Improving the performance of smartphone cameras often feels like approaching the end of an exponential curve: it can be done, but improvements are becoming less noticeable. Glass Imaging wants to change that through the novel use of anamorphic lenses.
Sirui has announced the launch of a new 75mm f/1.8 1.33x anamorphic lens that it says will give filmmakers the ability to capture telephoto footage with an anamorphic look and feel affordably.
Vazen has announced its latest anamorphic lens in the 50mm T2.1 1.8x, which adds what the company calls an "ultra-wide-angle option." It is available in either Canon EF or PL mounts.
Venus Optics has announced the 1.4x Full Frame Expander and 1.33x Rear Anamorphic Adapter in PL to PL mount. The anamorphic adapter expands the filming canvas to a 2.35:1 cinematic widescreen ratio on a 16:9 sensor and the 1.4x Full Frame Expander expands the coverage from Super35 into full-frame.
Smartphone lens maker Moment has been branching out more and more. From filters, to camera apps, to fanny packs, the company's high-quality smartphone lenses have opened the door to a variety of products, and today they're kicking that door wide open by announcing a line of lenses and filters for drones.
SANDMARC has announced its new Anamorphic Lens for iPhone. Designed with professional mobile filmmaking in mind, the lens allows users to capture movie-style ultra-wide aspect ratios.
Photographer John Dykstra says he believes in the power of perspective. His surreal photo style is created entirely with practical effects and simple ingredients -- things like paint, chalk, and glass -- rather than digital image manipulation techniques.
The mobile photography gear company Moment has just announced its first collection of products designed for shooting cinematic video on your phone. There's a new Anamorphic Lens, iPhone X Battery Photo Case, Gimbal Counterweight, and Filter Mount.
A few months ago I was blown away by some photos taken by one Victor Danell with a modified Helios 44 lens. His process was to “polish” the glass elements with a strong abrasive and sand the inside of the barrel in order to increase how light bounces around.
I've recently become obsessed with the idea of shooting (something close to) true, 2.35:1 ratio CinemaScope anamorphic on my DSLR camera. This is pretty easily done if you can spend $1,000+ on an anamorphic lens made specifically for a DSLR camera... but I don't have that kind of cash, so I went another route.
After some research, I found that other DIY filmmakers are re-purposing old film projection lens, typically used in movie theaters, to "correct" the compressed anamorphic image into what we see on the screen as 2.35:1 CinemaScope.
Have you ever heard of an anamorphic lens? If you’re a movie fan then you may have, but if not you’ve certainly seen them used in many films made for the big screen.
YouTube illusion and science channel Brusspup recently did an anamorphic illusion project in which he photographed a few random objects resting on a piece of paper (e.g. a Rubik's cube, a roll of tape, and a shoe), skewed them, printed them out as high-resolution prints, and then photographed them at an angle to make the prints look just like the original objects.