From: 0004861036@MCIMAIL.COM (James Millick)
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: Mohicans and Panavision/anamorphic one more time
Date: 16 Oct 92 01:20:00 GMT
Article-I.D.: mcimail.35921016012053.0004861036NA2EM
Distribution: world
Organization: The Internet


	We seem to have a loop on the digest, we've seen these posts 
before, and I answered one of them. Just in case somebody didn't 
see it, I'm answering again.

Jeff writes:
>Just to add confusion regarding Panavision credits: Last of the 
>Mohicans_ 35mm release prints are anamorphic (aspect ratio of 
>2.40)

>Panavision credit is:  Cameras and Lenses by Panavision

>The question is: was LotM photographed with spherical or 
anamorphic lenses?

	Jeff, according to a Vice President at Panavision, CAMERAS AND 
LENSES BY PANAVISION means spherical, and FILMED IN PANAVISION 
means anamorphic. In the case of Mohicans, the production company 
listed the credits wrong. This happens too much, and Panavision 
doesn't like it. Some people must not read their camera contracts. 
By the time the credits come out, it's too late to easily fix 
them. BTW, it is possible to have spherical principal photography 
and anamorphic release prints (i.e., Super 35).


Farul writes:

|>Sorry if this is a FAQ but what are anamorphic or spherical or 
|>Panavision? Could someone send me the FAQ list or explain this 
|>terms to me. Thanks.

Farul, this refers to the type of lenses used. A spherical lens 
has spherical elements that treat the image the same in the 
horizontal and vertical planes. Most films are made with spherical 
lenses. These are also referred to as "flat" lenses. An anamorphic 
lens does not treat the horizontal plane the same as the vertical 
plane. "Anamorphic" comes from two Greek words, "ana" meaning 
again, and "morphos" meaning form. Together it means to form 
again. An anamorphic lens squeezes the image horizontally in a 2:1 
ratio during photography. A corresponding lens unsqueezes it for 
projection. There is a cylindrical lens element at the front of 
anamorphic lens that does this squeezing or unsqueezing. 
Anamorphic lenses are used to record a wider image than would fit 
on 35mm film using a spherical lens. 35mm anamorphic has a 
projected aspect ratio (the width divided by the height) of 2.35:1 
(2.39:1 if you really want to be picky, but everybody calls it 
2.35:1). The first widespread anamorphic format was CinemaScope 
(some people refer to anamorphic as 'scope). PANAVISION is a 
patented anamorphic photography process, owned by the Panavision 
company. Panavision is the most popular anamorphic format, with 
about 90% of all the business.
	Some people love anamorphic, others hate it. Like anything, it 
has its advantages and disadvantages. Anamorphic uses all of the 
negative, unlike matting spherically shot film to 1.85:1, the 
standard US widescreen format. Anamorphic also has a romantic look 
to it, the film grain is horizontally elongated, giving it a 
stylized appearance. It also stretches source lights horizontally, 
causing them to flare or blur horizontally through the image. The 
trailer (preview) for Lethal Weapon III is a good example. Most of 
the very serious film people I know do not like anamorphic, they 
think it compromises the image too much. This preference applies 
more to principal photography than projection. Anamorphic lenses 
are slower (i.e., let less light through) because they have an 
extra cylindrical element at the front of the lens to do the 
squeezing. Anamorphic has disadvantages at low light levels 
because of this. Lighting a set is expensive, and since anamorphic 
takes more light, it can cost more to shoot a film in anamorphic.
	I hope this helps.

Jim Millick
Video Reviewer
The Perfect Vision

P.S. as I said in the last answer, Madeleine looks fetching in 
anamorphic or spherical :-)
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