Venus Optics announces a smart solution: Laowa Proteus Flex 2X Anamorphic series with 4 user-swappable flare options.

Whether for a sci-fi film, a mellow music video or a commercial, filmmakers and rental houses can swap the flare modules on their Laowa Proteus Flex series locally to match production needs following simple steps. Each Proteus Flex comes in a main Proteus body and 4 flare modules, including amber, silver, blue and brand-new clear flare versions. The Proteus Flex is available to order in 28/35/45/60/85/100mm.

According to Venus Optics, this is “an economical solution to the Proteus 2X Anamorphic lenses” as most of the anamorphic lenses in the market have fixed lens flare color, and it often has to be decided at the time of purchase. Venus Optics claims that “with the flexibility and versatility to change the flare color, the new Proteus Flex effectively turns a set of Proteus anamorphic lenses into 4 different sets. Filmmakers can swap between blue, amber, silver and clear flare options to bring aesthetic impact to the scenes. It also gives the rental house a convenient and cost-effective way to facilitate anamorphic productions in different genres.”

Compare the lens flares

The company also notes that “the Proteus 2X anamorphic lenses set a new standard of classic anamorphic characters with a modern design for professional cinematic use” and continues stating that “in addition to the regular amber, silver and blue colors, the Proteus Flex offers the clear flare – a new lens coating that produces minimal horizontal flare. This is designed for cinematographers who want a cleaner look.” Laowa claims that “the new lens coating effectively suppresses horizontal streaks, even when shooting against strong sunlight.”

Laowa has also partnered with Markus Forderer, ASC and CINEFLARES, a professional lens flare testing tool, to test the flare performance of the new Proteus Flex series. The lens flares are captured in a unique motion-controlled environment. All flare test results are available on the lens flare library including different T-stops and flare options. Starting today, users can access and compare the lens flares on the platform.

Flare modules can be easily installed

In addition to the existing amber, blue, and silver flare colors, the brand-new clear flare option has been introduced with the Proteus Flex series. It is designed for cinematographers who prefer less flaring and reflections. The new lens coating effectively suppresses horizontal streaks, even when shooting against strong sunlight.

The flare modules can be easily installed, swapped and screw-locked into the precision-crafted main Proteus Flex body. As the flare modules are carefully adjusted to match the specific lens body, no further optical calibration is required after the swap. The process can be done in 10 minutes without the need to ship back and forth to service facilities.

Laowa Proteus Flex 2X Anamorphic Series is currently available to purchase via Venus Optics official website and authorized resellers.

The US price for Laowa Proteus Flex 2X Anamorphic Series is USD9,999 each and USD24,999 for a 3-lens set (Set A: 28/45/85mm and Set B: 35/60/100mm). Pricing varies in different countries.