Soviet anamorphic cine zoom 37-140mm T4.1 (LOMO, 1970s) — one of the few anamorphic cine zooms ever made, character-rich, with oval bokeh and a rare focal range.
The LOMO Foton is an anamorphic cine zoom with 37-140mm at T4.1, manufactured by the Soviet LOMO factory in Leningrad in the 1970s. Anamorphic zooms are rare — the design must maintain a constant squeeze across the entire focal length range, significantly increasing complexity compared to a spherical zoom.
The Field
Rare doesn't mean unique. Angénieux offers three Optimo Anamorphic Zooms — 30-72mm and 56-152mm, both at T4.0 with a 2x squeeze, plus the long 42-420mm. Cooke makes the Anamorphic/i 35-140mm, Hawk the V-Lite 45-90mm. What sets the Foton apart is not its exclusivity, but its age: it is the oldest of these lenses and the one with the strongest individual character.
Optical Character
Single coating, as typical for the era, 2x squeeze, oval bokeh with a noticeable tendency to swirl at wide open aperture. The flares are characteristically horizontal and colored, often with magenta and green components. T4.1 is not fast — but this limitation is part of its character and was not an oversight during manufacturing, but the price of the design.
Mount and Service
The original mount is the Soviet OCT-19 mount. For modern productions, adaptation is either via an OCT-19 to PL adapter or through a complete rehousing, as offered by P+S Technik or Servicevision. Original copies are primarily held by Eastern European rental houses.
Prices
Market observation, not manufacturer data: original Fotons rent for approximately 250 to 400 EUR per day, rehoused copies for 600 to 1,000 EUR. A rehousing costs in the mid-five-figure range.
Related terms
Quiz
1. Was beschreibt „LOMO Foton" am besten?
2. Zu welchem Department gehört „LOMO Foton"?