What is anamorphic lens and what can it do for you in the real world? Read this article where we have explained the history and its current features that are challenging the cinematic standards.
Ever wondered how and why the movies that we watch on our large screens or even at cinemas are cropped with black lines above and below? These iconic “compressing” of the video form top and below are done with the help of anamorphic lenses, and they work in a different way as compared to a regular spherical lens. Below we have explained what is anamorphic lens, how they work, their history, and whether they are worth investing in or not.
What is Anamorphic Lens?
They are special lenses that can capture a wider field of view, and they do that by horizontally squeezing the image that is being received onto a camera sensor. They differ from conventional lenses due to the use of cylindrical optical components around the optical axis in a lens, which is unlike the spherical or aspherical elements used in conventional lenses.
These lenses are also characterized by their ultra-wide aspect ratios of 2.39:1 and 2.66:1 as compared to 16:9 or 1.85:1 from a standard lens. The “type” of an anamorphic lens is linked with its squeeze factor on the footage; for example, the most common anamorphic lens is 2X which is designed to deliver a 2.39:1 aspect ratio with a 4-perf 35mm film.
They are also known to produce distinctive horizontal flares in blue colors, which are used by the cinematic industry for bringing in more dynamic shots in their movies.
Unlike spherical lenses, you also get a bokeh with out-of-focus highlights that take on an oval shape rather than a conventional circular bokeh you would get from a spherical lens. The compression you get from such lenses can be scaled at different factors; all of them add depth and a sense of scale in the final footage.
What is Anamorphic Lens History?
Originally developed by Henri Chrétien in France to give military infantry a wider field of view in World War I. It came to the Hollywood industry in the 1950s but didn’t really take off until the 1950s, when Hollywood started to give a wider field of view to the audience in cinemas by using anamorphic lenses.
This made the cinema industry more favorable to watching movies instead of regular television at that time, as audiences used to get more field of view, making the movie-watching experience more immersive and enjoyable. Although these lenses were loved by the filmmakers, they still were extremely expensive compared to your regular camera body and came with bulky and large form factors.
Moreover, they lagged behind the spherical lenses in terms of consistency and were not as capable. In the past few decades, this changed as modern anamorphics have brought them to the forefront of filmmaking. Brands like SIRUI and others have managed to make them compact and budget-friendly for independent filmmakers. This happened without sacrificing image quality; in fact, the new generations of these lenses now produce significantly sharper footage as compared to their vintage counterparts.
Features of Anamorphic Lens:
1. They can “squeeze” the footage with squeeze factors; the most common are 1.33x, which increase to 1.5x, 1.8x, and 2x.
2. They let movie makers create ultra-wide shots without cropping and sacrificing the quality.
3. The optical elements in these lenses produce a bokeh with elongated ovals.
4. They can produce cinematic-quality shallower depth of field even in low light.
5. Also used to create the illusion of “increased” depth in the background.
6. The modern lenses of this type feature organic focus roll-off without any delay.
7. And can produce signature blue-tinted streaks of light across which is loved by filmmakers for artistic shots.
Should you invest in an anamorphic lens?
It really boils down to what your creative needs and budget are and whether you are doing a single project or are looking for a long-term investment in a career. If your creative needs don’t require such squeezing and cinematic looks, then you are better off.
But, considering how much cheaper/more accessible these lenses have become and the professional standard of output quality you get from these lenses, it makes more sense to invest in anamorphic lenses, especially when you are an independent filmmaker.
First, you will get footage with character and interest in an image without sacrificing the resolution. Moreover, you can play with the distinctive blue flares and cylindrical bokeh you get with these lenses. Lenses like SIRUI Vision Prime cost almost the same as your regular spherical lens but offer so much more. Available in a wide range of mounts, this lens, with its T1.4 ultra-fast aperture and three versatile focal lengths, makes a great point for you to kickstart or upgrade your cinematography journey.