BEST budget Anamorphics? Great Joy 1.8x Anamorphic lenses

[@EdProsser]

** This is a re-upload as the original vid posted yesterday had the intro missing (made that unlisted now), SORRY!!! If you can comment and like this vid, I'd really appreciate it as it'll help with the algorithm in pushing it back out.

[@capionstudio]

Heads Up; These can in fact be speed boosted, but require a very specific 0.72X booster to accommodate the protruding element, and are required to be brought to flange with additional shims. This is now fully documented on the Anamorphic Shooters Group, and the GJ page. This is especially useful in conjunction with the GH6 in 4:3 mode, gaining a 1.44X crop equivalency, and an extra stop of light. In addition to this, the focus range is compacted, with a gain in minimum focus from 27 inches (pre-mod) down to 21 inches, and without the loss of infinity.

[@EdProsser]

Ouh, nice, what's the brand of speedbooster?

[@morganestill]

Would love to know which focal reducer and the specs of the shim.

[@AliAli-iz2yk]

any luck on which speedbooster? or can you provide a link to find, please?

[@EdProsser]

I would still love to know too! Had a look around but can't find the specific info

[@capionstudio]

I hope this sheds light onto any info requested. For some odd reason my replies are not going through. kzbin.info/www/bejne/lXyZioWmjbp8qLMsi=3V_ScLvsfGpq4jxQ

[@AnthonyRodriguezz]

I’m glad it did just as well on the re upload 🙌🏼

[@EdProsser]

Yeeeeeah, what a relief!💪

the footage looks sooo awesome! Great job!

[@EdProsser]

thanks Thomas!

[@HenryOrtlip]

Beautiful work Ed! Love your grade (an emulation). I think the Great Joy's are the perfect starter anamorphic set. I have loved working with them-- the time will come to move forward (the mercury's) -- But starting on these lenses and there quirks have been the perfect learning experience that still results with a professional outcome. If was a film teacher, I would have the students shoot their first anamorphic projects on this set... even if we had access to higher end options.

[@EdProsser]

Thanks Henry - I agree I think they're the best bang for your buck before you step up a level and shooting my little doc on them really helped me get my head around using lenses like these under pressure etc. Thanks for commenting!

[@HenryOrtlip]

Checking back in Ed, sold the GJ's last week, the price on them new has dropped significantly this week so happy I moved them when I did. The new Remus lenses from Blazer will likely dominate that price range if they build on all of the positives of the GJ's, tested the Mercury's last week and was blown way, wasn't to hot on the pavo's@@EdProsser

[@EdProsser]

@@HenryOrtlip interesting, what didn't you like about the Pavos, it seems both those and mercury's tend to divide opinion. Perhaps because they have more character

[@HenryOrtlip]

Mercurys are really sharp, even wide open and the flares are layered nicely, the problem with the mercurys people always review them filming open gate and they really are meant for FF 16:9 max for a clean look, the pavos flares weren't far off the GJ's so why pay 5x the price also I question how sharp they are wide open. I would rather have FF 1.8 GJ's than 2.0 S35 personally.@@EdProsser

[@EdProsser]

Yes I heard the Pavos weren't sharp until stopped down. Would love a set of Mercury's but atm can't justify spending on them. I'll deffo rent them for a project at some point

[@PALALALALALALA]

For what my opinion is worth. Having deeper focus on that short doc, was part of what makes it look great, and how you could grade different parts of the images. Too many docs using FF FX6 are shot wide open at 1.4 / 1.2 and look all the same. As the Great Joy goes, if they made a V2 with more "rainbow flares" from the spherical parts, and a constant squeeze factor for the 50mm, it will be a huge sell. Let's maket and push the lenses to. F2.5 :) Lomos and old school Kowa, are meant to be shot at F4. Only shots with the kowa, and they were so much blurier wide open than my whack combinaison of Kowa 16H / Leica R (or Lomo Spherical) with a Rectilux Hardcore DNA....

