SIRUI Saturn V2 Review By The Film Alliance: Why Shoot Anamorphic?
Published on: October 13, 2026
Updated on: October 13, 2026
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Joe, the filmmaker behind the YouTube channel The Film Alliance (168K subscribers), spent time shooting with the SIRUI Saturn V2 35mm, 50mm and 75mm on a Sony A7 V. Instead of walking through a spec sheet, his review focuses on the images the set produced and on a simple question: why shoot with an anamorphic lens at all? For the full specifications, see the Saturn V2 full-frame anamorphic lens launch article. Here is what Joe found.
Why Shoot Anamorphic Instead of a Spherical Lens?
For Joe, an anamorphic lens is the tool he reaches for when the visuals need to carry the story. A spherical lens remains his everyday choice, but anamorphic lenses add a wider frame, oval bokeh and horizontal flares that make footage feel closer to a feature film.
He describes the feeling directly: when he shoots anamorphic, it feels like his shots "could be in a movie." That makes the Saturn V2 his pick for city sequences, cars, landscapes where the surroundings matter as much as the subject, and night scenes full of street lights, headlights and signs. Spherical lenses still look excellent in good light and remain what he uses most; anamorphic lenses are for sequences where atmosphere comes first.
Shot on Sony A7 V with SIRUI Saturn V2 50mm at T2.9, S-Log3. Left: graded; right: log.
Watch Joe's full review and footage below:
What Makes a Scene Cinematic with an Anamorphic Lens?
A scene looks cinematic with an anamorphic lens because several traits stack together: a wider desqueezed frame, oval out-of-focus highlights, shallow depth of field and horizontal flares. No single effect does the work; the combination creates the look.
The Saturn V2 uses a 1.6x anamorphic squeeze. A wider field of view is compressed onto the sensor, then stretched back out in post-production. Once desqueezed, Joe notes the footage no longer feels like an everyday shot captured on a phone. It looks like it came from a dedicated cinema setup, and he singles out the colors as a highlight.
The extra horizontal information also changed how he composed. Knowing more of the scene would fit in the frame, he could place his subject to one side while still giving the location a real presence. Objects in the foreground started to feel more important, and the environment became part of the story rather than just a background.
Oval Bokeh and Anamorphic Lens Flares in Real Shooting
Joe pays close attention to what happens behind the subject. Instead of the round highlights produced by a spherical lens, the Saturn V2 renders out-of-focus lights as oval bokeh. He calls it a small detail, but combined with shallow depth of field, the wider frame and some camera movement, it builds the anamorphic look before any grade is applied.
Flares are the trait most people associate with anamorphic lenses, and Joe treats them with restraint. Forcing a large flare into every shot gets repetitive quickly and can distract from the subject. When a practical light is already in the scene, he lets the lens respond on its own. The Saturn V2 produces neutral flares that take on the color of the light source, so each streak matches the scene it appears in.
Joe's Flare Tip
Use the lights in the scene: Point the lens toward headlights, street lamps or other practical lights and let the flare appear naturally.
Expect variation: Some shots give a faint streak, others a strong one. The light source decides most of it.
Keep it intentional: A flare works best when it looks like it belongs in the scene.
The same thinking guides when he leaves the set in the bag. For clean, informational content where the lens should not draw attention to itself, he uses a standard spherical lens.
35mm, 50mm or 75mm: Which Saturn V2 Focal Length for Which Shot?
Joe uses each focal length in the set for a distinct role:
Focal length
Joe's main use
Why
35mm
Establishing shots, city walks, buildings, cars, handheld movement
Fits the most environment into the frame; his favorite of the three
50mm
Talking-head shots, medium shots, people walking, general B-roll
Keeps context around the subject without exaggeration; the most balanced
75mm
Close-ups, portraits, hands, product details
Stronger background compression and subject separation
Because of the squeeze, the 35mm already covers more than a 35mm spherical lens would. The 50mm is his choice when he doesn't know what a shoot will bring, and he mentions the common idea that 50mm sits close to the human eye's focal length.
