Sirui SR24Z 24mm f/2.8 APS-C

The Sirui Anamorphic SR24-RF gives you real 1.33x anamorphic widescreen footage for $199 USD. Stabilization is a standout, but manual focus only and weak build quality hold it back. Worth it for budget video shooters who want that cinematic look.

Optically, this lens sits at the 63rd percentile in our database. That's solid, not spectacular. The Schott glass and nano-coating do a decent job suppressing aberration and vignette, and the 13 elements in 10 groups keep things reasonably sharp. The 0.6m minimum focus distance is a nice touch for a 24mm, letting you get closer than you'd expect. But the f/2.8 max aperture is just okay, and the 7-blade diaphragm won't win any bokeh contests. Stabilization ranks at the 79th percentile, which helps for handheld video work, but manual focus only means you're doing all the work yourself.

Stacked against the Tamron 18-300mm or Sigma 10-18mm f/2.8, the Sirui loses on versatility and autofocus. Those lenses are practical, do-everything options. The Sirui does one thing, anamorphic widescreen, and it does it well. The Meike 85mm f/1.4 II is a better portrait lens with a faster aperture, but it can't touch the Sirui's unique look. The Nikon 20059 and Sony 18-135mm are more general purpose, but none of them give you that 2.4:1 squeeze. This lens isn't competing on specs, it's competing on a specific aesthetic.

At $199 USD, this is one of the cheapest ways to get real anamorphic footage. Most anamorphic lenses cost four or five times that. You're trading build quality and autofocus for that price, but if you're a video shooter on a budget, the math works. The CAD listing at $492 is a different story, that's a much harder sell when you're competing with used cinema glass. For US buyers, this is a steal. For everyone else, shop carefully.

The Sirui Anamorphic SR24-RF is a 24mm f/2.8 manual focus lens for Canon RF APS-C cameras. It squeezes the image 1.33x horizontally to give you that 2.4:1 widescreen look without cropping. You get blue streaks, oval bokeh, and a genuinely cinematic frame straight out of camera.

It's built for video shooters who want the anamorphic aesthetic without spending five figures. But it's a niche tool. No autofocus, no weather sealing, and a hefty 998g body mean this isn't a casual walkaround lens.

Skip this if you need autofocus for run-and-gun shooting or if you shoot in wet or dusty conditions, since there's no weather sealing. Also skip it if you want a general purpose lens. This thing is a one-trick pony, and if you're not specifically after the anamorphic look, you'll be frustrated by the manual focus and limited aperture range.

Buy this if you shoot video on a Canon RF APS-C body and want the anamorphic look without selling a kidney. It's a specialized tool that delivers the cinematic goods at a budget price. Just know what you're getting into: manual focus, no weather sealing, and a build that feels more functional than premium.