Helium Lomo Love

[Cris Marian]

Looks amazing!

 

[Chris McKechnie]

Looks amazing!

Thank you!

 

[Jacek Zakowicz]

Can someone explain to me what is great about these shots?
Yes they are sharp but besides that they are either desaturated or brownish/yelowish tint. Pretty ugly actually... just like these lenses rendition on film...and don't tell me this was a "creative choice" -the pathetic ticket out of anything these days....
just to be clear this has nothing to o with Chris abilities- this is the nature of these lenses IMO- that's why Russian films are usually so depressing...

 

[Brian Pascale]

Lomo's have a glow to them. Flaring can be magical. The 70mm in particular has amazing broken. On digital cameras, the have a organic, filmatic look. Lenses are subjective, to each their own.

Can someone explain to me what is great about these shots?
Yes they are sharp but besides that they are either desaturated or brownish/yelowish tint. Pretty ugly actually... just like these lenses rendition on film...and don't tell me this was a "creative choice" -the pathetic ticket out of anything these days....
just to be clear this has nothing to o with Chris abilities- this is the nature of these lenses IMO- that's why Russian films are usually so depressing...

 

[Chris McKechnie]

Can someone explain to me what is great about these shots?
Yes they are sharp but besides that they are either desaturated or brownish/yelowish tint. Pretty ugly actually... just like these lenses rendition on film...and don't tell me this was a "creative choice" -the pathetic ticket out of anything these days....
just to be clear this has nothing to o with Chris abilities- this is the nature of these lenses IMO- that's why Russian films are usually so depressing...

Lenses are very subjective. I've been shooting on vintage glass now for several years and I think the characteristics of vintage glass really shines on high resolution sensors, and to me, brings a more filmic look to the imagery. Just my personal opinion though.

Lomo's have a glow to them. Flaring can be magical. The 70mm in particular has amazing broken. On digital cameras, the have a organic, filmatic look. Lenses are subjective, to each their own.

Exactly!

 

[Jake Wilganowski]

Can someone explain to me what is great about these shots?
Yes they are sharp but besides that they are either desaturated or brownish/yelowish tint. Pretty ugly actually... just like these lenses rendition on film...and don't tell me this was a "creative choice" -the pathetic ticket out of anything these days....
just to be clear this has nothing to o with Chris abilities- this is the nature of these lenses IMO- that's why Russian films are usually so depressing...

Pathetic is a bit harsh sir. It is obviously a creative choice. Everything shouldn't look like a master prime. That would be pathetically boring.

 

[Chris McKechnie]

Loving loving loving helium (besides that one issue I had/have - RED troubleshooting). It just churns out amazing images.

Slight grade on these below just using FCPX and Color Finale. Added some grain.

 

[Ilya O.]

...they are either desaturated or brownish/yelowish tint. Pretty ugly actually... just like these lenses rendition on film...and don't tell me this was a "creative choice" -the pathetic ticket out of anything these days....this is the nature of these lenses IMO- that's why Russian films are usually so depressing...

— aah aaha ha Jacek rocks, as always I adore his posts. It is pure fuel for the threads.

Well, while I see that there IS some color correction on these shots (and a bit too much sandy for my taste),
but Jacek, don't you feel that here the LOMO look actually make you feel the place, the temp, the sun, the desert etc. in a very right manner?
It is a good choice here IMHO.

You say LOMO is depressing^-) Imagine this short is shot on neutral or cold Zeiss with its magenta blooming wide open, — that indeed would be depressing!

I like LOMO for really charming warmth and center accenuating 3d effect, and they make me feel good, like I am in my childhood.

 

[Jacek Zakowicz]

Pathetic is a bit harsh sir. It is obviously a creative choice. Everything shouldn't look like a master prime. That would be pathetically boring.

Creative choice is between nikon with fuji stock or Zeiss with Kodak stock.
Lomo with ORWO stock is just poverty. Just ask any east block DP that ran away from it to the west where they could really exploit their God given incredible talents and not waste their time trying to get some color in their "color" film stock. Aside of brown skin tones and green hair of course ;-). This is nothing new really - just watch some 60's and 70's east block films...;-)

 

[Dan Kanes]

Hey Chris - fantastic work.

The Lomos do indeed carry magic - and it lives on in modern descendents like Elite, JSC, Lumatech/illumina, and even in Hawk. Probablty some others I'm forgetting too.

Sure mechanically many of the ones that have made it over here to the USA are not tuned at top spec (or maybe never were) but - optically they do have a very special character.

Russian lenses in california sunshine = pure gold IMO.

 

[Scot Yount]

Hey Chris,
Would you mind putting up an .r3d or two of what you consider the best frames? Would love to see the RAW vs. the grade!

 

[Chris McKechnie]

Hey Chris - fantastic work.

The Lomos do indeed carry magic - and it lives on in modern descendents like Elite, JSC, Lumatech/illumina, and even in Hawk. Probablty some others I'm forgetting too.

Sure mechanically many of the ones that have made it over here to the USA are not tuned at top spec (or maybe never were) but - optically they do have a very special character.

