I Took 35mm Film Photos With an Anamorphic Lens: Was It Worth It?

Apr 19, 2025

Jaron Schneider

Last year, I got back into taking photos on film mostly as a way to remember my father. It sparked a joy in photography I hadn’t experienced in many years and as a result, I started to get more interested in different formats. Panoramic photography, in particular, very much interested me.

Unfortunately, I didn’t feel like my already expensive hobby could continue if I were to purchase a panoramic camera. They’re uncommon, pricey, and often quite large and even when they’re smaller, they’re much harder to find and even more expensive. I wanted to forget about it, but I couldn’t shake the desire to create these gorgeous panoramic photos, especially when I saw what my friend David Imel was making.

Beach scene at sunset with a lifeguard tower marked "27" on the right. The sky is cloudy and the coastline is lined with cliffs and buildings. There's a tent on the sand in the distance, creating a peaceful atmosphere. — San Diego Surf Shack | Fujifilm Provia 100F | David Imel

Traditional Japanese temple architecture with a multi-tiered pagoda and a main hall, featuring ornate wooden details and a golden spire against a clear blue sky. — Japanese Pagoda | Fuji Superia 400 | David Imel

When I realized my desire for panoramic photos wasn’t going to subside, I decided to look into other options. That’s when I thought about anamorphic lenses, which might not be true panoramics but would provide me with the same aesthetic. Over the last few years, anamorphic lenses have gotten cheaper and more easily accessible, so I thought it might be fun to try and mount one to my dad’s Nikon F.

A beach scene at sunset with calm waves and a large rock formation in the distance. The sky transitions from soft pink to purple hues. In the foreground, tall grass borders the view. — Cannon Beach | Velvia 50 | David Imel

A tranquil scene of icebergs floating on calm water, under a foggy sky. The icebergs are various shapes and sizes, with reflections visible in the water, creating a serene and peaceful atmosphere. — Iceberg, Iceland | Fujifilm Provia 100F | David Imel

Unfortunately, I learned pretty quickly that there is no adapter for any film SLR to a modern digital optic due to flange back distance: they just don’t work that way. Luckily, Chris Niccolls convinced me to pick up a Bessa R2a last year and that takes Leica M-mount, a mount that is not only still being actively developed but also is easily adapted. So I picked up a Laowa Nanomorph 32mm f/2.9, an EF to M adapter, and got to work.

A person holds a large black R2A camera without a lens towards the camera, with both hands visible. The background shows a blurred monitor and glowing geometric lights on the wall. — The Voigtlander Bessa R2a

I should probably mention that I’m not saving all that much money on getting an anamorphic lens upfront. It’s more of a savings based on film and development costs. The Laowa Nanomorph 32mm T2.9 still costs $1,500. But unlike a panoramic camera, I can shoot all 36 shots on a roll of standard film and each one will be ultra-wide. It’s also 35mm and not 120, which is further savings on a per-photo basis. But all that said, this is still an expensive experiment.

Buy the Laowa Nanomorph 32mm T2.9 new on Amazon.com Buy the Laowa Nanomorph 32mm T2.9 used on KEH.com

A Refresher: What Is Anamorphic?

Last December, while I was actively working on this project, we published an article from Taylor Scott Mason who had a similar idea to me: shooting anamorphic still photos. He used an Atlas lens, which costs a lot, but got some fabulous photos. While he explains what anamorphic is briefly, I thought it might be worth it to explain it a bit more in-depth.

Anamorphic optics were, supposedly, originally developed during World War I to provide a wider angle of view for military tanks. They were eventually ported over to use for cinema, saw some use starting in the mid-century, and fell off in popularity in the late 1990s. It saw a resurgence in popularity once digital sensors saw dramatic low-light performance improvements and they have since become widespread in both cinema and television applications.

A person holds a Nanomorph 32mm T2.9 1.5x anamorphic large format lens with both hands, in a room with a blurred background featuring a desk, computer monitors, and purple lighting. — This is the Venus Optics Laowa Nanomorph 32mm T2.9, the anamorphic lens I used in my experiment.

Anamorphic lenses have a wholly different construction compared to standard spherical camera lenses. Moment describes this pretty well:

“When it comes to lenses, there are two main camps: spherical and anamorphic. Spherical lenses are the standard go-to, delivering images that match the sensor’s aspect ratio with no funny business — what you see is what you get. Anamorphic lenses, however, play with the image a bit more creatively, squishing the frame along its longer dimension. This squeeze means you’ll need to stretch things back out in post-production or when projecting, but the payoff is that signature cinematic look,” Moment explains.

