What is an anamorphic lens, and what are the characteristics that make them so cinematic?

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NOTE: This is our second stab at this video. Our first version fell below our typical bar. We want to thank the following creators who collaborated with and informed this more complete version.

Special thanks to:
Anamorphic on a Budget (Tito) ►► https://bit.ly/aonb
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Cooke Optics TV ►► https://bit.ly/cotv
Ridley Scott on Anamorphic ►► https://bit.ly/rsan

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Chapters:
00:00 Intro — Anamorphic vs. Spherical Lenses
00:59 The History of Anamorphic Lenses
02:26 Anamorphic Squeeze Factor Explained
02:49 Lens Anatomy
03:36 The 6 Main Visual Differences
03:49 Bokeh
04:29 Distortion
05:13 Focus Falloff & Roll Off
06:21 Focus Breathing
06:59 Lens Flares
07:34 Field of View
07:57 Practical Considerations
11:37 Exercise: Identify the Lens
14:25 Final Takeaways

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Anamorphic lenses have been used for decades, giving birth to widescreen cinema and that coveted “cinematic look.” In this video, we will break down the various visual and practical characteristics of anamorphic lenses and how they compare to the standard spherical lenses. So, what is an anamorphic lens and why are filmmakers constantly searching for that “anamorphic look”? Before we can answer that question, we need to answer another question — what are spherical lenses?

Camera and projector lenses were almost always spherical lenses, meaning the shape of the glass elements are constructed in a circular fashion. In the ‘50s, when TV was draining the cinemagoing audience away from theaters, the studio heads tried everything they could to bring that audience back.

One tactic that stuck (and changed cinema forever) was using anamorphic lenses to give audiences something they couldn’t get at home — widescreen images. Anamorphic lenses have more ovalshaped elements that bend and squeeze rectangular images onto the same square film. Another anamorphic lens is required to “unsqueeze” that image when projected in a theater. But producing a widescreen image was just the beginning of why filmmakers preferred anamorphic vs spherical lenses.

For example, anamorphic lens flare is more pronounced than with a spherical lens. You can get a more shallow depth of field with anamorphic vs spherical and you also get greater “falloff” — when the focus gets softer towards the edges of the frame. Vignetting is another biproduct when using anamorphic lenses. These visual considerations tend to produce what people consider a more “cinematic look.” Spherical lenses are sharper and cleaner but sometimes a softer and more subjective feel best suits the story you want to tell.

As you approach your next project, think about the pros and cons of anamorphic vs spherical lenses. Each has their benefits and they should be used like any other tool in the filmmaking process — what story do you want to tell and what tools do you need to tell it?

#FilmTheory #VideoEssay #Filmmaking

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