KOWA CINE 2x ANAMORPHIC PL: 40mm T2.3, 50mm T2.3, 75mm T2.8, 100mm T3.4 with Optional Wide Angle Adapter = 32mm

What is an Anamorphic lens?

There are two main types of lenses; those being spherical and those being anamorphic. Anamorphic lenses have asymmetrical optical curves that render more compressed images in its width and is stretched more in its height. This compression and stretching is determined by the squeeze factor. An anamorphic lens with a 2x squeeze factor will be two times as wide as the focal length on the respective lens. (Meaning a 50mm would have the field of view of a 25, but the depth of focus as a 50mm). However there are many different squeeze factors: 1.5x, 2x, 1.3x, 1.8x etc.

These are Japanese Anamorphic lenses from the 60s. These lenses have similar coatings as the spherical Kowa Cine Prominars. Low in contrast and warm in color, they can be made to flare easily. The flare is warm in color rather than the standard blue anamorphic flare. They are small in size and work well for handheld or Steadicam.