Super8 Widescreen

Lunar07 · Post by **Lunar07** » Tue Feb 11, 2003 1:41 am

Someone posted here a link to footage shot in Super8 widescreen format. I wanted to ask him a question but can not find the thread.
I have a Super8 Nizo 6080 and I'd like to experiment with widescreen. So, do I need to get an anamorphic adapter that goes on top of the lens of the Nizo? Any adjustments for exposure? Also, do I need another anamorphic adapter for the projector? Same adapter? Another one?
Finally, how do you transfer film to video? I know that my capture card and Premiere support widescreen format. Do I need another anamorphic adapter for the MiniDV camera that I have?

Post by **Lucas Lightfeat** » Tue Feb 11, 2003 2:06 am

Hi there Lunar07...Nice choice of camera!

I haven't used widescreen adapters, nor widened my Super8 gate, as I was put off by this rather extensive article on Anarmorphic lenses, which explains the various types in depth, and for me, shows how limited they are:

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

I would go with cropping, if you're transfering to video. This gate widenning sounds interesting though....interesting, but dangerous :?

Lucas

Post by **nahie** » Tue Feb 11, 2003 2:46 am

I have a Nizo 4056 which takes 52mm threads. I also happen to have an anamorphic lens with 52mm threads for my Sony TRV900 video cam. I use the same filters on my 4056 and TRV900 but haven't tried the anamorphic lens yet (well I put it on the cam but haven't shot anything with it). I think a setup like this would work fine but the problem with the nizo cams is that it has a "true" focus lens - by that I mean you turn the actual lens element to focus (I know there is another name for true lenses but have forgotten for the moment) instead of like newer video cams that use an electronic focus ring. Anyway this is a problem because the anamorphic lens squeezes the image only one direction so it has to be lined up exactly, and after it is lined up you don't want to change the focus or anything. This is fine if you have a lot of time to set up your shots.

Unfortunately I think the Nizo 6080 has a larger thread so the standard anamorphic video lenses won't work with your setup, unless you get a step down ring which I think would vinette your image. If you really wanna shoot widescreen I think this is the way to go...since it won't hurt your camera like widening the gate.

oh and about your video questions you won't need an anamorphic lens for your video camera to transfer the image. Do some more reading on anamorphic video and you'll find that you can transfer and edit anamorphic material pretty much the same as regular 4x3. The only time you would have to manipulate it would be to display it at your final showing. In the end you should transfer your video copy to DVD as all DVD players have anamorphic resizing built into the players so it would display correctly on all TV sets/projectors/etc. Also some professional video monitors have an anamorphic setting so you can see what the video looks like uncompressed to widescreen while you're editing.

Lunar07 · Post by **Lunar07** » Tue Feb 11, 2003 2:53 am

Lucas Lightfeat wrote:Hi there Lunar07...Nice choice of camera!

Thank you Lucas. I have had it for a while. My other camera, and my first one for this matter, is a Bauer S 207 XL. Very loyal to it

I haven't used widescreen adapters, nor widened my Super8 gate, as I was put off by this rather extensive article on Anarmorphic lenses, which explains the various types in depth, and for me, shows how limited they are:

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

Who is Martin Baumgarten? Whenever someone asks a question, the answer seems to be a Baumgarten's article. Anyway, he seems as though he was answering my questions

Good writer. I wonder if he knows the answer to my other question: Running a projector set at 50 Hz AC with a 60 Hz AC

Seriously now, who talked about widening any gate

I'd never do that to my camera.
But even with all these limitations, one can find an 'artsy' use for it, and it was an issue of curiousity - you must agree that a widescreen looks nice. I was even thinking about ways to use AC3 encoded sound (5.1 surround) with a Super8 widescreen projection. Hmmm... A Crystal Sync DAT recorder comes in handy; although it will take me ages to afford such a monster

That is if they exist.

I would go with cropping, if you're transfering to video. This gate widenning sounds interesting though....interesting, but dangerous :?
Lucas

I agree with you here. But my question was more geared to know how to do it - that is to tranfer a widescreen image (through an anamorphic projection) to video. A special video camera should be used?

Lunar07 · Post by **Lunar07** » Tue Feb 11, 2003 3:02 am

nahie wrote: Unfortunately I think the Nizo 6080 has a larger thread so the standard anamorphic video lenses won't work with your setup, unless you get a step down ring which I think would vinette your image. If you really wanna shoot widescreen I think this is the way to go...since it won't hurt your camera like widening the gate.

Yes, the Nizo 6080 has a 67 mm thread. For anamorphic shots I can use my Bauer S 207 XL camera with a 55 mm thread and a step down adapter to 52 mm which I already have.

oh and about your video questions you won't need an anamorphic lens for your video camera to transfer the image. Do some more reading on anamorphic video and you'll find that you can transfer and edit anamorphic material pretty much the same as regular 4x3.

I am still not clear about this, but yes I do have to do some reading on this topic. Sometimes you have to do something hand on to understand it. Thanks a bunch for your post on this subject. I have a much clearer idea now.