QuickHitRecord

After some more experimentation, I have reached the conclusion that this lens is actually capable of producing a nice cinematic image after all. Here's clip that I shot with a Canon FD 50mm f1.8 and a +1 diopter:

Does anyone have a recommendation for a solid, cost-effective, low-profile quick release system? I have been using Manfrotto's 501PL quick release system for years now but they don't stick to my camera very well (and they twist), and they stick way out in front of and behind the camera body -- even moreso than when I was shooting with larger Canons. Because I still have two Manfrotto heads, I am ideally looking for something that can be secured to the 501PL plates or directly to the heads.

I have seen these old Panavision projection lenses on eBay before but I didn't know that they weren't dual focus systems. That's certainly interesting. I have looked up footage samples before, and it gives you a very soft image like this: [media]http://vimeo.com/15967013[/media]

There is a cloud moving behind the hill in that shot that tricked me into thinking that it was a parallax shift like you would see in a dolly move.

That has a great look to it. Further reason for me to switch out my non-AI. The fireworks sequence is one of the best that I have seen! Thanks for sharing.

Looks like you guys are ready to take over the anamorphic world! Here's something that I shot recently with my Baby Hypergonar: http://vimeo.com/46948810

[left]My friend Alex works as a biologist, and this summer he has the good fortune to work on bird study in Grand Teton National Park. I went out to visit him and spent a week hiking/backpacking/bushwacking/canoeing around one of the most scenic places in North America. I brought my GH2, Konica 40mm and Baby Hypergonar along for the ride. I feel like I have been relying on music too much lately, so this piece is without any (mostly): [media]http://vimeo.com/46948810[/media][/left]

I live in Northern VA and I run a GH2. I work in production but I am always open to collaborating on the side. Have any projects in mind?

Nice work. Very interesting looking buildings. There's a very subtle dolly move at around 0:40. How did you achieve that?

[quote name='Mirrorkisser' timestamp='1344068937' post='14948']And how many of you use a leveling base? I went ok without sofar. Its just some more fiddling with the legs until everything is level. What are the other benefits?[/quote] I tried using my tripod without a leveling base at first. But using a tripod is already so limiting and I just could not afford to give up another axis of control. The Acratech suits me very well. I bought mine from B&H. Surely, they must be able to ship to Germany!

Final thought: [url="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/744013-REG/Benro_A2190T_A2190T_Travel_Flat_5_Section.html"]http://www.bhphotovi..._5_Section.html[/url] + 701

True, and it will take even longer to hack it, if that is even possible. But in my opinion, in-camera stabilization would be worth the wait!

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/used/591107/Manfrotto_547B_547B_Professional_Tripod_Legs.html These sticks were packaged with my 701 when I bought it. They don't collapse down as small as what I have now but they are sturdy and lightweight. I have been very happy with them and continue to use them with my 501 head.

It's more than $300, but I assembled my travel tripod with Benro Travel Flat sticks + Acratech leveling base + Manfrotto 701 fluid head and I love it. Collapses down to fit perfectly on the side of my camera pack, but is also sturdy enough to mount my 2' travel pocket dolly with camera (leveling base on top of the dolly, not below or it tilts). Not too heavy either.

An e-mail that I sent last night: ___________________________ [size=3][i]Dear SmallHD,[/i][/size] [size=3][i]I am a big fan of your products. You seem like a company that thrives on innovation, so here is a measure of functionality that I'd like to suggest that no other monitor company offers (as far as I know): When you put out the upcoming firmware update with improved anamorphic functionality, please consider adding an option that "crops" a 3.55:1 image to 2.66:1 (perhaps similar to the 'pixel to pixel' mode). Many of the anamorphic lenses on the market today have a 2x stretch factor, which is simply too wide for most applications. By offering the crop mode that I am suggesting, a shooter would still be shooting in 2x, but able to view 1.5x easily and in more detail, and then he could crop when importing and never even have to deal with the unwanted pixels! This would be a godsend for anamorphic shooters. I know that your company could make this happen, and I truly hope that you do! Regards, Nick[/i][/size] And their response: __________________ [size=3][i]I will pass that along to the firmware team for you, it does sound like a cool feature. [/i][/size] [size=3][i]Thanks[/i][/size] [size=3][i]Dave[/i][/size]

