Why Should You Consider Anamorphic Lenses

It has never been a better time to start making videos or short films. What typically was left to those with money to burn or actual real production houses can now be found at your local camera shop or online. This includes anamorphic lenses

You can get a camera that shots 4K resolution in 24fps as well as a bunch of slow motion frame rates for around $1000AUD second hand or even brand new if you are lucky at finding deals on cameras.

Now in the last 2years or so, lower cost anamorphic lenses have now become available from manufacturers that are getting good reviews and feedback from both amateur and professional film makers. It is crazy to think that was almost only available to big budget film productions can now almost replicated by yourself with a tiny little mirrorless hybrid camera.

We say almost because to give the very short version, anamorphic footage typically needs to be in a 2:1 aspect ratio and has a couple of unique aspects that only come from using setups specifically designed for the look (the blue flares and oval bokeh).

So whilst you might not have the budget for a true anamorphic lens at the moment, makers like Sirui, Laowa, Great Joy, and Vazen give you the chance to dip your toes into the look at a price that is close to some high end lenses made by your typical camera/lens companies (Sony, Canon, etc).

The Cheapest Way to Start Shooting Anamorphic

There are two ways to start getting into anamorphic in the cheapest possible way, but there is one thing you should do first that is free (unless you want to support his channel) - and that is to subscribe to Anamorphic on a Budget. Tito has plenty of lens reviews and lens hacks to fake your anamorphic look ("anamorph-fake") your way with vintage lenses that you can find at good rates online.

After you have done that the next two steps are:

  • One of the cost-effective lenses - the cheapest ones are the 1.33x squeeze, going up to the 1.5x. The Vazen's get you much closer to the 2x desirable that you want, but you will pay for the privilege.
  • Anamorphic adapters - There are a few adapters you can get for your spherical lenses that just screw onto the top filter thread. There is a bit more work to get it setup correctly, but then you don't have to be stuck with a lens that you don't necessarily need or want.
  • Hire them - the safest option of all is to high them first and check and see if the look that you get is what you want for your video work and other projects (whether they be for clients or not). You might decide to take your anamorphic money and invest it into something else instead (lights or audio for instance).

One other idea that might also work is to hunt down a cheaper micro-four-thirds camera with interchangeable lenses that can also shoot in a 4:3 aspect ratio (like ZCam E2M4 or GH5) because that is a great way to get as close as possible to the true anamorphic look.