It's been about a month or so since Sirui last announced lens. They announced another one-75 millimeter t2.9 anamorphic lens. All right, let's go.
For the sake of transparency, Sirui has gifted me this lens and I'll mention that they have an indiegogo on for this right now. But anything I say about this product in this video are my own thoughts and not Siruis’.
You're probably thinking I'll already announce the 75 millimeter anamorphic lens. No this is different. 1.6 times. For that wider wider more letterbox look. It's gonna look fantastic. It's gonna make these railings look really cool. Oh look at that repetition that um all right it's not cool. Maybe look past those railings a bit. It's boring locks camera now. Because I've got panasonic L mount. It's available in all the different mounts just as you know.
Focus
Also as a lens has a fair bit of weight is manual focus and no stabilization I need a body like this. Camera body that is. For in-body stabilization, you can't beat panasonic. Best in the business. Not enough for me to buy a full frame panasonic. It's quite a short focus throw to go out of focus and in focus. It didn't take too much movement to try and get things in focus. It does take just a small movement to get completely out of focus as you can see by the distance scale scene on both sides of the lens. You've employed somebody just to stand next to you and to focus for you. You can employ two people. The pilot and co-pilot of focusing.
1.6 X Squeeze
All right let's get some anamorphic action. Of course anamorphic is all about that flare and the oval bokeh. With 1.6 times you will get a bit more of that ovalness. Let me get those bokeh balls in the background. They're going to be some delicious balls there. Not something I really want to be saying when lock is the main point of focus very smooth rings. Everybody loves smooth rings.
T 2.9
Also another thing I don't really want to be saying when lock happens to be the main subject and I want to get this wide open just to show you what it's like. That's what it's all about isn't it. Have it wine open t 2.9.
Always good to know how it performs at t 2.9 because that's where all the fun happens. Just in case you're wondering what's different between F and T. F is kind of like yeah it's kind of rounded. So we'll say this aperture. T whatever that is exactly what you're getting. No BS.
There is a fair heft to this lens. It's a bit harder to get stable handheld footage compared to the 50. Although as we're pointing out that lens does have its own tripod thread.
Bokeh and Flare
Why have 1.6 times it just makes that anamorphic look just a bit sweeter. One of the benefits of the series is that the focusing, the closest focusing distance is actually quite close 85 centimeters. I don't think every animal fixed shot has to be flare, oval bokeh. I think that's one thing that is sometimes overdone. Sometimes it's used as a bit of flex, like boom. I'm shooting this anamorphic but you probably do want to know what the flare looks like anyway. Let's get those streaks of light there. That's what it's all about. You get a bokeh in the flare. All in one that's quite a nice flare action there. It's almost stretching from one sided frame to the other. There we are flaring.
The anamorphic lens flare is what the Sirui does well. It has a cool elongated trail of light. It goes a bit but I think the whole aesthetic will please those wanting to get that cinematic look. that's pretty sweet looking.
I don't think that bokeh balls have as pronounced an anamorphic look as the streaky flaring, although the 1.6 times definitely has more elongated oval broken than 1.3 times and the 75 millimeter focal length makes it more apparent than the 50.
My 75 might seem like a bit of an odd focal length just slightly longer standard lens. That's kind of nice if you've got that standard mindset. But just one that little bit tighter crop kind of makes things a little bit tidier in the frame.
People Shots
The 75 millimeter focal length is going to be great for people shots. The slightly tighter than standard field of viewpoints to focus nicely on the subject. No distraction from the background too because the bokeh looks smooth even on those challenging tree out of focus bits.
I mean some anarchic lenses are a little bit soft wide open with this. I wouldn't say super sharp but sharp enough. If you're really peeking at those pixels it is a little softer than some modern spherical lenses slap bang in the middle. There's no color fringing though. Mind you the softness improves when stopping it down a couple stops. But the slightly softer image lends itself well to people shots.
1.6 times and full frame anamorphic is the way to go to maximize that effect. Personally I like the 75 out of all these series for getting some b-roll footage from a little further away but also for that shallower depth of field that brings out the best in the oval broker that complements the anamorphic look of the image from this lens well.