Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Question About Old B&L Anamorphic

This is topic Question About Old B&L Anamorphic in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Edward Jurich (Member # 1787) on 12-27-2008, 05:12 PM:

This lens seems to have a frozen adjust ring or I am not seeing how to change the focal length. I am assuming that you just turn the knurled black ring but the ring on this lens will not budge. Any thoughts?

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 12-27-2008, 06:16 PM:

You know that the Silver ring is the locking ring, right? If not, first, loosen the locking ring and adjust...note...the locking ring must be tightened/loosened with the distance ring as you go.

Steve

Posted by Edward Jurich (Member # 1787) on 12-27-2008, 06:30 PM:

Silver ring does not seem to turn either.

hahahaha, right after I posted I got the silver ring to move, thanks.

Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 12-27-2008, 06:37 PM:

I have 2ea pristine ISCO 2X Anamorphic lenses that I thought were dead meat cuz I couldn't get the focus ring to move.
After reading Steve's above post, I thought I'd try his suggestion on my lenses...it worked!!!

Once again, THANKS Steve for unselfishly sharing your vast knowledge!

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 12-27-2008, 06:53 PM:

Dang, and I was going to chime in on the help since I knew since I started in the booth back in 1970 that the outer ring was the locking ring on these B&H attachments....

When you got kids doing booth and grab the front of the lens to insert into the projector on a lens changout, they'd love to loosen that ring while doing this, which would knock off the focus and they wonder why they can't focus scope movies in....

And it's even worse with those compact Schneiders (the ones that didn't have the little knurl locking knob on the side) where the locking collar just clicks forward to unlock and it's quite easy to knock the focus out when kids turns the manual turret around using the scope lens to grab a hold of...

( [Roll Eyes]

..and Phil just found out about this??)

Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 12-27-2008, 07:17 PM:

quote: Monte L Fullmer
..and Phil just found out about this??

YUP! I'm a 870/1570 projection, simulator ride, special efx guy...

When it comes to 35mm, I'm a total dumbass! It's only a hobby for me and my home screening room.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 12-27-2008, 11:20 PM:

Well, in that case...

WELCOME to FILM-TECH! Pull up a chair and sit for awhile - to get an earful about the 35mm presentation world ....

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 12-28-2008, 08:25 AM:

Over the years, I've found a lot of lock rings frozen in place... especially if the lens came from a drive-in, where decades of dust settles into the threads and locks them on solid. I've been able to get those loose, however, by wrapping a neoprene cord (as found on in-car speakers) around the ring, and using it like an old-fashioned jar opener. Works everytime!

Sears now sells a tool that does something similar, using a wide rubber strap.

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 12-28-2008, 09:41 AM:

Recently found a drive in with the 4" B&L anamorphic set to 60 ft. Unfortunately, he had a 550 ft throw. It had been that way for 40+ years. (I'd sure like to know who sold/serviced that guy!) I reset the lens DURING a Disney film and the comments were instantly positive. Louis

Posted by Jim Cassedy (Member # 4115) on 12-28-2008, 09:44 AM:

I once used an automotive oil filter wrench.
(After first wrapping the lens in a clean shop-rag to keep from damaging knurled surface around the circumference of the lens barrel. )

Posted by John Hawkinson (Member # 1135) on 12-28-2008, 06:06 PM:

The tool Tim is describing is a "strap wrench." They've been around for a long time, actually.

--jhawk

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 12-28-2008, 06:23 PM:

quote: John Hawkinson
Tim is describing is a "strap wrench."

Yea - got two of those Sears Craftsman neopene rubber strap wrenches in my tool bag - great for tightening and removing oil filters with...