A person holds a large camera lens close to their face, partially obscuring it. In the background, a computer monitor and geometric LED lights are visible on the wall. — An anamorphic iris is ovular rather than the circular iris found in typical spherical lenses.

“By compressing the image horizontally, anamorphic lenses let you capture those ultra-wide shots even with standard-sized sensors while delivering gorgeous oval bokeh and fewer pesky aberrations than their spherical counterparts. It’s no wonder these lenses are a favorite for creating epic, unforgettable visuals.”

High-end cinema anamorphic lenses will typically feature a squeeze of 2x, but more affordable anamorphic lenses have a less dramatic squeeze of 1.33x or 1.5x. In my case, the Laowa Nanomorph is a 1.5x anamorphic lens.

Anamorphic lenses have some pretty well-known characteristics — even the average movie-goer will know them, even if they don’t know they know. For example, the dramatic lens flares in a JJ Abrams or Christopher Nolan movie are due to anamorphic optics. The most iconic is the long horizontal line flare that usually has a blue tint. The Laowa Nanomorph takes this a step further and lets you pick among three flare colors: amber, blue, and silver. Mine is the stock-standard amber.

All we really need to take away from this is the squeeze part: anamorphic lenses will allow a photographer to capture a wider field of view onto a standard 35mm film frame without needing to alter any of the other components of the camera; the lens alone will be enough.

Film Photography Limitations

As I mentioned, there are no film SLRs with a short enough flange back to make adapting modern lenses possible, which means during this test I was using the Voigtlander Bessa R2a rangefinder. Because I was adapting an EF lens to M, there is no rangefinder focus coupling, meaning that I would either have to know how far I was from my subject and manually set my focus to that, or I would have to be happy shooting at infinity.

A person holds a camera lens adapter labeled "Fotodiox EOS-LM" with both hands in front of their face, with a blurred indoor background and purple lighting. — One of many possible M to EF adapters available on the market.

I chose, for the most part, the latter. I decided that the part about David Imel’s panoramic photos that I liked was his landscapes and those were going to mostly involve photos taken at infinity anyway.

The other problem was figuring out what my frame was. I could use the rangefinder guides — the Bessa has a 35mm one, of course, but not a 32mm one — but they would only provide a general idea of what was in the frame. I would very likely have more in the frame than I realized. I decided I was okay with that, too. I would have to be.

Oh, and color film isn’t very sensitive. That became an issue.

Anamorphic on 35mm Film: How It Shoots

Shooting ultra-wide panels through the winter showed me why this format wasn’t super popular for a long time: shooting on color film with its limited ISOs is very difficult. On bright days, I would need to meter my highlights and then my shadows would get crushed. Shooting in low light means balancing my need for at least 1/60 second shutter speeds against the T2.9 iris, which isn’t particularly bright. Often I would end up with dramatically underexposed photos. When they weren’t underexposed, they were very likely out of focus as I struggled to remember everything I needed to do to get a photo captured with this absurd setup.

I say absurd because while I complained earlier that panoramic cameras tend to be huge and I wasn’t the biggest fan of that, my adapted Nanomorph on the Bessa R2a isn’t exactly small and lightweight either. Quite the opposite. It might not look like a lot, but this whole package weighs 1,640 grams (without a roll of film) which is about 4/5 of a Nikon Noct lens, PetaPixel‘s humorously referred to unit of measurement for “that’s heavy.”

A person with dark hair is holding a camera up to their face, taking a photo. They are indoors, wearing a red smartwatch, with computer monitors and equipment visible in the background. — Using the rangefinder is greatly hampered. Not only is focus disabled, but half the frame of view is taken up by the lens.

As you can imagine, it’s hard to balance that much weight and get a stable frame with slow shutter speeds. I quickly realized that 1/30 second was pushing it and half my shots would be blurry, so I forced myself to only shoot in scenes where I was able to get to 1/60 second. Since I wanted to get some flare, I often chose to shoot at night which complicated my setup further.

A serene landscape featuring a calm river winding through rocky terrain with sparse green foliage. The clear blue sky contrasts with the rugged, earthy rock formations and tranquil water, creating a peaceful natural scene. — This photo is properly exposed, but the weak dynamic range of film means my shadows were crushed.