[@EdProsser]

You are completely right on the deep focus part and I'm learning to shoot more stopped down these days, but then it comes with its own lighting issues... I'm fairly certain they'll update this line of lenses at some point but I'm interested to see more from their next 1.5x line, seen a few stills and they seem super grungey with a bit more character (in a good way)

[@lewisadamsproductions]

Really like the look of these lenses, great video!!!

[@EdProsser]

Thanks man and for also thanks for your anamorphic modelling skillz!

[@danflorez]

Man. I own a few Panasonic cameras and am a big fan, but these komodo shots are just beautiful. Do you think it's a difference of s35, or how it handles the highlight rolloff, red magic, or more time spent in post on those shots? They just look soooo soo good!

[@EdProsser]

It's probably a combo of all that, the global shutter helps with motion as well - it's subtle but I can tell the difference between my Panasonic cams and RED instantly by the motion rendering - also a much chunkier RAW capture - just gives you more to work with in post

[@danflorez]

Chunkier is probably a great way to put it. There's an inherent thin-ness to the image that I can't describe, but have been googling, since buying and looking at other people's shots with the full frame Lumixes. I still love the camera and image, but seeing those 2 images with the same lens side by side... Just shows it. The komodo shots... Something just looks so real and tangible about them. I've also googled into full frame's effect on motion, because I've always noticed something was different, but couldn't place it. Thinking maybe it was something about long gop/etc... But maybe it's also that global shutter. Anyway, just hats off and thanks for making me totally rethink my camera... Haha

[@EdProsser]

Haha I think the LUMIX S5iix is over processed and sharpened in camera which leads to the thinness of the image

[@KaceyBakerFilms]

I love these lenses. I have the 50mm and just uploaded a short and it seriously looks so cinematic. Hoping to buy another one before they go out of stock to the Remus.

[@EdProsser]

Totally, I think they're the best affordable anamorphics you can get!

[@JesúsYOración]

Was is “destroy the internet “? If so, it looks like a real show/film

[@BrendonKPadjasek]

Awesome work my man. I haven't tried a diopter yet, Can you only focus at minimum focus with a diopter or is there more range? Specifically with the 50mm

[@EdProsser]

you still get the focal range of the lens - just the focal distance is shifted - so you can't focus to infinity anymore - it's a bit like putting a magnifying glass in front of your lens

[@BrendonKPadjasek]

@@EdProsser Beautiful. I have a shoot coming up and I'm going to rent some anamorphic lenses but wasn't sure about that aspect. Thanks!

[@EdProsser]

@@BrendonKPadjasek good luck with it! And just test the diopters out before the shoot and you should get a feeling for how they work

[@BrendonKPadjasek]

@@EdProsser great call. Thanks man

[@KenFlanagan]

Thx for that. Always nice to see our home patch of London Fields featured. Not sure if it was because of veiling glare but thought the best images for clarity and look were when not shooting towards the sun. The flaring on the S1 looked a little washed out maybe? Again not sure if you're adding film grain and I imagine your style could be described as grungy or maybe analog but would be interested to know how clean these can appear or if that is their look. Guess it would be very different shooting on a sunny day. thx as always.

[@EdProsser]

Yeah the London Fields stuff was shot back in March - it was super grey so I held off releasing this vid and shot some more stuff over the summer. It's true I grunge the image up a lot! S1 and S5 are definitely the cleanest looking cams. The art studio shots on the Komodo are desaturated and have added a bit of a glow to them, as well as grain. Generally I think these lenses are pretty clean esp. compared to some of the other affordable Anamorphics out there, just a bit of annoying variation across the set.

[@Harigan]

Would you consider something like this for the original S5? Or stick with the 1.33x squeezes?

[@EdProsser]

The great joys are probably the best budget anamorphic option out there at the mo, in terms of balancing sharpness and anamorphic features.

[@Harigan]

@@EdProsser For sure, but for a 16:9 image, they would facilitate a whole lot of cropping, no?

[@EdProsser]

@@Harigan it would depend on your acquisition aspect ratio. But if you want to finish in 16:9 maybe less stretch would be better

[@transitionfilm]

Great informative video Ed, well presented and shot. Good news here for Lumix S1 users.

[@EdProsser]

Thanks for checking it out Bip!

