PV mount
Encyclopedia
A PV mount is a lens mount
developed by Panavision
for use with both 16 mm and 35 mm movie camera
s. It is the only mount offered with Panavision cameras and Panavision-designed lenses, and since the company only rents its equipment, this is likely to remain an exclusive arrangement for the time being. However, Panavision also modifies ("Panavises") its third party camera and lens equipment in the interest of allowing clients to retain their personal preferences regarding equipment. As they are the only company who can offer this, customers wanting to use Panavision lenses on non-Panavision cameras or vice versa must rent this equipment directly through Panavision. The mount itself contains four pronged flanges, one of which contains a locating pin in the center. This pin must be seated at the bottom of the camera lens mount, the only place in the seating where a complementary hole exists. This means that the lens can only be oriented in one position, which may be perceived as a disadvantage in certain shooting conditions. (Although this was originally likely by design to prevent mis-orienting anamorphic optics, it remains an issue for spherical lenses.) The mount is locked into place using a friction locking ring which, in conjunction with the four prongs of the flange, creates a very strong lens seating. This has become a crucial factor in recent years, as bigger lenses with zoom capabilities, longer focal lengths, or larger lens elements have raised the bar on requirements for mount stability. Furthermore, the tendency is for flange focal distance
to become a more critical factor as sharper lenses, film stock
with higher resolving power, and post-production workflows which preserve more of the original camera negative's information continue to make technological progress and advancement. Flange focal distance is also more likely to be rigorously checked as tastes for wider angle lenses continue to push the envelope, as wider lenses have a much narrower tolerance for lens displacement. Because of all of these reasons, along with the exclusivity of the mount for virtually all shoots renting from Panavision, the PV mount has become a massive success since it was first released in conjunction with the Panaflex in 1972. Because of the strength of the mount, it remains, along with the Arri PL
, one of only two lens mounts still in major usage by a large number of professional productions.
Lens mount
A lens mount is an interface — mechanical and often also electrical — between a photographic camera body and a lens. It is confined to cameras where the body allows interchangeable lenses, most usually the single lens reflex type or any movie camera of 16 mm or higher gauge...
developed by Panavision
Panavision
Panavision is an American motion picture equipment company specializing in cameras and lenses, based in Woodland Hills, California. Formed by Robert Gottschalk as a small partnership to create anamorphic projection lenses during the widescreen boom in the 1950s, Panavision expanded its product...
for use with both 16 mm and 35 mm movie camera
Movie camera
The movie camera is a type of photographic camera which takes a rapid sequence of photographs on strips of film which was very popular for private use in the last century until its successor, the video camera, replaced it...
s. It is the only mount offered with Panavision cameras and Panavision-designed lenses, and since the company only rents its equipment, this is likely to remain an exclusive arrangement for the time being. However, Panavision also modifies ("Panavises") its third party camera and lens equipment in the interest of allowing clients to retain their personal preferences regarding equipment. As they are the only company who can offer this, customers wanting to use Panavision lenses on non-Panavision cameras or vice versa must rent this equipment directly through Panavision. The mount itself contains four pronged flanges, one of which contains a locating pin in the center. This pin must be seated at the bottom of the camera lens mount, the only place in the seating where a complementary hole exists. This means that the lens can only be oriented in one position, which may be perceived as a disadvantage in certain shooting conditions. (Although this was originally likely by design to prevent mis-orienting anamorphic optics, it remains an issue for spherical lenses.) The mount is locked into place using a friction locking ring which, in conjunction with the four prongs of the flange, creates a very strong lens seating. This has become a crucial factor in recent years, as bigger lenses with zoom capabilities, longer focal lengths, or larger lens elements have raised the bar on requirements for mount stability. Furthermore, the tendency is for flange focal distance
Flange focal distance
For an interchangeable lens camera, the flange focal distance of a lens mount system is the distance from the mounting flange to the...
to become a more critical factor as sharper lenses, film stock
Film stock
Film stock is photographic film on which filmmaking of motion pictures are shot and reproduced. The equivalent in television production is video tape.-1889–1899:...
with higher resolving power, and post-production workflows which preserve more of the original camera negative's information continue to make technological progress and advancement. Flange focal distance is also more likely to be rigorously checked as tastes for wider angle lenses continue to push the envelope, as wider lenses have a much narrower tolerance for lens displacement. Because of all of these reasons, along with the exclusivity of the mount for virtually all shoots renting from Panavision, the PV mount has become a massive success since it was first released in conjunction with the Panaflex in 1972. Because of the strength of the mount, it remains, along with the Arri PL
Arri PL
Arri PL is a lens mount developed by Arri for use with both 16 mm and 35 mm movie cameras. The PL stands for "positive lock". It is the successor mount to the Arri bayonet; however, unlike the bayonet mount, it is incompatible with older Arri-mount lenses, due to the larger diameter...
, one of only two lens mounts still in major usage by a large number of professional productions.
Technical specifications
- Flange focal distance: 57.15 mm
- Diameter: 49.50 mm
- Cameras:
- 35 mm all Panavision models and several Arri and Moviecam models (as available)
- 16 mm Panavision "Elaine", several Arri and Aaton models (as available)