There are plenty of anamorphic modded M42 lenses on eBay for much less (Helios 44 is popular). Just need an adapter and make sure they don't extend too far back and interfere with the mirror in your EF camera.
They have a size that works for full-frame 35mm. It gets mixed reviews for video as resolution takes a hit, but with 35mm film this probably wouldn't matter.
OregonSun wrote:
There are plenty of anamorphic modded M42 lenses on eBay for much less (Helios 44 is popular). Just need an adapter and make sure they don't extend too far back and interfere with the mirror in your EF camera.
I always thought those just had a modded aperture that will give an anamorphic-style oval bokeh, but they don’t squeeze the image? Maybe I’m misremembering though
bjhurley wrote:
There's also SLR Magic's Anamorphot adapter, which attaches to lenses with 52mm threads (e.g., lots of Nikon lenses): https://www.slrmagic.com/anamorphot-40133x
It's about $500
They have a size that works for full-frame 35mm. It gets mixed reviews for video as resolution takes a hit, but with 35mm film this probably wouldn't matter.
In addition to image quality, there are also limitation when it comes to focusing. Usually you have to focus the lens and the adapter (or at least the adapter needs to be set to a certain range). Imo those adapters aren’t really practical.
Oh and they are only 1.33x, which is a bit boring 😅
fjablo wrote:
I always thought those just had a modded aperture that will give an anamorphic-style oval bokeh, but they don’t squeeze the image? Maybe I’m misremembering though
I honestly have no idea, I just noticed them when I was looking for M42 lenses and assumed they were actually anamorphic.
fjablo wrote:
I always thought those just had a modded aperture that will give an anamorphic-style oval bokeh, but they don’t squeeze the image? Maybe I’m misremembering though
You are correct, those lenses don't change the aspect ratio of the image. It's usually just a modification of the aperture shape to mimic the oval bokeh you generally get with anamorphic adapters or lenses. There is nothing wrong with M42 lenses in general and Helios 44 specifically. I have several and have used them with anamorphic adapters to good effect, but they are just like any other spherical lens.
Regarding the topic of this thread - I have recently been experimenting with anamorphic images on film using both M mount and SLR camera systems. It's somewhat slow going, since I'm using several different cameras and am actually trying to create nice images vs. just test shots, but I will post a few here once I get a bit further along.
fjablo wrote:
In addition to image quality, there are also limitation when it comes to focusing. Usually you have to focus the lens and the adapter (or at least the adapter needs to be set to a certain range). Imo those adapters aren’t really practical.
Oh and they are only 1.33x, which is a bit boring 😅
The anamorphic adapters which seem to hold the most potential for film use are models which require the taking lens be at infinity and all focusing be done with the adapter. The Blazar Nero 1.5x adapter is probably the most common example and while it's not perfect by any means, it seems to work pretty well with my Nikon SLR systems and Nikon or Voigtlander lenses. It has 52mm rear threads, so definitely a good fit with the Nikon ecosystem. But there are still a few hurdles to really nail the focus, especially with longer lenses.
I'm also experimenting with a few of my longer PL mount anamorphic lenses on EF bodies (65/85/125). These almost always have an alternate EF mount assembly and can be shimmed to hit perfect focus at infinity, but they are huge and heavy, so just not very practical. Still, the results might be worth it for a specific project or need.
josh-himes wrote:
The anamorphic adapters which seem to hold the most potential for film use are models which require the taking lens be at infinity and all focusing be done with the adapter. The Blazar Nero 1.5x adapter is probably the most common example and while it's not perfect by any means, it seems to work pretty well with my Nikon SLR systems and Nikon or Voigtlander lenses. It has 52mm rear threads, so definitely a good fit with the Nikon ecosystem. But there are still a few hurdles to really nail the focus, especially with longer lenses.
I'm also experimenting with a few of my longer PL mount anamorphic lenses on EF bodies (65/85/125). These almost always have an alternate EF mount assembly and can be shimmed to hit perfect focus at infinity, but they are huge and heavy, so just not very practical. Still, the results might be worth it for a specific project or need. ...Show more →
Uh the Blazar Nero 1.5x sounds really interesting! It's just as expensive as the Sirui lens, but I have plenty of lenses with 52mm filter thread so it would be a lot more versatile.
What is the image quality like with the Blazar, I'd assume it takes a significant hit compared to the bare lens?
fjablo wrote:
Uh the Blazar Nero 1.5x sounds really interesting! It's just as expensive as the Sirui lens, but I have plenty of lenses with 52mm filter thread so it would be a lot more versatile.
