QuickHitRecord

[quote name='richg101' timestamp='1346313566' post='16930'] Nice work man:) i think a custom zoom feature in general would be good. to allow custom framing without using masking tape ie. if you wanted to zoom into a de-squeezed 1.5x anamorphic image (2.66:1) in order to see a 1.33x (2.35:1) cropping off the edges by zooming in. I have to say. it is hard enough getting focus bang on with a wide angle and anamorphic attachment (21mm on the width for my setup) even while using the full surface area on my 5" screen. a desqueeze would hinder me while acquiring footage, but would be nice on a larger additional monitor for showing a director who wants to see the final aspect ratio on set. [/quote] That would indeed be very useful. Maybe if we make enough noise about it, they may include it in the firmware update.

[quote name='septemberdawn' timestamp='1346309082' post='16922'] Could someone offer advice regarding this 'tweak' for the DP6. I've just received a smallHD DP6. I assume anamorphic settings are made via the 'Custom Scale' feature? [/quote] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]There are[/font][/color] 16:9, 4:3, 2.35:1, 1.85:1, 15:9, and 16:10 aspect ratio presets. There's nothing for 3.55:1 (2x stretch), but if you start[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif] out with the the 2.35:1 aspect ratio, you can push the V-size parameter until right before it unmistakably corrupts. It's a lot of button presses and you'll have a bar of garbled nonsense underneath the image area, but it can be useful. Do this while you are in one of your presets so that you don't have to do it every time.[/font][/color] I have mine set so that presets 1, 3 and 5 are anamorphic stretches of 2x, 1.5x and 1.33x respectively. Presets 2, 4 and 6 have all been set to Pixel-to-Pixel (or whatever SmallHD calls it) with Focus Assist enabled. That way, I can jump over into an even-numbered preset and check focus quickly.

[quote name='TC' timestamp='1346245032' post='16800']But what next from Canon? C200: same electronics again, but 35Mbps for $12,000? C50: same electronics again, but plastic body and no clean HDMI out for $5000? [/quote] Ha. One can only wonder. For what you are getting at that price point, I am not sure why anyone would choose this over the Black Magic.

I did mention this in another thread, but I think that it probably deserves its own topic. For those of you trying to mount diopters on LA7200 anamorphic lenses, this is what I have been doing (see pictures). The binding product is called Dual Lock. It is similar to velcro but is adhesive-sided and creates a stronger bond. I never have to worry about my diopters slipping off. It works well with inexpensive Cokin-P diopters as pictured. With a GH2, I can shoot with the Voigtlander Nokton and the LA7200 with only slight vignetting. So 30mm and up should be vignette free. It's a very simple concept but I haven't seen anyone else using it and it took me a while to figure it out. I hope that others find it useful.

As excited as I am for the GH3, I'm really hoping that Panasonic delivers us this mutation: [url="http://www.43rumors.com/hot-patent-panasonic-working-on-a-compact-micro-four-thirds-videocamera-with-sliding-grip/"]http://www.43rumors....h-sliding-grip/[/url] In a perfect world, it's the GH3 with a micro four-thirds sensor minus that photography bit (for the most part) but plus some additional video performance. (Of course, this is where somebody tells me that it has been debunked as a late April Fools joke).

Yes, the stuff that I got was called "Dual Lock". It offers a much more rigid hold than velcro.

Personally... I like the image of the Hypergonar Hi-Fi 2, the flare of the Lomo square fronts, and the ease of use of the Iscos. But that's just me. LA-7200 is also very usable but only when used with diopters. I am currently selling mine with everything that you need to get started if you are interested: [url="http://www.ebay.com/itm/Panasonic-LA7200-LA-7200-LA-7200-Anamorphic-Lens-with-diopter-solution-/200812356637?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item2ec159641d#ht_500wt_1312"]http://www.ebay.com/...d#ht_500wt_1312[/url] I'd recommend picking up Andrew's e-book on Anamorphic shooting. He ranks all of his favorites. I agree with him for the most part, though I think that Iscoramas are over-hyped and over-priced.

[quote name='tony wilson' timestamp='1345589786' post='16166'] nutin eye tells ya ok : ) day are alls variations on an optical theme. wat is impotent is day av not been takin apart and messed wid dat is where dere problams start every lens needs to be tested if it soft return it. if der seller refuse to take it back track him down and kill him slow. if you needs help in der killin area eye nose some peeples in Uzbekistan day likes killin a lot [/quote] Tony, you are half the reason I read this forum.

