Owen A Davies Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 I'd like to hear the pros, cons, and overall differences between these two 1.5x anamorphic projection lenses and people's experiences using them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
au8ust Posted January 13, 2022 Share Posted January 13, 2022 Bolex/Moller 16/32/1.5x vs Kowa 35 1.5x? Bolex is a lot sharper even at the widest aperture value. The flares can be both purple and blue. Kowa 35 1.5x is quite bigger and less sharp with flares more toward to blue instead of purple. If my memory serves me right, the Kowa has more veling glares (the white vignetting) more than the Bolex due to its front element (and maybe the inner housing paint). Also, it's Kowa 35 1.5x not Kowa C35 or C-35. People (including myself in the past), somehow see Anamorphic-35 as Anamorphi C-35 so we call(ed) it that way which isn't right... Ian Edward Weir 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen A Davies Posted January 13, 2022 Author Share Posted January 13, 2022 12 hours ago, au8ust said: Bolex/Moller 16/32/1.5x vs Kowa 35 1.5x? Bolex is a lot sharper even at the widest aperture value. The flares can be both purple and blue. Kowa 35 1.5x is quite bigger and less sharp with flares more toward to blue instead of purple. If my memory serves me right, the Kowa has more veling glares (the white vignetting) more than the Bolex due to its front element (and maybe the inner housing paint). Also, it's Kowa 35 1.5x not Kowa C35 or C-35. People (including myself in the past), somehow see Anamorphic-35 as Anamorphi C-35 so we call(ed) it that way which isn't right... Thanks a lot for the info. Do you happen to know how large I can have the front element of the taking lens be for each before the image would start to vignette? Also, I know the Kowa only allows a focal length of about 50mm widest on the taking lens for full frame, but what about the Bolex? No sweat if you don't have this info. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keessie65 Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 I had Kowa 1.5x and I still have the Bolex Moller 16/32/1.5x. I found the Kowa gives a clearer image and is sharper in the center. Bolex Moller flares more and is sharper in the edges. Kowa has also more veling glares as Au8gust wrote. Overall, I kept my Bolex and sold the Kowa. Ian Edward Weir and Owen A Davies 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Edward Weir Posted January 20, 2022 Share Posted January 20, 2022 Being someone who has owned both the Kowa and Bolex like Kees, I would just add that the Kowa is amazing at letting the taking lens retain it's character where as the Bolex has a strong character added on top of the taking lens. You can go wider with the Kowa but might run into soft edges. Having the Kowa Inflight 1.75x as well, they were identical in flare and character. I have 2 Bolex 16/32/1.5x and sold my Kowa long ago and kept the Inflight. Both are great! Here is a shot with Kowa and Zeiss ultron 50mm f1.8 as taking lens. keessie65 and Sebastien Farges 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
au8ust Posted January 23, 2022 Share Posted January 23, 2022 On 1/13/2022 at 11:33 PM, Owen A Davies said: Thanks a lot for the info. Do you happen to know how large I can have the front element of the taking lens be for each before the image would start to vignette? Also, I know the Kowa only allows a focal length of about 50mm widest on the taking lens for full frame, but what about the Bolex? No sweat if you don't have this info. Thanks. It isn't just the front element alone, but also the focal length as well. I believe there are some tests on this in the Anamorphic Shooters group on Facebook. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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