Anamorphics 2024 - Modern vs. Vintage

[Zack Birlew]

Hi, everybody, so I've been looking at the current landscape of anamorphic lenses and wondering about what the current perspective is on investing in vintage sets versus the newer cinema anamorphics from Atlas, Sirui, Laowa, and so many others. In the market the prices go all the way for a few thousand for some LOMO anamorphics and modern 1.33x anamorphics all the way up to the top $100,000+ Zeiss Master Anamorphics, Cooke Anamorphics, and specialty vintage sets like Ultrascopes and Hawks. When we have really nice modern 1.33x, 1.5x, 1.8x, and full on 2x options that are already cinema lens designs, would one really be better served by vintage anamorphics?

I know with spherical lenses there's all kinds of potential differences with various vintage and modern options with some modern options even trying to copy the old vintage lenses they're replacing but with anamorphics, I'm not so sure the mentality is the same as the goal has usually been for the most pristine image in the face of the odd quirks of anamorphic optics. So, what are your thoughts? If you had the money to open a shop or studio and the goal is anamorphics, with all the greats on the table, do you go vintage or modern and why?

 

[Nick Gardner]

I like anamorphics because of their funkiness. I have owned a lot of anamorphics. I had several Lomo foton anamorphic zooms, a set of square fronts, and several telephotos. I have shot on most anamorphics out there. I sold my lomo anamorphics when it became clear that new cheep chinese anamorphics were coming.

I currently have a set of the great joy 1.8x. I really like them. I have shot several big projects on them. They are basically exactly what I wanted as a lomo square front replacement. I wish the 35 flaired a little easier, and they might be just a little to clean for my tastes, but the build quaility, size, weight, and optical performance are astounding for the price. Very happy with them.

Nick

 

[Zack Birlew]

Great Joy are definitely on the radar for me too! The Laowa Proteus are standing at the top of my list for new lenses as well but there seems to be some interesting vintage options too coming up a little more often now that, I suppose, there's simply more competition and options these days. Some interesting sets that came up are Ultrascope anamorphics, Hawk Cs, and Nipponscope lenses but it's kind of the same issue with some rarer still photo lenses, the upkeep and limited replacement factor.