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Sanjin Jukic
04-03-2007, 10:54 AM
Som Berthiot Pan-Cinor 3,5/38-155mm

I've got today Som Berthiot Pan-Cinor 3,5/38-155 for €580 that would be also about US $770. Not so bad deal for 35mm cine zoom. It is a vintage 35mm cine lens zoom from the late 50's. Actually one of the first successful cine zoom. The French lens maker Som Berthiot has got Academy Award 1957 for the development of a high speed vari-focal photographic lens Pan Cinor 3,5/38-155mm. Read about it below.

http://www.sanjinjukic.com/extras/pan_cinor.jpg
Som Berthiot Pan-Cinor 3,5/38-155mm with attached Standard/Bayonet Arriflex to PL mount adapter.

"Australian Cinematographer" wrote in the Issue 20:

"Varifocal lenses for 35mm cameras were awarded the Scientific & Technical Award by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences at the 30th Annual Awards. This was presented to the Societe d’Optique et de Mecanique de Haute Precision, the French makers of the Pan Cinor Lens.

The year was 1958 –the year our Society was formed, the same year Jack Hildyard won the Oscar for his unforgettable cinematography on The Bridge on the River Kwai. He later came to Australia and was our first overseas visitor and the Society’s first Honorary Member. The Som Berthiot Lens became a very useful piece of optical equipment. The zoom mount was activated by a lever under the lens and allowed change in focal length by moving the lever forwards or backwards activating a beautifully smooth action. By the use of a prism inserted in the optics of the lens it allowed an image of the scene to be viewed by a viewfinder attached to the left side of the lens.

This allowed non reflex motion picture sound cameras such as the BNC Mitchell and NC Mitchell more flexibility, combining tracking shots and zoom shots on a sound take at the same time..."



SOM Berthiot or Berthiot in short was a French optical company from about the beginning of the XXth century. SOM standed for Société d'Optique et de Mécanique, ie Optical and Mechanical Company.(Link (http://www.camerapedia.org/wiki/Berthiot))


More>>http://www.cinematographer.org.au/features/classiccameras/somberthiot

Does anybody had experience with this lens?

chuck colburn
04-03-2007, 11:06 AM
Sanjin,

Yikes!
Haven't seen one of those since the sixties, (yeah I do remember some things from then) they weren't the greatest but their only competion at the time was the Angenieux 35-140 (do not go there!) The Ang. 25-250 came along about then and blew it out of the water. I do recall they did not track all that well and advise some testing for that if you are going to use it as zooming lens.

Chuck

Sanjin Jukic
04-03-2007, 11:11 AM
Thanks Chuck. I will do it and also report about it later in Summer/Fall. Hopefully.

chuck colburn
04-03-2007, 11:21 AM
Hey Sanjin,

Take that lens over to Arri/Austria. I bet their lens man would get a kick out of it (assuming he's old enough to remember it!).

Chuck

Sanjin Jukic
04-03-2007, 12:42 PM
Chuck I'll do it.

Sanjin Jukic
04-03-2007, 01:24 PM
1957(30th Academy Awards Anniversary)
SCIENTIFIC OR TECHNICAL AWARD (Class II)
To the SOCIÉTÉ D'OPTIQUE ET DE MECANIQUE DE HAUTE PRECISION for the development of a high speed vari-focal photographic lens. [Lenses and Filters]




SOM Berthiot or Berthiot in short was a French optical company from about the beginning of the XXth century. SOM standed for Société d'Optique et de Mécanique, ie Optical and Mechanical Company.(Link (http://www.camerapedia.org/wiki/Berthiot))