Blazar Launches Viper Series of Compact Full-Frame 1.5x Anamorphic Cine Lenses

Blazar introduced the Viper series on March 11, a line of manual full-frame 1.5x anamorphic cine lenses spanning 35mm, 50mm, and 75mm focal lengths, all sharing a unified T2.1 aperture and built around an interchangeable PL/EF mount.

The Viper lenses are based on the same optical design as Blazar's recently announced Talon series, which debuted less than two months earlier as autofocus-equipped, mirrorless-mount offerings. Where the Talon brought AF capability to full-frame anamorphic glass, the Viper strips that back to fully manual operation with traditional PL/EF mounts, which is standard practice for anamorphic cinema lenses. All three focal lengths carry 16 iris blades, an 80mm front diameter with a 77mm filter thread, and deliver silver flare only. That last point reflects a shift across Blazar's lineup: the Remus series previously offered blue and amber flare variants, but those were discontinued, and the Viper follows the same single-flare-color approach.

Blazar is positioning the Viper as a "more modern, lighter alternative" to the Remus, its original 1.5x full-frame anamorphic set. The T2.1 aperture is, as CineD noted, "practically on par with the Remus series," and both lines share full-frame coverage and a 1.5x squeeze factor. The meaningful differences are physical: the Viper is designed to be more compact and lighter, aimed at cinematographers who need a production-ready build without the bulk. NoFilmSchool writer Jourdan Aldredge framed the appeal this way: "In an era of digital fakery (and AI), authenticity is more important than ever."

The Viper's arrival marks the latest chapter in an aggressive product rollout that began when the company rebranded from Great Joy to Blazar a little over two years ago. Since then, Blazar has introduced the Remus 1.5x full-frame, Cato 2x full-frame, Mantis 1.33x full-frame, the Apex 1.33x APS-C autofocus lenses, and the Talon 1.5x full-frame AF set, before now adding the Viper.

Pricing for the Viper has not been announced. For context, Remus lenses run around $1,000 each, and Blazar has historically launched its lines in discounted bundles. The lenses are not yet available to preorder, though PetaPixel reported they will be sold at B&H once they launch. An exact release date has not been shared, with availability described only as expected soon.