A Matched, Lightweight Set Built for Gimbal Work
All three lenses share the same T2.9 maximum aperture, so switching focal lengths doesn't shift exposure or change the look of the footage. For low-light work, where practical lights become part of the composition, Joe finds that a reasonably fast aperture across the whole set makes the Saturn V2 more practical.
The set is also designed to work as one system. Control placement is consistent, every lens takes the same 62mm filter, and the three are similar in size and balance. In practice, Joe can move from the 35mm to the 50mm to the 75mm on a gimbal without rebalancing each time. Thanks to their carbon fiber construction, the lenses are light enough that on the Sony A7 V the setup feels close to an APS-C kit.
How Does Saturn V2 Switch Between Horizontal and Vertical Shooting?
The Saturn V2 switches to vertical shooting by rotating its anamorphic optics 90° inside the lens. The camera rig stays horizontal, the optics click into place, and the change takes a few seconds.
Anamorphic filmmaking is usually built around horizontal framing. With the Saturn V2, Joe can shoot standard horizontal footage and switch quickly when he needs a version for Instagram or TikTok. He would not buy an anamorphic lens just for vertical video, but for creators producing horizontal and vertical content at the same time, he sees it as a very useful feature. SIRUI's Saturn V2 horizontal and vertical shooting tutorial walks through the process step by step.
Switching to Vertical in Three Steps
Unlock: Flip the switch on the lens barrel to release the optics.
Rotate: Turn the anamorphic optics 90°.
Lock: Flip the switch back. A clear click confirms it's locked.
Shooting vertically on a 16:9 sensor, the footage works out to roughly 0.9:1 (about 9:10) after the 1.6x desqueeze.
Shooting Anamorphic on the Sony A7 V: What to Know
The one drawback Joe mentions relates to the camera, not the lenses. The Sony A7 V doesn't offer in-camera desqueeze, while his Sony FX30 does. Without a desqueezed preview, it's harder to confirm focus and judge exposure, especially when shooting in log.
Before You Shoot on a Body Without Desqueeze
Check your preview options: Confirm whether your camera or external monitor offers an anamorphic desqueeze display.
Lean on assist tools: Use focus peaking, magnification and exposure aids such as zebras or a log viewing assist.
Frame for the final image: Leave room for the wider aspect ratio you'll get after desqueezing.
Final Thoughts
For Joe, the appeal of the SIRUI Saturn V2 comes down to portability, image quality and the wide aspect ratio that appears in post-production. He likes the oval bokeh, the way practical lights interact with the glass, and how small and light the lenses are. As he puts it, the images speak for themselves. For filmmakers who want a full-frame anamorphic lens set for city sequences, night scenes and handheld or gimbal work, the Saturn V2 offers a matched 35mm, 50mm and 75mm kit with the added option of vertical shooting.
FAQ
What does an anamorphic lens do?
An anamorphic lens compresses a wider horizontal field of view onto the sensor. When the footage is desqueezed in camera or in post, you get a wider aspect ratio along with oval bokeh and horizontal flares.
What squeeze factor does the SIRUI Saturn V2 use?
The Saturn V2 uses a 1.6x anamorphic squeeze across the 35mm, 50mm and 75mm focal lengths.
Is the SIRUI Saturn V2 a full-frame anamorphic lens?
Yes. The Saturn V2 is a full-frame anamorphic lens set, and Joe shot his review footage on the full-frame Sony A7 V.
Do you need in-camera desqueeze to shoot anamorphic?
No, but it helps. Without it, you can still desqueeze in post-production, though checking focus, exposure and framing on set takes more care.
What filter size do Saturn V2 lenses take?
All three Saturn V2 lenses use a 62mm filter thread, so one set of filters fits the entire kit.
