Is it possible to adapt an anamorphic lens designed for projection?

[Jorge Díaz-Amador]

There are about four kinds of anamorphic lens.

DANCAD, thanks for the info on the types of anamorphics. I think that we could also have a fifth category for prism based anamorphics. I believe this is how the Auto-Panatar and Primo Anamorphic leneses work. When I have seen Primo Anamorphics, they do not seem to have any cylindrical lenses is them (at least the focal lengths I saw). I believe this is how they compensate for close-up distortion, by varying the anamorphic ratio.

The problem with projection anamorphics as shooting lenses, is that projection lenses do not have any cemented doublet or triplet groups. This is because the heat of the projection beam would soften the cement and/or the glass would crack due to unequal expansion. Therefore, projection anamorphics do not have the same optical performance as objective lenses.

Plus you would have to re-focus the adapter every time you focus the prime lens. Note that the Square-front Lomo's (I have a set), have a coordinated focus between the anamorphic elements and the little Russkie prime hidden in the back (which looks so much like a copy of a Zeiss standard prime).

Plus I dig the groovy exaggerated anamorphic distortion of front-squeezing anamorphics.