Schneider Optics Split Focus Diopter
SPLIT DIOPTER
A Split Focus Diopter is half convex glass that attaches in front of the camera’s main lens to make half the lens nearsighted. The lens can focus on a plane in the background and the diopter on a foreground element. In the 1970’s and 1980’s, Brian De Palma championed the use of this tool to enhance the visual and emotional experience of his films.
The Split Diopter allows for Deep Focus cinematography but requires much less light. It also delivers a distinctive look that blends sharp and out-of-focus imagery all in one frame. Subjects in both foreground and background can be kept in focus. In the video below are all 15 Split Diopter shots from Brian De Palma’s film Blow Out (1981).
De Palma used the Split Diopter to enhance the drama in ‘Blow Out’
CLASSIC FEATURE FILMS:
You have probably seen many Split Diopter shots and not even realized it. They carry an other-worldly look that feels different from a normally lensed shot. It can be perceived as disorientating as our vision doesn’t work the same way.
All The President’s Men (1976)
The Split Diopter has a clear line down the middle of the frame between foreground and background.
Obvious Split Diopter shot in Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Vertical lines in the frame can be used to hide the shift between foreground and background focus.
Vertical lines hide the Split Diopter in The Slave (1962)
Darkness in the frame can also be used to disguise the use of the Split Diopter.
Darkness hides the Split Diopter in The Untouchables (1987)
Split Diopters shots can add enhanced hyper-realism to emotional moments.
Smallville (2011) BTS photo by director Greg Beeman
Robert Wise used the Split Diopter extensively in Star Trek: The Motion Picture.
Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)
Steven Spielberg splits the screen in Jaws.
Split diopter shot from Jaws (1975)
BROADCAST SHOWS:
Halt and Catch Fire S03 E07
Margot Robbie in the season 42 premiere of SNL
The bottom line is that Split Diopters help achieve the cinematic and story goal of emphasizing subjects as needed by the Director and DP. When utilized for decisive or important moments…they can visually amplify the dramatic tension for the viewer. If used too often, just like with any other technique, the magic of this tool will diminish and the effect will become obvious.
MORE FILMS:
Million Dollar Baby (2004)
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1978)
Used sparingly and hidden within the frame…Brian De Palma chose 15 moments in ‘Blow Out’ to bust out the Split Diopter.
Until next time…
RELATED:
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Another great article about Split Focus Diopters by Jan Stripek.
There are 7 comments
Great post Vashi!
I remember the first split diopter shot I remember seeing. It was in Tarantino’s “Death Proof” and I remember thinking “what the hell is that line down the middle of the screen?”.
About the second shot of the owl though…(the one that starts at 1:16) it almost looks to me like that could be an optical composite. The way the background shows through his head as it is turning looks like a composite to me. I could be wrong about that though.
A quick question. Can a tilt shift lens be used to achieve the same effect?
You can understand about 1:16 by the shaking of the camera… It shows it all.
I think you’re right Evan. The wobble of the owl suggests optical for that. Looks like De Palma did a “fake” split diopter shot. Good eyes!
[…] and later swept over the filmmaking world in the 70s. Vashi Nedomansky of Vashi Visuals takes a look at the use of split focus diopters throughout cinema, and picks out all 15 shots from Brian De Palma’s 1981 film Blow Out that […]
[…] Splitting The Focus in De Palma’s ‘Blow Out’ […]
[…] Film making Blog […]
[…] and later swept over the filmmaking world in the 70s. Vashi Nedomansky of Vashi Visuals takes a look at the use of split focus diopters throughout cinema, and picks out all 15 shots from Brian De Palma’s 1981 film Blow Out that […]