Elmoscope II

• Anamorphic Adapter by Elmo
• Double Focus
• Mount: N/A

Can be modded for improved performance, shorter focus and better flare control. In spite of the different names, this lens shares the same glass as the Kowas 8-Z, 16-H and Kowa B&H.

Ever since I laid eyes on the Elmoscope II, it's similarities with the Kowa Bell and Howell were... impressive, to say the least. Long story short, they have the very same look on the outside, so I wanted to check if the same holds for the footage they deliver. Both lenses are vintage projection optics and dual focus setups by nature. The Kowa B&H is considered to be the very best among projection lenses, praised by many and sought after by many more.

A while back I worked on the shooting of the acoustic version of Hello, by Hedley, with the genius of Matt Leaf. It was a two-camera setup. For that we had both my Kowa B&H and Corey MacGregor's Elmo II, each one inside of a Rectilux and paired to Russian taking lenses (the usual, Mir, Helios and Jupiter).

On a spec side, the Elmo weights the same as the Kowa, 500g. Minimum focus on both lenses is the same, 5ft - or 1.5m - as well as the sizes for the front and rear elements. The Elmo's back is a little thinner than the Kowa.

They don't have front neither rear filter threads. If you want to add some diopters to them, a clamp will be required. Alignment is also set on the clamp.

This is the time of the truth. While the Elmo manages to keep up at wider focal lenghts - it doesn't do so well in fast apertures. When the lenses get longer, the Kowa states its supremacy, beating the Elmo in every single setting.

The flares are identical between the Elmoscope II and Kowa B&H. Warm long streaks and one green reflection from the Rectilux.

Again, exactly the same results when it comes to coverage, with an almost usable frame at 40mm at 2.4:1. No vignetting from 50mm for 2.4:1 crop, but a little bit at 2.66:1. Step up to 58mm for 2.66:1 coverage, and clear the image completely at 85mm and above.