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Sirui Anamorphics on Komodo

Geno Marx

Geno Marx

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Does anyone know what the difference and results are with the Full Frame vs the Super35 versions when shooting on Komodo? The Super35 are obviously cheaper, but I believe they have a squeeze factor of 1.33 vs 1.6. Coming from the DSLR world, I've only shot with Spherical lenses but I know Anamorphics are the go to for so many famous filmmakers. Does anyone have experience using Anamorphics? Would you recommend Sirui?
Thanks!
 
I have Sirui 35mm and 75mm for full frame, as well as 1.25 adapter (making the lenses 2x). Not much in terms of experience, but I can say that sharpness is very good. Without adapter the lenses do not have constant squeeze factor and range between 1.55 - 1.6 (close - infinity). If I were you, I would definitely go with full frame.
 
Have you experienced any vignette with the full frame while using the adapter? The constant squeeze, meaning when you are pulling focus it loses the squeeze unless you are using the adapter? What settings are you using on the Komodo in order to see the framing in correct aspect ratio?
 
When using 35mm x1.6 with adapter, it will vignette on a 17:9 sensor at close focus distance, 75m has no issues. Since you get a lot of width out of 17:9 (vs .4:3) this is not an issue. Without adapter both lenses have variable squeeze, 1.55 (about) at close distance and 1.6 at infinity. With adapter, you set the lens focus to infinity and focus with adapter which maintains squeeze factor at x2 for all focusing distances. Komodo has anamorphic format settings that you can use, but since I am using external display, I set it there to 1.6 or 2 (depending on the usage of adapter). Then I apply de-squeeze in DaVinci Resolve.
 
Thanks for sharing all that info!
 
On the 35mm, have any of you used Diopters to help the focus distance? I'm also curious if anyone has tried using the 1.25 Adapter on a spherical cine lens and what the results have been.
 
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I own the full set of S35 lenses. They are a 1.33x anamorphic which isn't going to get you the full anamorphic feel. The sharpness is only OK in my opinion. There is also some very slight vignetting on one of the focal lengths (I will have to check next shoot). They are fun to shoot with.
 
Just saw this thread.
I own both the x1.33 set (24mm, 35mm, 50mm and 75mm) modified by MTF Services and the x1.6 FF set (35mm, 50mm, 75mm and 100mm) with the x1.25 (x2) adapter.
Ask me anything!
Meanwhile you can check out these tests I performed with the FF lenses:
Sirui x1.6 FF Anamorphic + x2 Adapter https://youtu.be/H35mz7OF5cg
Sirui x1.6 FF Anamorphic https://youtu.be/3Wk0kmgQb94
Sirui 75mm and 50mm T2.9 x1.6 Full Frame Anamorphic with a x10 Close Up Diopter https://youtu.be/DCYpg4DbiwI
Sirui 75mm T2.9 x1.6 FF Anamorphic https://youtu.be/xGNUl6Q7U8A
Sirui 50mm T2.9 x1.6 FF Anamorphic https://youtu.be/gxzFbswqfiU

The above clips were featured in the respective Sirui launch campaigns.
NB: I got these lenses at a heavily discounted rate and I have no commitment to say anything for or against them.
I prefer to provide you with all the info and let the footage speak for itself.

Some footage shot on the x1.33 sets
EKOME Greece | Studio Greece (aerial footage shot with various drones, not on RED) https://youtu.be/wZDTIYyWgIo
EKOME Greece | Educate - Digitise (aerial footage shot with various drones, not on RED) https://youtu.be/dJHzYYAq_jQ
McDonald's TVC (Greek) https://youtu.be/f2GQN2tv3nQ
Fisikon LNG TVC (Greek) https://youtu.be/TU8hABwYsfk

Everything shot on Komodo unless otherwise mentioned.