Anamorphic lenses also have smooth focus and iris rings, which means the second I’m done shooting a scene, I’m going to fall out of infinity. I can think of countless times that I forgot to check my focus point and realized I focused too close because my hand slightly moved the focus ring.

Nighttime urban street scene with illuminated neon signs and streetlights lining a mostly empty road. Buildings have modern, geometric designs. A few parked cars are visible in the distance. The atmosphere is calm and quiet. — This could have been a nice photo, but alas, the focus is off.

The biggest issue by far, however, was not being able to see my composition before taking the shot. As mentioned, I just had rangefinder guides and when looking through the R2a’s finder, about half the frame is taken up by the massive lens. So even with that already handicapped viewing experience, half is unusable. I really did have to use my imagination or look at a scene, pull the camera to my eye, and visualize what parts weren’t visible.

Night view of a bustling street in Las Vegas, featuring palm trees, neon signs, and bright lights. The faux Eiffel Tower stands prominently amid illuminated casinos, billboards, and cars. The atmosphere is vibrant and lively. — Many photos are just slightly off, such as this one which I wanted to have a bit more street in it.

This is a slow, plodding, deliberate shooting experience; and remember, this is coming from a guy who shoots with a Nikon FTn most of the time and that’s not anywhere near what I would call a “fast” camera. Even for an analog photographer, this process is painfully slow.

Anamorphic on 35mm Film: The Results

Once the photos are developed and scanned, there is one more step before the photo is finished: the de-squeeze. As mentioned, an anamorphic lens takes a wide scene and compresses it into a 4:3 frame. To get it to its proper aspect ratio, it needs to be pulled outward in Photoshop.

A screenshot of Adobe Photoshop with a nighttime city photo being edited. The image shows a street scene with UK flags and a brightly lit storefront, centered and enlarged on the Photoshop workspace.

A screenshot of Adobe Photoshop shows a nighttime city photo being edited. The image features a building with bright pink lights, Union Jack flags, and streetlights. Photoshop toolbars and menus are visible on the screen.

Below is what a photo looks like right off the negative:

Nighttime shot of a small market with illuminated storefront signs reading "Manni Mini Market" and "Groceries 24/7." The store's windows display shelves with various products. A person is visible at the entrance.

And here it is after it undergoes a 1.5x desqueeze:

Street view of a small convenience store at night with illuminated signs. The name "Manni Mini Market" is displayed above, along with "Groceries 24/7" on the windows. The interior is visible through the glass, showing aisles and a person inside.

To do this, I calculated the size of the canvas in Photoshop that would be the correct final desqueeze and dropped scans into it, dead center. Then I could “pull” the right and left sides to the edge (while holding Shift so as to not constrain proportions), and then I could save the photo from there. That might sound like a lot, but after the arduous process of taking the photos, this was a cakewalk.

The result is photos that are probably closest to 6×12 panoramic large format but captured in a smaller 35mm frame.

A small kiosk labeled "Show Tickets" is illuminated at night, surrounded by bright signs and posters. A person in a red shirt stands at the kiosk's counter. The scene includes plants and soft street lighting.

A large hotel with bright lights is seen at night behind a display of water fountains shooting high into the air over a pond below. The hotel has a curved structure and multiple floors illuminated by lights.

A man with a beard holds a camera and poses for a photo in an urban setting at night. Neon lights and advertisements illuminate the background. Another person is partially visible, holding a camera in the foreground.

People walking on a brightly lit pedestrian walkway at night in an urban area, surrounded by illuminated buildings and a replica of the Statue of Liberty. Signs and lights create a vibrant atmosphere.

Night view of the Las Vegas Strip featuring the illuminated replica of the Statue of Liberty, MGM Grand building, and various brightly lit hotel and casino signs. Traffic is visible on the street below.

Busy nighttime scene on a city street with tall palm trees and colorful illuminated signs. Several cars drive along the road beside a sidewalk lined with people. Bright, modern buildings glow with vibrant lights and advertisements.

I shot about eight rolls of film using this anamorphic setup, mostly on Kodak Portra 800 (for the ISO range) and Ektar 100. Some of the photos, especially the Ektar, came out really good. I’m particularly happy with the moody Portland Japanese Garden photos, the shots I got in the Portland Airport, and a few of the photos from the streets of Tokyo.

A dimly lit pathway at night is flanked by rows of vibrant red banners with white Japanese script. The banners are attached to poles, creating a tunnel-like effect, with a single streetlamp casting a warm glow.

