The anamorphic lens made its debut in the 1950s when films moved from square to horizontal format: cinematographers then needed technology that allowed their cameras to stretch the image horizontally.
This is how the anamorphic lens is designed: it compresses the image when filming, so as to contain more elements but when viewing, we will have a "spread out" image which will regain a normal appearance. All of this creates the characteristic and distinct effects of the anamorphic lens. Here let's look at 4 of these effects that make this lens so popular:
1. The wide angle effect
The anamorphic lens does not add a "wide-angle effect" like a lens dedicated to this effect would, but it can give the impression of a larger scene due to the fact that the final image, after correction , features increased width compared to other lenses. This correction gives a feeling of a wider field of view, although the anamorphic lens itself does not inherently add a wide-angle effect.
2. The Flare Effect
With an anamorphic lens, the flare effect is in the form of elongated bands or geometric shapes, adding a unique and cinematic aesthetic to the image (the blue bands of lights that you can observe in many science fiction films).
3. Focus
Anamorphic lenses can also create an increased depth effect, with a blurrier background and selective focus that highlights the main subject.
Also, when the focus is adjusted, some anamorphic lenses may exhibit a slight change in framing, creating the illusion of slight breathing or expansion and contraction of the image.
This is one way to recognize the use of an anamorphic lens used in a film.
4. Bokeh
As a reminder, this is the blurred area of an image outside of focus in the background. The light spots are normally circular, but they will be oval in shape with an anamorphic lens.
