AUTOFOCUS Anamorphic Lenses Are Here! But Which Is BEST?

[@CartyCantDance]

The blazar focus wheel is actually usable for manual focus, where the sirui one would just have a follow focus spinning and hunting for end points. I also like the look of the blazar’s extra barrel distortion

[@basil_jackson]

Blazar is orange and silver - absolutely goofy. It wins.

[@hellohogo]

You misspelled fantastic aesthetic

[@EddieZArt]

Finally, the review I was waiting for! Huge thanks to you for doing it.

[@RecWaltfilm]

The problem never was the manual focus for solo filmmakers, but rather the lack of autofocus lenses with character. Photography lenses are digitally sharp, and there is a big difference in quality and style compared to cine lenses. Now, the Blazar fills this gap whereas the Sirui feels more like a classic photo lens with a slight anamorphic modification. I hope more lens manufacturers will create character-driven lenses. By the way, the fact that the Blazar has feet markings, hard stops, and low focus breathing is proof that it’s a true cine lens you can even use it with a crew.

[@dakoolguy111]

I pre-ordered the blazar, the sirui is a rear anamorphic and doesn't really have much of the characteristics I'd want from an anamorphic lens compared to the blazar. Distortion, flaring, and styling, plus the blazar is displayed and appears to be almost like a 1.5x+ anamorphic lens

[@owenjenkinsofficial]

Was hoping for a few comparison videos. Thank you for being one of the first!

[@scagsunderwater]

I took the Blazar underwater to shoot wild life in Cozumel and it was amazing. Detail level off the charts. Also, set to full frame + Sony Active Stab gives a 1.2 punch in, so not full S35, but enough to jump past the vignetting. So while not full frame, it does extend far enough past S35 to be great when using active/dynamic stab. Now just need them to get the 35mm out so I can get closer to the critters.

[@Simply_Phuket]

Great comparison, thank you for sharing, been waiting for a direct head to head! I am personally also leaning more towards the Blazar, BUT think I'll wait for a proper FF covering offering.

[@dukecha]

The hexagon bokeh and pincushion distortion are huge red flags for the Sirui. Blazar on the other hand created an auto focus 'Remus' through the Apex. Blazar Apex 100%

[@JakeTetonLandis]

@@dukecha funnily enough I just started playing Tomb Raider and that game stylizes its camera bokeh as hexagons too!

[@dukecha]

@ I don't want to sound snobby but anamorphic bokeh traditionally is circular. That's how we remember them in Hollywood films. If a new wave of hexagon anamorphic lovers come out then so be it.

[@hellohogo]

Well even more snobbily, they were actually elliptical

[@dukecha]

@@hellohogo Yeeees! 😂

[@Cubingkidd]

Personally I prefer the looks of the Sirui but the performance in general of the Blazar

[@lozziogio2]

I've got the Sirui and resolve the focus searching problems putting the speed AF value to slow

[@Meg_A_Byte]

Hello Tom, I'm thinking of buying your presets, but I noticed you have new ones as well, which are not included in the pack. Do you plan on adding them too? Thank you!

[@HeyMika]

The Blazar definitely wins with the image quality for me, but I wish they had the intuitive design from the Sirui. Nonetheless, both great lenses, and I think this is a great start into AF anamorphic lenses.

[@rw3452]

Blazar mentioned the 1.33x would look more like a 1.5x would have been interesting to see how the stretch factor looked.

[@archangeltan]

I don't have much of an option and need to go for Surui unless doing cropping is a norm as all my cameras are Full Frame. If Blazar decided to make full frame anamorphic auto lens for Z or EF mount, I'll have quite some challenges.

[@NickDelDuca]

I've watched a lot of footage from each lens, the Blazar is the winner for sure. It's got a better look, better character. Footage from the Sirui just looks cheap and weird.

[@gusthecanonrebel]

Saw a video where a Blazar apex user used distortion correction and messed with the curvature lightly. Surprisingly it fixed the corner distortion you see in FF and gets rid of the barrel vignetting

[@hellohogo]

What a horrible thing to do

[@gusthecanonrebel]

@ what?

[@hellohogo]

@@gusthecanonrebel removing barrel distortion from an anamorphic lens is like removing all the seasoning from a steak. Enjoy your bland ass meat lol

[@gusthecanonrebel]

@ I was just responding to the part of the video lol I don’t even own any anamorphics lol but go off man 😂

[@hellohogo]

@ haha yep, now you know

[@HeyWo_YT]

When he said "that's how canon users feel" my heart felt that, 😭

[@Giovanni-Giorgio]

Blazar: "Winner winner, chicken dinner" 🐔🍽

[@thetruthseeker23]

Thank you!

