2X Full Frame Affordable Anamorphics - Blazar CATO Lens Set Review!

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2X full frame affordable anamorphics was still a title held tight by adapters. With Blazar's CATO lineup, this broadens our list of options!
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[@OliKember]

It's definitely a milestone moment for the affordable anamorphic community. That said, thanks for not glossing over the really strong uneven compression on the 55mm, and the green CA that wraps around high contrast areas. If those are acceptable to you (and one presumes the panning on the 40mm will be even worse), then this is an unbeatable set for the price.

[@MattQuattro]

Thank you for this! I just got in the Remus B-Set and I'm so happy with them. 1.5X is a more subtle look but also more usable across different types of projects. Very grateful that we now have truely affordable anamorphic options 🙏

[@NathanHoang]

How long was the wait for them to ship, if i may ask. Ordered set B as well but haven’t seen or heard anything yet.

[@MathieuStern]

I had to do the shiming on mine with the Poco adapter, but I really like the set :)

[@exooptik]

Your reviews matured so nicely.

[@AnamorphicOnABudget]

Thank you Max! :D

[@cammackey]

The anamorphic god has spoken.

[@seanfrancis7101]

Objective facts. Im in LA getting a degree in cinematography at a major film school, yet I stump my professors with some of the anamorphic information that I would learn from Tito. If anyone deserves a free set of Catos, it’s this man. Thank you Tito for all your hard work through the Anamorphic dark ages. WE MADE IT!

[@Mr_Quimper]

Thank you for a calm and measured review. In which I actually learnt more about the lenses, rather than the reviewer. It's a refreshing change from some, reviewing the Cato. That look more like movie trailers. I wish I had found you earlier. Subscribed.

[@YouTube_can_ESAD]

Jesus bro… Cam and his friend are showing prospective buyers, like myself, real world footage which helps shape our buying decisions. Cam is also putting a LOT of the same information out there on these lenses but both channels have different approaches to explaining these and other lenses which is great for all of us. There is no need to denigrate other creators, especially when they don’t deserve it, while you compliment another. Zero need for the backhanded comment, none.

[@AnamorphicOnABudget]

HAhahaha, thank you! For me it's never about me. :P

[@SamMasghati]

Could you (for future projects with multiple lenses) also state which shot was shot with what focal length?

[@AnamorphicOnABudget]

I used to do that, and it was a ton of effort, but no one ever mentioned it being useful, so I stopped giving extra work to myself. hahahah

[@ankitjojha]

Honestly, I'm kinda surprised they decided to up the FOV to 55mm instead of the previously announced 50mm, but this seems DAMN good for a set that could easily have gone the way of the Proteus and Pavo in pricing.

[@mikemcglasson1286]

I cannot quite decide if I love these lenses, but I do love that they come in a nice green box. Thank you for being honest about the silver flares just being silver. I have seen it stated elsewhere that they take on the color of the light source.

[@slipoch6635]

Cheers for the vid, great job as always man

[@FULLofJOHN]

Thank you, you are my most trusted person when it comes to anamorphic I’m definitely keeping my Remus B set and who knows Cato B set might be better haha

[@gearienoxcuses3936]

They are wonderfully sharp yet can render amazing bokeh. Extremely curious on how well the 40mm will match up.

Is it ok to add a clear filter on an anamorphic lens just ot protect it or will it negatively impact the properties of the lens such as the flaring?

[@AnamorphicOnABudget]

It's okay! :)

[@DynamicPhil84]

I'll likely stick with the Remus lenses as the Catos seem to have a bit too much distortion for my taste. However I am still really curious to see them on a 4:3 full frame sensor, not a cropped/Super35 4:3 sensor. Are you able to test that out?

[@thehoggattproject]

I'm happy to say I own the 45mm Remus lens. I like that I am able to use it for pans/tilts as well as locked off shots without it being too distracting 🙂I still wouldn't mind taking one these it came my way...

[@owenjenkinsofficial]

Definitely more interested in the Remus for now, as the Pavo still lead the budget 2x anamorphic competition at the moment. I may be biased since I shoot s35 tho. FilmLaab, a team I work with shot a spec film with the Cato and it looked AWESOME. So I have ZERO shade to give at all on these lenses, the 40mm and the prototype 50mm that they used were so cool looking when in full production.

