High-Performance Optics for a New 70mm Digital Cine Format

Metadata

Publisher: SMPTE — White Plains, NY, USA
Doc Type: Journal Article
Content Type: Original Research
Abbreviated Title: SMPTE Mot. Imag. J
Volume: 122, No. 2, pp. 49–54
Abstract: This paper details technical features of the first series of high-speed prime lenses designed for a new 70mm digital format developed by Panavision. These new lenses offer full aperture (f/2.5) performance at or near the diffraction limit from near-ultraviolet to near-infrared over a 48 × 20.25mm image area. These lenses are also designed to work properly with optical filters inserted between the lens and sensor. Twelve focal lengths are under development, ranging from a 27mm ultrawide to a 300mm telephoto. In addition to traditional externally geared controls, all lenses have internal motors for focus and aperture. High-resolution metadata are transmitted continuously to the camera. Metadata include focus distance, aperture, temperature, and individual lens identification. A replaceable internal filter near the aperture stop permits a variety of creative effects, including soft-focus.
Publication Date: 2013-03-01
DOI: 10.5594/j18269
ISSN: Print: 1545-0279
Link: https://doi.org/10.5594/j18269
Author(s): Brian Caldwell
bio
Brian Caldwell earned a Ph.D. in optics from The University of Rochester in 1988. He has 30 years experience in the fields of lens design and optical engineering, with more than 100 different manufactured products to his credit. In 1988, he founded Optical Data Solutions to develop LensVIEW, an extensive database of more than 30,000 optical designs from the patent literature. After working for a few years at Projectavision and Concord Camera, he founded Caldwell Photographic Inc. in 2001 to do independent consulting and to develop and manufacture optical products. He has worked as an optical design consultant to Panavision since 2001. Commercial products co-developed with Wilfried Bittner include a 60mm UV-VIS-IR apochromat licensed for manufacture by Jenoptik Optical Systems, and a universal photographic focal reducer currently marketed by Metabones as the Speed Booster.
Wilfried Bittner
bio
Wilfried Bittner is a mechanical engineer specializing in opto-mechanics, and has more than 35 years experience in the optical and photographic industries, both in Germany and Hong Kong. He has designed a wide range of cameras for big brands like Agfa, Kodak, Polaroid and Nikon. The types of cameras ranged from simple 35mm film cameras to fully automatic digital cameras with folded zoom optics. In 2006, Bittner founded WB Design in Hong Kong to do specialized mechanical design and product development work, such as laser optics and mechanisms for BOSCH laser measuring tools, as well as lens barrels and motorized shutters for specialty lenses. Currently, he is deeply involved in the development of a family of cinema lenses for Panavision.
Winston Ip
bio
Winston Ip received a BEng honor's degree in electronics engineering from the University of Liverpool in 1979. He joined Marconi Radar until 1982; then immigrated to Canada to work with different defense projects at MEL defense companies and Litton System Canada. In 1993, he returned to Hong Kong to work with Haking Industrial and Concord Camera where he led a team to design camera logic using different MCUs. During this time he also designed ASICs for Kodak APS, Polaroid single-use and digital cameras. Before he started his own consulting company to work on projects with Caldwell Photographic Inc., he was a vice president of digital media products at IDT and director of electronics at Simatelex.
Dan Sasaki
bio
Daniel Sasaki was educated at Cal State Long Beach. He began his career at Panavision in 1986 when he started as a lens service technician under the supervision of his father Ralph Sasaki. Under the mentorship of the legendary Tak Miyagishima, Sasaki started to pick up his practical optics methodology and began to customize optics for various cinematographers based on this type of philosophy. In 2006, Sasaki left Panavision to further his career in optics technology by joining Dalsa Camera technologies. In 2008, he returned to Panavision and has subsequently been promoted to vice president of optical engineering and is actively working with Brian Caldwell to develop the new 70mm optical system.
Copyright: © 2013 Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, Inc.

Bibliographic Reference(s)

1. Caldwell J. Brian , U.S. Patent No. 7,733,581 , June 8, 2010 . EXTERNAL
2. Caldwell J. Brian , U.S. Patent No. 8,169,717 , May 1, 2012 . EXTERNAL

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Brian Caldwell, Wilfried Bittner, Winston Ip, and Dan Sasaki; High-Performance Optics for a New 70mm Digital Cine Format, SMPTE Motion Imaging Journal ( Volume: 122, Issue: 2, March 2013); SMPTE, 2013. Available at https://doi.org/10.5594/j18269

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Brian Caldwell, Wilfried Bittner, Winston Ip, and Dan Sasaki; High-Performance Optics for a New 70mm Digital Cine Format, SMPTE Motion Imaging Journal ( Volume: 122, Issue: 2, March 2013); SMPTE, 2013. Available at https://doi.org/10.5594/j18269

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<span class="citation">Brian Caldwell, Wilfried Bittner, Winston Ip, and Dan Sasaki; <cite>High-Performance Optics for a New 70mm Digital Cine Format</cite>, SMPTE Motion Imaging Journal ( Volume: 122, Issue: 2, March 2013); SMPTE, 2013. Available at <a href="https://doi.org/10.5594/j18269" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://doi.org/10.5594/j18269</a></span>

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Brian Caldwell, Wilfried Bittner, Winston Ip, and Dan Sasaki; <cite id="bib-10-5594-j18269">High-Performance Optics for a New 70mm Digital Cine Format</cite>, SMPTE Motion Imaging Journal ( Volume: 122, Issue: 2, March 2013); SMPTE, 2013
<span class="doi">10.5594/j18269</span>
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