BLAZAR Mantis 1.33x Anamorphic Full-frame Lightweight Lens Series Announced
BLAZAR Mantis is a new line of 1.33x anamorphic full-frame cinema prime lenses. Consisting of five focal lengths (25mm, 35mm, 50mm, 75mm, and 100mm), the lenses feature a maximum aperture of T2.0 and T2.4. Thanks to the added oval IRIS mechanism, the lenses produce the stronger anamorphic look of 1.5x-2x lenses, according to BLAZAR. Available for lens mounts PL, E, EF, L, RF, and Z, the lenses offer a consistent front diameter of 80mm and a 77mm front filter thread.
Last year at the IBC trade show, BLAZAR introduced the APEX 1.33x – the first anamorphic lens with autofocus. This time, during NAB 2025, the Chinese lens company introduced a new anamorphic lens series – the BLAZAR Mantis. We were, of course, at the NAB show floor to talk about the details of the new lens series. Let’s dive right into it.
BLAZAR Mantis – 1.33x anamorphic with the 2x look
Although the squeeze ratio is only 1.33x, BLAZAR emphasizes that the lenses deliver a 2x look characteristic. As Jaxon Schriever from BLAZAR showed us, the Mantis lenses have an oval-shaped 14-bladed IRIS mechanism at the back that stays consistent through the whole T-stop range. That results in the out-of-focus areas looking more stretched than 1.33x (oval bokeh typical for anamorphic).
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The Mantis lens set contains five focal lengths:
- 25mm T2.4
- 35mm T2.0
- 50mm T2.0
- 75mm T2.0
- 100mm T2.4
The practicality of the BLAZAR Mantis 1.33x squeeze ratio lies in the ability to provide an anamorphic look to cameras that do not offer open gate modes or have 16:9 or 17:9 image sensors. These cameras would not have enough vertical resolution to fully make use of a 2x anamorphic lens, for instance.
When it comes to close focus, the 25mm can focus as close as 1.25ft (0.38m), the 35mm and 50mm manage 1.57ft (0.48m), and finally, the 75mm and 100mm lenses feature a close focus of 2.2ft (0.67m). The focus throw is the same on each lens in the set – 180°.
In terms of sharpness, the Mantis line should be on par with the Remus line, perhaps a tiny bit sharper as the squeeze ratio is lower. The flares show a slight amber tint.
BLAZAR also claims the lenses are compact and lightweight, ranging from 1.43 lbs (650g) to 1.74 lbs (790g). The front diameter is the same across the whole set – 80mm. When it comes to the front filter thread, all the lenses in the series except the 25mm lens feature a 77mm thread.
Mantis lenses come natively in PL and E mounts, with full support for EF, RF, Z, and L mounts. Thanks to Mantis’s interchangeable mount design, you can switch between all these mounts.
Price and availability
The first BLAZAR Mantis lenses (35mm, 50mm, and 75mm) will be available for pre-order from May 2025, and they should ship in June 2025. The other two focal lengths (25mm and 100mm) will open for pre-order in June 2025 and should ship in July 2025.
Pricing of the BLAZAR Mantis lenses has not been finalized yet, but Jaxon told us it should be somewhere around $1,000 to $1,200 per lens (similar to BLAZAR Remus pricing).
Do you use 1.33x anamorphic lenses for your productions? What do you think about the new BLAZAR Mantis series? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section underneath the article.
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