An simple explanation about  full frame and animorphic to digital artist.

What the hell is a animorphic lens and why do people use them? Animorphic lens are uses to get a 2:1 ratio image to fit fully on a 35mm film (which is square) with out losing resolution.

When the film scan is done (scanning the image only) and brought into a digital program package (3dsmax, Nuke, After Effects) the image will have to be set to a 2:1 ratio or scaled up to 1:1

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On the set we see allot more then we can shoot.

What a frame of film looks like when shot with a normal lens (most camera’s) plus what it would look like if displayed fully in a theater.

Notice that the film is square and the blond girl and the sky is cut off

Image ratio is 1:1 (vertical is equal to the horizontal)

The theater using a lens cover will do to give you “movie like” widescreen experience

Image ratio is still 1:1 (vertical is equal to the horizontal) just cropped at the theater with a hood.

Animorphic lens, which is sorta like a horizontal fish eye lens, can see the girl and the sky and still print to a full frame.

Image ratio is now 2:1 (vertical is twice the horizontal)