PepperJay

Yeah, looks like the last one just sold in June; will keep my eyes peeled and look for more stuff to sell by then. Nice cam-work, btw. I used to do live work until I started getting migraines. But some of the music wasn't half bad. :D

All good, tweak--the image actually improved to a less globby mess at f16~22, but still nothing even distinguishable up to at least half a mile away (lots of subjects on bright days out here). My only theory at this point is that there is some misalignment within the lens itself. I didn't mention that in the listing earlier (mainly because I felt it was something I was doing wrong), but the seller rated it as a "C+" condition lens, as they stated that it had marks from possible fungal cleaning. Before I bought it, I asked the seller if he thought the cleaning marks dramatically hampered the image quality, and he said he didn't know, but he would be happy to take it back if I weren't satisfied. Perhaps I should have been wary of the "didn't know" part, as he sells lenses for a living (though perhaps not as many anamorphics.) But given the fact that I could see a pretty clear image of my TV when holding the lens 2 feet away from my eye, I don't think cleaning marks have anything to do with the problem. My thinking (for what it's worth) is that it has to do with the internal alignment/distance within the lens when it was cleaned, as there are definite signs that the rear of the lens was indeed opened prior to my acquisition of said turkey. Granted, we're talking about milimeters of distance between the elements, but perhaps these tiny lenses are even less forgiving. Thanks to all again--as I gain more personal experience, I'll share as you have with me.

Hey, Bioskop.Inc, yeah, I tried to focus out of my window from here to across the street, but nothing but a glob of murky smear, regardless of iris or focal distance on my prime. And correct on that light source--I'd never seen a penlight take up the entire frame--like it was set for microscopic levels. I finally gave up yesterday and shipped it back to the seller in Prague (before I accidentally scratch it). Sad, as it was the only Isco I had owned, and now the baby Möllers and Hypers are way too expensive for me. But I have more than enough lenses to experiment with for the time being, and I thank you again for your input and encouragement. I feel like a bit of a quitter, but the window for this $400 lens was closing faster than I was making any progress.

Hey, Bioskop.Inc, so no joy over here. I set up my Helios 44, got nice focus, then mounted the Isco (pic#1). That blob in the 2nd was all I could get with my keychain flashlight at the same focal point, with no flares to work with, but vertial oval (both ways) in the front. The 3rd and 4th show the rig--just trying to get a clean image from 5ft. The last pic had the light off, making no change at all to the Helios from original settings. I've put +.25, +.50, +.75, +1, +2, +4 and +10 close up lenses and diopters in front yet to no avail. The other day, I tried with my 5DMKII, Canon 50mm and my Tamron 28-75mm. Same outcome @ approximately the same distance (the TV). As in the first post with the pic pointed at my TV, the only way I can get a distinguishable picture is when I hold it 2 feet away from my eye, and only then with a mirrored image. Anything closer or with any lens just causes me to question my manhood. :D :| That said, I really appreciate your help thus far. I sent an email to the ebay dealer yesterday requesting a return, but (perhaps not surprisingly) haven't heard back. Not too worried because at this point I think I'd rather face opening a case than dealing with this little beast.

Thank you, Bioskop.Inc. My mind is blown by your reply. Some sources I had researched from stated it was "focus through," which left me completely confused as to where the problem might lie. "Fixed focus" at 5ft is a great place to start from. I'm digging out my primes and diopters right now and will give it another go. Again, many thanks, and more to follow...

Hi, tweak, I thought it might be, but looking at CU's of other examples of this lens, it seems slightly more probable that I'm doing something wrong. In a conversation with a different seller on ebay, they told me that they can indeed see a focused image when held up to the eye (for what it's worth--they're selling the same model). As the pic I included shows, I had to hold it about 2' from mine to register anything more than a gob of David Lynchian imagery, and flipped at that. Sill a possibility, though. Kinda on a deadline, as I just started the process of trying to return it. But thanks for your suggestion.

Hi, folks, this is my first post here, so please forgive my ignorance (but feel free to point it out!). Anyway, so I'm a newbie to the anamorphic DSLR world, but I've been doing my research here and on YouTube, et al., and a recent purchase in particular has left me completely desperate for any helpful advice: I just bought the Isco mentioned above, but can't seem to draw a focus to save my life. The model in particular looks great cosmetically inside and out, but unlike a few other 8mm anamorphics I have, nothing I attach it to renders a usable image. From what I read, this is a focus through (no, couldn't afford the actual Iscomorphot), but none of my lenses within the 50mm range (Helios 44, Canon/Nikkor/Minolta 50's) have had any luck, no matter how much I stop it down (f8-22), and for any distance between 1m and all the way across the street. Seriously, I'm stumped. I'll attach a few photos of grabs I got during my checking about, but neither of these setups (ballpark from this end) seem to work. If it helps any (description-wise), the farther I hold it from my eye, the clearer the rear image is (albeit reversed)--and while this probably makes me sound like a complete dweeb, as I said, I'm desperate!!! Right, so I know most of us don't repair lenses for a living, but I guess what I'm hoping for is advice/opinions/directions from anyone with prior experience with these or similar lenses. It doesn't seem like there's any internal focusing issues or element separation, but at this point I wouldn't be surprised if someone put a curse on it (or me). Thanks in advance for any future help and for all the help you've provided so far by being available for those of us on the outside looking in. -Jason Note: the first to pics are the ones I modeled my setups toward, the 3rd is the lens in question, with some focus (at literal arm's length)...