Recently, the opportunity to test out Viltrox’s new full-frame 1.33x anamorphic lens came to be. Viltrox is new to the anamorphic lens market but not new to the filmmaking market. Based in Shenzhen, China, the company has made inexpensive lens adapters and lenses since 2009. Their newest lenses are full-frame anamorphic prime lenses. With these anamorphic lenses, Viltrox breaks new ground. Check out this short little video of my daughter picking raspberries. In the end of the video, you can see the flare of the 50mm very well.
Officially, Viltrox’s full-frame anamorphic lenses are called the “Epic Series.” This set of anamorphic lenses features a 1.33x contrast squeeze, near zero focus breathing, constant aperture, and a retro-lite look that is neither super retro nor too vanilla.
The idea of inexpensive and decent anamorphic lenses is astounding. When I started this career path too long ago, the rental prices for an anamorphic lens alone were out of any budget I’d ever seen. We can pick up at the prices Viltrox is offering. Well, it’s cool to be in this time.
Because of these features, the Viltrox 50mm Anamorphic became my go-to lens when I had the glass on hand. I shot everything I could. For my tests, I shot on the Sony FX9. The full-frame camera worked well, and the lens and camera balanced well when I used an easy rig. I had the extension unit on the rear of the FX9, and that, with a V-Mount battery, helped keep the whole rig balanced.
First and foremost, the Viltox full-frame anamorphic lens was practical and easy to use. I prefer a quick and easy-to-use setup when I shoot. If I have to fiddle with any gear or accessory, I get frustrated, and I don’t want that feeling during my shooting experience. I mean, hey, we’re supposed to have a fun career, and we should try to enjoy the process and how we work, right?
Constant T2.0
I love a good wide aperture, and the Viltrox full-frame anamorphic lenses come with a T2.0 constant aperture. This wide aperture gives users a nice and beautiful bokeh with oval light spots. Now, understand that since this is a 1.33X squeeze, an anamorphic lens’s oval light spots and effects will be more subtle than those of a 2.0X anamorphic lens. Wide open the edges to get soft, as is usually expected with an anamorphic lens. I found T5.6 to be sharp and pretty for an anamorphic lens. The T2.0 is more than shallow enough to isolate a subject or detail.
Viltrox Anamorphic Flare
We must mention the anamorphic flare in order to talk about anamorphic lenses. The Viltrox 50mm anamorphic lens I tested gave me a decent blue flare. This blue wasn’t too stark but soft with a good secondary flare that looked a bit golden. This combo gives the user a retro charm and texture completely different from normal lenses. This is why I’m here. I’m here for the feeling of a lens, and the Viltrox full-frame anamorphic lens comes with an embedded sense of feeling and dreaminess to the image.
Timelapse On An Anamorphic Lens?
During my Viltrox review period, I was assigned to shoot a timelapse project. I borrowed a Sony A7 from a friend and threw on the Anamorphic 50mm. I didn’t know exactly what to expect, as I hadn’t shot a timelapse on an anamorphic lens before.
I quickly learned that the Viltrox anamorphic lens’s 1.33x squeeze made the 3:2 full-frame image into something close to a 17:9 image de-squeeze. Hey, that’s more of a resolution for my 16:9 project. I was excited to work with more sensor space and resolution that I’d usually crop out but could now use. It was nice to get a bit more resolution in a timelapse than I might have if I had cropped into a 16:9 window of the full-frame image. Of all my time-lapses, these anamorphic images were the ones most commented on once the project was completed.
Minimum focus
Minimum focus is where an anamorphic lens’s weakness presents itself, in my opinion. Anamorphic lenses aren’t well known for having great minimum focus, so many use diopters when shooting with them. I found the minimum focus of 2 feet and 7 inches on the Viltrox 50mm anamorphic lens to be pretty good. I was able to get close to an object without a diopter. Would a diopter help? Absolutely. Yet, I was able to work around the minimum focus.
Lens Weight
The Viltrox 50mm Anamorphic lens weighs around 4.5 pounds, with the PL-mount option being the heaviest. There are lighter lenses on the market. I didn’t mind the weight, but I was using a Sony FX9. If I was using a Burano, would my opinion be different? I don’t think so. You work with the gear you have or rent, and you balance the camera.
Standard fronts and rings
I think we’ve come to a time in the market where every cinema lens manufacturer understands the importance of having standard front elements and rings. Viltrox understands this, as all lenses in the full-frame anamorphic kit match.
Smooth Rings
The same goes for smooth focus and aperture rings. If you have a lens with a super tight focus or aperture ring, something needs to be fixed. The same goes for anything so loose a hard camera pan can change the focus. The Viltrox lens operated and felt well-made with appropriate friction on the focus and aperture rings.
Competitive price
The Viltrox 50mm Full-Frame 1.33x Anamorphic lens I reviewed costs $3299.00, which is a steal. Is this lens heavier and slightly bigger than other 1.5x anamorphic lenses? Yes, but it costs nearly half as much. I think what you get for a full kit of lenses from Viltrox—the 25mm, 35mm, 50mm, 75mm, and 100mm—for $17,299.00 is downright an amazing price. To me, this price range, is perfect for many rental houses and owner/operators.
Straddling owner/renter world
The Viltrox lenses are a brand that may require more work for rental houses to market. Viltrox is not a well-known brand at the moment, so it may be not easy to market the new lenses. These lenses come at a time when rental houses may have already made considerable investments in other anamorphic lens kits. It’s a tough business and I hope to see Viltrox get the word out about their new anamorphic lenses because the lenses are good for a great price.
Limited lens mount options
The Viltrox Epic Series Full-Frame 1.33x Anamorphic lenses come in E-Mount, PL-Mount, and L-Mount. We’ve seen these options before, and they make sense. There are many Sony cameras on the market, and the PL-Mount is an industry-standard. Will we see an RF-Mount or a Z-Mount? I highly doubt it. E-Mount, PL-Mount, and L-Mount cover nearly every camera on the market.
Elevated my work immediately
The single Viltrox 50mm Full-Frame 1.33x Anamorphic lens immediately elevated my work. Maybe it’s the fact that I’m shooting with an Anamorphic lens, but I’ll take advantage of it whenever I can. I’d suggest these lenses on my next commercial shoot as they are budget-friendly and have enough image quality to work well for broadcast deliverables. I loved this lens. 10 out of 10, I’d shoot with this lens again.
Viltrox Anamorphic Lens Features
- T2.0 constant aperture
- 1.33X constant squeeze ratio. From far to near, ensure that the image distortion ratio is consistent
- Beautiful bokeh and oval light spots are vividly displayed
- 1.33X constant squeeze ratio. From far to near, ensure that the image distortion ratio is consistent
- Front end adapted to 95mm matte box
- Color saturation Retro pure color restoration
- Consistent optical performance Same character and gear position design