D-Cinema and ISCO

[Mark Techer]

Sorry I don't have any images at this time, but I thought I would just share this anyway - Yesterday, I got see the almightly ISCO lens. This lens is not the ISCO III, but is the same size. Where it differs is the fact that it is 1.25x, not 1.33x as the ISCO III is. The reason it is 1.25x is becuase this lens is designed to work with the BARCO 3 Chip DLP D-Cinema projector which is 2064 x 1080 (1.91:1), not the traditonal 1920 x 1080 (1.78:1).

However, when used wih a 1.25:1 lens, the image becomes 2.37:1...

The lens was huge, at 6" or 150mm diameter, and heavy at about 22 pounds or 10KG.

I am hoping to be involved in the installation of this beast, as it currently sits in its shipping carton.

Very cool...

Mark

[Prof.]

Man..that's one heavy lens!!..I wouldn't want to be lifting it up and down, as many times as I do with the Aussiemorphic lens..

Mark..Do you know how many elements that ISCO lens has?

[Mike P.]

I'm also curious what the lens cost. I can't seem to find it on their website.

[Mark Techer]

That lens is probably the same as the ISCO III in regards to pricing where the ISCO III can be had for about $6K USD. I believe they both have 4 elements and one very precise alignment system - the alloy case...

Mark

[Prof.]

Mark Techer wrote:

The lens was huge, at 6" or 150mm diameter, and heavy at about 22 pounds or 10KG.

That's very interesting...I actually have a 6" diam. 3 element lens..
Obviously not an Anamorphic lens, but I also have a Multi Element Lens Design Calculator..that gives the focal lengths of the individual optical elements and spacings needed between each element.
If I knew what types of elements ISCO use, and providing my supplier of optical elements has them..I could probably put something together!..

The lens that I have, is designed to taken apart to either change the elements and or spacings, or add additional elements..
It would be an interesting exercise..

[Mark Techer]

Plano concave and plano convex elements with 6 and 4 diopter (not 100% sure of the term) should produce an anamorphic lens with 1.33x expansion...

Mark

[Prof.]

Mark Techer wrote:

Plano concave and plano convex elements with 6 and 4 diopter

I was afraid that might be the case...
I have the plano concave and the plano convex elements, but you can't get Diopters off the shelf in that diam..They have to be specially made and they will only do that for a large quantity..

[Mark Techer]

Sad but true. If you could buy those elements off the shelf, DIY Anamorphic Lenses would not use prisms...

Mark

[Mark Techer]

Anyway, I finally got some images for you. Sorry that they are a bit out of focus, but all I had on me at the time was my camera phone...
http://cavx.blogspot.com/2008/07/isc...nema-lens.html

Mark

[Prof.]

A very nice lens from the looks of it..but obviously very expensive as well..

Mark, I see on your Blog that you're not producing the Mk.111 lens.!!?
What's happened to change your mind?..

[Mark Techer]

Prof. wrote:

A very nice lens from the looks of it..but obviously very expensive as well..

Mark, I see on your Blog that you're not producing the Mk.111 lens.!!?
What's happened to change your mind?..

Yes the ISCO is an awesome lens. I am lucky to have seen and held it

Attn Mods: The following is NOT intended as a commercial post.

Prof,

There just simply has not been enough interest to warrant spending the money needed to fund this project. Whilst I have the cash, I see no point in outlaying that amount of money unless I can get a return. I was going to produce the first batch at no profit, but in order to do so still required 100 orders at $600ea. To date, I have just 21 expressions of interest.

Fear not though - I have something very special coming soon (small order amounts only) but I will not disclose anything more about it at this time...

Mark

[Prof.]

Sorry to hear that there hasn't been much interest in the Mk.111...I guess money is tight for everyone these days..

The new development sounds very interesting..
Looking forward to hearing more about it..

[Mark Techer]

Mark Techer wrote:

Plano concave and plano convex elements with 6 and 4 diopter (not 100% sure of the term) should produce an anamorphic lens with 1.33x expansion...

Mark

Correction, it is actually 6 and 4.5 because 6 / 4.5 = 1.3333333 where 6 /4 is 1.5 which is too much for HT unless you have a HTPC for additional scaling. This has been done by the way by a guy in the US who has an ISCO D Cinema lens with a 1.5x magnification. Basically, he only uses the full panel for 2.66:1 presentation, which is rare, and I really don't see the point in doing, but he does...

Mark