I've Joined The A-Lens Club! - Page 2

Thanks.

I'm not sure I've experienced any new revelation. I've planned on the possibility of acquiring an A-lens from the beginning and have inquired about them for years here, while exclaiming all the A-lens set ups I've seen looked wonderful.

As I said, this mostly has to do with the practicalities of my limited throw distance. It does introduce a bit more cumbersome element to my set up at the moment (having to manually move the lens, vs previously everything remote controlled).

I don't have a lumagen and I'm not a fan of the idea of leaving the A-lens in place. I only need to use it occasionally.

I guess the Lumagen has a setting where it properly re-shapes the 16:9 image so it comes out correctly when put through an A-lens?

Thanks.

Yes, ideally I would want the A-lens on a motorized sled too, and I'm aware of the ATH1 Transport for the UH480.

I've been watching the A-lens market for years and I can't recall the last time I saw one of those transports actually for sale second hand, alone. Usually it's a lens/transport being sold together. I'm not sure I can even come up with a reason anyone would sell just their ATH1 Transport if they owned a Panamorph lens.

But if you know of any bargains...I'm all ears.

My issue is that it's been hard to justify spending a lot of money on A-lenses and transports. Unlike most people who use an A-lens every time they switch to scope, I only use it occasionally, just to get those last few inches of width in my set up when I want it.

When my friend came over and saw the Panamorph lens I told him how much I spent on it, which was an incredible bargain. He couldn't believe it was "so expensive." Then I told him how much it was new. He almost fell over. Then I told him how much an electric transport was just to move the lens into position. He literally couldn't comprehend the price "just for a lens to widen the image????!!!!"

The ironic thing is this is a guy who reviews high end audio and is used to insane prices for amplifiers, DACs, speakers not to mention cables. (He once had $18,000 1m long speaker cables at his place).

Anyway, the prices for an A-lens and transport does tend to make the blood run cold, which is why I leapt at this once-in-a-lifetime price for the UH480.
I doubt I'll have any such luck with a remote controlled transport, but I'll be keeping my eyes out.

Thanks again GetGray! I know your product is very well regarded so I appreciate your input.

I've been used to having everything in my system automated/remote controlled, including all AR and image size changes. Hence, as much as I'm enjoying the A-lens, moving it manually was getting old fast.

Fortunately it looks like I'm about to pick up a used automated lens sled for my Panamorph lens. (Thanks to GetGray/Scott for giving me a lead).

Question for anyone using these lens sleds: Usually it seems the lens sled is depicted as mounted overtop the projector with the lens hanging down in front of the projector lens.
Do these sleds also work mounting them the opposite way: sled mounted below projector (attached to the projector shelf or whatever) with the lens above the sled?

Or are they designed always to operate with the lens hanging down from the sled portion?

Thanks,

A font of knowledge you are, sir. Thanks.