What is an Anamorphic Lens? How to Get that Cinematic Look

WHAT IS an anamorphic lens?

Anamorphic lens definition    

We take them for granted now, but there was a time when technologies like synchronized sound, 3D, or even widescreen were experiments! Before we look into the characteristics of anamorphic lenses we must first answer, “What is an anamorphic lens?”

WHAT IS anamorphic lens?

The rise of widescreen

By the 1900s the international filmmaking community had standardized on 35mm film and cameras that produced an image with an aspect ratio of approximately 1.33:1 (the shape of old televisions).

For example, the Wizard of Oz was shot in 1.37:1.

But change was on the horizon. As early as the 1920s filmmakers began experimenting with widescreen.

Chopping off the top and bottom of the frame (adding black bars) to produce a wider image was not a viable solution. The resulting image lacked resolution and brightness when projected.

Some studios experimented with using wider film — the Fox Grandeur format used 70mm wide film. Some were even more innovative! Cinerama bolted three 35mm cameras together to produce an ultra wide panoramic image.

In specially equipped cinemas, three synchronized projectors stitched the image back together on a seamless arced screen.

Such formats were technical triumphs but required expensive specialized equipment, not only to shoot but also to exhibit. Movie theaters and studios could not justify the expense. A more economical solution was needed if widescreen was ever to be a success.

MOVIES GO WIDE

Introducing the anamorphic camera lens

Enter the anamorphic lens. Like a circus funhouse mirror, an anamorphic lens stretches an image in one direction.

Because of their stretch, anamorphic lenses appear oval when you look through them. Trust me though…they are round inside, it’s just an optical illusion.

In the years that followed other studios developed competing systems for producing widescreen images. Many of these used spherical lenses. But while Cinemascope was originally created as a technical work-around, thanks to its unique aesthetic it has become an enduring tool in the cinematographer’s arsenal. These characteristics can be used to support the story of a film, or simply induce nostalgia thanks to their association with classic or epic films.

In the years that followed other studios developed competing systems for producing widescreen images. Many of these used spherical lenses. But while Cinemascope was originally created as a technical work-around, thanks to its unique aesthetic it has become an enduring tool in the cinematographer’s arsenal. These characteristics can be used to support the story of a film, or simply induce nostalgia thanks to their association with classic or epic films.

Before we dive into the unique visual characteristics of anamorphic lenses, make sure to download our FREE Ebook: The Ultimate Guide to Camera Lenses so you'll be able to decide which lenses best fit your next project.

Anamorphic types 

Different types of anamorphic lenses

There are many different types of anamorphic lenses commonly called ‘Scopes,’ each with a different strength squeeze. The stronger the squeeze the more pronounced the ‘anamorphic look’ becomes.

Nowadays, cinematographers typically choose the squeeze factor based on the aesthetic of the image it produces. But in the past different squeeze factors were used to produce different aspect ratios when combined with different sized film or digital sensors.

For example, the most common type of anamorphic lens is a 2x, which was originally designed to produce a 2.39:1 (or similar) aspect ratio image when used with 4-perf 35mm film. 1.33x squeeze lenses were designed to produce the same aspect ratio with a 1.78:1 (16:9) digital sensor.

These practical considerations are no longer relevant as modern digital cameras are capable of emulating different capture formats.

As with all lenses, anamorphic lens designs have improved greatly over the past 80 years. Vintage anamorphic lenses have lots of imperfections but some modern anamorphics are almost indistinguishable from their spherical counterparts. A wide variety of looks can be achieved with anamorphic lenses.

If you’d like to learn more about the optical design and aesthetics of anamorphic lenses, check out this incredible video by Media Division:

anamorphic lens examples

The anamorphic look

Images shot with anamorphic lenses typically have a unique appearance. Depending on a lens’s construction it will exhibit the following characteristics to varying degrees:

BOKEH

As a result of squeezing the image horizontally, out of focus areas of an anamorphic image stretch vertically. This gives anamorphic images their trademark oval bokeh.

The stronger a lens’s squeeze, the stronger the oval effect.

FALL OFF

Both anamorphic and spherical lenses suffer from a fall off in sharpness as you move away from the center of the frame. This effect is more pronounced on an anamorphic lens, especially on vintage lenses. Some cinematographers use this flaw to help them produce softer and more organic images.

FOCUS ROLL OFF

Anamorphic lenses have a more ‘organic’ transition between in-focus and out-of-focus elements, otherwise known as focus roll off. Many cinematographers prize this characteristic as it can help integrate subjects with their background in a perceivably more realistic manner.

DISTORTION

Vintage wide anamorphic lenses can suffer from distortion as you move towards the edge of the frame. It should be noted however that many spherical lenses distort at their edges too. Older anamorphics suffered from ‘scope mumps’ where faces or other objects would deform when close to the camera.

FOCUS BREATHING

Many lenses (including spherical) zoom slightly as you rack focus. This is called focus breathing. Expensive cine lenses are designed not to breathe when focusing. There are four distinctly different optical mechanical designs that anamorphic lenses use to focus.

Therefore different anamorphic lenses breathe differently. For example:

• On synchro-focus lenses the squeeze power changes as the lens focuses.
• Panavision anamorphics use a unique focusing method that causes the background to ‘breathe’ vertically as they focus.

Anamorphic Lenses Today

Cinemascope's legacy

Like clothing trends, anamorphic has fallen in and out of fashion.

Cinemascope enjoyed a boom in the early '50s but its use quickly declined in favor of technically superior spherical ‘flat’ widescreen formats. In the late '60s, Panavision released their C-series of anamorphic lenses.

Thanks to Panavision's improved designs anamorphics once again dominated in the '70s and '80s forever associating the anamorphic aesthetic and ‘scope’ aspect ratio with high budget epic movies.

In recent years, anamorphic lenses have once again become popular. Shooting on film inherently adds character and interest to an image but digital offers a more clinical and clean look. As more and more productions use digital cameras many cinematographers gravitate towards vintage lenses, both spherical and anamorphic to add imperfection back to their digital image.

The wide aspect ratios that are typically used when shooting anamorphic require different composition, blocking and even editing when compared to narrower aspect ratios. Check out this video that deals with how wider frames have influenced the way movies are made:

Cinematographer Matthew Libatique shot A Star is Born using a selection of different anamorphic lenses. In particular he reserved the use of more imperfect vintage anamorphics for certain scenes featuring Bradley Cooper’s character. This allowed the filmmaker to show when other character’s were entering his world.

The Anamorphic Lens Look

How to shoot anamorphic

Professional anamorphic lenses are expensive. Like ‘should I put a deposit on a house or buy a lens’ expensive! You can spend up to $60,000 on a single Arri Master Anamorphic lens. A more budget-friendly lens from Atlas Lens Co. will set you back a mere $10,000 per lens.

Recently companies like Sirui have started producing anamorphic lenses as cheap as $700. Phew, that’s better! But before you pull the trigger, you should know that while these lenses are amazing value, the manufacturer has had to make compromises in the lens’s design to hit that incredible price point. Sirui’s lenses might not give you the visual characteristics you are after.

Another popular option is to build your own anamorphic lens. How? In the past two decades, most cinemas have converted from film projection to digital projection. This has flooded the second hand market with anamorphic projection lenses. These work exactly the same way as camera lenses.

With some modification you can add the appropriate lens mount, a focusing solution and make your own ‘scope’ lens for a fraction of the cost of a professional cine lens. If you are interested in building your own anamorphic lens, there are some great resources online.