Andrew Reid

  Yes I did. Highly recommended but no scart socket so be careful what you plan to use it with :)

EOSHD is launching a Shooter's Guide for lenses on the Sony A7R - pre-order it here to get $10 off the launch price Currently the best (read expensive) full frame lenses for low light are the Zeiss Otus 55mm F1.4 and the Leica M Noctilux 50mm F0.95. How does the SLR Magic HyperPrime 50mm T0.95 rate as an alternative? Read the full article here

You will have to get past the armed Iscorama Communist Red Guard first!

  It's true, 2x Isco with single focus, like a 2x version of the Iscorama 42.   https://vimeo.com/13004933   And yes very lucky to get it back in 2009 for £100 before anyone knew what it was worth. At the time I didn't even value it that much myself and wanted an Iscorama!!

  Yeah the 2.39:1 certainly appeals to more people than 3.55:1 but if you can shoot 4:3 using full 1280p sensor vertical res on the 5D Mark III with Magic Lantern raw, 2x looks amazing. It's like turning the anamorphic amp up to 11!

The surprising thing is that Nikon had first claim to the 36MP sensor, which is Sony's most advanced to date (manufacturing wise) on a new process. Maybe they paid a lot for it, but Sony doesn't seem that hung up about giving their best sensors to competitors… yet.   On the medium format front, those sensors could have incredible low light and dynamic range properties. Traditionally medium format has not been much good in low light instead going for resolution. So if they do a 54MP medium format sensor and a 24MP one that would be the right strategy. Give the users a choice. Form factor could be interesting too.

Psst… I'm having an end of year clear out Where would we be without the end of the year and the impending doom that is Christmas? Enjoying summer? Revelling in the most fruitful year for filmmakers and camera geeks on record? I'd much rather 2013 just carried on! Alas the year is starting to wind down now for the Holidays and this seems like a good moment to look back at the most amazing (and not so amazing) events of 2013... Read the full article here

  Which explains why Canon wiped $2.5 billion off their 2013 profit forecast.

It includes a share offer and was only 1 year (2011) but Forbes are a good source. Who knows, may be wrong. I have no idea about such matters and nor should it matter. The point is, their management are not into change. They want to keep the status quo ticking along and they don't really understand the gravity of the situation, with regards the internet age and technology and Canon's lack of progress in those areas.

No it was in dollars not yen, look - http://www.forbes.com/profile/fujio-mitarai/   More from Canon...   Interview, mainly about mirrorless - http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fdc.watch.impress.co.jp%2Fdocs%2Fnews%2Finterview%2F20131209_626786.html   Sparkling career but please retire guys and let some young blood revitalise the company.

  I still have my LA7200 and yes it is soft at the edges. I'll do a comparison vs the SLR Magic as I know a lot of LA7200 users are thinking of making the switch. If you move quick enough you might actually save money as the eBay price for the LA7200 has been hyper inflated for a while now. Can't see it staying up there above $1000 for much longer.

Out this coming weekend.

  I'll know more soon about this, when the SLR Magic diopters arrive at EOSHD HQ. Andrew has had my Tokina as a reference and guinea pig!

  I haven't tried this lens but it may well work. Ideally though you should be keeping it mated to a lens with a smaller rear element than 50mm, to match the 50mm rear of the anamorphic. Such large glass as F1.2 - i.e the Canon 50 and 85 L lenses, are HUGE! It certainly won't be sharp at F1.2. At F2.8 you should get outstanding performance but like I say I haven't tested the 50mm.   I have tried it on the Olympus OM 55mm F1.2 and it does play well stopped down to 2.8, whereas the Iscorama vignettes a bit.

  The Sigma at 18mm itself on the MFT SB doesn't vignette on the GH3, I have tried. But you can't expect an SLR Magic or Iscorama anamorphic to cover the wide end. You can use it fine at the 35mm end without vignetting.

