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Kowa advice


Daveo
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Hi All,

Attempting to make my first forays into the world of anamorphic and have come across this lens being described as a Kowa prominar. Just wondered if anyone is familiar with this version and if so are they any good?

Many thanks,

Dave.

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Thanks for the info @whoisjsd. I had seen one cheap, but based on it not being easy (ie heavy) to shoot with and the poor minimum focussing distance it may not be the ideal first lens. I guess the search continues. It seems the Kowa 16's or the Isco Ultra stars are about the best bet for small, easier to use option. Would people agree?

 

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  • 2 months later...

Hello,

I'm also looking to buy one of those but I would like to know if this is a 2x anamorphic, what taking lenses work best and also if anyone can share some footage. What is the name of this model? Any other advice is welcomed.

Thanks!

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8 hours ago, whoisjsd said:

Yes, pretty much every large anamorphic is 2x. If you are shooting on a GH4/5 something about 55-58mm should do the trick. I don't have any footage on mine yet but I will soon (Need to take it back apart and finish cleaning/re-greasing)

A lot of these just say Kowa Prominar Anamorphic and nothing else. There are some gold ones too. Sorry if that doesn't help, I usually only can tell by seeing them.

One thing is for sure, projector anamorphics are still uncharted territory. I can't seem to find any footage shot with this lens since the model is unknown so please share when you have the time.

I noticed the back end is threaded. Can this thread be used with a step ring to attach to the taking lens? That would deffinately save some money.

Below is the model I'm considering. It's about 100$. Do you think it's worth it?

 

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It's cheap for a reason & you'll probably end up using it as a paper weight.

If you are interested in something cheapish, then go for a Singer/Sankor 16D or H - the rear elements are big enough to not limit you like their smaller counterparts. They're x2 stretch & will be dual focus, but if you like them, you can always buy one of those single focus diopter things (that'll cost you more than the anamorphic!).

 

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3 minutes ago, ken said:

Imo, this is the second worst anamorphic lens than Russian’s.  That is why it’s so cheap. 

This is why I'd prefer to see some footage before buying.

2 minutes ago, Bioskop.Inc said:

It's cheap for a reason & you'll probably end up using it as a paper weight.

If you are interested in something cheapish, then go for a Singer/Sankor 16D or H - the rear elements are big enough to not limit you like their smaller counterparts. They're x2 stretch & will be dual focus, but if you like them, you can always buy one of those single focus diopter things (that'll cost you more than the anamorphic!).

 

I'm interested in a starter lens and making some experiments. 

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14 minutes ago, CTN said:

This is why I'd prefer to see some footage before buying.

I'm interested in a starter lens and making some experiments. 

This is where I started (16D), you could also go for the Elmoscope I, which is very similar - both have lovely blue flares & go well with 4K cameras.

Basically, you've got to ask yourself what you think you're going to get from an anamorphic. Personally, I want them for how they render the out of focus areas, take the edge off some of these high res cameras (especially 4K ones) & finally, for the horizontal flares (but i'm over the flares really).

Whatever you do, don't get fooled into buying one of those multi-coloured projection lenses - they are a PITA to use & will give you a sterile MC look. Great if you're projecting in a home theatre, but an absolute waste of time if you're shooting - you'd be better off shooting spherical & cropping.

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