nahua

I think you convinced me to keep mine. I just like the really old school look it has. Just wish it was easier to have a wide option. The Sony wide angle is just so heavy to use and mount, and even then it only goes maybe 55-60mm FF "wide".

Wish you did finish that project. I like the small size and the huge amount of old school flares. Unfortunately I don't have the time to modify mine either. Selling it too, looks like your IV version. Your first one is a super clean copy. I suggest anyone getting into anamorphic buy one of these. Really a great deal, was my first anamorphic lens too.

On one side I really like this. On the other - price. It's a balance that's hard to find. Would a rental house buy this? Would it be worth an investment in lenses? Or just go the adapter route which is cheaper but more hassle? Size is good, but balance that with less DOF of the m4/3 format. This is a hard one. After working with so many adapters, only time will tell if the image is good. I think if they can mimic the LOMO or Panavision lenses, then maybe it's worth the jump. It's all in the footage and I hope they have some soon.

Amazing video on Stanley Kubrick's Lenses:

​Wow this is just awesome. Definitely inspiring and I'm glad he blogged about the entire process. This is a great system when used in this fashion. More set pieces rather than run-and-gun. And just a greet feel to the footage!

This is a great little film Ed. Definitely understand how you feel, and I really like how you just let your raw thoughts and emotions out. Keep it up, great work as always!

Andrew I understand your frustration. I feel similar sentiments since I've had to buy an Isco Ultrastar and a Schneider Cinelux, as I didn't want to take apart my Kowa or Sankor. The lack of instructions, and the feeling that it's more prototype is also a concern. But I admit that it's a first run product by a small shop of guys. I think everyone understands there are growing pains with anything that's new. We're kinda like the beta testers here. I knew that going into this and it's why I was hesitant at first to buy. In fact it wasn't until I started seeing footage from Cosimo and Hans Punk that I took the chance. I know you're used to having a "final" product to test, but this is a small shop. I think your situation is unfortunate, but that's how it goes I guess. In any case I hope Anamorphic Shop can continue to grow so that they can refine their product. I really look forward to the new designs. And I have sent them my concerns about the FM as it is far from perfect. Similar to what I told Andrew at SLR Magic about their design. Let's look towards a bright future for anamorphic lenses!

That's unfortunate. But I think that you wouldn't like the FM. It doesn't fit your style of shooting. I tried run-and-gun with the FM and there's NO way you can do it. And if you get angry stares from Germans with your small cams, wait till you bring out the huge monster that is the FM. Besides you have all your Iscoramas, no need to worry about single focus anamorphics right? (disclaimer I have an Isco 36 too)

You can use vintage lenses. But you have to shoot 2-3 stops from wide open - F2 means F5.6/F8 (Helios/Jupiter 9). Modern lenses like Panasonic or SLR Magic's CINE lenses work fine but are maybe too clinical or too sharp. Also recommended minimum aperture is F2.8, no matter what lens you use. BTW this is NOT a focus-through lens. You still have to use the Near/Normal ring to focus, plus focus the taking lens. It's a compromise - it's not a single focus unit, but it's not as bad to dual-focus as some projector lenses. I've used AF with the Panasonic 12-35mm X lens at F2.8, and then manually focused for distance with the Near/Normal ring. Works really well and the IS helps stabilize the image.

Rich you're right. I shot both and here's my thoughts: SLR Magic 2x just like other 2x adapters need the right lens. I have had a hard time pairing the right lens. Older lenses like Russian lenses or the Tokina lens don't pair well. The SLR Magic 2x is best used with modern lenses. That's unfortunate because it becomes more clinical and less like the "anamorphic look" that we all strive for. The other problem is the dual focus, and I've talked at length with Andrew Chan about this. It doesn't have a distance scale so the focus is different for each taking lens. The focus plane is also sharper and smaller, so you can't shoot it wide open aperture. Taking lenses must be 1-2 stops from wide open, which is F2.8-F4 or even F5.6. Old lenses usually F8. This is in sharp contrast to the FM Module with the Cinelux, and I believe it has more to do with the Cinelux rather than the FM. The Cinelux is sharp, and it works very well with old lenses. Also you can shoot wide open, meaning F1.4 is sharp. This also gives great character especially to closeup shots of faces. Add to that the FM is single focus and you have a clear winner. The downsides to the FM is that it is HEAVY, HUGE size, MUST be rigged, no way can you run-and-gun with it. I'm still on the fence as I haven't been able to shoot a lot with the SLR Magic 2x. I've just shot what I could, and even then I admit it's not what I want to shoot. I hope to use it more and get better results. But there are serious compromises and I have addressed it with SLR Magic.

