In 1991, as a response to an increased demand for 65 mm cameras (in the mid-1980s
Steven Spielberg had wanted to film
Empire of the Sun in Super Panavision 70 but did not want to work with the old 65 mm camera equipment), Panavision introduced an updated line of 65 mm cameras and optics known as
Panavision System 65 and monikered in advertising and release prints as
Panavision Super 70. The system was designed to compete with the parallel development of the
Arriflex 765 camera. The new System 65 camera was self-blimped, with reflex viewing designed as the 65 mm cousin to the 35 mm Panaflex camera (and used many of the same accessories). Only two System 65 cameras were ever built, and the small fleet of old 65 mm handheld reflex cameras had their lens mounts modified to accept the System 65 lenses. The System 65 lenses were all a medium-format variant of lens designs from the (then) current line of Panavision Primos. All System 65 telephoto lenses (i.e. 300 mm, 400 mm, 500 mm) were converted Canon telephotos. In the wake of the modest box office reception for the first Panavision System 65/Super 70 feature
Far and Away, combined with the fact that
35 mm digital surround sound had arrived and minimized the multi-channel sound advantage the 70 mm format had, meant that a hoped-for renaissance in 65/70 mm film production never materialized. In the 2010s, this renaissance finally materialized following a string of successful films from director
Christopher Nolan, which were produced and screened in 70 mm IMAX. Following the effort made by
Quentin Tarantino and Boston Light & Sound to restore a large fleet of 70 mm projectors for the release of
The Hateful Eight, 70 mm projection once again became available to non-IMAX venues. ==Films using Panavision System 65/Super 70==