When Letus announced their $1,700 anamorphic adapter, the AnamorphX, back in September, many of us were still waiting patiently for official news on SLR Magic's answer to anamorphic shooting. That news came yesterday with the official announcement of their Anamorphot 1.33x 50. Originally pricing it to be around $1,500, SLR Magic has managed to keep the price point of the Anamorphot conducive to independent filmmakers, offering the adapter for $899. SLR Magic is currently taking pre-orders, but only until February 14th, after which the adapter (as well as their 77mm Achromatic Diopter set) will officially go on sale sometime in April. Continue on for more details.
Shooting anamorphic is notorious for being prohibitively expensive for indie filmmakers, which is why adapters are the go-to piece of gear for those who want the wide aspect ratio (sans cropping) and aesthetic artifacts of anamorphic shooting minus the anamorphic cost. A quality adapter is still going to be expensive, but $899 is not only surprising considering the initial estimate, but it's doable.
As far as performance, the general consensus among testers is that the Anamorphot is a sharp, light weight, easy to use, quality anamorphic adapter for the price. Adam Wilt of Pro Video Coalition gave his initial impressions of its final design. At the time of testing, the unnamed prototype didn't have a coating -- something that has changed with the final design. The Anamorphot is now multi-coated, which has substantially reduced the horizontal flares we saw from the prototype.
Check out these demo videos to get an idea of how the Anamorphot performs.
Here are the technical specs listed in the press release:
Technical Information
- SLR Magic Anamorphot 1.33x – 50
- Lens Type: Anamorphic adapter
- Objective front filter thread: Φ77
- Objective rear filter thread: Φ62, Φ58, Φ52, Φ49
- Lens Coating: Multi Coated
- Close Focus: dependent on taking lens compatibility
- Weight (oz./g): 13.4/380
- Optional accessories: SLR Magic 77mm Achromatic Diopter Set (+0.33, +1.3)
Suggested taking lens based on sensor size:
- 17-85mm focal length can be used for S16 sensor.
- 20-85mm focal length can be used for MFT sensor.
- 35-85mm focal length can be used for S35 and APS-C sensor.
- 40-85mm focal length can be used for Full Frame sensor.
The press release elaborates on taking lens compatibility:
Lenses with non-rotating front filter threads must be used. The front element of the taking lens should be as close to the rear element of the SLR Magic Anamorphot 1,33x – 50 as possible without making contact. It isn't necessary for the taking lens to have an internal focusing mechanism. Trial and error will be involved but, in general, the SLR Magic Anamorphot is best paired with a prime lens whose front element (not to be confused with its filter thread) is smaller than 50mm in diameter.
Eyepatch Entertainment takes a great, in-depth look at the Anamorphot in the video below. Check it out.
SLR Magic also developed achromatic diopters specifically to help close focus issues of the Anamorphot, which helps to enhance image resolution and sharpness on close/medium distance applications. Their 77mm Achromatic Diopter Set (+0.33, +1.3) retails at $299.
If you'd like to pre-order, send a screenshot showing that you're following @anamorphot on Twitter to support@slrmagic.com. Do this by February 14th, as that's the final day SLR Magic is taking pre-orders, which will begin shipping in March. Also, according to Pro Video Coalition, there's an unspecified discount for pre-orders.
Be sure to check out PVC's post for more information on the Anamorphot adapter, as well as a ton of demo video links.
What are your first impressions of SLR Magic's Anamorphot 1:33x 50? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
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