With a full range of MFT anamorphic lenses under its belt, SIRUI pushes further into full frame territory by adding a 75mm T2.9 1.6x to the already affordable 50mm.
Anamorphic lenses were, until recently, pie-in-the-sky gear, the only offerings coming from ARRI or Cooke for primes and Angenieux for zooms. While the second-hand market offered interesting solutions, filmmakers had to deal with quality and usability issues.
But over the past half-decade, companies like Vazen and SIRUI have made anamorphic more affordable.
With lenses that initially covered MFT sensors and now full-frame mirrorless, the anamorphic world has opened its doors to filmmakers on a budget looking for that cinematic look.
Now SIRUI is making another push towards affordability by expanding its full-frame anamorphic lineup with the 75mm T2.9 1.6x, a companion to the previously released 50mm T2.9 1.6X.
The SIRUI 75mm T2.9 1.6x
The new lens joins the 50mm T2.9 1.6x anamorphic to create a usable pair for most narrative productions.
Featuring a sturdy all-metal body and lens mount, as well as an 82mm filter thread and a 1/4″-20 threaded hole at the bottom, SIRUI’s new addition is production ready Focus and iris rings are also standardized for increased efficiency when changing lenses on set.
With its narrower field of view, the 75mm T2.9 1.6x retains the same anamorphic look but allows creatives to capture more flattering portraits and close-ups. Faces are rendered with a more natural perspective that offers better stretched anamorphic bokeh than the 1.33x MFT version.
SIRUI states that this new lens is specifically designed for capturing 8K images, which cements the new step as the next lens to be standardized.
Lens specifications
SIRUI’s 75mm T2.9 1.6x behaves like a 46mm horizontally but retains the vertical field of view of a spherical 75mm lens. The 1.6x compression factor is a perfect complement to 3.2 sensors, giving filmmakers the much-desired 2.4:1 aspect ratio when decompressed. Although few monitors support the 1.6x format, it is rapidly gaining popularity.
On 16:9 sensors, creatives will get a significantly wider 2.8:1 aspect ratio. This may not be desirable in most cases, but can lead to some interesting creative compositions when cropping and panning in post.
Mounting Options
SIRUI focuses on modern mirrorless camera systems and will include mounts for Canon RF, Leica L, Sony E and Nikon Z.
This opens up a whole host of camera options such as the new Canon EOS R5 C, Nikon Z9 and everything in the modern range from Sony and Panasonic. The Panasonic BS1H, which was recently endorsed by Netflix, now offers filmmakers solid budget anamorphic options.
Should you buy it?
In short, most likely yes.
If you shoot on full-frame mirrorless bodies and can’t afford more expensive anamorphic lenses, the SIRUI 75mm T2.9 1.6x is a must-have in your lens, especially if you already own the 50mm of the same line.
The SIRUI 75mm T2.9 1.6x retails for $1,499 and is currently available for presale on INDIEGOGO for $1,199. We’ve got you covered if you don’t have the 50mm T2.9 1.6x.
Although there have been some issues with SIRUI’s MFT anamorphic line, mostly with not a perfect match, it’s amazing that you can get anamorphic footage for less than $2000 per lens.
Filmmakers on a budget no longer need to rely on bulky anamorphic adapters to achieve that cinematic look.