[@ODHunte]

There’s a significant price difference between the Pavos and these to be fair. Also I have the PYXIS now too so I want full frame:

[@lombardy3274]

The Pavo’s 2x on s35 are basically Remus 1.5 on full frame in terms of strength of anamorphic look.

[@joekestrada9476]

this feels historical, it finally starts to look like real anamorphics

[@jimcoon]

Hi Tito. The link to your Anamorphic Calculator is broken - possibly by design? Anyway, I have used it frequently and found it a great asset. Jim in Oregon

[@AnamorphicOnABudget]

Hey Jim! That's odd, I just tested it and it's working on my end tferradans.com/anacalc/

[@slipoch6635]

Yeah the edge distortion even on the remus is a pain, might stick with nanomorph + adapter for now.

[@danivasilioglufilms]

Hmmm... would you stick to the Blazar or switch to Cato?

[@Re-InCarNation]

Have you seen the video on the viltrox 28mm f4.5 where someone attached an mobile phone anamorphic adapter onto the lens? Looks really interesting.

[@Re-InCarNation]

The Channel’s name is ALT CINE and the whole setup costs only $125, covers full frame and autofocus’s up to 15ft.

[@jftvrwk]

i'm surprised, they look pretty good. Well shot too.

[@AnamorphicOnABudget]

Thank you!

[@Donbros]

I have blazar/gj 85 1.8 its kinda cool

[@JohnnyFehr]

in all love but that edge distortion looks pretty bad, you cant hide that behind "character"

[@ODHunte]

Finally! Affordable 2x. What a time to be a filmmaker 🤎🙌🏿👌🏿 I’ve bought every iteration on Blazar / Great Joy and will probably buy at least one of these. Thank you @blazar.

[@lucapasturini4229]

I still prefer the Remus

[@ShortImpactMedia]

Same

[@AnamorphicOnABudget]

If you know what you like, and you're happy with what you got, no need to change! :D

[@lucapasturini4229]

@@AnamorphicOnABudget well said 👋

[@TJIzzy]

Anytime someone pan's with these lenses, it makes me want to puke haha. Saw a review where they were shooting handheld going left & right with "action".

[@birthright94]

I wish they made pincushio or something like laowa proteus competitor because this barrel distortion gives me headachy and makes me dizzy especially on 55

[@ShortImpactMedia]

Looks like a really good projector lens set up tbh! On a set I’d rather use the full Remus with the adapter incase I want to use a vintage lens and still have the 1.5 squeeze

[@lombardy3274]

I’m confused. I thought anamorphic lenses calculated the spherical horizontal equivalent focal length by dividing the lens focal length by the squeeze factor? So the 55 2x would have a spherical horizontal equivalent focal length of 27.5?

[@AnamorphicOnABudget]

Yes, if you are using full frame for that measure. I guess what I'm talking about is also a bit of "crop factor math".

[@lombardy3274]

@@AnamorphicOnABudget ah OK I thought it was relative to the target sensor size / output aspect ratio. So 55x2 only covers 6:5 full frame, which would create 2.4:1 and would have the spherical horizontal equivalent focal length of 27.5.

[@LOMISFILM]

These look incredible, but it looks like the 40mm protrudes too far in the rear to use an E-ND mount on my RED Raptor, unfortunately. So I'll likely go with the Remus.

[@Robin.F96]

The value of our DIY setups just crashed. Would love to try those, they look great

[@sunnynaguri]

Looks like people successfully bullied them into not releasing any other flare colour except neutral. White is just meh for me but the lenses themselves look good especially the 85 and the 125.

[@birthright94]

I wonder how the 85mm cato is different from GreatJoy 85 1.8x besides the squeeze and size. I wonder if one is sharper than the other

[@justincolenguyen]

could these adapt on a speedbooster? The back elements look a bit protruding

[@DuncanDimanche-sreview]

nice review ! But I can't understand why one would like green flairs ?!! just give us some natural lens colors ! 😅

[@AnamorphicOnABudget]

The green comes from the coatings, which aim at delivering nice natural skintones. It's a compromise, not really a creative choice. Can be addressed, but not the most straightforward thing!

[@AaronTothOfficial]

Blazar 85mm vs Great Joy 85mm ? Which one do you prefer?

