Blazar’s New Talon Anamorphic Lenses

credits: Blazar

Blazar has officially announced the Talon 1.5X AF anamorphic lens series, the company’s first autofocus anamorphic system with a 1.5× squeeze. Autofocus anamorphic lenses are not new anymore, 1.33× options have been around for a while, but pushing that squeeze higher while keeping and optimising AF for mirrorless cameras is where Blazar is trying something different. The idea seems to be offering more pronounced anamorphic character without jumping all the way to the heavier, slower, and more demanding 1.8× or 2× lenses.

At launch, the Talon lineup includes three focal lengths, 35mm, 50mm, and 75mm. The 35mm is rated at T2.1, while Blazar has not yet shared the T-stops for the other two. All three cover full-frame (36×24mm) and use a 1.5× squeeze that Blazar says visually lands closer to a 1.8× look, with stronger oval bokeh and wider-feeling frames than typical 1.33× lenses. Close-focus distances are fairly reasonable for anamorphic glass, about 0.37m on the 35mm, 0.65m on the 50mm, and 0.73m on the 75mm, and all three lenses use a 16-blade iris for smoother out-of-focus rendering.

Physically, each one weighs under 690 grams, shares a 80mm front diameter, and takes 77mm screw-in filters. Autofocus is a core part of the design, with support for subject tracking and eye AF, plus a physical AF/MF switch for quick changes. There are no cine gears, and the focus ring has a long 360-degree rotation, pointing to a hybrid photo-video target audience. For now, the Talon lenses are Sony E-mount only, with pre-orders opening today at $999 per lens.