Photographer's revolutionary new tool: Anamorphic lenses from Blazar, unlike anything ever witnessed before
In the world of cinematography, anamorphic lenses have long been favoured for their distinctive, cinematic look. However, these lenses are often large, heavy, and expensive, making them less accessible for many filmmakers and photographers. That is, until the arrival of the Blazar Beetle 1.33x Anamorphic Lens series.
Designed with compact camera setups in mind, particularly standard 16:9 cameras, the Blazar Beetle series offers a sharp and defined anamorphic look with a 1.33x squeeze factor. This squeeze ratio allows for a slightly wider field of view, resulting in an effective frame with an aspect ratio near 4:3 after desqueezing in post-production.
The lenses in this series boast a vertical/horizontal switchable pancake design and weigh under 290 grams, making them incredibly portable and user-friendly, especially for handheld or gimbal work.
### How it Works
The Blazar Beetle lens squeezes the horizontal field of view by 1.33x, capturing more horizontal information on the sensor. In post-production, the footage is desqueezed to restore the wider aspect ratio and the classic "anamorphic" cinematic look, including gentle horizontal lens flares and oval bokeh.
### Comparison with Other Anamorphic Lenses
The Blazar Beetle 1.33x lens series stands out for its affordability, compact size, and light weight compared to typical 1.5x or 2x anamorphic lenses. While these higher squeeze lenses offer a more pronounced anamorphic effect, they are generally larger, heavier, and pricier. The Blazar Beetle lenses are ideal for those prioritizing convenience and budget without sacrificing an authentic anamorphic aesthetic.
### Key Features
- Marketed as affordable, not hugely expensive - Very compact, pancake design, under 290g - Sharp yet defined anamorphic look; good for 16:9 cameras; flexibility to switch vertical/horizontal orientation - Native mounts E / RF / L / Z / X allowing use on multiple camera brands - Desqueeze factor of 1.33x - Fixed T3.2 apertures across the series
The Blazar Beetle Anamorphic Lens series allows for both horizontal and vertical anamorphic shooting via a rotating mechanism. The series consists of 32mm, 45mm, and 65mm lenses, all with fixed T3.2 apertures. Despite their fixed apertures, the lenses are not the fastest anamorphic lenses on the market, but their compact size and affordable price point are notable.
The 45mm variant of the Blazar Beetle Anamorphic Lens is the lightest and smallest, weighing 0.59lbs / 266g and being 60mm in length. The series is targeted towards filmmakers and photographers due to its small form factor, affordable price tag, and versatility.
Prices for the Blazar Beetle Anamorphic Lens series are not yet released, but are expected to be around $500 / £375 / AU$780. A YouTube video by cammackey discusses the Blazar Beetle Anamorphic Lens series and its expected pricing.
In conclusion, the Blazar Beetle 1.33x Anamorphic Lens series offers an affordable, portable, and versatile anamorphic lens solution for filmmakers and photographers using compact setups and standard 16:9 cameras. Its unique design and features make it an exciting addition to the world of anamorphic cinematography.
- The Blazar Beetle 1.33x Anamorphic Lens series is designed specifically for compact camera setups and standard 16:9 cameras, providing a sharp, defined anamorphic look.
- These lenses squeeze the horizontal field of view by 1.33x, capturing more horizontal information on the sensor, resulting in a slightly wider field of view after desqueezing in post-production.
- The pancake design of the Blazar Beetle lenses makes them incredibly portable, weighing under 290 grams, and user-friendly, suitable for handheld or gimbal work.
- The series offers a more affordable anamorphic lens option compared to traditional 1.5x or 2x anamorphic lenses, which are generally larger, heavier, and pricier.
- The Blazar Beetle lenses, despite their fixed T3.2 apertures, provide a good anamorphic aesthetic with native mounts E / RF / L / Z / X allowing use on multiple camera brands.
- The 45mm variant of the Blazar Beetle Anamorphic Lens is the lightest and smallest, weighing 0.59lbs / 266g and being 60mm in length, making it a popular choice among filmmakers and photographers.
- The Blazar Beetle Anamorphic Lens series allows for both horizontal and vertical anamorphic shooting via a rotating mechanism, offering versatility in cinematography.
- Prices for the Blazar Beetle Anamorphic Lens series are expected to be around $500 / £375 / AU$780, making it an accessible option for many in the field of photograpy and filmmaking.
- A YouTube video by cammackey discusses the Blazar Beetle Anamorphic Lens series and its expected pricing, providing a helpful news source for those interested in this new gadget.
- With the release of the Blazar Beetle 1.33x Anamorphic Lens series, the world of anamorphic cinematography has been expanded, offering an exciting addition to the realm of photography and videography technology.
