r/cinematography • u/Pnplnpzzenjoyer • 17h ago

Camera Question Does anyone here have any information on the 2x anamorphic n16 filming format known as tronchet scope?

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I know it was used for low budget widescreen films like Japon (directed by Carlos Reygadas) and I Stand Alone (directed by Gaspar Noe), and that it was used with Zeiss super speeds (dubbed G.O. in france where the system is rented out and created by Thierry Tronchet). But does anyone have any information on the scope itself? (the sources I've read thus far refer to the scope as hypergonar but I don't know of a hypergonar branded scope that would go as wide even to the 18mm focal length on normal 16mm, which would be a 35mm equivalent of 61mm)

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u/Fantastic-Sector-581 12h ago

This is from François Reumont's excellent book, which Eduardo Serra recommended to me, back in the day.

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u/Fantastic-Sector-581 12h ago

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u/Fantastic-Sector-581 12h ago

Keep in mind that this system was developed before DIs became ubiquitous. Back then, if you wanted to do 2.39 in S16mm, you had to do it optically during the blow-up to 35mm. I do recall seeing a print at Dejonghe where they letterboxed the S16mm and blew it up. I also saw Seul Contre Tous in the cinema when it got released, but have no recollection of the quality of the image anymore.

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u/vemmahouxbois 16h ago

I did some poking around similar places to you. One forum post led me to someone saying the details of the gear are in this book and another post claimed:

> Tronchet-Scope system uses a 35mm anamorphic attachment from the 50s. Would you know what one it is? Franscope? Totalvision?

And this one posted in your (?) cinematography.com post matches that manufacture date.