Sirui Astra 50mm 1.33X Auto Focus Full Frame Anamorphic Cine Review

The Sirui Astra 50mm is a weird, fascinating lens that does one thing incredibly well: it's a real, full-frame anamorphic lens with autofocus for under a grand. That's the headline. Forget everything else for a second. For filmmakers and serious video shooters on a budget, that's a big deal. It's not trying to be your everyday walk-around lens. It's a specialized tool built to give your footage that classic, widescreen cinematic look straight out of the camera.

The autofocus is the biggest surprise, and not necessarily in a good way. It's functional, landing in the 45th percentile, which basically means it's fine for controlled shots but you wouldn't want to rely on it for fast-paced run-and-gun work. Where this lens really shines is in its core purpose: the 1.33x anamorphic squeeze and the dual flare options give you that pro look without needing a five-figure cinema lens. The close focus is surprisingly good too, scoring in the 89th percentile for macro, which opens up some creative possibilities.

At $849, the value proposition is incredibly sharp if you're in the target market. You're paying for the anamorphic optics and the unique look. If you don't need or want that widescreen squeeze, there's zero reason to buy this lens. But if you do, it's a steal.

Don't compare this to standard photo primes like the Meike 55mm F1.8 or the Viltrox 35mm F1.7. They're cheaper and sharper for stills, but they don't do what the Sirui does. The real competition is other budget anamorphic options, which are almost all manual focus and often designed for smaller sensors. The Sirui's combo of full-frame coverage, autofocus, and this price point makes it stand alone. For video-first shooters, it's a no-brainer over adapting vintage anamorphic lenses with their quirks and limitations.

If you shoot video and you've been dreaming of that classic cinematic anamorphic look without taking out a second mortgage, buy the Sirui Astra 50mm. It's a purpose-built tool that delivers on its main promise brilliantly. If you're primarily a stills photographer, or if you need a fast, reliable all-rounder lens, look elsewhere immediately. This is a specialist's lens, and a very good one.