Vintage glass for content creation is on the rise. At Moving Picture Rental, we’ve fallen in love with Super Baltars for a variety of reasons. Unlike many modern prime lenses that yield ultra tack sharp results that lack character, reveal imperfections in actors complexions and in general deliver a clinical look, Super Baltars give images high contrast and warm flesh tones plus they create cool flares. Some people say that Super Baltars are the Stradivarius of cinema prime lenses. That’s why we have these camera lens rental available at our Miami and Fort Lauderdale locations.
History
Bausch + Lomb’s designed Super Baltars in the 60’s, released them in 1967 and made them into the 70’s. They were the go-to lenses in a majority of major motion pictures for about 15 years. The Godfather 1 and 2, were shot with Super Baltars as well as a 100’s of other feature films. Super Baltars superseded the original Baltars (The Seven Year itch, 1955) (The Bridge over the River Kwai, 1957) and were designed to be compatible with the new spinning mirror-reflex camera Mitchel BNCR in 1967. They were optically re-designed, benefiting from new glass types and optimized for color cinematography. Super Baltars are made from Cobalt glass, so they produce a multi colored green blue flare that is ultraviolet and sharp.
Vintage Super Baltar Lenses
Top Ten reasons to make your next camera lens rental Super Baltars:
- Takes “the edge off” digital sensors.
- Pair old glass with new technology and you are rewarded with an image that is NOT Status Quo.
- Super Baltars have a distinct organic character, that is low contrast and produces a subtle green blue flare, unlike many modern prime lenses that are ultra sharp and designed not to flare.
- Lightweight and easy to use with a rarity that makes them a selling point for your client to try a different approach.
- Produces a wonderful bokeh (the aesthetic quality of the blur produced in the out-of-focus parts of an image).
- They cover 6K on RED Cameras on all focal lengths.
- The cobalt glass renders amazing skin tones. Were designed so actors look fantastic in their close up. That they do.
- They have a certain softness without feeling out of focus.
- While you can attempt to recreate their look with filters and in post what you end up with is a simulation that is simply not the same look. You will exceed the rental price by fumbling around for hours in post production.
- They are affordable to rent but expensive to buy.
Latest notable projects shot with the Super Baltars
Music Video: Jennifer Lopez with Pitbull “Live it Up”
Other than the Super Baltars a 24 to 290 Angeniux zoom was used on the Super Techno crane.
DP Daniel Pearl
Trailer for Magic City Season 2. Shot entirely on Super Baltars
Chanel “Timeless”
http://www.felidigiorgio.com/chanel/
“Rush”
DP Anthony Dodd Mantle
Magic City (2 seasons)
DP Gabriel Beristain
Margot at the Wedding
DP Harris Savides
Birth
Harris Savides
Labor Day
DP Eric Steelberg
The VVitch A New England Folktale
DPJarin Blaschke
Blind (Alec Baldwin and Demi Moore)
Michal Dabal
Detektiv Downs
DP Bård Breien
Prince Avalanche
DP Tim Orr
Sources:
https://shotonwhat.com/lenses/bausch-lomb-lenses
MTF Tests:
For your next camera lens rental in Miami we have the vintage Super Baltars available. Call us. We’ll get it done!
About The Author
David Wells - Moving Picture President
David Wells is the President of Moving Picture Rental, where he has the privilege of wearing many hats -- Producer, Director, Cameraman, and Technologist. An entrepreneur at heart, Wells injects creativity and innovation into every role and helps guide producers and filmmakers with their projects. Call David Wells and his team, and they’ll show you how to make your production an outstanding one.