What is the image quality like with the Blazar, I'd assume it takes a significant hit compared to the bare lens?
Yes, they are pretty reasonably priced, especially used. They can be a bit hard to find used though. The image quality can be really good, but it depends on the lens. From 75mm and up on full frame, it's sharp across the entire frame. It can cover down to around 45mm on full frame, but when you go that wide, you definitely start seeing some distortion and smearing at the edges. I am testing it on film with a Nikon 45mm 2.8, which is a tiny little lens and the adapter covers full frame no problem with that particular lens. I will try to shoot a few new images with that combo on digital.
Here is a thread on LUF where I uploaded some sample images: LUF
josh-himes wrote:
Yes, they are pretty reasonably priced, especially used. They can be a bit hard to find used though. The image quality can be really good, but it depends on the lens. From 75mm and up on full frame, it's sharp across the entire frame. It can cover down to around 45mm on full frame, but when you go that wide, you definitely start seeing some distortion and smearing at the edges. I am testing it on film with a Nikon 45mm 2.8, which is a tiny little lens and the adapter covers full frame no problem with that particular lens. I will try to shoot a few new images with that combo on digital.
Here is a thread on LUF where I uploaded some sample images: LUF...Show more →
Thanks again for all the infos on the Blazar, that’s really helpful. It does seem like the lack of wideangle coverage and generally performance with wider lenses is the dealbreaker for me.
What makes the Sirui lenses so interesting is that the 35mm plus the upcoming 75mm happen to perfectly match the horizontal FOV of Xpan lenses (~24mm and 50mm equivalent) and they’re fast at t1.9 and apparently quite usable even wide-open.
I have a photography purchase moratorium until CP+ but might look into the Sirui 35mm and Canon 5Dii after that (already have a Canon 3000N so I could shoot it on film too).
Alas, there are a few possible complications. Take a close look at any lens you intend to purchase and try to see how far the rear element extends behind the mount. It can be tough to calculate from pics of the PL mount, but it is easier to see if the EF mount is installed. I have a couple of wider anamorphic lenses with PL & EF mounts, including a 32mm 1.5x, but they won't clear the mirror on my EOS 1DX MKII or 1V.
This can be an issue and always was back before mirrorless cameras. Even though the lenses are engineered with an EF mount capability, that engineering doesn't take into account the clearance needed for the mirror, mainly because it's an obsolete technology. The widest lens I own which actually clears the mirror is a 55mm 1.5x and I can get there in a much more compact manner with the Blazar 1.5x adapter.
Yep. In the video he's using it on Canon Eos 3 and apparently it clears the mirror on that one, so hopefully it would also work on a 5Dii and the 3000N..
Has anyone tried the approach to convert any kind of regular lens temporarily with handmade oval cut-off and horizontal fiber put inside of an adapter used to attach the lens to a camera? Supposedly this should create the anamorphic effect similar to a real anamorphic lens. I watched a while ago a YouTube video showing how to do it but don't recall all the details.
retrofocus wrote:
Has anyone tried the approach to convert any kind of regular lens temporarily with handmade oval cut-off and horizontal fiber put inside of an adapter used to attach the lens to a camera? Supposedly this should create the anamorphic effect similar to a real anamorphic lens. I watched a while ago a YouTube video showing how to do it but don't recall all the details.
This only creates oval bokeh, not an anamorphic stretch of the entire image.
I spotted this photo on Flickr this morning; it's gorgeous. The photographer posted only these details: "Minolta A9 / Minolta AF 100mm f2 + Elmoscope Anamorphic Projection Lens / Foma Fomapan 400"
I looked up the Elmoscope lens; it was designed for 16mm film projectors for films shot in cinemascope. Not sure how the photographer attached the projector lens to the Minolta lens.
He has another photo (not as nice) with this setup and wrote this in his comments:
"I was using the Elmoscope adapter on my 100mm f2 taking lens and there are a couple things I can say about the experience.
First: dual focus, as strange as it might sound, I find really funny. Not for everyone, but, again, really enjoyed it.
Second: maybe there is something as too much of a good thing. 1.5x really looks like a long thing in film, and maybe it is a little too much stretching of the frame for stils.
Third: even when the image looked good on the focussing screen, all the roll came fuzzy and unsharp, even completely out of focus. I guess I still have a lot to learn in the respect of doing what almost nobody does, which is shooting anamorphic on (analog) stills."
I used to experiment with all types of the anamorphic attachment solutions. You can run them with a single focus solutions you attach to the front [just have the taking lenses set to INF].
