New "Constant Image Height" setup (1 Viewer)

[Jack Gilvey]

Basically, a CIH setup uses a 2.35:1 "Cinemascope" screen (as opposed to the ubiquitous 16:9) and presents narrower formats (1.78, 1.85, 1.33) within it...with masking only on the sides.

http://panamorph.com/Overview.html

http://www.prismasonic.com/english/intro.shtml#2

I'm using an InFocus 4805 projector and a Panamorph 752 anamorphic lens. The 4805 does all the scaling, and the lens stays in place…I set the projector to "Letterbox" for 2.35-2.4:1 and "4:3" for 16:9/1.85:1. The screen is a quick one I put together using heavy-duty artist stretcher bars (more expensive but much truer/straighter than anything at Home Depot). 70" width (bars from from my old 16:9 screen) and 30" height, about 76" diagonal. (Yes, technically a 2.33:1 screen…but the bars don't come in 1/4" increments. ) $10 worth of blackout cloth covers them. I view from 10', so the 1.7(width) distance is about where I want to be with the 480p projector. Certainly stunning for the price, and the fact that the 4805 can do all the scaling I need is really cool.
Scope image is certainly improved due to the use of all available pixels, and I really like the presentation.

 

[Holadem]

Awesome jack,

Some questions:

1- How much for the lens?

2- Has it got a pass-thru mode?

3- Do you use all available pixels with every AR?

Thanks.

--
H

 

[Jack Gilvey]

1) $495, much cheaper than any other anamorphic lens.
https://www.panamorph.com/P752Clearance.html

2) Not a "pass though" like the Prismasonic has, but you can use the included rail system to slide the lens out of the beam.

3) No. I leave the lens in place for all AR, so 1.78/1.85 are scaled by my pj horizontally, sacrificing some resolution. I elect to do it that way since, if I removed the lens, I wouldn't be able to zoom the picture small enough to fit my screen (to say nothing of the image shift introduced by the lens). This is not an issue, as the majority of my movies are 2.35:1...so I'm happily optimized for it. I don't do HD.

Having done CIH with such a lens, there's no other way for me.

 

[Leo Kerr]

I've always liked the 'look' of a Cinimascope screen... there's just something about that massive expanse of white fabric that says, "this is different from anything else."

Leo