Iscorama 54 question

[Dipshooter]

I finally got a hold on an Iscorama 54 lens after looking for one for a long time. But I’m getting some weird results with it though. First, I always heard that one of the positive features with the Iscorama was it’s focus system. You just needed to set the focus on your lens to infinity and use the Iscorama focus ring to do the focusing. But with my lens it’s working the other way around. I need to set the Iscorama to infinity and use my lens focus ring to do the focusing. It won’t work any other way. Besides that I can’t always focus. I had a subject about 4 meters away from the front element and I couldn’t bring it into focus. That was at a 100mm focal length. Since the lens has a MOD of 1.25m at 100mm FL and the Isco is supposed to focus at 2 meters I don’t understand why it wouldn’t focus.
Now something I found interesting. The Isco’s back element is convex. Shouldn’t the front element be convex instead? The front element is flat. I’m sure this is right, but all anamorphic lenses I know have a convex front element.
Somebody suggested that my back lens could have a Collimnation problem or the Iscorama helical is off. My back lens is Collimnated, but I have no idea what's helical.
Thanks in advance.

Adam

[steve hyde]

...see if you can "ping" forum member Yemi. He was using an Iscorama so he might have some insights into your focusing problem..


profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=356

Steve

[jpolzfuss]

You just needed to set the focus on your lens to infinity and use the Iscorama focus ring to do the focusing.

That's the correct method. If it doesn't work, your Isco is broken or got modified to work with a special camera/projector. (Or the previous owner tried to fix some problems like lens-fungus but had "minor" problems when re-assembling the lens.)

[Dipshooter]

...see if you can "ping" forum member Yemi. He was using an Iscorama so he might have some insights into your focusing problem..


profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=356

Steve

I sent him a PM. Let's see if he replies. It seems he hasn't been around much lately.

[Dipshooter]

You just needed to set the focus on your lens to infinity and use the Iscorama focus ring to do the focusing.

That's the correct method. If it doesn't work, your Isco is broken or got modified to work with a special camera/projector. (Or the previous owner tried to fix some problems like lens-fungus but had "minor" problems when re-assembling the lens.)

Are there any other possibilities, maybe something I'm doing wrong? Because the Iscorama looks brand new. Not even a single scratch on the black finishing. Hard to believe it has been messed with. It's sure not broken. Focus ring is smooth and there are no lose parts inside or anything.

[Dipshooter]

With so many users here nobody else has something to add? Are the already suggested scenarios the only possible ones?

[mattias]

well, we are many but if we could afford an iscorama we'd be hanging out at luxuryrealestate.com instead... ;-)

/matt

[Dipshooter]

well, we are many but if we could afford an iscorama we'd be hanging out at luxuryrealestate.com instead... ;-)

/matt

I'm pretty sure Yemi and I are not the only ones who have an Iscorama around here, or?
Where can I go to get information about it then?
Thanks.

[mattias]

like i said, you are probably few. search the archives though. it has been discussed before.

/matt

[steve hyde]

..yeah, Yemi is the only filmshooting character that I can think of who was using one. Last I heard he was selling off all of his gear. I actually made an offer on his Iscorama, but he didn't go for it.. The clips he showed from it still stand as the cleanest super 8 anamorphic stuff I have seen.

I hope it works out for you.

Steve

[Dipshooter]

..yeah, Yemi is the only filmshooting character that I can think of who was using one. Last I heard he was selling off all of his gear. I actually made an offer on his Iscorama, but he didn't go for it.. The clips he showed from it still stand as the cleanest super 8 anamorphic stuff I have seen.

I hope it works out for you.

Steve

Is he still selling it? I would not mind getting a second Iscorama.

[Ericus]

Ok, I have one also. I use it with my Beaulieu 7008 Pro and Pro II. I just set the focus on my lens to infinity and use the Iscorama focus ring to do the focusing. That is the correct way. I do not know why your lens works the opposite way.

Are you sure you had all components with the lens you received it? Was it ment to fit your camera, or was it for projecting. If the seller had used it to project films, there could be missing some parts at the end of the lens.

Someday I will show some film clips I have made with this marvellous lens, but my net site is not ready yet. There I will show also the correct way to use this lens.

Ericus

[cubdukat]

Is that technique standard operating procedure for just the Iscorama lens, or does that apply to all anamorphic lenses?

I was checking the first part of Michael Nynberg's (?) article on anamorphic lenses, and he was saying that both lenses need to be focused, so he used a polarizing filter that had the glass busted out of it so that focusing the main lens didn't rotate the A-lens too much.

It would definitely be great if I could only worry about focusing one lens. the other way would have me worrying about keeping the A-lens correctly oriented all the time.

[Ericus]

Here is an old site from Martin, lots of information about anamorphic lenses.

http://lavender.fortunecity.com/lavende ... rphic.html

[Dipshooter]

Is that technique standard operating procedure for just the Iscorama lens, or does that apply to all anamorphic lenses?

I'm pretty sure that's an exclusive feature from the Iscoramas. That's one of the things that makes them so special, sought after and expensive. You can buy most other anamorphic adapters like Kowa or Sankor for way under 50 bucks. But the Iscorama goes for over $300 and that's if you're luck on Ebay. I have seen it going for way more.
The glass quality is also supposed to tbe better than all the other anamorphic adapters out there.