[@SteezWhizy]

Great video! I have the full set blue flare and I absolutely love them. I really hope GJ will come up with a constant squeeze 50mm and maybe a longer focal length, but I'm totally happy with the 3 lenses I have right now. The 85mm is definitely the gem of the set!

[@EdProsser]

Yeah I'm sure they will, the 85mm does feel like the most perfected lens of the set which makes sense as it's the most recently released lens.

[@TheJaredRodriguez]

Great work as usual!

[@EdProsser]

Thanks!

[@forewarnedfilm]

Can we all just take a moment to thank Ed for creating a new word to describe the characteristics of anamorphic aberrations: Grunge. This is the term I will be using going forward, alongside bokeh - love it!

[@EdProsser]

If I ever release a set of lenses they'll be called the Grunge Masters

[@forewarnedfilm]

@@EdProsser I would trademark that now if I were you.

[@Arkadiusz4321]

Will you make blazar remus 45/65 lens review? Would be cool to see your footage shot with them and hear your opinion :)

[@EdProsser]

I would love to and have been hounding them to send me a set but can't persuade them!

[@johnsospencer]

Great footage! Are you using Dehancer?

[@EdProsser]

I'm making a video on it at the mo but haven't used it as part of my grading workflow yet. Not sure if I will ...

[@johnsospencer]

@@EdProsser It looks like you're using some kind of halation algorithm?

[@EdProsser]

@@johnsospencer some shots will have a pro mist on or glow dialled in, in resolve - apart from that I don't recall using any halation effects... The lenses do also flare to differing degrees too

[@JasperMeddockProductions]

Brilliant content man.

[@EdProsser]

Cheers!

[@JoshCameron]

Man, I want these lenses now!

[@EdProsser]

They are on sale, only £3K... 😂

[@globalplunder]

Incredible video!

[@EdProsser]

Thanks a lot!

[@colemowery]

would you recommend the 35mm for super35? or just the 50 and 85?

[@EdProsser]

Yeah the 35 is great on S35

[@tonysluna]

Great Video... Funny Thing... The Price is Double... Since This Video was posted. lol lol and.. I thought i was a "YT Member" but.. i will be now...

[@MrObiorah]

Great video as usual. Please, I need some information. I DO NOT LIKE TOO MUCH BLACK BARS ON MY FOOTAGE. I like the size of the black bars and minimal stretch this lens produced on your RED KOMODO footage. But, I want to buy a RED EPIC DRAGON 6K. I also would like to shoot with only the GREAT JOY 35MM and 85MM 1.8X . My questions are: Will I get the same level of the black bars in your RED KOMODO video??? Which setting do I use on the RED EPIC DRAGON to get the same black bars??? SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP ME WITH SOME INFORMATION. Thanks in advance.

[@EdProsser]

You only get black bars if it's presented on a larger aspect ratio - in this video I exported at 16:9 to mix in with my talking to camera and product shogs. So all the anamorphic stuff has black bars (absence of video). Your finishing aspect ratio will be determined by the acquisition ratio and the squeeze factor of the lens. You can always crop in to reduce this if you want. Also if you don't want black bars just shoot in 16:9 with normal spherical lenses as that's native aspect ratio of most TV screens.

[@MrObiorah]

@@EdProsser Thanks for the information. I appreciate it. PS. I might end up shooting with a Laowa 1.33x adapter and a 28-70mm lens on the Red Dragon 6k. My aim is to get a true wide screen with the combination WITH MINIMAL BLACK BAR. Alternatively, I might buy the Red Komodo and Great Joy 1.8x. Your videos always inspire me. Thanks for your help.

[@3darms]

I like these more than the newer Remus series.

[@EdProsser]

I think these are more usable for pro work

[@TonyInEstonia]

umm. Mb i've misunderstood you, but you were saying that adapter sigma 21 mc-21 will not fit? if so, that's weird. I own 35 and 50 mm Great joy lenses with EF mount installed. And it fits perfectly

[@EdProsser]

Hmm not sure, it was a while back and since then I used the DZO film adapter without issue. One of the lenses definitely worked, I think the 35mm but fairly certain 50 and 85 didn't. Maybe they changed the design of the adapter and / or lens?

