Scanoscope

1. Overview

The Scanoscope is a 50mm anamorphic lens with a 2x squeeze from the vintage American production era, originally manufactured by Scanoptic and later rehoused. As a Super 35 lens with a T2.0 aperture, it belongs to the category of classic scope optics, which are today primarily available through specialized rental houses.

2. Characteristics

Flare characteristics according to CINEFLARES datasheet:

• Types: Streak, Oval, Veiling, Rainbow, Caustic
• Colors: Blue
• Intensity: Strong

Linked pattern entries:

• anamorphic-streak
• oval-flare
• veiling-glare
• rainbow-flare
• caustic-flare

3. Creative Use

The 2x squeeze delivers the classic anamorphic look: wide oval bokeh, pronounced horizontal blue streaks, and a veiling flare that softly blooms highlights. The barrel distortion and strong tendency for flares – including rainbow and caustic effects – make it a lens with a noticeable character, which must be intentionally employed in controlled setups. It is typically used in indie productions or music videos aiming for a warm, slightly worn scope look without resorting to modern, clinically clean anamorphic systems. Due to the rehousing, the focus mechanics are user-friendly, but the fundamental optical character remains that of a vintage glass with correspondingly low contrast and limited backlighting stability.

4. Specs Overview