetails...visit
my widescreen website which has links to some really helpful websites
dedicated to Widescreen: http://members.aol.com/Super8mm/AWS.html
While not all inclusive, and perhaps some errors which sharp-eyed readers
will point out...or add useful information of their own....it is a good
starting point. Many Widescreeners have used virtually every conceiveable
combination of anamorphic lens and camera and projector combination.
Simpler and older lenses that are not multicoated or coated at all....do
worse for camera use than a better lens of course. As long as the
projection intended lens can focus to infinity, it can almost always be used
for filming as well as projection. The catch is how does the lens mate to a
given camera lens....what focal length is the cut-off at, and can you live
with the degree of cut-off to film at that minimum focal length.
The camera and projector A-lens adapters differ significantly and can't
normally be used interchangeably. However.....the simple custom-mount
once made by the Widescreen Centre, can be used on both with some
simple ingenuity and also works well on slide projectors. Some of the lens
brackets made for cameras are:
The letter designations refer to the lens' size and which projection lenses
in the industry it is intended to fit (varies also to the degree of 'throw' in a
particular cinema). Some lenses are designed to work on both 16mm and
35mm projection equipment; yet will also work fine on 8mm, Super 8mm
and 9.5mm projectors if you use custom brackets made to fit them or free
standing adjustable A-lens holders. A free-standing unit for projection is
great for home use as it allows ease of transferring the lens to any
projector without any complications in setting it up. Since some lenses
were designed for a longer projection throw....they usually have longer
barrels. A long barrel isn't ideal for camera work...but if you can live with
the various limitations, they can still be used. A lens such as the unique
Iscorama 54...has a rear barrel diameter of 54mm and massive front optic
diameter.....so much so...that it can be used with most large zoom lensed
cameras throughout their entire zoom range. The lens makes for a
weighty unit when combined with the camera and A-lens bracket....but for
those wishing to film in the 2:1 aspect ratio using a 1.5x compression A-
lens...this is the baby to do it.
This listing is certainly not all inclusive. However, the following will give
the reader an informative representation of some lens names, their
compression ratios, approximate light loss to be expected, and some other
related factors. Anamorphic lenses can be used for achieving distorted
photographic effects, but their main use is to expand the 'normal' vision of
camera lenses and thus alter the aspect ratio to that of a WIDESCREEN
format. Three main Widescreen formats exist, although there are various
others; especially those used in optical printing machines to create an
anamorphic release print of an already Widescreen format such as films
shot in 65mm and then released on 35mm. With a variety of motion
picture formats in existance, and their associated camera gate aspect
ratios (which can vary again if filmed anamorphically), variable
compression lenses are utilized in optical printing to enlarge or reduce a
given format/gauge to another. These specialized lenses are then only
used in laboratory conditions and are too unique and expensive for actual
camera use. I will cover the lenses that are and have been used
photographically in cinematography; some also can be and have been
used for Widescreen still photography. Some of these lenses were
primarily intended for projection use. However, since they will focus to
infinity, they can also be employed for photographic use as well.
The stated light-loss amounts are averages and actually are slightly more
than measured at times; to err on the safe exposure side. If using a TTL
metering system as is present in most modern cameras, then the meter
will compensate for any light loss. This listing is to assist those that will
use manual exposure cameras with separate hand held light meters, so
these values can be factored in as compensation. Additional compensation
is required for certain long zoom lenses on their telephoto end, and also
for any filters that may be used.
KOWA lenses: These are quite popular and were also marketed under the
name of Singer/Sankor, Bell & Howell, Elmo, and a few others. Since there
is often confusion on these Kowa lenses...I'll go over them in a bit more
detail below. Design variations exist to accomodate projection use on
various projectors that they were intended to be used on. D.O.T.
Industries in Rochester, New York, USA which was the official importer and
dealer at one time, also sold a variety of specialized projection brackets
for various anamorphic lenses. Although almost any anamorphic lens can
be used for actual photography in filming (or some for still photography),
there are various limitations as to lens size (diameter of main camera
lens), zoom range utilization, focusing etc. This is based on camera lens &
anamorphic lens (or A-lens as us Widescreeners refer to them as)
combinations and compatibility. Also, note here that these lenses often
have odd and non-camera compatible rear threading. That is because the
threading was originally designed to be used with various adapters and as
is to fit certain projection lenses on 16mm movie projectors.
The following are all 2x compression ratio lenses which will yield an
approximate aspect ratio of 2.66:1 from the 'normal' 1.33:1 camera frame
format. This compression ratio is also known as "fullscope" or
"CinemaScope."
Of the above Kowa 2x lenses....only the 16-H & 8-Z work the best since
they have a very short length at their infinity setting, thus allowing
minimal vignetting (referred to as 'cutoff' by Widescreeners) at the
minimum allowable focal length. This minimum focal length varies
depending whether you are using a small prime lens or a zoom lens. On
the majority of Super 8mm cameras, there are zoom lenses. The more
useful ones for WIDESCREEN filmmaking are those with zoom ratios of 6:1
or less, since their front optic diameter is closer to that of the rear A-lens
flange diameter of 49mm on the Kowa lens.
If you try and use a Super 8mm camera with a zoom ratio of 8:1, then the
'cut-off' will most likely be at a longer focal length.....perhaps 25mm to
30mm. Although you won't have any wide angle capability.....this is still
useable....since even at 30mm, the 'effective focal length' when using a
2x compression A-lens would be 15mm. And 15mm is considered near
'normal' for Super 8mm; whereby a normal perspective is achieved. If you
use a 10:1 or 11.4:1 zoom lens camera such as a CHINON, ELMO or NIZO
for exampled....the 'cut-off' point would be even at a longer focal length
such as 40mm or thereabouts. Also, a large stepdown ring would have to
be used to avoid having the A-lens come into physical contact with the
front optic while in use. This still isn't a total loss, as I have often used the
16-H with a NIZO S-800 to achieve a CinemaScope image at times when I
required a long telephoto magnification. To go even further....the A-lens
could be used over a 135mm, 200mm or longer still camera lens mounted
to a BEAULIEU interchangeable lens camera.
Most of this also applies to 16mm and Regular 8mm cine cameras, which
have lenses with similar physical attributes to front optic diameter which
would allow for a good or poor matchup to the A-lens you plan to use.
1.5x from the 1.33:1 standard camera frame format = 2:1 aspect
ratio projected
1.75x from the 1.33:1 standard camera frame format = 2.25:1
aspect ratio projected
2x from the 1.33:1 standard camera frame format = 2.66:1 aspect
ratio projected
Some Specifications:
I hope I've been able to provide some useful information here to those
interested in anamorphic lenses for use in Super 8mm filmmaking.
Brackets can be designed and made up by those able to do so, or ordered
(after providing the precise measurements) from places such as: The
WIDESCREEN-CENTRE and thru Les Rechter of the Australian Widescreen
Association. Due to the decline in Widescreen interest and those willing to
join organizations, suppliers of various lenses and brackets have shrunk
down to less than a handful. Often you can get brackets for projectors
since these are quite common from professional projection supply houses,
but getting a lens bracket made to use on your specific camera might be
more difficult. A little forethought and ingenuity is called for in most cases
and those persistant enough to go ahead and also patient enough to wait
to have a bracket made, will be able to embark on their WIDESCREEN
adventure. Since necessity is the mother of invention, there are many
possibilities that one can come up with using various step-up and step-
down rings, old odd lens barrels and fittings striped from various lenses
and devices.
Best wishes,
Martin W. Baumgarten
Super8mm@aol.com