To answer some of the OP questions:
Observations on the S35 x1.33 set:
24mm Vignettes a little when focusing close.
They have a surprisingly close focusing distance for anamorphics (anamorphics are known for not having a very close focusing distance in general).
They are quite sharp (not very) but anamorphics are not really sought for their sharpness.
They breathe and they change from x1.33 to x1.25-ish when focusing on close subjects. Again, that is characteristic that a number of older big-name lenses had as well.
The focus markings are not particularly precise.
Flaring is very obvious.
I got the M4/3 set and they are pretty damn light!!!

Observations on the FF x1.6 set:
They don't breathe as much as the x1.33
Flaring is a bit more controlled.
The focus markings are not particularly precise.
Focuses to infinity and beyond! Not a good thing. I attribute it to the mass production of these lenses and I believe that if I can take apart the focus ring, I can reposition it to more accurately match the real focusing distances. I suppose they left the "beyond" as wiggle room to allow for adjustments.
Squeeze is fairly consistent. Especially on the 75mm and 100mm. Not much of a concern on the 35mm and 50mm but it is there.

Observations on the x2 (x1.25) adapter:
It is a single focus adapter. Set the taking lens to infinity (not beyond!)
Softens the sharpness of the taking lens.
Provides a constant squeeze.
Unifies close focus for the whole set.
Makes the whole setup very front-heavy by adding almost 1 lb to the very front.
I ended up not using it much because it softens the image and makes things complicated when switching lenses.
 
Gregory Karydis said:
Just saw this thread.
I own both the x1.33 set (24mm, 35mm, 50mm and 75mm) modified by MTF Services and the x1.6 FF set (35mm, 50mm, 75mm and 100mm) with the x1.25 (x2) adapter.
Ask me anything!
Meanwhile you can check out these tests I performed with the FF lenses:
Sirui x1.6 FF Anamorphic + x2 Adapter https://youtu.be/H35mz7OF5cg
Sirui x1.6 FF Anamorphic https://youtu.be/3Wk0kmgQb94
Sirui 75mm and 50mm T2.9 x1.6 Full Frame Anamorphic with a x10 Close Up Diopter https://youtu.be/DCYpg4DbiwI
Sirui 75mm T2.9 x1.6 FF Anamorphic https://youtu.be/xGNUl6Q7U8A
Sirui 50mm T2.9 x1.6 FF Anamorphic https://youtu.be/gxzFbswqfiU

The above clips were featured in the respective Sirui launch campaigns.
NB: I got these lenses at a heavily discounted rate and I have no commitment to say anything for or against them.
I prefer to provide you with all the info and let the footage speak for itself.

Some footage shot on the x1.33 sets
EKOME Greece | Studio Greece (aerial footage shot with various drones, not on RED) https://youtu.be/wZDTIYyWgIo
EKOME Greece | Educate - Digitise (aerial footage shot with various drones, not on RED) https://youtu.be/dJHzYYAq_jQ
McDonald's TVC (Greek) https://youtu.be/f2GQN2tv3nQ
Fisikon LNG TVC (Greek) https://youtu.be/TU8hABwYsfk

Everything shot on Komodo unless otherwise mentioned.

To answer some of the OP questions:
Observations on the S35 x1.33 set:
24mm Vignettes a little when focusing close.
They have a surprisingly close focusing distance for anamorphics (anamorphics are known for not having a very close focusing distance in general).
They are quite sharp (not very) but anamorphics are not really sought for their sharpness.
They breathe and they change from x1.33 to x1.25-ish when focusing on close subjects. Again, that is characteristic that a number of older big-name lenses had as well.
The focus markings are not particularly precise.
Flaring is very obvious.
I got the M4/3 set and they are pretty damn light!!!

Observations on the FF x1.6 set:
They don't breathe as much as the x1.33
Flaring is a bit more controlled.
The focus markings are not particularly precise.
Focuses to infinity and beyond! Not a good thing. I attribute it to the mass production of these lenses and I believe that if I can take apart the focus ring, I can reposition it to more accurately match the real focusing distances. I suppose they left the "beyond" as wiggle room to allow for adjustments.
Squeeze is fairly consistent. Especially on the 75mm and 100mm. Not much of a concern on the 35mm and 50mm but it is there.

