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Better then iscorama 36?


rokkimort
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Better then iscorama 36?  

25 members have voted

  1. 1. Hey guys, which one would you favor and why (if it was NOT about the price, just IQ, character and usability)?

    • Iscorama 36 with focus gears.
    • Kowa 35 1.5x with HardcoreDNA.
    • Bolex-Moller 16/32/1.5x with HardcoreDNA.


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1 hour ago, rokkimort said:

 

Are you coming from usability point of view? Coz people here state that kowa c35 with hardcore is even sharper then the iscorama. And can focus closer.

Also, you could get a Kowa C35 and Hard Core DNA for 2k vs the 3k + for the other. I do think it's nice that the Iscorama is a mechanically solid and produces a lovely image but I don't think it's worth an extra 1k or more. If I had one and I payed 3k for it I would vote for it as well. They are lovely. 

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I have tested a lot of the popular anamorphics (except Lomo). I sold them all and only kept the most versatile and easy to us Isco pre 36 and 54. I still have the baby Moeller for the most beautiful image and it is also easy to use (you can pull focus with some practice). Regarding Kowas and Elmoscope I think they have to be considered as the best projection lenses and that is how I use them (Elmoscope II). Last but not least: Sharpness is overrated :) 

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On 4/20/2017 at 6:02 AM, rokkimort said:

 

Are you coming from usability point of view? Coz people here state that kowa c35 with hardcore is even sharper then the iscorama. And can focus closer.

Usability, compact size. But I'm also just bias towards Iscoramas. Although wish it could be improved like closer focus distance. Other than, it's sharp enough for my liking. How much sharpness is too much for an anamorphic lens.

Might be off topic but just saw single focus solution adapter on eBay. Curious if anyone has any feedback on this. Looks pretty interesting.

http://m.ebay.com/itm/Single-focus-adapter-for-ANAMORPHIC-LENS-Aivascope-Focuser-8-/292091250596?hash=item4401fec7a4%3Ag%3AMHUAAOSwIWVY-jEl&_trkparms=pageci%3Ac841b6b6-290e-11e7-aed5-74dbd1804f2b%7Cparentrq%3Aa0e372f715b0a866d9b617c1fffa56bc%7Ciid%3A10

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On 4/24/2017 at 0:51 PM, raf702 said:

Might be off topic but just saw single focus solution adapter on eBay. Curious if anyone has any feedback on this. Looks pretty interesting.

i am getting the whole setup, the lens and the focuser from Valdas, from the tests i saw on the web looks promising, will post results of my testing :)

C35 is a very sharp lens, and on GH5  i can focus from 2 feet, but 1,5x is not enough to my eye, 

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The Bolex is a bit sharper then the Iscorama 36. When I focus at my NX1, I clearly see with focus guidance more green with the Bolex. Doesn't mean that the Iscorama isn't sharp, but with dual focus on the Bolex, you will have sharper results. The Iscorama is easy to handle and prduces very nice warm flares. Like to see the comparisson of the 3 lenses by @Ian Edward Weir

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5 hours ago, keessie65 said:

The Bolex is a bit sharper then the Iscorama 36. When I focus at my NX1, I clearly see with focus guidance more green with the Bolex. Doesn't mean that the Iscorama isn't sharp, but with dual focus on the Bolex, you will have sharper results. The Iscorama is easy to handle and prduces very nice warm flares. Like to see the comparisson of the 3 lenses by @Ian Edward Weir

Unfortunately I have never owned an Iscorama 36. The Bolex is sharper and then the Kowa C35 is sharper then that. Isco with warm flares and Bolex with purple and blue and Kowa has blue and magenta. All are good for different projects. There is no perfect lens, which is why most people have multiple. Cooke? :)

Hard to let them go. Your set up looks like it's easy to use and provides a lovely filmic looking image on a digital camera. What else could you want ;)

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24 minutes ago, Ian Edward Weir said:

Unfortunately I have never owned an Iscorama 36. The Bolex is sharper and then the Kowa C35 is sharper then that. Isco with warm flares and Bolex with purple and blue and Kowa has blue and magenta. All are good for different projects. There is no perfect lens, which is why most people have multiple. Cooke? :)

Hard to let them go. Your set up looks like it's easy to use and provides a lovely filmic looking image on a digital camera. What else could you want ;)

@Ian Edward Weir, that's why you have a collection ;-) ... There are no perfect lenses, every lens his own character. Perhaps I will have also a few collected in the future to play with. The Kowa 35C 1.5x for sure. 

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  • 2 weeks later...
2 hours ago, DIGICHombre said:

Sorry, dumb question  :flushed:  I have the Kowa 35 1.5x. How do you attach the HardcoreDNA to the Kowa? Does it clamp down with screws? 

No dumb questions. You can attach via a custom coupler made from a lens hood if you have a front threaded adapter filter ring from Redstan or Rapidio. Otherwise you will need to get the HCDNA machined to slip the Kowa C35 in the back. Not machined, a 35mm was the widest I could go. Machined, a 28mm is the widest I could go.  

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Iscorama Pre-36 with Helios 44 @ f2.8 (oval aperture) on Canon 5D3

591a603e9d202_isco2(00000).thumb.jpg.78114f1af78ced5c1f34ed7d9f4bdf5f.jpg

To get that sharp on my (sharpness tweaked) Kowa Inflight or Kowa B&H with Core DNA attached I'd need to stop down to at least f5.6. Sharpness is indeed often overrated, but it's sure nice to have and can always be softened in Resolve very nicely. Iscorama still has perfect balance of sharpness but with organic feel due to vintage coating. More modern cinelux type lenses are as sharp, yet look very clinical (to my eyes at least).

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Here are a few iscorama pre-36 shots thrown together for those interested - I took my camera and Rama to a local car meetup with this thread in mind. My injured back prevented me getting the low angle dynamic shots and closeups I wanted, but you get the idea. A sunny day with lots of chrome is always a good test to see if a lens has any CA or highlight/contrast edge bloom issues. There is some fine alias/ line buzzing artefacts due to warp stabiliser being used on almost all shots (no tripod and was high on painkillers).

I'm sure the Bolex can match the iscorama (perhaps beat it) on sharpness, but as I've always noticed with the Rama - it tends to simply be as sharp/clean as the taking lens that you use with it. My other kowa lenses with Core DNA attached could have achieved similar results, but not at such wide aperture on 58mm on FF - and definitely not in such a compact and light form factor as the Iscorama. 

 

 

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2 hours ago, Hans Punk said:

Here are a few iscorama pre-36 shots thrown together for those interested - I took my camera and Rama to a local car meetup with this thread in mind. My injured back prevented me getting the low angle dynamic shots and closeups I wanted, but you get the idea. A sunny day with lots of chrome is always a good test to see if a lens has any CA or highlight/contrast edge bloom issues. There is some fine alias/ line buzzing artefacts due to warp stabiliser being used on almost all shots (no tripod and was high on painkillers).

I'm sure the Bolex can match the iscorama (perhaps beat it) on sharpness, but as I've always noticed with the Rama - it tends to simply be as sharp/clean as the taking lens that you use with it. My other kowa lenses with Core DNA attached could have achieved similar results, but not at such wide aperture on 58mm on FF - and definitely not in such a compact and light form factor as the Iscorama. 

 

 

Looks great Hans! :)

 

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