[@TonyInEstonia]

@@EdProsser well. There are two variations of MC-21. First is so called "MC-21 Adaptor for Sigma SA to Leica L-Mount" and it is not compatible with EF mount lenses, yes. And the second one called Sigma MC-21 adapter for Canon EF mount lenses. And i'm using it everyday.

[@EdProsser]

@@TonyInEstonia yes mine works fine for other EF mount lenses, tested the Great Joys on my canon EF to RF and were fine, but wouldn't mount to my Sigma MC-21 as mentioned.

[@EdProsser]

My GJ lenses were samples so it's possible they changed the mount design, but unlikely, as it's the protruding rear element that's the issue. I bought the MC-21 used years ago so, possibly they updated the design of that... but the internal flange blocked the lenses from mounting.

[@TonyInEstonia]

@@EdProsser yeah mate. i think so. cause all items (mc-21 for canon ef-l, GJ 50 mm and camera itself) were purchased in last month... and they all are in use every day.. then either it is magic or... all of them have made some design improvements.

[@RandomMotoThings]

What lens was used in that opening shot with the s1?

[@EdProsser]

I think that was the 50mm

[@RandomMotoThings]

Man it’s so hard trying to figure out if I should get the 50mm or 85mm for full frame.

[@EdProsser]

Are you shooting on FF? I have no real idea, but I'd guess they might update the 50mm at some point, the 85mm is the last lens they made in the set so it feels like the most refined.

[@RandomMotoThings]

@@EdProsser full frame. At f2.8 I want to still get some nice blurred separation without being so close but I also want something that’s the most versatile because I’m starting off with one lens. 85?

[@EdProsser]

When it comes to other people's decisions... someone wise once said, I can only show you the door, you must walk through ...

[@MattAitia]

These look great!

[@EdProsser]

Yeah they're a solid set, we're spoilt for choice!

[@angryrabbitproductions1690]

I’ll wait for the Blazar Remus series. They seem to have a bit more character and manage it with less squeeze... The Remus seem reminiscent of the Atlas Mercury lenses… but without the fatal flaws.

[@EdProsser]

Yeah seen some of the recent stills. I'll hold my breath on them until I see some decent sample footage, I feel like they may have heavy CA but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The GJ do provide a very clean option for professional projects where you cant get away with all the GRUNGE that a lot of us love

[@kazlepek6552]

I think it’s funny that what people describe as “flaws” in the Mercury are exactly the qualities that make them similar to vintage anamorphic lenses like the Kowa’s. So many directors have tuned lenses, like Arri’s DNA glass, to have the exact “flaws” that the Mercury have. The Mercury’s “flaws” are exactly what make them great - almost everything in the budget range is boring and clinical. If you don’t want any “flaws” or character you probably shouldn’t shoot with vintage anamorphic lenses or vintage inspired anamorphic lenses

[@EdProsser]

@kazlepek6552 agreed, although i think there’s a place for both kinds of lenses

[@kazlepek6552]

@@EdProsser Definitely, client work in particular - cleaner more understated lenses are very useful. My personal taste is just slanted towards vintage lenses. I just saw one video on youtube where a rental house owner guy was basically saying the Mercury are terrible lenses and Atlas lens engineers made a bunch of mistakes when they designed them - but everything he said was their “flaws” are what make them similar to Kowa’s (which they aren’t a carbon copy of - but they were inspired by that design) The short art studio doc with the Komodo + Great Joy looked really really good + the dialogue was great too - did you grade that one with Serr’s Film Vision powergrade thing?

[@EdProsser]

@@kazlepek6552 I know the video you're taking about, it caused quite a stir! Love to push a bit of vintage and character where I can. Glad you liked the Studio vid! Tried something a bit different on the grade for that, didn't want it to be super deep and contrasty - used the Phantom Eastman LUT as my base and tweaked from there to dial in a sandy / dusty look

[@albertusbodenstein1976]

cool..

[@cleverghostchili]

lot of affordable anamorphics these days...decisions...

[@EdProsser]

We are pretty spoilt for choice, I can see myself investing in some in the next year or two, but am keen to see what else might appear