8mm Forum: SUPER 8 SCOPE LENS

This is topic SUPER 8 SCOPE LENS in forum 8mm Forum at 8mm Forum.

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Posted by Rod O'Neal (Member # 592) on August 03, 2006, 01:42 PM:

Hi, I purchased a used film from Derann without reading carefully, and when I received it, I found that it was in SCOPE. I have an ELMO ST-180E projector and am wondering what it would involve to obtain and attach a scope lens to it? Are scope lenses readily available and what are the approximate costs?

Posted by Andrew Wilson (Member # 538) on August 03, 2006, 02:07 PM:

Hello Rod.welcome to the forum.TRY super8 stuff.They are in
the U.S.A.they should be able to help you.Andy.

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on August 03, 2006, 02:11 PM:

Hi Rod,

Welcome to the forum!

Your message warms my heart because wouldn't you know it, that is exactly how I got into 'scope as well! I bought "Sounds of Arizona" from Derann, but their 'site failed to mention that it was 'scope. (it does now, as far as I know) They offered to take it back, but I decided since I liked the film I'd keep it anyway.

I watched it squished for a while until I snagged a 'scope lens on ebay. -Man! Talk about "tall in the saddle"!

Mounting the lens is not a big deal. It only needs to be kept with the lens' "de-squish" axis horizontal to and held as close as possible in front of the projector's lens. Beyond this anything goes: bags of rice, and piles of books like I started with.

There are commercial ring adapters which mount to the projector body, and allow it to swing away.

My approach is a little more primitive, but works fine. I built a platform that the projector sits on which allows the front leg to tilt the optical path into alignment with the anamorphic mounted on its own little shelf. This entire assembly then tilts to adjust the image height on screen. I knocked it together with scrap lumber in about an hour. (A more advanced version is pending!)

Something you may run into is the fact that many screens are not formatted with 'scope in mind. Two years ago I was using a 4 foot wide tripod screen that was primarily meant for slides (ie: formatted as a square). The problem I ran into is that the 'scope image is so wide relative to height the best I could do on that screen was an image 18 inches high. Until I got a rectangular, large screen these films were not very impressive at all!

Still the same, 'scope is wonderful stuff and well worth the effort!

[ August 03, 2006, 11:07 PM: Message edited by: Steve Klare ]

Posted by Andrew Wilson (Member # 538) on August 03, 2006, 02:17 PM:

Hello Rod.welcome to the forum.TRY super8 stuff.They are in
the U.S.A.they should be able to help you.Andy.
p.s.TRY classic home cinema.co.uk.

Posted by Joerg Polzfusz (Member # 602) on August 04, 2006, 06:36 AM:

Hi & welcome,

there are several professional holders out there:
http://www.ffr-film.de/Katalog/Seiten/Anamorphotenhalter.htm
http://www.wittner-kinotechnik.de/katalog/07_vorfu/e_halter.php
...

Nevertheless I constructed the holder for my "Rectimascop"-anamorphot myself out of some "fischer technik" parts - lego, wood or a kid's metal construction kit will do, too [Smile]

You can use any 2x Anamorphot from this list - as long as the rear size is larger than your projector's lens:
http://super8wiki.com/index.php?title=Anamorphic_Lenses#2x_Anamorphic_attachments
Most of them are out of production - but you can find many of the Kowas/Suns/Sankors/... for 100EUR or less on eBay.
Beware when buying are large anamorphot (rear size: 62,5mm or larger) designed for 35mm/70mm-cinema-projectors: Most of them can only focus when the screen is at least 20 meters (66feet) away from the projector! (Hence they aren't listed in the wiki.)

Hope this helps,
Jörg

Posted by Joe Taffis (Member # 4) on August 04, 2006, 03:59 PM:

hi Jorg, could you help with ordering one of those STA-02 scope adapters from the Wittmer catalogue? It's listed for the ELMO ST-1200. Is there a way to order one in english?...do they accept PayPal?... thanks!

Posted by Michael De Angelis (Member # 91) on August 04, 2006, 07:58 PM:

Hi Joe,

I use the Alta Vista
search engine to translate
pages, and it works fairly well.

Hope that you may find it reliable, and
here is the link:
http://babelfish.altavista.com/

Michael

Posted by Dave Cragg (Member # 401) on August 05, 2006, 06:31 AM:

Hi all,
I've yet to branch out into scope films and am a bit confused; are all picture sizes of scope films on super 8 in the same ratio, or would I need to buy different lenses?
Also does the scope lens replace the existing lens of the projector, or is it positioned in front of it?

Thanx,
Dave

Posted by Barry Attwood (Member # 100) on August 05, 2006, 07:27 AM:

Dave,

All 8mm scope prints are the same ratio as the prints are squeezed by a factor of 2 giving you a 2:66/1 screen image except for Cineavision scope prints, these are preportionally reduced to 2:35/1, but the one scope lens does the trick, so you don't have to worry about that, and all you have to do is place a scope lens in front of your main lens, it's about as simple as that really.

Posted by Joerg Polzfusz (Member # 602) on August 07, 2006, 04:11 AM:

Hi Joe,

you can order in English:
http://www.wittner-kinotechnik.de/katalog/00_home/order/

"Payment: We require payment in advance. You will receive the invoice via email asap. On the invoice you will find the total sum and our account numbers. Please transfer the total sum to our postbank account. After we have received your payment, we will ship the goods to you immediately.
Or you can send EUR cash via registered / insured mail or parcel. "

In a hurry,
Jörg

Posted by Jan Bister (Member # 332) on August 07, 2006, 10:12 PM:

Wittner is darned expensive, though. Not a place I would go to get a scope lens, personally (unless I was filthy rich). [Razz]

Posted by Winbert Hutahaean (Member # 58) on August 08, 2006, 02:45 AM:

A little bit out of topic, I have just found in an Ausio Video magazine that a die harder Video Projectionist is also using a scope lens for their VP to obtain an actual scope presentation (no digitalisation involved)

Posted by Joerg Polzfusz (Member # 602) on August 08, 2006, 06:01 AM:

quote:
A little bit out of topic, I have just found in an Ausio Video magazine that a die harder Video Projectionist is also using a scope lens for their VP to obtain an actual scope presentation (no digitalisation involved)

That's why Isco is producing Anamorphots again - but now for "digital home cinema" instead of "small format home cinema" [Frown]

Posted by Joe Taffis (Member # 4) on August 08, 2006, 09:48 AM:

thanks for that info & link Joerg...Jan, I know they're expensive, but i've been after this type of scope lense holder for some time with no luck finding one....unless you have one that you'd like to sell or know of where I can buy one cheaper; let me know. thanks

Posted by Jan Bister (Member # 332) on August 08, 2006, 11:23 PM:

Joe: sorry, my misunderstanding - what I was saying was that scope lenses were very expensive at Wittner's, but it escaped my attention that you were looking for a scope lens holder. Afraid I can't help you there, one of the Big Four (Derann, Foster Films, CHC, Independent 8) might have one in sooner or later. I actually got a nice free-standing bracket from Paul Foster a couple months ago, so with a little luck you should be able to score one soon. [Smile]

EDIT, I really should have said Big Five as I just remembered Perry's Movies - must confess I often forget about Ian Perry's stuff since he doesn't run a website - actually it's been a while since he posted a sales list... [Cool]

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