Blazar Remus II 50mm T2.4 1.5X Full-Frame Anamorphic Lens Introduced – Improved Sharpness, Oval Iris, and More

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by Francesco AndreolaToday

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Blazar has recently unveiled the second generation of its popular Remus 1.5x full-frame anamorphic series, starting with the Remus II 50mm T2.4. This reengineered version promises to produce sharper images, inherits the oval iris design from the Mantis series, and comes with a stylish gold metal finish. It is now available to pre-order for $799.

Debuted in December 2023 with 3 focal lengths – 45, 65, and 100mm – Blazar’s Remus 1.5x full-frame lens series has rapidly grown into one, or maybe even the most popular set for anamorphic enthusiasts on a budget, thanks to its vintage-inspired look, closely resembling that of higher-end anamorphic glass.

Blazar then went on to introduce many other interesting budget-friendly options, including the Mantis 1.33x series, where the oval iris design helps strengthen the anamorphic effect. Now, it looks like it’s time to integrate some of this hard-earned knowledge into a revisited Remus lens. Let’s take a look!

Blazar Remus II 50mm T2.4 – Sharper look, oval iris

At the moment, Blazar has only disclosed a single 2nd-generation Remus lens – the Remus II 50mm T2.4 –, but it might have something up its sleeve for the future. The first thing to notice is that this new 50mm is a tad slower than its T2.0 predecessor, but I think this is an acceptable trade-off if the lens actually delivers more in terms of look.

According to Blazar, the design has been revisited to include sharper optics compared to the previous generation. Although these lenses require precise shimming to perform at their best, sharpness has been one of the most popular complaints with the first-generation Remus. Blazar already tried to solve this issue with the Viper series, although this led to a slightly more modern look. So, it will be interesting to see whether they’ve managed to find a better balance with Remus II.

On the outside, the new Remus II 50mm T2.4 is clearly recognizable from its distinctive gold metal finish. Inside, we can still find 16 aperture blades, but, just like with the Mantis 1.33x series, these are now arranged to create an oval aperture, which should result in a smoother, richer bokeh.

When it comes to close focus, Blazar’s website reports conflicting information. So it’s not clear whether the Remus II 50mm T2.4 has the same 0.74m/2.42ft minimum focusing distance as the original or whether its close focus has been improved (0.68m / 2.23ft).

Other than these changes, the lens retains some of the core specs of the original series, including full-frame coverage (36x24mm), an interchangeable PL/EF mount, silver lens flare (Remus with blue and amber flare have been discontinued), an 80mm front, a 77mm filter thread, 150° and 77.4° rotation for the focus and iris ring, respectively, and a weight of 716g/1.57lbs.

Price and availability

The new Blazar Remus II 50mm T2.4 is available to pre-order from B&H for $799 until September 25th. After that date, the official retail price of $899 will take effect.

For more information, please visit Blazar’s website here.

Have you ever shot on the original Blazar Remus lenses? How do you like their look, and what would you like to see in Remus II? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!