The 3 Weirdest and Coolest Lenses on Sale Right Now

SLR Magic has had a weird history with its lenses but has always been the first to market when it comes to affordability, especially when you think about anamorphic glass. The company's other focus? Blistering speed, which is where the SLR Magic Cine II 50mm f/1.1 lens comes in.

While the first iteration had its problems and was pulled from production, version two not only fixes the flaws but improves upon the design as a whole. The Sony E-mount cine-style lens provides full-frame sensor coverage in an all manual design with improved image capture. It features seven lens elements in five groups and weighs just under a pound. At a super-fast f/1.1 maximum aperture, you'll get all the low light and shallow depth of field you want. It's a super simple lens without any bells and whistles, but it's very cheap and can almost see in the dark. You could even say it's magic.

Venus Optics Laowa 24mm f/14 Probe Lens for Sony E (Cine-Mod Version)

It seems like Venus Optics followed in SLR Magic's footsteps with a focus on affordable anamorphic lenses and super-fast glass. But the company has also ventured into ultra-wide, low-distortion territory, making some really cool lenses. But they didn't stop there.  

The Venus Optics Laowa 24mm f/14 Probe Lens is one of those things you never knew you wanted. It makes your camera look like an anteater but the angles you can get are next level. Described as "weird but genius," the Probe Lens is designed for close-up shooting and provides macro capabilities with a 2:1 maximum magnification and a 1.5' minimum focusing distance. It's also a wide-angle lens with a greater depth of field when compared to traditional telephoto macro lenses. This is the iPad of lenses. You don't know why you need it, but when you have it, you'll use it for everything. 

Whitepoint Optics 75mm Neo Super Baltar Lens with PL Mount

The original Super Baltars were released in the early 1960s by Bausch & Lomb and were not only used to shoot both The Godfather I and II, but also Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds and the TV series Star Trek. The original designs were rescued from obscurity after Bausch & Lomb stopped making photo and cine lenses.

Since then, lens designer Brian Caldwell has been re-manufacturing these lenses using the original formula. The Whitepoint Optics versions match the iconic Super Baltar lenses with incredible accuracy. White an entire set is going to cost you an arm and a leg, we chose the 75mm for its unique focal length that sits right between a 50mm and 85mm lens. Whitepoint Optics probably won't make these anymore, so if you can afford it, this is one interesting lens to own. 

Honorable Mention - Whitepoint Optics TS70 60mm Lens

We couldn't make this list without adding the Whitepoint Optics TS70 lens. These suckers are built using Hasselblad medium format glasses and offer a nice balance of sharpness with a smooth look. The TS70 series has a huge image circle of 82mm and caters to large format cinematography. They'll cover any sensor you put it on up to an ARRI Alexa 65. All without vignetting or distortion. These lenses are tailor-made and come with a fully round iris.

Thanks to this approach, you'll get bokeh characteristics that no other lens can match. But, that, unfortunately comes at a price. However, it's on sale, so if you want to spend $4,755 dollars on a truly medium format cinema lens, this is your chance. 

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