Soviet photo optics were used during the filming of the second part of Dune (4 photos)

The star director of photography turned out to be a fan of vintage Soviet glass.





Oscar winner for best cinematography for the film "Dune" Greg Fraser used Soviet lenses "Helios 44/2" and "Mir-1V" while working on the second part of the sci-fi blockbuster. The latter, which received the Grand Prix at the World Exhibition in 1958 in Brussels, he acquired specifically for the second part of Dune.

In an interview, the Hollywood director of photography said that the Mir-1V photographic lens is known for its subtle reproduction of shades of light, high image sharpness and contrast. According to him, these features of the lens helped him achieve a special visual effect and accurately convey the atmosphere of the desert planet Arrakis.



Fraser admitted that he had previously used Soviet lenses “Helios 44/2” (1966) and “Jupiter-9” (1951) in his work. “Helios 44/2” (a copy of the German Zeiss Biotar 2.0/58), according to the operator, is famous for its unique “circle of light”, which gives a special atmosphere to the picture, and “Jupiter-9” is famous for its soft focus and high contrast. It was these photographic lenses that he used to film some scenes in Batman.

After finishing work on the film, Fraser was given reassembled Soviet lenses with the inscription Dune.

Soviet lenses used during filming. The Ukrainian workshop Ironglass is engaged in “repackaging” them into new cases so that they are suitable for use on digital cameras