Observations on the x2 (x1.25) adapter:
It is a single focus adapter. Set the taking lens to infinity (not beyond!)
Softens the sharpness of the taking lens.
Provides a constant squeeze.
Unifies close focus for the whole set.
Makes the whole setup very front-heavy by adding almost 1 lb to the very front.
I ended up not using it much because it softens the image and makes things complicated when switching lenses.
Click to expand...

Wow! Thanks for taking the time to share all of this. I actually recognize your videos from when I was first searching for reviews on the Sirui lenses.

Have you used the Vazen lenses? If so how would you compare? Obviously they are a bit more expensive but one thing that is appealing to me about the Vazen is that you can get a set with amber flares instead of the blue.
 
Geno Marx said:
Wow! Thanks for taking the time to share all of this. I actually recognize your videos from when I was first searching for reviews on the Sirui lenses.

Have you used the Vazen lenses? If so how would you compare? Obviously they are a bit more expensive but one thing that is appealing to me about the Vazen is that you can get a set with amber flares instead of the blue.
Click to expand...

Haven't tested the Vazen or the Laowa, just some Atlas and P+S.
Atlas are on a whole other league and P+S optics are comparable but more compact and have a way more refined construction.

I think it's been mentioned on social media as a response somewhere that Sirui will be releasing similar flare options to the Laowa pretty soon.
 
Gregory Karydis said:
Haven't tested the Vazen or the Laowa, just some Atlas and P+S.
Atlas are on a whole other league and P+S optics are comparable but more compact and have a way more refined construction.

I think it's been mentioned on social media as a response somewhere that Sirui will be releasing similar flare options to the Laowa pretty soon.
Click to expand...

Oh yeah. Atlas was beyond my league.

You mentioned that you don't use the 1.25 Adapter. I was curious about the adapters usefulness on other lens. From what I've researched you can actually attach it to non-anamorphic lenses to fake the anamorphic look.
 
Geno Marx said:
Oh yeah. Atlas was beyond my league.

You mentioned that you don't use the 1.25 Adapter. I was curious about the adapters usefulness on other lens. From what I've researched you can actually attach it to non-anamorphic lenses to fake the anamorphic look.
Click to expand...

You are correct. here's a test shot with the adapter on the 7Artisans Vision T1.05 lenses https://youtu.be/ocDwl3iqMto

Though you don't "fake" the anamorphic look, as that's how it's usually done, you take a spherical lens and attach an anamorphic adapter to turn the spherical lens into an anamorphic.

You can even attach it to something like a Canon RF Zoom lens and turn it into an anamorphic, but there's a whole bunch of reasons why you do not want to do that:
The taking lens becomes very front-heavy
If the taking lens is a zoom and has a telescoping front element, you risk damaging the telescoping mechanism
You are limited by how wide you can go, usually anything under 35mm and there will be visible vignetting
Not very useful for gimbal work as it makes the whole setup front-heavy
It degrades the quality of the taking lens, less sharpness, reduced contrast, and possibly some difficulty pulling focus, but these are all characteristics of most anamorphic adapters.
 
Dang. I just missed out. Sirui had a sale going on. Five lens set including the new 135MM for 15% off.
 
Seems like the 135mm x1.8 messes up the whole set.
 
The 135mm x2 FF has a completely different look than the rest of the x1.6 set.
Bokeh is less pronounced than the x1.6 and in terms of workflow you need to change your shooting mode when you switch lenses.
 
Gregory Karydis said:
The 135mm x2 FF has a completely different look than the rest of the x1.6 set.
Bokeh is less pronounced than the x1.6 and in terms of workflow you need to change your shooting mode when you switch lenses.
Click to expand...

Oh dang. That's disappointing. The original set of 4 lenses available online all look to be matched with the same color space, bokeh, etc.
 
Exactly.
but I have some hopes that they will release a 135mm x1.6 FF as I was told to expect to receive the 135mm one to complete the series and they have yet to reach out to me.
 
Is the 24mm worth getting? I know it's 1.33 and not FF. But it might be nice to have if it can match up nice with the full set of 35-100 lenses.
 
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