Anamorphic format is the cinematography technique of shooting a widescreen picture on standard 35 mm film or other visual recording media with a non-widescreen native aspect ratio.

Anamorphic format is the cinematography technique of shooting a widescreen picture on standard 35 mm film or other visual recording media with a non-widescreen native aspect ratio. It also refers to the projection format in which a distorted image is “stretched” by an anamorphic projection lens to recreate the original aspect ratio on the viewing screen.

Anamorphic lenses have a three-dimensional quality that I absolutely love.  The unique characteristics and flaws of the glass actually add to the visual aesthetic that most cinematographers strive to achieve.

Characteristics of Anamorphic Lenses:

  • Wider field of view
  • Oval Bokeh
  • Unique Lens Flares
  • Three Dimensional Quality

When it comes to shooting with actual anamorphic lenses, shooters these days have several options. The first, and the one that most low-budget filmmakers use, is anamorphic adapters. The other option is traditional cine-style anamorphic lenses. In future blogs, we will go deeper into shooting with anamorphic adapters, the difference between shooting anamorphic with a 4:3 sensor vs 16:9 sensor and the difference between anamorphic and spherical lenses.

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