AW: Equipment and ratios

[Stefan Nutz]

Jasper,

 

Have you been aware of the fact that the aspect ratio 2.35, we are all
referring to as Cinemascope, is wrong. 

Actually the ratio was enlarged by .05 in the seventies. So the correct
ratio is actually 2.39:1 and not 2.35:1. 

Funny that everybody stuck to 2.35:1 even though this is actually not true. 

 

Can you break it down to these four “different formats” in Japan?

 

Daiescope

Nikkatsu Scope

Tohoscope

Toeiscope

 

But was Daiescope just referring to the way of projecting or also the way
the actual film was recorded on?

 

While doing some more research on this subject I found out that my guess
with Lomo is maybe totally wrong. 

Now I guess the lenses were made by Cineovision, Kowa or Shiga. Às all three
of them were based in Japan and producers for anamorphic glass.

Unfortunately I couldn’t really track down a lot of reliable information on
these, as all of these glasses are no longer manufactured. 

 

Best,

 

Stefan

 

 

 

Von: owner-KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu
[mailto:owner-KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu] Im Auftrag von Jasper
Sharp
Gesendet: Dienstag, 10. Mai 2011 13:28
An: kinejapan
Betreff: RE: Equipment and ratios

 

Stefan,

 

Am still looking into these areas (or rather, will be doing so soon) - not
really up on the 1960s yet.

>>From what I understand though, Shochiku developed its own CinemaScope rival
Grandscope by reverse engineering Fox's system in the early 50s, although i
don't know who supplied the lenses, but presumably a Japanese company like
Nikon rather than Bausch and Lomb, who created the lenses for Fox's system.

Sadly tis all I can tell you at the moment, but come back to me in a year or
so...

best

 

jasper


Jasper Sharp: Writer & Film Curator Homepage
http://jaspersharp.com/

Midnight Eye: The Latest and Best in Japanese Cinema
http://www.midnighteye.com

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> Date: Sat, 7 May 2011 21:59:38 +0200
> From: nuzumaki at gmx.net
> To: KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu
> Subject: Equipment and ratios
> 
> Dear List,
> 
> Yesterday, when watching Lead Tombstone by Wakamatsu Koji here at the Far
East Film Festival, I recognised that some if the night scenes were extremly
soft and sometimes out of focus as well. 
> As the aspect ratio was 2.35 Cinemascope I was wondering where to get more
information on how and with which equipment Wakamatsu shot this film. 
> I know that the older anamorphic lenses, made in Russia, named Lomo (used
by Kubrick, Solaris), have been unsharp unless not stopped down to a certain
higher exposure level. Which leads me towards the conclusion that Wakamtsu
shot on Russian lenses. 
> 
> Still I was wondering, as Japan was also a producer for anamorphic, which
equipment has been used in the 60's ad later. 
> 
> Is there literature on that subject? 
> Jasper, do you have any idea? I know you have done a lot of research
regarding this. 
> 
> All the best,
> 
> Stefan
> 
> 
> 

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