Gabriel Copoeru

I want to take a moment to thank everyone who contributed to this thread.  Tito, Gabriel, Nahua, and particularly Rich, for your support and the invaluable information you shared that allowed me to get from 'novice anamorphhc modder' to 'slightly-less-novice anamorphic modder.'  Seriously, without your insights I never would have finished this mod.

I now have three working B&H lens mods.  Two have the 14mm helicoids, allowing focus to approx 36 inches, and the 30mm helicoid which provides an amazing 8-inch focus distance.  The downside on the 30mm helicoid is that:
It still requires several barrel rotations to rack focus from 8 inches out to infinity Focus breathing is noticeable particularly at close distances. Not a bad trade-off, to be able to so close with the camera.  I'm going to keep one of the 14mm's as well as the 30mm.  I've ordered parts to create a second lens bracket, and will bundle that with the remaining 14mm helicoid modded lens for sale on eBay, to recoup some of my costs.  As mentioned, I'm thinking of making the helicoid mod & lens bracket available as a kit if enough B&H owners are interested.  So let me know if you are.
Now I'm ready to start taking my rig out to do some serious test footage.  I'm especially interested in trying my Mamiya Sekor 50mm f1.4 and my Angenieux 12-120mm to see results of night shooting and zooming, respectively.
Once again, a thousand thank-yous to everyone in this thread for your help.  You've allowed me to realize my goal of shooting in widescreen, an ambition I've had every since I bought my first 8mm movie camera so many years ago.  I hope the info in this thread has helped other B&H owners take advantage of this lens.
Cheers,
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Bold, I applaud your efforts, the mod is looking good.
Regarding the infinity focus issue, I believe it is a flaw of the B&H itself. It simply cannot focus to true infinity.
I was also wondering if you've saved the design for the 3D printed parts and could share it. Maybe I can find some workshop where I can do it in my country and try your mod as well.
BTW, I see that redstan is selling his original clamp on ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/finest-anamorphic-lens-clamp-kowa-isco-sankor-and-more-by-redstan-/331812493831?hash=item4d4190da07:g:0NUAAOSwQYZWzlcS
This clamp is a perfect snug fit for the B&H with the silver ring attached (I have it).
Cheers!

My initial test was disappointing.  The mod seems to suffer the same issue QuickHitRecord mentions near the bottom of the first post in this thread, where it can't quite seem to get to infinity.  The taking lens is a Helios 44 (not 44-2) that focuses to infinity just fine on its own and is flat up against the back of the B&H.  The front element of the mod  is sitting in the helicoid nearly touching the front glass of the anamorphic.
John Barlow mentions a negative achromat further down in the same thread as a solution.  Anyone know of this and how to acquire one?
Richg101 (or any other B&H modders out there) do you have any other thoughts/suggestions?  I'm hesitant to shorten the distance between the front glass and anamorphic any further because I'm worried about the glass touching each other.
On a positive note, the long helicoid allows me to focus down to about a foot (maybe less!) on my Helios without noticeable vignetting.  Some mighty focus breathing, though. I'm very close to finishing this mod and would hate to think all my effort has been for naught.  Any help on this issue would be greatly appreciated!
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Finally, a progress update.

A combination of polyurethane casting and 3D printing to mate the B&H anamorphic with the helicoid.

A couple 3D printed brackets to hold the front glass element in the M58 Helicoid.

Plus some invaluable help from a friend (with a workshop) for marrying the finderscope bracket with the 15mm rail system.  The helicoid pictured is 25mm-55mm, in hopes the longer travel distance will allow closer focus. I have a 17-31mm helicoid as a backup in case vignetting on the longer helicoid is too much.

This has been an agonizing process full of mis-steps.  Fortunately, no anamorphics were harmed in the making of this prototype.  Although two helicoids did not make it (RIP).  But I'm only a few days away from testing.  Everything fits snugly so I'm crossing my fingers that the test footage will be worth the absurd amount of time I've put into this.  I hope to have good news soon.

A very nice Baby Hypergonar anamorphic / Cinemascope lens in great shape! This lens has a 1.75x ratio which is true CinemaScope and when used on a 4:3 sensor, it produces a 2.33:1 Resulting Aspect Ratio. I don't see any scratches, mold or haze in lens. Very macro cleaning scratches, which don't show up in footage or pictures. Lens in in great shape for 60+ years old.
It comes with custom Rapido clamp for connecting lens to taking lens. The clamp connects to a 52mm thread but with different step up rings you can change this.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Baby-Hypergonar-Anamorphic-Cinemascope-lens-Rare-Great-condition-Rapdo-clamp-/281981378426?

Here is my first test with my run and gun anamorphic set up. 
Shot on a GH4 in 4k with natural profile.
Lens used were Baby Hypergonar anamorphic + LINOS MeVis-C 35mm F1.6 Most of it shot at f1.6 or f2.8
Rectilux Core DNA with +0.6 diopter on close ups.
No sharping or noise reduction.. I hope you like. The images at the end I really love. The Rectilux is a dream but you diopters to get sharp below 2 feet.
 

