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​Voitlander Focar A+B (+1 & +2) 95mm - they're normally sold as a pair (check out German Ebay as a pair just went for £20 last week). For weaker diopters, 82mm is a real minimum (72mm at a real pinch) & i'd suggest checking out Redstan's website as he has some real lovely diopters at this size with strengths of about +0.5.

Another live music video, this time from the Koko in London. The lights were pretty full on, or should that be more professional than I've been used to! Hopefully I'll get a second bite of the cherry soon... Password:ws2000

John, this all looks very interesting & I assume you don't need to modify your original anamorphics, which would be a complete deal breaker for me. The options for the Kowa for B&H & the Iscomorphot 8/x2 (Animex) really could knock the Iscorama out of pole position. Good Luck & hope to see some examples soon!

These are some useful/interesting articles explaining ETTR - they are talking about RAW pictures, but the science seems to be the same: http://schewephoto.com/ETTR/ http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/expose-right.shtml http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/optimizing_exposure.shtml

​Must have missed the bit about ETTR working with compressed codecs - makes sense though. Will give it a whirl with my 60D just for fun. The only question i have regarding this is technique is - does it increase the detail of the image in the same way that ETTR does with Raw?

Did this about a year ago with ML RAW on a 60D - been doing some more filming with ETTR, so will post once I've got something to show: Did have some really good articles bookmarked somewhere, but can't seem to find them...

Redstan is selling one, with clamps etc... £480. At least you'll know that it comes from a good home & has been serviced to within an inch of its life - no brainer! http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/fantastic-Kowa-Anamorphic-Lens-shooting-kit-by-redstan-/331396973305?pt=UK_Lenses_Filters_Lenses&hash=item4d28cc82f9

Never met a professional that hasn't been willing to help/give advice to someone with less experience. The ones that don't share are probably very insecure people & not worth bothering with. Anyways, no matter your experience, we are all learning all of the time. Wasn't it Coppola that said recently, if he doesn't come home from work having not learnt something new, its been a wasted day.

No one has mentioned it yet, but there is a simple test to find out if you need one. Film something Black (piece of clothing, card etc...) on a bright sunny day (i.e. the circumstances where UV/IR will be a problem) and if it doesn't come out black but a muddy brown, or whatever colour shift, then you need a UV/IR cut filter.

BM cameras are the only ones that really benefit from a UV/IR cut filter, but 300 seems just a little bit steep price wise. After much trial and error, by people with more cash than me, the BM crowd seemed to settle upon the recommendation of the Hoya UV/IR cut filter and it does the trick very well. Not really sure about the benfits of using one with a DSLR, as they normally have the option of a WB shift in the menus & other things etc... http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hoya-77mm-Cut-Screw--Filter/dp/B006OIJTIG/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1417027537&sr=8-5&keywords=hoya+uv%2Fir+cut+filter

Try searching for Angenieux diopters - I had one that was about 94mm & have seen bigger ones in the +100mm every so often. They are not achromats, but still pretty good.

If you've got the cash, then Redstan sells some very very good diopters, but you need to pay for the quality which you're looking for! http://www.redstan.com/

I've avoided this topic for a while & so am now going to throw a curve ball into the mix - "Meyer-Optik Gorlitz" lenses (M42). I haven't tried all of them & there is a lot of info out there - some are to be avoided, but the majority are really good. They are often compared to Zeiss, but I think they have lots more character than Zeiss lenses: Orestegon 29mm f2.8 - probably the best, regarded by most as better than a Zeiss lens. Lydith 30mm f3.5 - lots of character Orestor 100mm f2.8 - this is my favourite of all lenses (there's an older version called Trioplan from 1938 - more character) Orestor 135mm f2.8 - the famous Bokeh Monster Obviously, the Russain lenses are a must if you want Vintage lenses with a lot of character: Mir 24M/N 35mm f2 - It is MC but not modern coating, so not to be put off by it, an excellent lens (M=M42 mount, N=Nikon mount) Mir 1b 37mm f2.8 - Not as good as the 24, but flares are amazing. Helios 44-2 58mm f2 - the 44-2 has a preset aperture & the zebra version is the best i've tried. Jupiter 9 85mm f2 - dreamy wide open Helios 40-2 85mm f1.5 - dreamy wide open & really swirly bohkeh, much better than the Jupiter. Jupiter 37a 135mm f3.5 - get the non-MC version, sharpish & very low contrast Jupiter 11a 135mm f4 - not a fast lens but does produce really pleasing images (there's an older 11 version). Tair 11a 135mm f2.8 - Just amazing & has 20 blades. Simply a must, especially on Full frame with an Iscorama.

The official diameter that was written on the box stated 102.5mm. In my experience, because of its weight, you do need some sort of clamping support in order to keep it steady (just in case). So if the clamp you showed has the right diameter capabilities, then yes, that's the type of support you need.

Yep, I love a Dual Focus x2 anamorphic for photography too - mines a Kowa for B&H.