[@AnamorphicOnABudget]

Blazar. Either CATO or Remus.

[@andkwiat]

While the comments help as well, I would be very much interested in your personal opinion and recommendation if one can still choose between Remus and Cato! Both straight from the heart as well as from a technical perspective maybe?

[@AnamorphicOnABudget]

Hard to choose outside the context of a project!

[@ryanleethomas]

Idk man, DIY with scopes are starting to "look" more desirable...

[@killa-kitty]

Hello, I was looking for an blazer great joy anamorphic adapter and I would like to ask that if I use the anamorphic adapter on AF lens then this lenses are AF anamorphic set.

[@AnamorphicOnABudget]

The AF will not work with an anamorphic adapter in front.

[@stivenbano5073]

I prefer the Remus look 👀

[@blainemarcano]

I dunno. The hazing bothers me a lot.

[@shinkunAvi]

Nice but distortions so hight

[@nicolasthonnerieux]

Now they just need to make a s35 version with less glass, so it's even cheaper.

[@LucasPfaff]

top and bottom give me Cooke flashbacks

[@AnamorphicOnABudget]

In a good or a bad way?

[@LucasPfaff]

@@AnamorphicOnABudget in a "why did you choose lenses with THAT much character top+bottom if we are shooting a shoe commercial and the feet have to be razor sharp" kinda way

[@AnamorphicOnABudget]

@@LucasPfaff that's the most clear explanation of the way! Hahahah!

[@KamranJawaid]

Definitely not for me. Excessive distortions, different T-Stops. No competition for Remus, IMO...or even Proteus (yes, I know one is s35 and the other has 1.5 squeeze).

[@PALALALALALALA]

Looks like an "advanced /rich amateur" anamorphic set. Like you said, different T-Stops excessive distortions, not shipping with the complete set (40mm not ready ?). I don't like at all the way they launched product, feels rushed and not professional. Just as shipping the lens not shimmed, or launching a different a B set 6 month after the first one. They are definitly pushing the bounderies of affordable anamorphic, and that's really really great but really... Everything feels rushed.

[@AdamLangdon]

Yeah, I'm going to pass on these too. The Distortion feels disorienting, the green secondary flares...

[@WeekendGrooves]

A milestone for sure but not for me I think. I like the pronounced flares (that these don’t have) and no blue?? Also that barrel distortion… not great. You can see they are not quite there yet. Will stick with the aviascope.

[@MonstroInLA]

Got to be honest I don’t see anything that special thanks for being unbiased not like the other reviewers on here calling the bending at the end of frames character like what real dp says that 🙄

[@NoSuRReNDeR001]

I kinda regret Remus now... ugh

[@Dezdirectz]

Don’t feel that way!

[@dimakop]

Yeah not too impressed

[@sambrandner]

The 50mm fishbowl effect is terrible. I love anamorphics, but that’s unacceptable for anything other than a weird artsy shot or locked off on a tripod. It’s cool companies are pushing for proper cinema ratios, but this isn’t it.

[@AnamorphicOnABudget]

Watch Soderbergh's No Sudden Move and you might re-evaluate what's "acceptable" for non-artsy shots. The entire film is shot on a Kowa 40mm at the edge of vignetting, and there's plenty of distortion everywhere. :)

[@rolandwfleming]

Am I the only one who thinks these look barely useable?

[@ETFootprints]

Personally I think the result doesn't look good at all. The video sample feels disorientating.

[@AnamorphicOnABudget]

Can you expand in which sense it feels disorienting? That's a word I've never seen used regarding lens characteristics! :)

[@ETFootprints]

​@@AnamorphicOnABudget It's 0:43 for example. The distortion feels uneven or not linear, not sure how to say it. For still shot 0:50, it's great. When the camera moves, I felt nauseated right away. I don't think I would be able the watch a clip or movie for longer duration. I understand that lenses have characteristics, like many you have reviewed and I like them. However, this lens feels flawed instead of having characteristics. I think "retro" or "vintage" or "swirly" are often marketed to cover for bad lens design. Nevertheless, thanks for reviewing this lens. It helps people in making better purchasing decision.

[@bWWd0]

not a great test , shouuld do test with each lens at most common framing, portrait, midshot, full body, not some random shiz

[@AnamorphicOnABudget]

I tested what's common for my filming style. hahahahaha.