Rectilux Core DNA: Extras to get by Ian Edward Weir
I would highly recommend getting these extras to make the Core DNA ready for use.
 
1. M3/M4 Stainless Steel Nylon Head Grub Screw Plastic Brake Buffer Bolt Screws Hex
This is so you don’t scratch up the coating of your anamorphic lens or housing.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/281858121964?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&var=580836260280&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
 
2. 86mm UV filter to protect the front of the Core DNA glass.
 
3. Metal back cap for whatever size you end up using for your coupler if bigger then 75mm. 
 
4. A custom coupler made from this lens hood fits perfectly. “FOTGA Screw Mount 67mm Standard Metal Lens Hood for Canon Nikon Pentax Sony Olympus” 
http://www.amazon.com/FOTGA-Screw-Standard-Pentax-Olympus/dp/B009GFY858
Then a step down ring or step up ring for whatever the size of your front anamorphic thread is. I’m doing 77mm because this is what most of my front clamps are. I’m making a custom 75mm to 77mm coupler for Kowa 1.5x and Kowa 1.75x.
 
5. 86mm Fixed Spacer Ring
http://srb-photographic.co.uk/86mm-fixed-spacer-ring-5713-p.asp
You want a uv filter to protect the glass but having it on you can’t completely go to infinity. Lucky, even with the uv filter on and not being able to turn the Core DNA to infinity, I’m sharp for over 100 feet. This spacer is for clearing the full range of the focus and using filters.
 
6. You want to get some 86mm or higher diopters. You need them if you want to get sharp and close.
 

Probably it will vignette bellow 28mm or so. If you have the M42 mount version Krasnogorsk, you should use M42 lenses, as the Meteor zoom will throw the anamorphic alignment off.

Here is my sub $ 20,-- quick and very dirty push focus mod.
1. 60mm diameter 2mm thick 8cm long Aluminum Tube
2. Two step-up rings (49mm-52mm + 52mm-58mm) to hold the Front Lens.
Just jammed the Front-Lens inside the 49mm Ring with some Tape. (Maybe I will use Silicone to secure the Lens)
The 58mm End will hold the Lens-Assembly in Front of the Tube and is fixed there with Electrical Insulation Tape.
To slide and guide the Tube I taped some thin Packaging Foam around the Anamorphic Lens-Body.
 

Hi,
At this time just I see everything in CinemaScope.
Would like to share some of my test and evolutions:
With 550D and hypergonar 4 years ago:
 
Bolex 16mm Kodak Vision 2 with the front part of a Lomo square front,3 years ago:  Blackmagic Pocket with front part of Lomo square front:
 
 
 

Well, technically, yes. The further the front diopter travels, the closer focusing you get. You might get some vignetting, is all. 

Hey Bold, I was thinking about your efforts on modding the B&H and I remembered another way to do it. I stumbled upon this guy selling a so called "single focus anamorphic" which actually is a modded B&H with the branding erased selling for a ridiculous price (it has been discussed on Nick's original thread). Thing is, on the bottom of the listing there is a video illustrating the mechanism of the mod that really attracted my attention. 
At one point I messaged him to ask about it and he responded that what he did was to have the front focus unit dremeled inside to smooth out the inner thread and insert a rubber O ring to have the unit slide instead of turning. Seems kind of tricky but the end result seems to be a less of a hassle than the polyurethane mold method you are trying (kudos to you for giving it a try, though, it would the most elegant solution if it works). What do you think?
Direct link to the video: http://filmhack.ro/portfolio/bh
 

Do not buy these useless beasts. They are too stubborn and clumsy. My Rectimascop 64/2X is sitting on the shelf looking all stupid at me.

Hello all,
Tito has kindly allowed me to do some streamlining of the Lens-yclopedia database:
I have templatized all the entries so key information is in the same location when you cycle through the pages. The template improves overall readability of the information. I've broken up Mounting Solutions into To Filter, To Taking Lens, and Lens Support I’ve changed the Index to a spreadsheet that provides key stats for easy ‘comparison shopping’ I’ve removed a couple lens entries that had no (or next to no) information. I've added a few bits of info on various lenses as I went through, particularly links to example footage. I’ve made significant updates to the B&H and B&L entries based on the info I gathered from EOSHD, as well as other locations. I'll keep adding to them as I embark on modding/using my lenses. Check out the updated Lens-yclopedia here. A great big huge thanks to Tito for allowing me to build on his great work.  And to all the folks who have responded to my info-seeking posts.  The information people have provided here has been invaluable for a newcomer like me.
I was surprised at how much info I was able to find on the B&L, I cited sources in the Lens-yclopedia entry where I could - I would love to see all entries given source/reference links. I know people’s time is limited, but even just a morsel of info here & there would really help re-invigorate the database and make it more robust.  A little crowd-sourcing can go a long way!
I am considering periodically starting ‘Seeking Info About X Lens” threads to build up the other lens entries in the Lens-cyclopedia.  If this is something you would like to see (or help me with), please chime in.  
If you want to send info my way (corrections, answers to red question marks, Lens-yclopedia functionality, etc), I will find time to update the database appropriately.
Cheers,
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B&H modification plan:
Remove front element from B&H front housing Make a partial cast of the front housing using RTV silicone rubber Make a black polyurethane cast from the RTV mold. Polyurethane is rated Shore D 75 (same rigidity & strength as a hard hat) Get a M52 helicoid Make a partial cast of the M52 helicoid Make a polyurethane cast of the helicoid from the RTV mold Measure, file, and sand both polyurethane parts, bond them together to create new front housing Add B&H front element to M52 helicoid using rubber o-rings, screw helicoid into new front housing Screw the final product into the B&H anamorphic housing. Pray that it works
Steps 1, 2, and 4 are complete.

