The Blazar Apex 1.33x 50mm AF Anamorphic lens for Sony is now available for pre order
posted Monday, December 9, 2024 at 5:47 AM EST
In October, Blazar officially unveiled a pair of autofocusing anamorphic lenses in the Apex 35mm and 50mm 1.33x F/1.8 at the IBC 2024. The lenses will be coming to the Canon RF, Sony E, Nikon Z, and L mounts, with the 50mm Apex being already available for pre-order on the E-mount.
If you aren’t familiar with Blazar, the company used to be called Great Joy and has released several lines of lenses including the Cato and Remus series of anamorphic full-frame lenses. The Apex line focuses on 1.33x anamorphic squeeze lenses for Super 35 (ASP-C) sensors.
A key feature of the Apex lenses is full-time autofocus with support for subject and eye-tracking. According to Blazar, focusing is fast and has “exceptional accuracy.” The lenses are “engineered with near-zero focus breathing,” making focus transitions seamless. You can easily select between focus modes via the AF/MF mode switch on the barrel. The Apex lenses use the cinema-standard 0.8 mod focus ring for precise, manual control.
The Apex 50mm F/1.8 is designed to be relatively compact and lightweight for a cinema lens, weighing just 717g. The lens is made for “solo creators and run-and-gun shooting, offering cinematic visuals in a portable, easy-to-use design.” The front diameter on the lens is 80mm with a 77mm filter thread.
The 1.33x anamorphic squeeze on the Apex lens achieves a cinematic 1.5x look. The lens exhibits barrel distortion by design. Blazar says this helps guide users to the center of the frame and provides a vintage aesthetic. The Apex lenses deliver subtle anamorphic flare when pointed directly at a light source, giving natural streaks without overpowering the scene.
The Blazar Apex 50mm 1.33x AF Anamorphic lens is available from pre-order for $799.