UH480
The Most Popular Anamorphic Lens

Overview

The UH480 is quite simply the most popular anamorphic lens in the industry, recommended by projector manufacturers and home theater dealers alike. Panamorph lenses clearly set the industry standard, incorporating a patented hybrid cylindrical-prism design that easily installs in front of home theater projectors, converting your projector from the standard 16:9 format to the true 2.35:1 cinematic aspect ratio of major motion pictures.

When paired with a projector that has the correct anamorphic scaling modes, the UH480 eliminates the black “letterbox bars” and recreates the fully immersive digital cinema experience in the home. This results in 80% more image area than widescreen movies shown on conventional 16:9 screens of the same height.

UH480

Features

• Industry's most popular horizontal expansion lens

• Produces amazing contrast and clarity with its five-element, 100%
  glass,patented, fully-multicoated optical design.

• Accepts large projector beams and produces exceptional image quality up
  to and beyond 1080P resolution at throw ratios down to 2.85 x screen
  height.

• Supports throw ratios down to 2.32 x screen height when used with
  projectors that have a smaller lens aperture or when using a curved
  projection screen. 

• Available in an automated, manual or fixed system configuration.

• Compatible with all scalable 2D and 3D projection technology.

UH480

Specifications

Designed and Assembled in USA using components made in USA and other countries

UH480

Accessories

ATH1 Transport 

The automatic transport (ATH1) moves the UH480 lens in and out of the projector’s light beam via the included IR remote control.  Operation via 12 volt trigger is also available for use with projector models and image processors with trigger capabilities.

MTH1 Transport

The manual transport (MTH1) is a simple, clean, oil-free mount that moves the UH480 lens in and out of the projector's beam with a slight push while maintaining ideal alignment.

AKXPro Attachment Kits

Make installation of your UH480 lens, ATH1 or MTH1 transport easy with this proprietary pre-engineered mounting system for the most popular projectors. The AKXPro Attachment Kit works with the UH480 in fixed (no transport) or moveable configurations (paired with either the ATH1 or MTH1 transport).  Available for most popular projectors.

Lens Corrector Kits

For installations with longer throw distances than our recommended allowable distance (20 ft or 6.1 m) a custom corrector can be factory installed in your UH480 to extend the focal "sweet-spot" up to 40 ft (12.2 m).

UH480

Product Information and Downloads

UH480 Product Brochure

Automated and Manual UH480 Installation & Owner's Manual

Fixed UH480 Installation Guide

UH480 Product Fact Sheet

UH480

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the Panamorph UH480 lens work with my projector?

In all likelihood, yes. The Panamorph UH480 lens was designed with a very large aperture so that it would even accommodate projectors with very large lenses or beam spots. Having a large aperture also means that the UH480 will work through the entire zoom range of most projectors, which greatly eases installation concerns.

My projector has lens shift - is it OK to use it with a UH480 lens?

Use of vertical lens shift (shifting the image up and down) will generally not cause any image problems, but use of horizontal lens shift (shifting the image side to side) is NOT recommended because it will create "keystone" distortion. 

How far from the screen does the projector and UH480 lens assembly need to be mounted?

First, there is the issue of focus. The UH480 lens is engineered to give optimum sharpness and full graphics level performance when mounted between about 14.5’ to 17.5’ feet from the screen. This was a deliberate design choice, as experience has shown us that the vast majority of projectors are installed within that mounting distance. Mounting the lens within those limits will reveal full 1080P pixel level sharpness even with critical test patterns. Practically, however, the UH480 lens can be used from about 12 to 22 feet without any noticeable loss of sharpness with even high definition movies. For those wanting "pixel level" performance at distances greater than 17.5’, we offer optional UH480 Long Throw Conversion Kits at an additional cost. 

The second part of the answer has to do with throw ratios. We recommend a minimum throw ratio of 2.85 times the screen height.  If you mount the UH480 at shorter than a 2.85 throw ratio, you will have more pincushion distortion and a greater need for masking or a curved screen (pincushion is a type of optical distortion where the middle portions of the image bend inward). It is also important to point out that the shorter the throw ratio, the wider the aspect ratio. As an extreme example, if your throw ratio is 2.36 you should expect an aspect ratio even greater than 2.50:1!

How do I clean my lens?

Use a soft, lint-free cloth and photographic lens cleaning solution.  Use of other cleaning products, especially anything abrasive, may damage the special coatings on the lens and void the warranty.