Panavision's first 2x anamorphic lenses (1958), which replaced CinemaScope lenses and became the industry standard. Eliminated the notorious 'mumps' distortion in close-ups.
The Auto Panatar (1958) was Panavision's first 2x anamorphic lens set for 35mm film. They replaced the problematic CinemaScope lenses and quickly became the industry standard for anamorphic production.
This innovation earned Panavision the first of 15 Academy Awards for technical achievement.
Early CinemaScope lenses had a notorious optical aberration – the so-called "Mumps": in close-ups, the lenses lost anamorphic power, leading to an unnatural widening of the face.
Early CinemaScope productions therefore completely avoided tight shots. The Auto Panatar eliminated this problem, enabling intimate wide-screen close-ups for the first time.
| Feature | Auto Panatar | CinemaScope |
|---|---|---|
| Squeeze | 2x | 2x |
| Close-ups | No problem | "Mumps" effect |
| Image Quality | Sharp, consistent | Inconsistent |
| Acceptance | Industry standard | Obsolete from 1960 |
| Film | Year | Director | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pillow Talk | 1959 | Michael Gordon | Doris Day/Rock Hudson classic |
| The Magnificent Seven | 1960 | John Sturges | Western epic |
| The Apartment | 1960 | Billy Wilder | Oscar Best Picture |
| Cimarron | 1960 | Anthony Mann | Western revival |
| Hud | 1963 | Martin Ritt | Paul Newman drama |
| The Great Escape | 1963 | John Sturges | War film classic |
Before the Auto Panatar, Panavision sold lenses to studios. These lenses marked the transition to the later rental-only model that Panavision still practices today.
The Auto Panatar established Panavision as a leading name in film optics and laid the foundation for all subsequent anamorphic series:
Die Auto Panatar waren die ersten Anamorphics, mit denen ich Nahaufnahmen ohne Angst vor Verzerrung drehen konnte. Die 'Mumps' der CinemaScope-Ära waren Geschichte. Ihr warmer Look und die organischen Flares definieren noch heute, was wir unter 'klassischem Hollywood' verstehen.
Mit den Auto Panatar konnte ich endlich intime Close-ups im Breitbild drehen. Vorher musste ich bei Anamorphic auf enge Einstellungen verzichten – jetzt konnte ich Emotionen im epischen Format einfangen. Das veränderte die Filmsprache fundamental.
Die Auto Panatar waren Panavisions erster Academy Award und machten CinemaScope-Linsen obsolet. Studios kauften diese Linsen direkt – bevor Panavision zum Rental-Modell wechselte. Ein Meilenstein der Branche.
1. Was beschreibt „Auto Panatar" am besten?
2. Zu welchem Department gehört „Auto Panatar"?
3. Wie viele verschiedene Fachperspektiven bietet dieser Eintrag?
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