I struck up a long conversation with a Panasonic rep at a film festival in May, and I urged him to suggest that they put a liability waiver on the box and release a truly open-source camera (i.e. the GH3). I am sure that I am not the first person to suggest this to them, but the folks at Panasonic were interested enough to call me a couple of times talk about it. I didn't get a sense of whether they will be doing this with the GH3 (or at all), but either way it looks like Sony has beaten them to the punch!

This is stunning footage. No flares necessary. I like this more than anything that I have seen from the Iscorama 36. Thanks for the share.

Interesting. I say this because I think that I am going through the same thing to some degree. Three months ago, I would have declared that I never wanted to shoot a personal project in non-anamorphic again. But now, like you, I have decided to part with a lot of my anamorphic lenses. There is so much other interesting glass out there, like your Zeiss lenses, and not all of it pairs well with anamorphic lenses. There are enough limitations built into digital video and film without devising our own.

[quote name='richg101' timestamp='1345381351' post='16039']I'm now looking at going back to standard 16:9 after my short but sweet love affair with this aspect ratio. [/quote] Why, Rich?

Andrew's review from a while back: [url="http://www.eoshd.com/content/639/rewo-gh2-cage-full-review"]http://www.eoshd.com...age-full-review[/url] If anyone is interested: [url="http://www.ebay.com/itm/ReWo-V2-0-Professional-Grade-Cage-for-GH2-Rare-and-no-longer-in-production-/200808264756#ht_617wt_1367"]http://www.ebay.com/...6#ht_617wt_1367[/url]

[quote name='XXX' timestamp='1345125434' post='15802'] @nahua What kind of lenshood do you use there? [/quote] It's a Panasonic LA7200 anamorphic adapter. But it does look a lot like a lens hood. ;-)

The pocket rig blocks access to the battery compartment on the GH2 and there is only one point of contact for mounting it on a tripod (at the end of the stem), so it does tend to move. Other than that, it's a handy tool for sure.

Loved the shot of the ambulance.

I have an Isco Gottingen Anamorphot that is 1.5x. It can be a bit tricky to use, but I think that it creates a nice, cinematic image. Here's something that I shot with it: [media]http://vimeo.com/47144249[/media] As you can see, it's not sharp by its very nature. But I do like the look.

[quote name='xenogears' timestamp='1344858106' post='15495'] There's another matte box on Ebay, made of high-grade ABS and aluminum, is cheap and doesn't look so bad, here's the search result on ebay: [url="http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l2736&_nkw=Compact+Pro+Matte+Box"]http://www.ebay.com/...t Pro Matte Box[/url] [/quote] This actually looks very good. Thanks for the share. The only thing that I am trying to figure out right now is how to attach a variable ND fader to one of these things. LightCraft Workshop makes a set of two 4x4 ND filters that work together to the same effect but they are priced at over $400! That's why I was looking at modifying this one, which seems to be able to take a screw-on 82mm filter: [url="http://www.thecinecity.com/eshop/PROAIM-95mm-Wide-angle-Matte-box-MB-95-French-flag-for-all-DV-HDV-DSLR-Cams-Free-Adapter-ring.html"]http://www.thecineci...apter-ring.html[/url] Has anyone found a workaround?

