P+S TECHNIK has announced the TECHNOVISION 1.5X AproXima anamorphic primes. This is a unique set of anamorphic close focus lenses. These now join the existing TECHNOVISION 1.5X anamorphic primes and the TECHNOVISION 1.5X 40-70mm and 70-200mm zooms.
The series consists of 4 focal lengths:
- 40mm T2.2
- 50mm T2.2
- 75mm T2.5
- 100mm T2.5
The TECHNOVISION 1.5X AproXima anamorphic primes have T-stops that range from T2.2 to T2.5 and all of the lenses have a front diameter of 156mm. They cover a 43.3 mm image circle.
Key features
- Close Focus at 1’2″ and 1’7″
- T-stop 2.2/2.5
- Designed for Full Format, PL and LPL mount
- Front diameter 156mm
- Innovative combination of single and multilayer coating
The lenses all come with a PL-Mount, however, an additional LPL mount pis also available.
Why 1.5x?
Some readers may be asking why 1.5x? The biggest reason for creating a lens with a 1.5x squeeze is that it easily supports multiple delivery aspect ratios.
A 1.5x squeeze design allows manufacturers to balance the anamorphic characters as well as the resolution of the image. The 1.5x squeeze can produce a cinematic widescreen 2.39:1 aspect when paired up with 4:3 sensors. When paired up with 16:9 sensors, much less data (than 2X anamorphic lens) is needed to be cropped away to create the desired 2.39:1 ratio.
In a lot of ways, the decision to go with a 1.5x anamorphic makes a lot more sense than going with a 2x. 1.5x is more versatile and it allows the lens to be used on more cameras. Making a 1.5x anamorphic is also a lot easier than creating a 1.8x or 2x anamorphic.
It is interesting to see how many anamorphic lenses are now coming out with 1.5x and 1.8x squeeze and not a traditional 2x.
1.5x seems to be the popular squeeze ratio at the moment and we are seeing quite a few lenses starting to appear with that ratio. I recently reviewed the Laowa Nanomorph S35 1.5X Anamorphic lenses.
Size & weight
| WEIGHT | |
| 40mm T2.2 | 3kg / 6.7 lbs |
| 50mm T2.2 | 3.2kg / 7 lbs |
| 75mm T2.5 | 4kg / 8.8 lbs |
| 100mm T2.5 | 4.8kg / 10.5 lbs |
Above you can see how much the individual focal lengths weigh. These are fairly heavy lenses and the 100mm T2.5 tips the scales at almost 5kg.
Minimum Focus Distance
| CLOSE FOCUS DISTANCE | |
| 40mm T2.2 | 1.7′ / 50cm |
| 50mm T2.2 | 1.7′ / 50cm |
| 75mm T2.5 | 1.2′ / 36cm |
| 100mm T2.5 | 1.2′ / 36cm |
The close focus is very good for large format anamorphics. Above you can see the minimum focusing distance for all of the lenses. The information doesn’t seem right to me as the close focus is better on the longer focal lengths.
Other Features
The TECHNOVISION 1.5X AproXima have their anamorphic elements placed in the front to achieve the unique anamorphic bokeh, fascinating lens flares, and perfect balance of modern and vintage character. P+S TECHNIK also states that the lenses have high contrast and deliberate flares that define the lens character.
Price & availability
The P+S TECHNIK TECHNOVISION 1.5X AproXima lenses are now available, however, the price is on application.
