American Cinematographer - July 2012 - 78

and HD-SDI inputs is planned for the near future. The NewFinder features manual control of brightness, contrast and peaking (all adjustable with dedicated knobs) as well as peaking color options, markers and a smooth mode that uses double sampling to avoid jitter. These parameters can all be saved in one of five user profiles, and the profile can then be assigned to one of three assignable buttons. The NewFinder compensates for different sensor aspect ratios and can be switched from 1.78:1 to 1.88:1. Markers include 1.78:1, 1.85:1 and 2.35:1. Future software upgrades will enable additional markers for 4:3 as well as 1.33x and 2x anamorphic. For additional information, visit www.bandpro.com. Optefex Launches Filter Business ASC associate member Ira Tiffen has returned to the filter-making business by launching a new company, Optefex. Initial product offerings include an anamorphicstyle Blue Streak Filter. “We embed thin cylindrical lenses in glass [to] produce cleaner, stronger star and streak lines than with surface-etched filters,” says Tiffen. “Plus, we can make them in colors besides blue and clear.” Optefex’s Streak Filters are also available in red, orange, yellow, green, violet and pink. The company also offers Star Filters that create four-point bursts of light. Other pattern configurations are also avail-

able. Like the Streak Filters, Star Filters are available in Optefex’s full range of colors. Both Star and Streak Filters are offered in four standard strengths: 1mm (broadest), 2mm, 3mm and 4mm (finest). The strengths refer to the spacing between the lines on the filter; the closer together they are, the more pronounced the effect. Optefex’s initial range of standard sizes includes 3"x3", 4"x4", 4"x5.65", 5"x5", 5.65"x5.65" and 6.6"x6.6", with other square or rectangular sizes available upon request. The company plans to introduce round sizes soon. “As long as cameramen continue to approach me with their imaging problems, I’ll keep creating new tools to solve them,” says Tiffen. For additional information, visit www.optefex.com. Schneider Optics Plays with Focus Schneider Optics has introduced the S2000 Century/Canon 17mm T4 Tilt-Focus Lens in PL mount. Ideal for use on cameras with up to a Super 35 sensor, the converted lens offers 360-degrees of rotation and 8 degrees of tilt in any direction for remarkable control of the subject focus plane. The lens’ tilt and rotation adjust-

Schneider has also added a 17mm T4 Lens to go with the Century Clairmont Swing/Shift System, which employs bellows, wings, tilts, rises, falls and shift for a variety of effects. This 17mm lens allows for a wider angle of view than previously available; existing lenses include 24mm f3.5, 45mm f2.8, 90mm f2.8 and 150mm f3.5. The Swing/Shift system lets users distort the shape of a subject, remove unwanted objects from the frame or shoot straight into a mirror without catching the camera’s reflection. Access to shifts and swings also provides nearly total control over the focus plane for extremely deep or shallow depth of field. Distant objects and extremely close ones can both be sharp in the same frame, or users can limit focus to a particular object, isolating it even from objects the same distance from the lens. Tilting or swinging the lens can alter both apparent depth of field and an object’s shape. Shifting allows repositioning of objects within the frame without changing the angle between the object and the film plane. Combining these movements facilitates control over perspective distortion that affects the shape of objects. Additionally, the Swing/Shift System uses bellows with a built-in rack and pinion mechanism, which extends for close focusing. The Clairmont Swing/Shift and its lenses may be purchased individually. The 17mm lens has a list price of $4,900. For additional information, visit www.schneideroptics.com. Tiffen Expands Filter Line The Tiffen Co. has introduced the MPTV line of integrated and enhanced Tiffen professional photography and motion-picture optical filters. The MPTV line combines Tiffen’s innovative IRND technology with the premium Tiffen Ultra Pol filter, giving users a single-filter solution providing maximum light control and unparalleled IR protection in challenging environments. The filters have been designed for use with CMOS and CCD cameras that demonstrate a heightened response to the red channel;

ments can be made before or during a shot for a wide variety of effects. The desired degree of rotation is fixed via a lever while a locking knob secures the selected tilt angle. The S2000 features a linear iris and integral .8 module metric iris and focus gears. Other existing lenses in the Tilt-Shift family include 24mm T4, 45mm T2.8 and 90mm T2.8. The list price for the Century/Canon 17mm T4 is $7,500.
American Cinematographer

July 2012

http://www.optefex.com http://www.bandpro.com http://www.schneideroptics.com

American Cinematographer - July 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - July 2012