Blazar’s Interesting New Anamorphic Lens

credits: Blazar

Blazar has announced an unusual new lens for full-frame cameras: the Beetle 1.33x anamorphic. Unlike most anamorphic lenses, this one has a rotatable barrel, allowing for both horizontal and vertical anamorphic shooting. It’s a manual lens aimed not just at filmmakers, but especially at photographers who want to experiment with anamorphic-style looks — wider images, oval bokeh, and lens flares — while still using the full image area of their sensor.

The first lens in the series is a 45mm T3.2, launching this August for around $500. It features a locking button near the mount that unlocks the rotating section. In its standard orientation, it behaves like a typical 1.33x anamorphic lens, squeezing more horizontal field of view into the frame. But when rotated, it can expand the vertical field of view instead, especially useful for portrait orientation shots or when cropping flexibility is important.

Blazar says the Beetle lens will be available in a wide range of mounts including Sony E, Canon RF, Nikon Z, Leica L, and Fujifilm X. Two more focal lengths, a 32mm and a 65mm, are expected to follow. The rotating design changes not just the aspect ratio possibilities, but also how bokeh and lens flares appear, giving creative shooters a new kind of control over the anamorphic look.

You can see full details on Blazar’s website here