Here's another Chinese New Years video with the Miss Chinatown Court. Again, GH4 4K + SLR Magic 2x Anamorphot: http://youtu.be/h-HPhC89DSM

I know SLR Magic is almost ready to release it. Awesome build and quality as always. And same blue flares like their 1.33x Anamorphot

Get yourself a Panasonic 20mm pancake. It's not really cheap, but it's so small that you can swap out the lens quick and take awesome sharp photos. Like Nick said, shooting photos wide open and trying to use focus peaking will not mean sharp photos. Trust me, the 20mm is a winner and it's just so small, fast AF, sharp photos.

Chinese New Years! Footage shot with FM Module + Cinelux 2x + GH4 4K + Tokina 28-70mm https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFPkn1IF74Q

Happy Chinese New Years! Video from the Miss Chinatown Court visiting Waikiki during the celebration! Shot with the new SLR Magic 2x Anamorphot w/ Panasonic GH4 4K. http://youtu.be/JNANO__XwKQ

I tried the 24-105mm and 70-200mm. I couldn't really tell if IS was on or not. But I don't shoot much handheld either, and not much with either of those lenses on the GH4.

This is my test with the Iscorama + Speedbooster and diopters: https://vimeo.com/113854947

I wouldn't expect too much from "electronic" lenses. For the Canon lenses I have, IS isn't on or the IS stabilization isn't really noticeable. I don't do much handheld anyway. And of course AF doesn't work either. Pretty much the only "electronic" thing going on is controlling aperture. For most lenses, it reports the correct aperture (F2 lens reads as F1.4 example). For lenses that are F1.2 or F1.4, it only lists the max aperture since the GH4 can't list anything under F1.0 (F1.2 reads as F1.2, but it's really F0.9) All I can say is that it's really expensive for what it does. It does give you an extra stop of light, control aperture for EF lenses, and it gives you an S35 DOF look. I wish Metabones kept the pricing at $400. However I do use it all the time, and it does give a better look than Panasonic's lenses.

I did an extensive lens test when I first got mine.

​Yes you will need some sort of lens support. If you think it sags down now, wait awhile and see... I really wish Panasonic released a firmware patch for external monitoring in 4K photo mode. Really frustrating to shoot 3:2 or 4:3 with no monitor support.

I prefer the 1.4x version. Thoughts?

If I remember the Iscorama (and most all anamorphics) aren't 1.5x throughout the range. In fact it's more like 1.4x. 2x anamorphics are more like 1.8x. I've tested different aspect ratios and give me your opinion on what's the best ratio. Presented is the original 4K unsqeezed, 1.33x, 1.4x and 1.5x. GH4 4K Original 16:9 1.33x ratio 1.4x ratio 1.5x ratio

I think DVCProHD is 1.5x? Although your scale and zoom worked just as well too.

I'll check my footage with my Isco 36. In actuality I think I used a 1.33x desqueeze which is weird. This is using GH4 16:9 4K.

If you're against 4K that's OK that's your thing. I think you misunderstood my main point, that we have a real option to shoot 4:3 or 3:2 with the GH4. With the GH4 I don't have to mess with ML raw and all the hassles and headaches. Think back 3-4 years ago - was shooting in these ratios even an option? Maybe MJPEG with a hacked GH2? I think we live in a wonderful time with lots of options. So whether it's 4K, 720P, whatever at least we have the option to shoot true anamorphic 2x at 1:2.35 or 1:2.66 rather than the crazy 1:3.55 we had to do with 16:9. And yes, the aesthetics is WHY we shoot anamorphic. I'm NOT looking for the sharpest shit out there. I'm looking for the real anamorphic LOOK - 2x, stretched bokeh, rainbow and crazy flares.