Hi Caleb, I used to own a Bell & Howell, which is very similar to your Kowa. [quote name='Caleb Genheimer' timestamp='1344666672' post='15298']I was shooting very quick, improvising as we went. This meant the Tokina ATX diopter went off and on the Kowa a lot. It inevitably got smudges, etc. Those with Tokina ATX diopters . . . how do you clean them? I tried a Zeiss lens cloth, but that left streaks. I'm seriously considering permanent protective glass either side of the Tokina seeing as it is an expensive, rare, high damage-risk type of item. Am I crazy for considering this?[/quote] This has been doing well for me: [url="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/343088-REG/Giottos_CL1001_Lens_Cleaning_Kit_with.html"]http://www.bhphotovi...g_Kit_with.html[/url] Be gentle and make sure not to spray the solution on the glass directly. [quote name='Caleb Genheimer' timestamp='1344666672' post='15298']How do you cap the back of your Kowa when not in use? I have the Redstan clamp set, which is great, and I'm thinking of getting a threaded rear cap that fits the rear Redstan clamp. Are there other options?[/quote] A generic lens cap like this: [url="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/807037-REG/Sensei_lc52_52mm_Center_Pinch_Snap_On.html"]http://www.bhphotovi...ch_Snap_On.html[/url] Your diameter may be different than mine was. [quote name='Caleb Genheimer' timestamp='1344666672' post='15298']How to support the Kowa's weight? There's no denying, the Kowa is a massive chunk of glass and metal. The weight of it puts a lot of stress on the focusing mechanism of the spherical "taking" lens that it is mounted to . . . so much so that many of my taking lenses seize up, almost unable to focus. Does anyone have a support solution for alleviating the weight of the Kowa? Perhaps one designed for a 15mm rod system? A regular lens support won't work with any taking lens with a moving front (most older lenses). It needs to both support the Kowa and slide in and out with the taking lens as it focuses.[/quote] Not a perfect solution (it was blocked from full coverage of the RedStan clamp by screws), but this helps: [url="http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lens-Support-Rail-Block-Rod-Clamp-fr-15mm-rod-DSLR-Rig-Rail-System-Follow-Focus-/230836450089?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35beecb329#ht_1234wt_1136"]http://www.ebay.com/...#ht_1234wt_1136[/url] [quote name='Caleb Genheimer' timestamp='1344666672' post='15298']Has anyone tried pulling focus with two pullers and two follow focus units? Theoretically, this should be possible . . . assuming the camera and actor movements are accurate. Does anyone have a gear on their Kowa? Just curious :)[/quote] Never had the manpower. You could be the first! But make sure to get it on camera (a different camera).

I think that by suggesting that the OP write off all anamorphic lenses except for the Iscoramas, you're making it evident that you have been missing out on a lot great anamorphic action. There are anamorphic lenses with a lot more character out there. Even the ultra-low budget filmmakers (and I fall into this category) can create great images with these. [quote name='Jimbawb' timestamp='1344627091' post='15279'] The main question is 'would general audiences be happy to watch a film where the majority of the whole pciture is filled with black?' the answer is probably not.[/quote] Agreed. I would not want to sit through a 3.55:1 feature. It IS better suited for short films. [quote name='Jimbawb' timestamp='1344627091' post='15279'] So Mondo, if you have an HD camera that shoots 4:3 natively then this lens could be perfect! In fact if thats true, you must tell us all which camera that is!![/quote] The GH2 can be hacked and made to record in 4:3 natively. The drawback is that the last time I checked, it was only available at 30 frames per second. I am considering shooting a short film with a the Hypergonar because I like the look so much. I currently have it on a shoulder rig and with a +1 diopter I can focus between 3'9" and 4'3" (image attached). I focus with my legs; just walk in or out until I see pores. Difficult, but that just means that fewer people are going to try it -- and that makes it all the more appealing to me. Envious of the Alexa. One day I will get there.

[quote name='Jimbawb' timestamp='1344617323' post='15273'] Hey Mondo, just a warning, don't go buying a lens like the one in the link above, it's a projector lens and ain't no good for shooting![/quote] I respectfully disagree. I don't know about the lens above but my Hypergonar HiFi-2 is a 35mm film projection lens and though it is difficult to use (heavy, dual focusing, requires a diopter), I think that it creates a fantastic image; among the best that I have seen. I prefer it to Iscorama. No one uses these lenses to make their lives easier but I believe that the extra mile really goes a long way. Here are some samples of the same subject that I shot in succession with some of my lenses that you may find to be helpful in your search: [media]http://vimeo.com/42505123[/media] I have some other videos up with footage from later acquisitions, and there are hundreds of them out there by other people as well. I'd recommend looking at as much footage as you can before making a decision. Good luck!

Isco Animex... that is a new one to me. I don't mean to hijack your thread, but do you have any footage that you could direct me to (PM or new post is fine)? I am forever curious about these lenses.

I am working in FCP so I can't offer you any pointers. But I am curious, what is your 1.75x lens?

Anyone had any experience with this? http://www.thecinecity.com/eshop/PROAIM-95mm-Wide-angle-Matte-box-MB-95-French-flag-for-all-DV-HDV-DSLR-Cams-Free-Adapter-ring.html

Thanks for the info, Marcus. I have Manfrotto 701 and 501 heads. Could a quick release plate for an RC2 could be mounted on top of the standard 501PL plate? What would be the orientation would it need to be in? Blocking the battery door is a deal breaker for me. Have you seen this? [media]http://youtu.be/aAOHa2HUYU0[/media]