If you have the near / far focus out of whack with the prime lens focus distance your oval bokeh will turn on its side. So maybe a mistake on my part of it appears so in the video. I'll check it out.   Here's a better example of the stretched bokeh of this lens...     I shot shot it now.

  It is exactly the long term strategy for making money I have an issue with regards Canon. They have been very successful at short termism actually. They have not kept up with technological changes and market shifts especially towards mirrorless technology. Maybe they think they can just turn on the tap late and get away with it? I don't know.   And more worryingly even Sigma are making better lenses now, just look at the performance of the Sigma 35mm F1.4 vs the Canon L equivalent.

  There's tons lacking on the photography side too actually. They don't have a mirrorless system with EVF. They have something like a grand mirrorless lens range of what… 2 lenses!?   So no really portable full frame camera for stills like Sony has with the A7R, A7 and RX1.   There's no high megapixel body for stills. Canon 22MP to Nikon / Sony 36MP is a big gap. Their CMOS manufacturing needs to move off the current outdated process to achieve this high megapixel count and it seems they are late doing this.   Their contrast detect AF is still slower than Micro Four Thirds and 95% of Canon lenses don't have internal silently focussing stepping motors for AF. Even on 70D the live-view AF is way slower than the Panasonic GX7 / Olympus OM-D E-M1.   They don't have the variety of bodies either… They are all almost identical to use, similar size, similar ergonomics, similar black trad. SLR design, etc.   The lens range is incredibly strong but very pricey, look at the new Canon 35mm F2.0 IS. That began at 700 euros and they had to drop the price 200 euros before it started selling. Compared to Sigma 35mm F1.4 you have to really need IS to consider the Canon. It's a nice lens, I use it, and light… but at 700 it was a non-starter for me.   Photographers are also complaining about the EOS M2. They were awaiting a proper update but instead had the range cancelled altogether in the US and Europe where the last one sold poorly due to being rather rubbish.   Trust me, it's pretty much only momentum and inertia which is keeping Canon in the game at the moment.

  It doesn't vignette on the Pocket with original Speed Booster. Good all the way.   On 1.86x crop GH2 which turns into something slightly larger than the APS-C sensor the Sigma was intended for you do get some slightly dark corners at 18mm.

  Not tried it but feel free to start a separate topic for this!

  Good idea :)

  Maybe because you've been following in the wrong place :)   The multiple flares are because there's multiple light sources in one LED panel. If you flare it with a single light source you get nicer flare.   Similar thing happens with an Iscorama and nobody complains!   I do agree there's a difference between the dramatic 2x stretch lenses and this, but SLR Magic wanted to keep the aspect ratio to 2.39:1 from 16:9 which is a Cinemascope standard. 3.55:1 isn't.   Again 1.3x is pretty close to 1.5x but nobody complains about an Iscorama's image.   Personally I like it. If you look at the check list of features and get factual about it...   My footage looks nicer than the Letus stuff I've seen so far. It has the uncanny anamorphic out of focus areas both foreground and background. It has the stretched ovals bokeh and it has flare very similar to a cinema Panavision (which also always flares blue). It is bloody sharp edge to edge and has the ease of focus as the Iscorama, which is rare on an anamorphic for this price. It has soundly beaten the LA7200 and that was capable of some pretty nice results to begin with. It's exceptionally small and light. The price… it compares VERY favourably to the other practical single focus options out there. The minimum focus distance is half of an Iscorama and more like a LOMO cine lens.   Facts are facts. I just feel SLR Magic have some years to go before people can get over the brand not being Leica and the lenses not being made in West Germany.

  Goes well with this lens.   I haven't shot with the 20mm enough yet though to feature it but I will.

  With a Nikon G adapter. The aperture is controlled via a mechanical lever on the back of the Nikon mount version. On the Canon version it's entirely electronic.

I think it's cool. I love the ergonomics and look of some Super 8 cameras. If you paired it with this it would make them far more useful. Mine are only used as ornaments and I use the lenses on the Pocket camera!