Anamorphic Lenses

Abbreviations

 * STOP = "Société Technique d'Optique de Precision" / "Société Technique d'Optique et de Photographie", France, a company founded by Henri Chrétien
 * PA = Prominar Anamorphic (used by some Kowa-lenses)
 * IFE / INFLIGHT / IN-FLIGHT = Inflight Entertainment = lenses designed to be used by airlines to show "scope"-films on board their aeroplanes.

Remarks

 * Some Kowa-lenses are listed without "PA" / "Prominar Anamorphic" even though the engraved labels include these terms.
 * Even though all anamorphic "airline prints" should have been made to be projected with a 2x anamorphot, some of the "IFE"-lenses are only 1.75x! (According to some rumours this was due to the fact that some of the screens haven't been wide enough.)
 * The column "filter thread" states whether is such a thread at the anamorphot's front. This column shouldn't be confused with whether the anamorphot's rear can be screwed into the camera's optics' filter-thread.

Links

 * Iscorama in the English Wikipedia
 * Anamorphic format in the English Wikipedia
 * 8MM and 16MM Lenses For The CinemaScope Effect in the American WideScreen Museum
 * Anamorphic Shooter’s Guide 2nd Edition from eoshd.com (English)

1.25x Anamorphic attachments
Turns the 1.33:1 image into a 1.66:1 one. Known use cases for Super8/Single8/...: none

1.33x Anamorphic attachments
Turns the 1.33:1 image into a 1.78:1 (16:9) or a 1.78:1 (16:9) image into a 2.35:1 one. Known use cases for Super8/Single8/...: The same anamorphic (de-)compression factor is used in 16:9 TVs/Videoprojectors/..., Hence the film can be telecined as usual - you'll only have to press the "16:9 anamorph"-button on your remote control when watching the video.

1.33x Anamorphic lenses
Turns the 1.33:1 image into a 1.78:1 one. Unlike attachments these "all in one lenses" are used instead of the camera's/projector's lens. Known use cases for Super8/Single8/...: The same anamorphic (de-)compression factor is used in 16:9 TVs/Videoprojectors/..., Hence the film can be telecined as usual - you'll only have to press the "16:9 anamorph"-button on your remote control when watching the video.

1.42x Anamorphic attachments
Turns the 1.33:1 image into a 1.89:1 one, but the original use was to turn a 5:4 image (1280x1024) into a 16:9 image. Known use cases for Super8/Single8/...: none (the resulting format is close to the 1.85:1-"widescreen"-format used in cinemas, hence such an anamorphot might make sense when the film is blown-up to 35mm later on.)

1.5x Anamorphic attachments
Turns the 1.33:1 image into a 2:1 one. Known use cases for Super8/Single8/...: the 1.5x-factor is used for many amateur films, mainly due to the simple usage of the Iscorama-36/42/54. Side note: For ages there have been a discussion whether to prefer the 1.5x- or the 2x-anamorphots (other formats haven't been available for amateurs with some few exceptions until recently). The main arguments for the 1.5x-anamorphots have been the fact that most reversal films are too grainy for a 2x-(de)compression and the matter of taste-"fact" that the 2x-anamorphots will result in a "too wide" picture.

1.5x Anamorphic lenses
Turns the 1.33:1 image into a 2:1 one. Unlike attachments these "all in one lenses" are used instead of the camera's/projector's lens. Known use cases for Super8/Single8/...: the 1.5x-factor is used for many amateur films, mainly due to the simple usage of the Iscorama-36/42/54. Side note: For ages there have been a discussion whether to prefer the 1.5x- or the 2x-anamorphots (other formats haven't been available for amateurs with some few exceptions until recently). The main arguments for the 1.5x-anamorphots have been the fact that most reversal films are too grainy for a 2x-(de)compression and the matter of taste-"fact" that the 2x-anamorphots will result in a "too wide" picture.

1.75x Anamorphic attachments
Turns the 1.33:1 image into a 2.33:1 one. Known use cases for Super8/Single8/...: there are some amateur films using this format. The "Kowa PA-35" and the "Inflight Iscomorphot" have been used by some airlines to show Super8/16mm-films. It's unclear whether they've shown special prints or whether they've shown 2x-anamorphic prints with the wrong equipment. (BTW: The resulting format is close to the 2.35:1-"cinemascope"-format used in cinemas, hence such an anamorphot might make sense when the film is blown-up to 35mm later on.)

1.77x Anamorphic attachments
Turns the 1.33:1 image into a 2.36:1 one. Known use cases for Super8/Single8/...: none (BTW: The resulting format is close to the 2.35:1-"cinemascope"-format used in cinemas, hence such an anamorphot might make sense when the film is blown-up to 35mm later on.)

1.9x Anamorphic attachments
Turns the 1.33:1 image into a 2.53:1 one. Known use cases for Super8/Single8/...: none

2x Anamorphic attachments
Turns the 1.33:1 image into a 2.66:1 one. Known use cases for Super8/Single8/...: So far all commercial "cinemascope"-prints for Super8 require a 2x-anamorphot. There are several amateur productions using these anamorphots, too.

2x Anamorphic lenses
Turns the 1.33:1 image into a 2.66:1 one. Unlike attachments these "all in one lenses" are used instead of the camera's/projector's lens. Known use cases for Super8/Single8/...: So far all commercial "cinemascope"-prints for Super8 require a 2x-anamorphot. There are several amateur productions using these anamorphots, too. Prices for the Lomo and PL-mount-lenses: The used Lomos start at US$ 200, but are normally sold for at least US$ 500. The other PL-mount-lenses normally start at US$2000.