[quote name='Cinenaut' timestamp='1343927064' post='14861'] [font=Calibri][size=3][color=#000000]Hello,[/color][/size][/font] [font=Calibri][size=3][color=#000000]This is my first post to this site. There is a wealth of information here, and hats off to those that contribute. I have been a camera operator and DP since the early 80’s. I have worked on many films, TV shows, and commercials. I am quite impressed with the Lumix GH2, and am in the process of retro-fitting it to my 35mm lenses and accessories. I wanted to share with you an eyepiece leveler rig that I built in my home shop. With longer lenes, I find it essential when operating a camera from a tripod or a dolly. I have more pictures on my website [url="http://www.randytowers.com"]http://www.randytowers.com[/url][/color][/size][/font][img]http://www.eoshd.com/comments/uploads/inline/20565/501ab27e7d61f_GH2_Leveler_WOText.jpg[/img] [font=Calibri][size=3][color=#000000]Good luck shooting[/color][/size][/font] [/quote] Welcome, Randy. I loved the reel. It's great to have people of your caliber and experience sharing your ideas on these boards.

Tony, I'd love to see some tests of your new lens. It sounds really promising. I'm sure that you've seen A. Safari's video on Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/43590845 And you're right, there's not much going on in the Vimeo anamorphic group. This seems to be the best place to talk about anamorphic lenses right now.

[quote name='tony wilson' timestamp='1343964200' post='14894'] IDC Photo friction-based System Zero very nice design : ) [/quote] It is nice! It's very sturdy and actually gives you a very smooth pull if you line it up correctly. I owned one for years. But I foolishly sold it when I switched over to GH2 from Canon. Now I have the Edelkrone Focus One Pro. Another great design, but I have barely used it because I have only been shooting anamorphic lately (and it's not playing nice with my Iscomorphot).

Now that I think of it, what about the IDC Photo friction-based System Zero? It won't work for the problem that I am having, but maybe it will work for an Iscorama so it might be worth a look.

You're actually doing it! I remember Alan (or perhaps it was you) posting about this project on Vimeo a long time ago. Forget Iscorama, this is way cooler. Hypergonar is my favorite image of all anamorphics, but it's hard to use. What do I have to do get on the list?

I don't have anything to add, except that I'll be following this post as well. My new Iscomorphot wants nothing to do with my Edelkrone Follow Focus, even after I put a ziptie-style gear on it. The follow focus actually pushes the anamorphic lens out of alignment! So close to production-ready, and yet so far...

[quote name='tony wilson' timestamp='1343947755' post='14878']or you could hunt for a tiny thing [/quote] Tony, what is the silver assembly on the left (and why are you cutting off 15mm)? Also, what is that next to the Moller?

These are great. It does seem like a very practical lens. Thanks for sharing.

I have heard some good things about (and seen good things from) the 8mm Bolex. It would be really interesting if you and your friend could do a side-by-side comparison. I just acquired an Iscomorphot and that is something that I am hoping to do with that and my Baby Hypergonar as well.

[quote name='Rudolf' timestamp='1343935581' post='14869']QuickHitRecord, your footage with the Konica looked very nice (as I mentioned above) and therefore I am not really sad if the 35mm will not work. I am looking forward for the Konica now! Maybe there are some instrestring alternatives for the Hypergonar... I would like to go as wide as possible for a simple reason: I would like to use a rather small setup without a tripod or any other stabilization and I think it becomes easier to get a less shaky image with wider lenses. Or maybe I should not drink so much coffee? However I am often tired of carrying around kilos of bags with camera, tripod, half a dozen lenses et cetera (I often carry nearly all my equipment around because I might need a slider and a matte box and the 500mm tele-lens... :wacko: )[/quote] It was also my hope that a shorter focal length would help me control camera shake, but I just brought my Baby Hypergonar along with me to a week of hiking in the Tetons (Wyoming) and even at 40mm, and after reviewing my handheld footage, I highly recommend a tripod. Somehow the rolling shutter becomes much more pronounced with the Baby on the front. I know that it's probably not what you want to hear! The good news is that it looks enough like a standard camera lens that you won't attract much attention with it. [quote name='Rudolf' timestamp='1343935581' post='14869']Off topic: today afternoon I met a very nice guy from Tuscon at the playground. Wether was very nice and I decided to go out with my little son. So the man from Tuscon did. And it happened we began to talk and he told me is a professor and doing stuff with astronomy (sometimes he is working with Hubble for example). And as I was writing here just hours ago I smiled and asked him about Professor Chretien: Of course he knew about him. But he has not heard that he developed the anamorphotoscop B) [/quote] My first and cheapest anamorphic lens was the enormous Hypergonar HiFi-2 (I like to think of it as the Baby Hypergonar's Grandfather) by Henri Chretien, and it is also an incredible lens. The man was a genius!