Will attempt step 3 once the mold has set.
 

Do not buy these useless beasts. They are too stubborn and clumsy. My Rectimascop 64/2X is sitting on the shelf looking all stupid at me.

Actually you don't have to do double focus. Just set your taking lens to infinity and focus with the B&H. Works like an iscorama, but with an annoyingly long focus throw.
 

Hey, I love this project!
I have the exact same lens and hadn´t heard about the front modification, seems really interesting!  
This is a bit of my experience with this lens and anamorphic in general. I have a pretty special grandpa that managed to build me an adapter made of methacrylate that fits the back of the Bell&Howell and converts it to a normal m49 filter thread. Pretty absurd, but it works. On the front I attached a 77 diameter diopter directly to the mattebox, and voilà, ready to shoot. 
Did a couple of test shoots with my GH2 and then I shot a short documentary with this on the A7s with a Jupiter 9, and it didn´t vignette at all, even though it´s full frame, so nice. Although it´s a nightmare to shoot with, I dropped the filters a couple of times, I had to constantly do the double focus, a pain in the ass, but managed to finish it and looks good. I really love the look of this lens, and I agree that it flares more nicely when paired with a vintage lens like the Helios or the Jupiter.
Also, as a bit of an accident, I discovered that the methacrylate leaked light inside the lens and created a rather unusual white vignette that´s very unique and I actually ended up liking it and not fixing it in post. 
It´s always nice to try stupid ideas, you may end up using them. xD
You can see some shots below. The setup was: A7s + Jupiter 9 85 f2 + Bell&Howell Anamorphic + Diopter 
Oh! And be careful with mounting the lens, I destroyed my m42 to NEX adapter. Too much weight, should have bought a clamp. 
I´ll follow the thread and see where this goes, maybe mod my lens too.

For anyone with a B&H who needs measurements, I threw a digital caliper on mine:

I just use a DSLR baseplate with rails and lens support. Does the job well enough.

For attaching the anamorphic to the taking lens, I recommend using the original redstan anamorphic clamp, more specifically the one in this picture: http://www.redstan.com/image/cache/data/_1050976-1000x1000.JPG
I use this and it is a perfect snug fit for the B&H's silver ring with no play. If you decide to order this, make sure he understands that this is the one you want, as I've seen he has uploaded pictures of a different model for this item on the website. 
 

35€

Rich, sorry to keep pestering you...did you use anything else from the front assembly?
The part I outlined above sort of looks like the part from your photo below that I've highlighted.  Or is that the rubber o-ring you used:

I'm trying to determine what I need for securing the element to the helicoid because there is a lot of open space.

Also, by your pictures it looks like you used something like electrician's tape for securing the helicoid to the anamorphic section.  Is that correct?

Here are some images showing my quickly put together test.  literally ripped apart a m58 helicoid so it would slide over the original male thread of the original focus part.
 
The front element was fitted into the helicoid.  i'd meant to make it so the front element didnt rotate but in the process of reworking the helicoid I damaged it and therefore the front element rotates as you focus.  No big deal, but it is actually possible to do this mod and have the element non rotating.
As you can see in the pics the front part of the helicoid with the front element seated in place now unscrews.  I actually used a rubber o ring cut to the right length which i squished around the front element.  this naturally pushes it centre and is tight enough to hold the element in the front part.
 
two shots are show.  wide open at f2 on a 58mm lens on aps-c. (3:2).  one at infinity, one at around 3 feet.  rack from inf to 3ft is around 3/4 of a turn!
Closing to f2.8 sharpens stuff up drastically.  as does using on a smaller sensor - 4:3 4k mode on gh4 would be ideal for this lens
 
flares are wonderful by the way!  
 













 
NB.  
 this method of modifying the B+H was showed to me by the good man Nick (QuickHitRecord), who was actually going to be manufacturing focus units for the B+H design and made the concept public on this forum long ago.   It was unfortunate Nick never got this to the manufacturing stage but i feel he deserves a pat on the back for making this public.  Hopefully some other people can make a working unit like this one.