News Release: WAM Develops Anamorphic Capability (2.36:1 aspect ratio in 4k), "High Value, Low Cost"

One thing that has long attracted me to videography and the new digital age of video is the ability to use vintage lenses to get a classic look in high definition.  It is essentially the best of both worlds, the film look with the modern science of ultra high resolution and high-bit rate color sampling and color depth.  This level of quality was unobtainable just a few years ago for the independent filmmaker.  

But now brands like Panasonic, Sony and Blackmagic have produced us with high quality cinema cameras that can produce very cinematic images at a very affordable cost.  If you pair these cameras with vintage or other high quality lenses, filmmakers and videographers can craft a very unique and engaging look.

To this, I have added a third element, anamorphic shooting, which is possible with adapters and/or projection lenses.  This give the wide angle anamorphic look (i.e. letterbox) that was pioneered in such classics as Chinatown and Superman, among other famous Hollywood films.   Instead of the typical 16:9 aspect, anamorphic footage is shot at 2.35:1, for the longer, wider look.   

I will be doing a series of posts and videos on anamorphic video and its various characteristics and applications to modern videography, filmmaking and even corporate video.  

Here are some of the technical specs of this video and other notes:

2.36:1 aspect ratio. Resolution: 5,107 (width) x 2160 (height).
Lenses: SLR Magic Anamorphot 40 (1.33x), CZ Jena 35mm, Camera: GH5, shot 16:9 mode and then expanded by 33% width.
See if you can spot the parts that weren't shot with the CZJ 35mm, a few shots were actually shot in regular 4K with the SLR Magic 8mm and then stretched to fit. I used the CZJ 135mm for a few but the focus was not that good with a telephoto lens.