[@pulakdaimary4991]

Try out lumix gx8 please 🥺🥺

[@pulakdaimary4991]

Panasonic lumix gx8 is a crazy camera 📸📸

[@pdcorlis]

I’d go with the Blazar every time. It’s a lens with character. The Sirui is just to clinical lacking the charm we see in historical anamorphic lenses.

[@andrewforbes5923]

The Sirui seems like a high quality lens, but it has zero character. Other than the aspect ratio it doesn't even look like an anamorphic lens. I'm going with the Blazar for that reason.

[@natrix]

Is the blazar a wider FOV? I saw another reviewer claim that the sirui is actually a 60mm and oddly marks the horizontal fov on the lens unlike literally every other anamorphic lens ever.😆

[@JCBShortFilms]

The Sirui is a 60mm when shot in Super-35mm mode

[@cyciumx]

@@JCBShortFilms , this is inaccurate when talking about 1.33x anamorphic. The 40mm on S35/APS-C is actually about 42mm when taking in the .33x of additional horizontal data. Interestingly enough, since the Sirui can basically be used on FF it acts as a 28mm. The math is: Focal length X crop factor X .7 (for 1.33x lenses). So the Blazar is 52mm (roughly) on S35. Side Note: As anyone with multiple anamorphic can tell, you get more "character" the more telephoto you go. So it makes since the Sirui has less light streaks. Additionally, the hexagon bokeh was designed that way. You can see the angular barrel which didn't have to be made that way - it would seem Sirui are trying to get hexagonal bokeh to be associated with their brand going forward. Certainly a risk, but for all the cries of people who like Anamorphics for having character, they sure seem to a majority of purists, which is ironic.

[@natrix]

@@JCBShortFilms Ah yes, that maybe what the other reviewer meant but didn't communicate well. So the fov would be a 64mm vertical and a 42mm horizontal after the squeeze. In other news I wonder if there's a hack to fix the weird bokeh on the lens wfo. I think that's gonna be a bummer for a lot of shooters...

[@apocryphal_man]

Sirui lenses are alright, but with minimal anamorphic chsracter. So, what's the point? Regarding E-mount only: Nikon users can use E-Mount lenses with an adapter.

[@Microwaveoficial]

As a microwave, I love that this video was shot in anamorphic ❤

[@tayspiderx]

35mm plsss

[@Kliffot]

The Sirui in full frame suffers from heavy field curvature in the corner, some elements can emerge in focus, I find the image already weird enough... That lens feels kinda gimmicky. On the other hand the Blazar looks much more like a true anamorphic lens.

[@szubal]

Are you reading my mind? I just asked myself this question of which to get.

[@lucasventer]

As much as I prefer the Blazar look, Sirui was for all practical intents and purposes first to market. Blazar rushed to beat Sirui but in the process they essentially shipped an unfinished product. There were issues and they had to suspend shipments in early December, announcing that shipments would only start in two months' time. I cancelled my Apex, ordered the Sirui instead, and got it before Christmas. Since then I have been quietly simmering at Blazar and trying my best to like the Sirui.

[@pulakdaimary4991]

Panasonic lumix gx8

[@hersh_yt]

Useless review not enough footage for us to see performance of these lenses

[@loudmotion5639]

@@hersh_yt typical youtuber just reading the spec sheets 🙄

[@Eric.mov_]

1.33 anamorphics are kinda pointless You really can’t get the character it’s you look for in an anamorphic lens unless you’re well past 50mm at 1.33x or are at least at 1.5x squeeze I don’t really understand it still cool I guess

[@Murmeldyrful]

If you don’t want to learn the craft then just skip straight to mid journey. Learn to manual focus and learn to use a light meter. We’re not making films because it’s easy but because it’s hard. TL:DR Don’t take advise from amateur brotographers on KZbin.

[@billzidis2656]

Sorry but anamorphic is it must be 2X...Anything else looks just weird

[@Juuggy]

I dont understand why they'd make these lenses for APS-C. Most videographers use full frame

[@Studiotek]

That's not even remotely true. The VAST MAJORITY of videographers use cameras with S35 sensors. I think you are confusing KZbinrs with videographers. There are a few cinema cameras that have bigger sensors, but those are called "large format," and are usually in a 16:9 aspect ratio, and not in a 3:2 ratio like full frame. The terms "APS-C" and "full frame" are for photography cameras.

[@bacon.dumpling]

Most PHOTOgraphers use full frame. Most VIDEOgraphers use Super35, which is equivalent to APSC.