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Hands down best quality double-focus anamorphic?


redimp
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Wow! I'd like to see someone using a 35mm with the Kowa on a FF camera too, cause I can't use a 35mm with the Kowa on my 60D!

I guess that enny is using RAW in 4:3 mode on his 5D3.

The Bollex Moller is a lovely lens, but is x1.5. Whilst the Kowa is a x2, which is the best stretch for an anamorphic (IMHO).

Sorry guys i am with stupid i been grabbing 50mm not 35 on kowa 35 has vignetting on 60d and 5dm3

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A well-calibrated Bolex Moeller 16/32 1.5x is probably the sharpest and easiest to use dual focus anamorphic.  It's lightweight and has excellent close focus.  When you use it with a sensor capturing in HD aspect ratio (1.78:1) it becomes a 2.65:1 -- essentially an original cinemascope recording format which with a 10% crop becomes standard 2.39:1 anamorphic projection.

I ran some extensive tests on the 16/32 including maximum barrel distortion (important because excessive distortion leads to anamorphic "mumps") and determining minimum taking lens focal length.  The setup was a GH4 in UHD mode with an MD to micro 4/3 speed booster so effectively it was close to a S35 sensor size.  The minimum focal length without vignetting was an MC Rokkor 35mm f1.8.  It looked great.  The wider you go the more you tend to reveal distortion at the edges of the Bolex, but I compared the barrel distortion to the same distortion on super high-end Hawk and Panavision 35mm and it was nearly equivalent.  

I used the MC Rokkors because (1) the 58mm f1.2 is legendary and I've use it to great effect, (2) the MCs have a good single coating so it doesn't kill anamorphic flare and (3) there's a speed booster for it.  You can also easily adapt M42 mount lenses to MD using an inexpensive Fotodiox adapter. That opens the MD booster up to some great anamorphic M42 taking lenses like the Jupiter 85, the Helios 44-2 and the Zeiss Jena Flektogon 35mm f2.4. (I used to avoid M42 taking lenses because they're screw mount and you don't want them unscrewing when you adjust focus etc.)

Of course the speed booster drops all lenses down a stop so the 58mm becomes a f0.8.  Other good choices are the Canon FD taking lenses, but (a) there is no speed booster for FD and you can't use the EF speed booster without an additional optical adapter.   BTW: I did test the Rokkor MC.W 28mm as a taking lens and while it works it starts to vignette on the horizontal, but that might disappear during a crop to 2.39:1.  In any case 28mm anamorphic starts looking unnatural to my eye, but might be useful for special shots.

A few negatives on the Bolex: (a) They're relatively rare and damn good so they're kind of expensive: cheaper than the high-end Iscos, more expensive than the Bell and Howell's and Kowas I think. I expect that because of the new Rangefinder, the Bolex will stay high in price as the Iscos drop.  Expect to pay in the $1500 - $2000 range.  (b) Adapting them usually requires an adapter from RedStan if you want to do it professionally.  There are some hacks floating around that will still make it work if you can't find a RedStan.

One final recommendation: Whichever adapter you go with make sure to send it to Bernie O'Shaunessy for cleaning and calibration.  Most of these lenses are 40 - 50 years old.  You don't want to drop a grand or so on an adapter only to deal with something out of calibration.  His labor rates are pretty reasonable. Good luck.  Here's a sample frame from a Bolex 16/32 by Mauri Galliano, a great Spanish DP who has used Bolexes to excellent effect.  (The model is his sister).
 

 

galliano_spain.jpg

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I don't think so.  IMO, the best sharpness is ISCO high definition attachment.

And kowa bh/16h/8z is the widest lens, on FF only reach to 75mm at max.  But looks SLR 2X lens might be wider, not sure.

50mm on my kowa and up no problems 35mm if i just crop it bit in post

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