You've now all put me off going to see 'Intersteller'! Considering Nolan's previous films, he has made a few duds - 'The Prestige' being the worst of the bunch (read the book its sooo much better!). But his first film 'Following' is really worth a watch. The problem is that you can't really compare big hollywood blockbusters (Intersteller etc...) and small Independant films (The Grand Budapest Hotel), as they are working for and on different levels for different audiences. Hollywood normally goes down the safest route, always trying to hit the middle ground in order to satisfy the greatest number of people to generate the biggest pot of gold, or just to get their money back. Independant films have to try something a little bit more imaginative in order to get more people to watch it, but they don't have to get as many people into the cinemas to make their money back or make a profit. I have tended to go less and less to the cinema recently (time, money, quality etc...), but I was quite impressed by the spectacle of the recent 'Dawn of the Planet of the Apes' film, it did exactly what was written on the tin - special effects, action etc... Its no masterpiece, but for a blockbuster it hit the middle ground running & never let up. 3 Films that have impressed me recently (might not have been made this year) are as follows & i'd highly recommend renting them out: 'Locke' - stars Tom Hardy & is based around a very smple premise, but really kept my attention the whole way through. 'The Strange Colour of your Body's Tears' - another homage to Italian Gialli films, beautifully shot, confusing & slightly disturbing. 'Her' - great concept made briliantly (acting, directing, colour, sets etc...).

No worries. The 54 is a very nice lens & worth the muscle exercise, even for photography.

The great thing about Gone Girl is that he made a pretty average novel into a really good film. The Grand Budapest Hotel out shines both & as a quasi Doc, 20,000 Days on Earth was pretty spot on.

Why? Makes no sense whatsoever. 1kg isn't really that heavy & the extra weight really helps with getting steady shots.

No probs man. Really liked the comments by dahlfors - clients don't need tech specs in a showreel. When they contact you, that's when you give them options about different cameras - the better the camera, the more you charge. One thought that I did have, was to sell yourself & the experience of working with you in the showreel. There was an article, which i read recently, that gave the case of someone who actually appeared in their own showreel to give it that personal touch & in so doing was able to connect better with her perspective clients. On the flip side she was an attractive girl trying to get started in a mostly male dominated industry - use your weapons wisely! So what I think i'm saying is add some of your own personality into it - speak & engage with your prospective your clients (you don't have to actually physically be present). For example & considering that you've used words in your piece: "When I look at things, it illuminates a passion inside of me" - show the shot of those illuminated dresses. "So let me take your on a ride" - the lift going up or train shot. "And show you the beauty that exists in the mundane" - that golden street shot. Obviously you choose your own words or famous quotes (and less tacky). Make them feel they know you before they meet you & that they are in a safe pair of hands - you've definately got the shots to make something really good.

Yes, you'll need support - it weighs 1kg, so its always better to be safe than sorry!

Matt, I've been trying to do the exact same thing as you & its really tough to get it right. My problem is that I've got less footage that I'm willing to use than you. The only advice that I can see being helpful is that you need a bit of everything without repeating yourself too much and break things up a bit. So for instance you've got numerous groupings of shots from the same pieces - make a decision about which bits you really think show off that piece. And lastly, the most difficult thing, try to link the different shots up so it flows as a cohesive whole - at the moment it feels a bit random in places. Oh yeah, be ruthless with your choices - if its an ok shot, or its the same as something else or doesn't fit, cut it! And the title is fine, keep it. Forgot to say that I liked the B&W boats shot, just put a bit of grain on it to give it an old film like feel - you could fade out & have that as the ending...

Lovely shots Matt, it all looks really nice but make it shorter - 2mins max, as people these days just don't have the patience to sit through 4mins.

This really sucks, I do feel for you & hope it all turns out fine for you in the end. I once owned a 36 & got rid of it because, like most people, I was scared that at some point that plastic body was going to be my downfall. Its a lovely lens - light, sharp & worth a lot of money. However, eventually I came to the conclusion that i wanted something that had a fighting chance of lasting more than a few years - i mean its made out of plastic! If you're thinking of spending this rediculous amount of money on that mod, which doesn't even properly re-house the lens & adds a lot of weight to it, you'd be better off selling it at a great price & investing in either a 42 (if you can actually find one) or a 54. Both lenses are made out of metal & are just as good as the 36 - infact the 42 is the best of all the Iscoramas & I do kick myself, ever so slightly, for having not bought that over the 54. My reason for buying the 54 was that it had some weight to it (yes, weight is a good thing when going handheld), it was made out of metal, but mostly, because i would be able to pair it with a v.large range of taking lens - I've never encountered a lens yet that couldn't be paired with it! So if you're thinking of doing this mod, spending that sort of cash & adding that much weight to the lens - do your sums & upgrade from that cheap plastic body to one of the metal Iscoramas. You won't regret buying a 54, it really is that nice & with a little practice you will be able to rack through the whole scale (2m-infinity) with one skillful turn of the hand.

If I were you i'd get a cheap speed booster (RJ etc...), this will give you an extra stop of light, sharpen your lenses & decrease the crop of your MFT sensor dramatically - the best $130 you could spend.