Russian lenses in california sunshine = pure gold IMO.

Thanks amigo!

Hey Chris,
Would you mind putting up an .r3d or two of what you consider the best frames? Would love to see the RAW vs. the grade!

Here are a few R3D grabs. Please don't post/share anywhere. :thumbs:


https://we.tl/5xrBUT4sWh

 

[Ben Scott]

downloaded those too Chris. Hope you don't mind. Great work once again.

Jacek's posts are typical. Anything that isn't a modern stills lens with electronic motors gets short shrift from him.

Lomos have a wonderful character.
Jupiter 9s have a wonderful characters
Helios 44m-2 have a wonderful character
Speed Panchros have a wonderful character
Master Primes have a wonderful character

Getting across a feel or vibe can often be more important than outright resolving power.

 

[Daniel Murphy]

Nice work Chris! Also really great storyline to support compelling pictures.

 

[Chris McKechnie]

downloaded those too Chris. Hope you don't mind. Great work once again.

Jacek's posts are typical. Anything that isn't a modern stills lens with electronic motors gets short shrift from him.

Lomos have a wonderful character.
Jupiter 9s have a wonderful characters
Helios 44m-2 have a wonderful character
Speed Panchros have a wonderful character
Master Primes have a wonderful character

Getting across a feel or vibe can often be more important than outright resolving power.

Haha! Yea...I just have loved shooting on vintage glass.

Nice work Chris! Also really great storyline to support compelling pictures.

Thanks man!

 

[Jacek Zakowicz]

downloaded those too Chris. Hope you don't mind. Great work once again.

Jacek's posts are typical. Anything that isn't a modern stills lens with electronic motors gets short shrift from him.

Lomos have a wonderful character.
Jupiter 9s have a wonderful characters
Helios 44m-2 have a wonderful character
Speed Panchros have a wonderful character
Master Primes have a wonderful character

Getting across a feel or vibe can often be more important than outright resolving power.

You guys crack me up ;-) Genious!!! I thought I fooled you all hahaha.... I'm busted now ;-(
It's not all about sales. I have done this for 30 years. I've repaired more lenses than most people will see in their life time.
K35s, super speeds, standard speeds, schneiders, lomos, baltars, bell and howell. Made more K35 PL conversions than anyone AFAIK.
Love doing it BTW...
But these are specialty optics like lensbabies and mesmerizera and are wayyyy overused in general cinematography. Food promotion footage shot with anamorphics...really?!!!!
I've also just read the Getty images article on 2017 and beyond photography trends and guess what?
Low contrast, bleached fuzzy images are out!! Natural colors, non over stylized SHARP images are in. Maybe we are finally getting over ourselves (selfie style). One can always hope.... That common sense prevails...

 

[Vadim Bobkovsky]

this is the nature of these lenses IMO- that's why Russian films are usually so depressing...

The sheer ignorance of this one, WOW! *slow clap*

 

[Jacek Zakowicz]

The sheer ignorance of this one, WOW! *slow clap*

Maybe I haven't watched as many Russian movies as you but definitely got my share growing up in the Soviet occupied Poland

 

[Ben Scott]

You guys crack me up ;-) Genious!!! I thought I fooled you all hahaha.... I'm busted now ;-(
It's not all about sales. I have done this for 30 years. I've repaired more lenses than most people will see in their life time.
K35s, super speeds, standard speeds, schneiders, lomos, baltars, bell and howell. Made more K35 PL conversions than anyone AFAIK.
Love doing it BTW...
But these are specialty optics like lensbabies and mesmerizera and are wayyyy overused in general cinematography. Food promotion footage shot with anamorphics...really?!!!!
I've also just read the Getty images article on 2017 and beyond photography trends and guess what?
Low contrast, bleached fuzzy images are out!! Natural colors, non over stylized SHARP images are in. Maybe we are finally getting over ourselves (selfie style). One can always hope.... That common sense prevails...

I'm exaggerating slightly, but we live in a world where people - top people in their field - take $80,000 cameras and $100,000 lenses and still try to stick a bit of old stocking in front of it to make it have a certain look.

Funnily enough I'm finding myself moving towards cleaner imagery at the moment but that's after playing with 'texture' and vintage glass non stop for half a decade.

But Lomos can look amazing if that's the look you're after.

Chris, at the risk of annoying Jacek even more, how did you find the SLR Magic Rangefinder/anamorphic combination?

 

[Chris McKechnie]

I'm exaggerating slightly, but we live in a world where people - top people in their field - take $80,000 cameras and $100,000 lenses and still try to stick a bit of old stocking in front of it to make it have a certain look.

Funnily enough I'm finding myself moving towards cleaner imagery at the moment but that's after playing with 'texture' and vintage glass non stop for half a decade.

But Lomos can look amazing if that's the look you're after.

Chris, at the risk of annoying Jacek even more, how did you find the SLR Magic Rangefinder/anamorphic combination?

The paring I had with the Hypergonar 16, Helios taking lens and the SLR rangefinder...had a very very very organic look...almost dream like. The rangefinder is big/heavy...but to only have to worry about focusing one element/lens....it's worth the tradeoff.