It's not easy deciding on the look of your movie, TV show, or short. Not only do the director and cinematographer have to discuss their strategies, but you also have to take into account where this creation will live and how the audience will react to certain images. No matter what, at some point, you'll have to choose between anamorphic and spherical lenses. Now, both types of lenses produce different image characteristics, but if you can't tell the difference between them, how will you know which fits the ideas you had for your story? Both also have different practical constraints which must be considered too, which could change production days and cost money in the budget. If you learn the basics of both, you can make the appropriate choices and have a wealth of knowledge going forward. To do that, we'll look at examples of cinematography from popular films and try to provide some insight into why the lens a cinematographer chooses can have a profound impact on how the audience interprets a film. Check out this video from In Depth Cine, and let's talk after the jump. Explaining the Difference Between Anamorphic and Spherical Lenses To understand the differences, we have to look at the basics between the lenses right up front. There are two classes of lenses that are typically used in production: spherical and anamorphic. What Are Spherical Lenses? Spherical lenses have existed since the dawn of cinema. They are the assumed lens type, unless someone...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Monday, 16 September, 2024