List of anamorphic format trade names explained

There have been a great number of anamorphic format trade names, for reasons of prestige, technology, or vanity. The basic 35 mm anamorphic format originally popularized as CinemaScope has been known by a number of other monikers. In some cases, these names actually refer to different lens designs and technologies implemented; however, the great majority are simply re-branded lenses originally known by another name. In recent decades, it has generally been considered a cliché throwback, and thus the generic name of anamorphic format has become predominant.

All of the following trade names refer to the modern SMPTE-standard anamorphic 35 mm format or what was regarded as the standard at that time. Generically speaking, this means a 2× anamorphosis lens with 4-perf negative pulldown for both image origination and projection, and an aspect ratio of 2.35:1 until 1970 (requiring special, narrow "negative assembly" splices) and 2.39:1 after 1970 (using conventional "negative assembly" splices). The change from 2.35:1 to 2.39:1 (sometimes rounded to 2.4:1 or, mathematically incorrectly, to 2.40:1) was mainly intended to facilitate "negative assembly", and also to better hide "negative assembly" splices, which otherwise may appear as a slight "flash" at the upper edge of the frame, during a splice. The term anamorphic should not be considered synonymous with widescreen; VistaVision was non-anamorphic, and at the time of shooting, so was Techniscope.

Trade names

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Joe Dunton. IMDb. 2016-12-25.

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