Best Anamorphic Cine Prime Lenses for the Red Monstro 8K
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Best Anamorphic Cine Prime Lenses for the Red Monstro 8K

What are the best anamorphic cine prime lenses for the Red Monstro 8K?

Let’s look at the best anamorphic cine prime lenses for the Red Monstro 8K camera.

First, here are some criteria for the lenses to qualify:

  • True cine lenses, not rehoused still lenses or adapters.
  • Must cover the major anamorphic formats on the Monstro 8K:
    • 8K 6:5 – 33.74mm image circle – 5184 x 4320
    • 7K 6:5 – 29.52mm image circle – 4536 x 3780
    • If possible – 8192×4320 (40.96×21.60mm) or an image circle of 46.31mm

The traditional anamorphic size is 21.95 x 18.88mm (28.95mm image circle) and this is what the lenses have to cover at least. The Monstro 8K has lower anamorphic modes like 6K and so on, but they get smaller than the traditional size.

Just for reference the Arri Alexa LF 6:5 mode is 30.65 x 25.54mm (39.9mm image circle) with a resolution of 3715 x 3096.

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Here’s a comparison of the best anamorphic cine prime kits available for the Red Monstro 8K:

FeatureCooke Anamorphic/i Full Frame Plus StandardP+S Technik TECHNOVISION ClassicServicevision Scorpiolens ANAMORPHIC**
Squeeze Factor1.8x1.5x2x
Largest Format8K 3:2 with crop on both sides8K 3:2 with crop on both sidesCan’t calculate
Max. Resolution5760 x 4320 at 4:36912 x 4320 at 1.6:1Can’t calculate
Aperture Range^T2.3-T22T2.4-T22T2.2-T22
Front Diameter (mm)11013695
Blades in IrisN/AN/AN/A
Image Circle (mm)43.343.3N/A
Close Focus (mm)^600N/AN/A
Weight (kg)^42.7N/A
Focal Lengths in KIt32-180mm40-135mm25-150mm
Consistent Length?NoNoN/A
Largest Consistent Aperture*T2.3T2.8T2.2
Focus Rotation (degrees)270250N/A
Price for 50mm^$32,000$22,000 (approx.)N/A
FeaturePanavision Ultra-VistaHawk65 AnamorphicArri Master Anamorphic
Squeeze Factor1.65x1.3x2x
Largest Format7K FF (Guesstimate)8K FF7K 6:5
Max. Resolution5498 x 3780 @1.45:1 (Guesstimate)7992×4320 @1.854536 x 3780 @6:5
Aperture Range^T2.5-T22T2.2-T22T1.9-T22
Front Diameter (mm)114142114
Blades in IrisN/AN/AN/A
Image Circle (mm)Covers up to 4K on the DXL2, so about 30mmFor the Alexa 65About 30mm
Close Focus (mm)^N/A800750
Weight (kg)^N/A3.82.6
Focal Lengths in KIt35-150mm40-150mm28-180mm
Consistent Length?N/ANoYes
Largest Consistent Aperture*T2.5N/AT1.9
Focus Rotation (degrees)N/AN/AN/A
Price for 50mm^Rental OnlyN/A$49,655

*For about three lenses in the kit, typically 35/40 to 75mm. If two of the lenses are T1.5 but the third T2.1, then the largest consistent aperture is T2.1.

^For the 50mm lens in the lineup.

**Servicevision have also introduced the ScorpioUltra 70 T1.4 anamorphics but no details yet.

My favorite?

I’ve shot recently with the Arri Master Anamorphics and the Red Monstro. You can watch more about it in my Monstro review. I actually used the higher focal lengths to get by 7K 6:5. When I went 50mm or lower, there was vignetting. However, I was also shooting 5K here, so I could crop for a 4K DCI 2.39:1 finish.

However, it’s hard to recommend them for all kinds of work. Recently I had a chance to play with the Cooke anamorphics and the P+S Technik anamorphics, and I must say I’m most impressed by the P+S Technik TECHNOVISION Classic, for these reasons:

  1. Technovision!!
  2. I’ll get a 7K anamorphic frame.
  3. The bokeh is oval, and the image quality is outstanding.
  4. You get white horizontal flares, not the blue ones (guess which one I like – neither).
  5. Price!

What do you think?

Further reading: