Techniscope Director's Viewfinder

Mustafa Umut Sarac · Jul 30, 2014

Is there such a thing like techniscope director's viewfinder? I want to own very wide angle , 2 perf expanded to 4 perf one.
I asked to cinematography com and after 10 hours , no post yet .

Thanks,

Umut

MDR · Jul 30, 2014

Get a directors viewfinder for Super 35 2.35:1 or Anamorphic 2.35:1 (2.40:1) Techniscope is 2.35:1

The first is a bit expensive not Leica expensive but not cheap either
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...es_1000_01_Mark_Vb_Director_s_Viewfinder.html

the second much less expensive and smaller

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/607336-
REG/Alan_Gordon_Enterprises_1000_03_MINIPOC_Mini_Director_s_Viewfinder.html
http://www.directorsviewfinders.com/

Good luck also techniscope is beautiful

Mustafa Umut Sarac · Jul 30, 2014

Thank you MDR ,

First one is around 750 dollars and second mini one is around 200 dollars but for digital cameras.

I dont think two of them is not for what I do want.

Techniscope uses so 12x36 mm negative and printing expands that to 24x36 mm. Is there such a viewfinder simulates that expansion.

I found that directors were using wooden finders. How can I match two for do it yourself or printing clear acrylic with 3d printer project.

Thanks for reading,

Umut

MDR · Jul 30, 2014

Actually they are for film and digital a directors viewfinder with built in Zoom Shows the view trough the lens at a certain aspect Ratio the first Viewfinder I linked to
16mm film: 8.5-100mm (Film)
S16mm: 10.5-125mm (Film)
35mm: 18-200mm (Film)
35mm Anamorphic: 35-420mm (Film)
1/2" Video: 6.5-80mm
2/3" Video: 8.5-75mm
1" Video: 10.5-125mm

The second:
Aspect Ratio TV, 35mm, 16mm, 1.66, 16:9, 1:85, 2.35, 2.55
Range 1/3": 3.9-44mm
1/2": 5.2-58mm
2/3": 7.2-80mm
S16: 10-114mm
35mm: 18-200mm
Anamorphic: 30-400mm Film

Some even more expensive Director's Viewfinders have a PL or PV Mount and allow you to Mount the camera lens
http://www.pure4c.de/dynasite.cfm?dsmid=98631
http://www.visualproducts.com/storeProductDetail.asp?productID=1578&Cat=141

Techniscope is not a projection Format, an anamorphic print is struck from the techniscope neg therefore
printing Techniscope results in 18,6mm x 21.95mm (squeezed to 1.33:1), desqueezed it still has the 2.39:1 aspect Ratio
Finally 12x36 is not techniscope not even close 3:1 (12x36) vs 2.39:1 (Techniscope 9.47mm x 21.95mm), to get a Techniscope Frame from 35mm Still cameras you have to mask the height to 15.06mm and retain the frames 36mm width.

Mustafa Umut Sarac · Jul 30, 2014

Thank you,

If you clarify that , I would be very happy. I watched a Clint Eastwood Spagetti Western and the last frames were about group horse riding in a canyon. Everyone is paper thin and long on the horse. What was it ?

Umut

AgX · Jul 30, 2014

Taking and projecting aspect ratios did not match. For whatever reasons.

Maybe the spreading anamorphotic accessory lens fell off at the last frames during projection.

MDR · Jul 30, 2014

Did you see it on tv or in the Cinema something could have happened at the printing stage though doubtful except if it was intentional, at the projection stage or your tv choose the wrong aspect Ratio. Also if you could name the film it would be nice as one could look up the reason plenty of books and articles were written about Spaghetti Westerns and Sergio Leone the King of them he also looked like he loved his Spaghettis.

Mustafa Umut Sarac · Jul 30, 2014

It was on tv and it was there as a part of art. I liked it very much , I said to my mother , she remembers it and sho loved the look very much.

Now the big question , what was the taking and printing ratios and how can do it with wooden diy viewfinder or diy lens ?

I dont remember the name of the movie , least 15 years ago or more.

Thank you for your messages AgX and MDR.

Umut

MDR · Jul 30, 2014

Mask of the viewfinder of a junker camera to the correct aspect ratio and size and mount the same lens (focal length) as the one you want to shoot with. Voila you have a director's viewfinder for Techniscope. As for taking and printing aspect Ratio they are identical 2.39:1 it's just that the width of the print used for projection is squeezed 2x (anamorphic)during the projection the print is desqueezed by using an anamorphic projection lens. The spherical negative of Techniscope is masked to 2.39:1 at the shooting stage. Since you want to get single Image prints from a spherical negative you don't Need the anamorphic step.

Mustafa Umut Sarac · Jul 30, 2014

I think I can play at the computer with that, I think there was a trick to distort the image from the corners. My intention was to make a small viewfinder to see everything as these paper thin and long cowboys.

Is there a way to simulate this with diy optics ?

My intention is to see world alive like a movie or a painting without investing in to film or waiting. Like birdwatching.

Ole · Jul 30, 2014

Mustafa, those movies were shot in widescreen. Then in TV conversion, most of the movie was done with cropping so that only the "important" bits were shown, the alternative would have ben showing the whole movie as a narrow horizontal strip in the middle of the screen.

But the last few minutes, with the credits, just can't becropped in that way. So they showed the whole frame, but instead of "letterbox format" they squashed the whole widescreen frame into the much narrower TV format.

A bit like trying to print a 6x17 negative on 8x10" paper!

Mustafa Umut Sarac · Jul 30, 2014

Ole,

Nice to know you are fine. Thank you , that makes sense. What is the format of widescreen ? What is the wide angle lens focal lenght at the end of good bad ugly from eastwood ? Such a big scene , its at the youtube.

Can a Leica mini 2 Elmar 35mm lens fill the small frame with such detail ? Or do I need 18mm or so ?

Umut

MDR · Jul 30, 2014

Mustafa you can sometimes find cheap anamorphic lens attachments for 16mm or 8mm cameras on ebay Kowa prominar 16h for example or sankor 16 or Eiki 16c all three have a 2x squeeze. Another good source are old LOMO Anamorphics with the square anamorphot they are not that cheap since the digital crowd has discovered them but with some luck you can find them for around 100 $ on ebay. Put the lens in front of a box with groundglass and you have your cinema realité.

Leone probably used a 25mm maybe even a 20mm (cine format not 35mm) Bausch and Lomb Baltar or super Baltar lens for wide angle shots.

Mustafa Umut Sarac · Jul 30, 2014

Wow , thats great. Do you confirm I could put the attachments in front of the ground glass or only lomo ? I am that stone head.

Mustafa Umut Sarac · Jul 30, 2014

I looked to the attachments and very expensive , let me look for lomo.

ps. I looked to lomo anamorphic prices and cost me 140 dollars including shipment , I will buy in next month.

Mustafa Umut Sarac · Jul 30, 2014

MDR,

Lomo 35 nap2 3m 56/2 f:80-110

I bought that , such an excellent looking lens , best of all I have ever seen. I will mount it on Pentax K Mount but I dont have idea how ?

Umut

Techniscope Director's Viewfinder

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