The resurgence of the anamorphic look over the past few years has successfully driven a wave of investment from manufacturers aiming to produce relatively affordable cinematic lenses. Offering filmmakers the distinctive widescreen aesthetic at a fraction of traditional costs, companies like Sirui have earned strong support from the creative community. Now, Sirui is looking to spearhead yet another shift in lens technology to address the modern demands of social media and vertical video creation.
While content creators have long relied on workarounds to adapt standard footage for vertical platforms—such as cropping 16:9 shots or physically turning the camera—these methods come with distinct limitations. For those wishing to publish genuine anamorphic footage, the challenges multiply quickly. Frame edges, distinct bokeh shapes, and especially horizontal flares simply do not translate properly when a traditional camera setup is rotated. Because the optical squeeze direction is thrown off by ninety degrees, cropping such a wide image can create severe hurdles during reframing and post-production.
To solve this dilemma, Sirui has developed the Saturn V2 lens set with a unique mechanical innovation: an unlocked, rotatable mount. Designed to accommodate both traditional horizontal production and the booming vertical video market, this feature allows users to orient their camera vertically and simply rotate the lens to align the anamorphic characteristics correctly.
Available in L-Mount, Sony E, and Canon RF options, the Saturn V2 lineup comprises a 35mm T2.9, a 50mm T2.9, and a 75mm T2.9. Each individual lens is priced at $599 / £529 / AU$749, while the complete three-lens kit is available for $1,699 / £1,589 / AU$2,693. Alongside the lenses and a rugged, foam-lined hard case, the kit includes a complimentary Sirui Alien Series Crab Clamp with Magic Arm.
In terms of physical design, the Saturn V2 lenses maintain a remarkably compact form factor, measuring significantly narrower than typical cine lenses. Built with a solid metal construction finished in a satin charcoal paint, the lenses feature clear markings in white for iris and metric focal distances, alongside imperial measurements in orange. Every lens in the set concludes with a standard 62mm filter thread, helping solo operators save on filter costs by avoiding oversized accessories.
The optical construction varies slightly across the trio. The 35mm T2.9 features 18 elements in 13 groups with 10 aperture blades, the 50mm T2.9 utilizes 17 elements in 12 groups with 10 blades, and the 75mm T2.9 incorporates 15 elements in 11 groups with 14 blades. All three lenses share a maximum aperture of T2.9 and a de-clicked minimum aperture of T16, complete with standard 0.8 mod gears on both the iris and focus rings to accommodate follow-focus motors. The physical lengths range from approximately 100.9mm to 114.2mm depending on the mount and focal length, while weights hover between 437g and 520g.
Handling and performance on location highlight the benefits of this lightweight build. Paired with hybrid camera bodies like the Panasonic Lumix S5, the lenses allow filmmakers to maintain a portable, nimble kit suitable for handheld shooting, travel, and solo workflows. Both the focus and iris rings offer smooth damping, though the focus throw is relatively short at 120 degrees, which can make critical focusing at wider apertures somewhat demanding without camera assists or electronic motor control.
Optically, the Saturn V2 set delivers character without overwhelming distortion. While anamorphic lenses inherently sacrifice clinical sharpness compared to spherical glass, these lenses yield consistent, pleasant bokeh with minimal onion ring artifacts and restrained color fringing. Neutral flares ensure that light sources impart their natural color onto the streak rather than forcing a uniform blue hue, offering a more versatile look for narrative storytelling. Edge softness and pincushion distortion are present wide open, particularly on the 75mm, but these traits largely dissipate by stopping down to T4 or through standard timeline cropping.
The defining feature of the set, however, remains its 90-degree swivel mechanism. Positioned near the mount via a spring-loaded locking tab, the rotating mechanism allows the lens body to click securely into a vertical orientation once the camera is turned. This ensures that flares, distortion, and bokeh maintain their correct orientation for vertical video distribution.
Ultimately, the Sirui Saturn V2 set bridges a long-standing gap between traditional cinematic aesthetics and contemporary digital content creation. By combining a compact, affordable anamorphic package with an innovative rotating mount, Sirui provides solo shooters and social media creators with a versatile tool capable of handling both horizontal workflows and the growing demand for vertical video.
