8mm Forum: Kowa 8-Z question

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Topic: Kowa 8-Z question

Louis Li
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 159
From: SG
Registered: Feb 2007

posted May 30, 2007 01:16 AM

im looking for a kowa 8-Z.
checking through the forum, im pretty sure it will work for both my S8&16 projectors.

however, im wondering if ill be able to shoot with it for my bolex H16.
i have 3 primes. A 10mm,25mm and a 50mm.
im guessing it work well with the 50mm.

has anyone got any exprerience with this?
whether its even possible with some kind of attachment?

thanks.

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John Whittle
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 791
From: Northridge, CA USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted May 30, 2007 12:34 PM

Yes you can use it for photography. Bolex made a 1.5x anamorphic with a bracket for the H16 camera and if you can get your hands on the bracket, it can be adapted for the Kowa lens. (I did exactly that many years ago with a Panavision Superama on a Rex5).

You can use a prime of 30mm or longer. This will change a bit depending on focus, and focus is the real trick with this set up. You have focus your prime and then set the focus on the adapter. Eye focus doesn't give good results so it's tape measures, etc if you're close in. Whatever adapter you come up with, remember it's going to mean taking the lens on and off for set-ups--at least that's what I had to do for critical sharpness.

BTW the Kowa 8Z is the same glass as the Kowa 16H. I don't know if there is any difference in the back threads, but you're going to have to make whatever attachement you come up with and the scope lens can't rotate with the prime so it probably can't be attached with adapter rings.

John

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Louis Li
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 159
From: SG
Registered: Feb 2007

posted May 30, 2007 02:10 PM

thanks john for replying. thats really good news to hear.
regarding focus.
once i have focused my prime lens.
i guess i can only focus the anamorphic lens by eye?
or is the same focal plane same for the anamorphic lens.
Sorry am not too familiar with a lens in front of a lens. Haha.

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John Whittle
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 791
From: Northridge, CA USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted May 30, 2007 08:28 PM

If you've verified the distance scale on the lens with projection (the scope lens) then focus it by distance. If the prime is at 10 feet, focus the scope lens for 10 feet. Most won't focus closer than 3 meters or 10 feet so keep that in mind. Also remember that a scope lens on a 50mm prime will deliver the same width view as a 25mm lens but half the height. If you have the side finder for your Bolex, you can mask that off so you don't have to look at the squeezed image in the reflex finder. Also you have to compensate for the scope lens by about 1/2 stop, but experiment by shooting the same set-up with it off and on and looking at the projected results. Your lens might be 1/3 stop or so.

John

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Louis Li
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 159
From: SG
Registered: Feb 2007

posted May 31, 2007 01:40 PM

hey john.
i was actually gonna ask about the Sankor 16C (43mm rear) and the sankor 16D (52mm rear).

i got most of my answer from http://lavender.fortunecity.com/lavender/569/anamorphic.html

thanks Douglas Meltzer

however, ill to know whether a bigger rear element would be a better option or is 43mm good enough already.
i see the 8-Z has a 52mm rear.

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John Whittle
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 791
From: Northridge, CA USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted June 02, 2007 08:41 PM

Actually the 8z/16H is better to use than the Sankor 16D for two reasons. While the rear element is the same in both (52mm) the Kowa lens is of a different design and is actually physically shorter at the same focus setting and thus you have less possibility of vingetting (photographic the inside of the scope lens in the corners).

Also I find that the Kowa lens is a bit faster and a bit sharper with better contrast.

The Sankor is fine for projection, but the Kowa is overall a better lens.

John

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