A photographer and videographer Tom Calton made a Youtube video explaining the process of modifying a fast projector lens for use with his Sony a7 III using helicoid as a focusing mechanism. The total cost of the modification including the projector lens was under $100. Tom Calton is a professional photographer and videographer based in the United Kingdom. He regularly publishes videos on his Youtube channel where he tests new gear or gives tips on his craft. In one of his latest videos, he talked about modifying fast projector lenses for use with mirrorless cameras. He managed to keep the cost of everything under $100, so we thought it is quite interesting. Let’s take a look at the details. Why projector lenses? The idea of using projector lenses for photography and filmmaking is not entirely new. It is yet another way of getting affordable and fast vintage glass for your camera. Using old glass results in unique images that are usually not very clean and full of imperfections, but they have a certain quality and look – some call it that the lenses have “character”. Now, if you are after such a look, it is usually better to use an old lens than add the imperfections in the post (sometimes that’s not even possible). 16mm f/1.4 projector lens. Source: Tom Calton As opposed to just buying a vintage photography SLR lens, projector lenses present a few challenges though. First of all, they don’t have a variable aperture, so you are...
Published By: CineD - Thursday, 6 January, 2022