A little over a year ago, Atlas Lens Co. made major waves in the cinema world with the release of its original eight Orion 2x T2 Super35 prime anamorphic lenses. Merging vintage characteristics like notable flare and disproportionate breathing with more modern color consistency and controlled bokeh, these lenses quickly found a home in Hollywood features and high-end independent work. Now, Atlas has announced three focal lengths—18mm, 135mm, and 200mm—that dramatically expand what kinds of images this series can capture.
The 18mm is an especially significant addition, providing an incredibly wide 140° field of view that’s nearly unheard of for anamorphic lenses. Combined with its 18" close focus, this lens will let you capture more in the frame and better immerse the viewer. The wide-angle look has become increasingly popular in recent years due to the impressive work of cinematographers like Emmanuel Lubezki, but this aesthetic was always difficult to pull off with anamorphic lenses. This new 18mm will be a popular choice for establishing shots and moments where filmmakers want to feature more of their scene’s environment.
The 135mm and 200mm are both great upgrades on the telephoto end, reaching further and giving more image compression than the longest lens from the original set, the 100mm. These two will be a popular choice for close-ups, inserts, and setups featuring subjects further in the distance. Though their T-stops are slightly higher than the rest of the set—T2.2 and T3.2 respectively—they’re still plenty fast for low-light and nighttime shooting, as well as for prominent bokeh and subject separation.
Like the original set, these new lenses feature interchangeable PL/EF mounts and will cover Super35 sensors right out of the box. Add on an Atlas 1.6x LF Extender in PL to PL or PL to LPL, or a 1.4x PL to PL Expander, and the lenses can cover full-frame and large-format sensors. Atlas continues to tout its mission as “Anamorphic for All” and it’s easy to see how these new focal lengths will help cinematographers further embrace this revitalized format.
For more information about the new Atlas Orion 18mm, 135mm, and 200mm lenses, including additional features, specs, and highlights, be sure to check out their detailed product pages. Which focal length are you most excited to try out? Share your thoughts in the Comments section, below.
