Poll: Anamorphic Lenses – Have You Ever Used Them?

Poll

by Johnnie BehiriAugust 28^th, 2025

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In today’s poll, we are asking a very straightforward question. Have you ever filmed with an anamorphic lens? We are genuinely interested in hearing from you. Please read on to find out why.

At times, it seems as if everyone and their mother is making lenses these days. This specific market segment is completely different from what it used to be just a few years ago. In the past, one would buy a lens and probably hold onto it for a very long time. In many cases, the camera would have been replaced while the lens would still be there, with the owner.

Fast forward to today’s climate, and it looks like the “real value” of lenses has lost its place as so many companies are now involved in designing and producing lenses. True, spherical lenses are dominating the market, but one cannot ignore the development of a sub-market for anamorphic lenses. Companies like SIRUI and BLAZAR (just to name a few) make extremely affordable anamorphic lenses aimed at capturing the attention of the filmmaking crowd. Crowdfunding campaigns, competitive prices, and great-looking demonstration videos – all these are legitimate ways to draw attention.

Now, some big names in our industry tend not to work with anamorphic lenses. The award-winning cinematographer Roger Deakins is a good example. But others love the ability to enhance storytelling by deliberately distorting the image.

There is no good, bad, right, or wrong. Everything is subject to personal taste. Personally, give me an anamorphic lens and I’m a happy puppy. To my taste, there is some irresistible magic when using such lenses.

So, while lens companies are investing money to produce affordable anamorphic lenses and enhance usability by even offering autofocus functionality, we got curious to find out if you, dear follower, ever tried filming with such a lens. The poll results will also help us determine whether to dedicate more or fewer resources to reviewing such lenses.

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And as always, if there is something to add beyond the yes/no poll answer, we would appreciate it if you could leave a comment and elaborate about your experience when filming with anamorphics.