View Full Version : xl1s pal/anamorphic info


Rich Lee
April 24th, 2004, 01:42 AM
I can still use my 16x and 3x on a pal body, right?

on another note, i herd there is a anamorphic attachment for the dvx100 that supposadly fits on an xl1, is this true? has anyone used it? can i use it on both my 3x and 16x? is there supposed to be a anamorphic lens coming out from century or optex for the xl1? the little bit i have found on this subject suggests that most anamorphic adaptors only work on the longer lenses (16x manual and auto), i want to be able to shoot wide with my 3x and an anamorphic...is there an option for this?

lots of questions....

thanks!

Nick Hiltgen
April 24th, 2004, 03:13 AM
16x and 3x yes, I did it when I switched from a ntsc to pal.

Yes the thread mount of the dvx100 anamorphic is the same as the xl1 lenses (16x 14x 3x everything but the 3d -iguess-) However since it is a screw on any lens where the front section (focus) rotates will not be idela for the anamorphic. This is a problem with the 14x manual lens but not the 16x manual (I believe) The 3x will accept the anamorphic adapter however I wouldn't be surprised if you got some funky fisheyeing (vinetteing) at max wide, as the same problem occurs on the dvx and it's not as wide as the 3x canon so use your own judgement in that respect.

Vincent Monton
April 24th, 2004, 07:55 PM
Hi Rich
I have just been down this anamorphic route.

Century make an anmorphic for the XL! but it only fits manual 16X- the previous 14X has a rotating focus front so will not work.
generally I would be suspicious of any lens that has a rotating front for anamorphic.

The century does not cover the wide 3X Canon for XLI- but I didn't try it on 16X automatic.

the big problem with anamophic adapters is that they don't all work through the entire zoom range. The best have a focus ring on the adapter- Like Century high end one.

The Panasonic could fit the XL1 - but it does not have focus on the adapter- I've had problems focusing at the tele end with the Panasonic 100

Hope this is of som use

Vincent

Rich Lee
April 25th, 2004, 01:09 AM
thanks guys.

i'll see about renting the panasonic anamorphic next week. i primarly use the 3x so its either panasonic anamorphic or bust i guess.

Rafal Krolik
June 3rd, 2004, 04:09 PM
Rich, I just saw this post. Have you ever gotten to putting the Panasonic anamorphic atachment onto XL1s and did it work? Were you using it on the 16x manual or the auto lens?
Thanks in advance for your answer

Rich Lee
June 3rd, 2004, 04:19 PM
i ended up selling my xl1s and purchasing a dvx100a...however...

when i bought the anamorphic, the store didnt have any dvx100's to show it to me on, and i convinced them that i could mess with it in front of the xl1s. i just held it in front of the lens to see if it gave a wider field of view then with not having it on. the cam store guy was trying to tell me that it doesnt have any wider field of view then the lens on the camera already had. anyway, like i said i didnt screw it onto the lens, but i bet it would work, i have close ups lenses that i used on the xl1s that totaly fits on the dvx100, and the anamorphic i think has those same threads. it would be worth you going to check out for yourself.

hope that helps.

Rafal Krolik
June 3rd, 2004, 05:53 PM
Wow Rich. You didn't sell XL1s just to use the anamorphic on an DVX100a, did you? Hmm, since the only hope of having this question answered has now faded away, I guess I will have to try it myself so if anyone in a Milwaukee area reads this post, and you have the anamorphic attachment (none of the stores in the area sells them ), please let me know. I am dying to find out how the whole contraption would work.

Thanks Rich.

Rich Lee
June 3rd, 2004, 06:19 PM
Sorry rafal, wish i could be more helpfull. no, i sold the xl1 cause i really wanted 24p and a progressive chip, the anamorphic definitly is a plus though. although the anamorphic makes great images, it is a bit limiting on what u can shoot with it. for instance, on the dvx you cant go anywhere near full zoom and hope to get focus. also, as of now there is no mattebox/filter holder for it thats less then $1700 and doesnt require you to shave off the matte box thats built into it. it has a large front end and no threads at all. your only hope to get a 4x4 filter on it is to push it into the mattebox and clip it in. this lens also gets alot of stray light and lens flares, again, a larger mattebox would be nice. i am in the middle of rigging a little thing up for it now that will hopefully let me put a a filter on it and block out some light with a few flags, but it wont be pretty. but, it sure does take pretty pictures, the lens flares do look cool cause there a bit squished even after they are unsqueezed and the resolution increase is nice.

anyway, hope you find some answers out there Rafal.

Rafal Krolik
June 4th, 2004, 06:58 AM
Thanks a lot Rich. I actually e-mailed Century optics and although there is no official word on release or progress, I was told that they are exploring an anamorphic adapter for XL1s. Take care

Vincent Monton
June 4th, 2004, 07:13 PM
Hi Rafal,

I think there may be some misunderstanding with Century re: anamorphics for XL1

Century already make an anamorphic adapter for the Canon 16-1 manual zoom for the XL1.- try their website.

Be careful however - it doesn't work for the earlier 14-1 Canon manual zoom because the front element rotates when focusing.

Don't get caught putting an anamorphic adapter on a matte box or similar attachment- breath on it and you get wobbles-

Also try to alway get an anamorphic adapter that has it own focus stage- will help at telephoto end and in close ups (that's why I don't like the Panasonic factory anamorphic for 100A and waiting for promised Century accessory


hope this helps--Vincent

Rafal Krolik
June 6th, 2004, 08:55 AM
Vincent. I might be blind, but when I go to the Century Optics web site, I do not see the anamorphic for XL1s. Help a man out here, will ya?

Rafal Krolik
June 6th, 2004, 09:18 AM
STOP THE PRESSES. I actually found one right at ADORAMA ( XL1s Anamorphic (http://www.adorama.com/CYVSWS13MXL.html).
I wonder why it's not shown on Century's website.

Chris Hurd
June 6th, 2004, 09:24 AM
Try http://www.centuryoptics.com/products/new/index.htm.

Rafal Krolik
June 6th, 2004, 10:04 AM
SWEET, Thanks Chris. One question though. They specifically mention the manual lens and I assume it has to do something with focusing and/or movable front components of the lens, correct? I know my standard auto focus 16x lens has no rotating components in the front, thus if switched to manual focus, will I still be able to use this adapter?
BTW, why did I miss an obvius link to the NEW PRODUCT section?!?!?!?. sheesh.

Chris Hurd
June 6th, 2004, 10:13 AM
I'm not sure, Rafal... this might be a question for Century tech support, unless anyone else around here knows...

Rafal Krolik
June 6th, 2004, 10:21 AM
No problem, I'll drop them an e-mail and if nobody else answers this question by the time I get the answer from Century, I will share my finding with the community.

Rafal Krolik
June 10th, 2004, 09:39 AM
OK people, i got a reply from Century optics regarding whether the new anamorphic will work on the auto focus 16x lens. Here what they had to say:
"Do to the internal workings of the Canon lenses and the fact that the
bayonet lip on the 16X and 16X Manual are not the same, we for the
present time had to choose one lens over the other. We also have had far
more request from our customers needing the unit for the Manual 16X
lens. We plan to start delivering these units in the next 60 days. If
all goes well we may consider modifying the unit to work with the AF 16X
lens next year.
"