Night scene of a brightly lit storefront with illuminated butterfly decorations. The building displays "H&M" in large letters. Various signs and people are visible on the bustling street, with cars passing by.

Dimly lit scene showing a path alongside a traditional Japanese building at night. A red lantern casts a warm glow on nearby trees and shrubbery. In the background, red torii gates are partially visible, creating a serene and atmospheric setting.

A narrow, empty underground hallway with tiled walls and a tiled floor stretches into the distance. Overhead lights cast a dim glow, creating a sense of depth and perspective.

Spacious train station interior with high arched ceiling and warm wood paneling. People walk with luggage on a patterned floor. Two staircases lead up to a mezzanine with "Loyal Legion Beer Hall" signage. Natural light streams through large windows.

Indoor scene of an airport terminal with lush greenery and ambient lighting. Travelers walk on a polished wooden floor. Information screens and stores are visible in the background, and a high ceiling with overhead lights completes the welcoming atmosphere.

Moss-covered trees with bare branches stand in a dense, misty forest. A fallen tree leans diagonally across the scene. A hint of a wooden deck or railing is visible on the right edge.

A modern, angular wooden cabin with large glass windows nestled among dense trees in a forest setting, surrounded by lush greenery. The structure is elevated and blends harmoniously with the natural environment.

One thing I tried — which I’m still not sure if I like — is shooting in portrait orientation. I mean, it’s photography, so you don’t have to stick to a landscape frame, but these images are long. There is one photo of a rock climber I shot in the Pinnacles National Park that stands out to me as a good use of this aspect ratio, though. They’re in the middle of the frame, outstretched, and the unusually long framing makes it feel even more daunting.

A climber scales a rocky cliff, partially shaded with sunlight hitting the upper rocks. The sky is clear and blue, with a few trees visible on the right.

The other couple of verticals I tried just ended up feeling ultra-tall, and while that might be interesting, I’m not sure it’s “good.”

A dimly lit room features an ornate lantern emitting warm light next to a circular window. A festive wreath with red decorations and a Santa face hangs on the window. Outside, lush greenery is visible through the glass.

A series of vibrant red torii gates create a tunnel-like pathway, receding into the distance. The Japanese characters on the gates are visible, and the scene is illuminated by gentle lighting, evoking a serene atmosphere.

Night scene of a street with palm trees and a brightly lit globe and tower structure in the background. People walk along the sidewalk, and cars drive by on the road. The atmosphere is lively with colorful lights.

None of these photos are “sharp,” at least not by modern digital standards, but I’m okay with that. I like the vibe and the emotion of these images more than anything. While I can’t say I necessarily enjoyed taking these photos, I’m pretty happy with the results given the difficulty of making them happen.

Anamorphic on 35mm Film: Was It Worth It?

After the last few months of traveling the world and trying out anamorphic on film, I’m left a bit conflicted. On the one hand, there isn’t a better system for using anamorphic on film than the one I’ve got here, which means you have to be willing to sacrifice a lot for this specific look — a look that not everyone will necessarily like. I also learned that I probably shouldn’t have been so focused on the idea of getting that “anamorphic look” by trying to get bright light sources. I got distracted by this and the result is a lot of photos taken in relatively poor light. I think I could do better in more pleasing lighting conditions.

Low-angle nighttime image of a dimly lit street corner featuring a glowing sign, surrounded by trees and foliage. A car's red brake lights are visible in the distance, casting a faint reflection on the pavement. — A perfect example of me getting distracted at trying to make the anamorphic flare look work, rather than focusing on just making a good photo. Nothing about this is correct save for the flare.

On the other hand, some of the photos I shot really jumped out at me. I’ll probably print and frame at least one. So from that perspective, it was worth it.

I would probably hesitate to recommend this to anyone else though, simply due to how error-prone the process is. I think that if you really like the look of panoramic film photos, there is no getting around it: you have to get a panoramic camera.

Still, I’m glad I tried this. It was a fun experiment that made me think about photography differently and at this point in my career, that’s often the best I can hope for.

Now I’m on the hunt for a Fujifilm TX-1 or Hasselblad XPAN. After that, I look forward to making many, many mistakes as I aspire to just one-tenth the quality David gets in his photos.

Buy the Fujifilm TX-1 new on Amazon.com Buy the Fujifilm TX-1 used on KEH.com

Buy the Hasselblad X-Pan new on Amazon.com Buy the Hasselblad X-Pan used on KEH.com