Century anamorphic need diopter?

[Joseph Moore]

I finally got my hands on a Century anamorphic adapter. Only had time to do very limited testing, but it seems like it is impossible to get sharp focus with any "taking" lens I tried. Is this an adapter that needs a dipper? If so, what strength should I try? (Shooting with a GH3, if that matters.)

[richg101]

in my experience a 35mm f2.8 taking lens is very well suited to the century.  you'll need to stick with f5.6 or above for sharp, but f2.8 is usable.  you'll need a tokina to gain focus good enough to read text on a computer monitor from less than 2 meters.  it's stuff like close up text that struggles most with the century.  

 

this is from an aps-c user.  so a 28mm f2.8 will probably result in similar quality from your gh3.  and results will be better due to your smaller sensor.

[Sean Cunningham]

Yeah, anything around f/2.8 and above should have useable sharpness without any diopter.  I'd say regardless of focal length but never verified that telephoto worked the same as my wide-angles.  That's on a GH2.

 

Might be the way you're mounting it or possibly a defect in the adapter.  

[Joseph Moore]

Thanks, guys. I'll try closing down the aperture...I was probably shooting close to wide open.

[Tito Ferradans]

On the telephoto end, it goes way worse than wide-angles. Anything longer than 50mm on a 5D3 is unusable faster than f/5.6-8.
 
Although, with diopters, it produces great images with telephoto lenses. +1 diopter, Century and Jupiter 9 (at f/2.8)

 

[Sean Cunningham]

I need to get a different adapter than the cheeseball OM adapter I currently have, so I can do something with my 75-205mm Vivitar.  I didn't expect the long end to be even more limited.  Above f/4 mine, at 18mm, is quite sharp without the diopter and can focus quite close.

 

Gonna pick up a set of Hoya close-up diopters next.

[richg101]

On the telephoto end, it goes way worse than wide-angles. Anything longer than 50mm on a 5D3 is unusable faster than f/5.6-8.

Although, with diopters, it produces great images with telephoto lenses. +1 diopter, Century and Jupiter 9 (at f/2.8)

That is outstanding for the century and a longer lens. Is this 5dmk3?

ps. has the little ff58 arrived yet mate? Your 2x oval aperture will really be nice on the century, especially with a diopter.

[Tito Ferradans]

Thanks Rich! Yep, 5d3!

 

On the 5D3, it vignettes around 35mm, but it's quite sharp. Performs great with Helios 44 without diopters if subject is at least 6ft away. Closer than that, a Tokina/Minolta is required.

 

ps - not yet, but I'm used to wait a while longer for deliveries around here. I already have a project to use it on! hahahaha