We are pleased to announce the release of our newest product, the Beastgrip 1.55X Anamorphic Lens MK2. This lens is currently the only 1.55X Anamorphic lens for a smartphone that can provide exceptional image quality and allow you to film in an ultra-wide 2.76:1 aspect ratio with beautiful anamorphic flares and unique perspective for stunning cinematic results. The Beastgrip 1.55X Anamorphic MK2 lens is the perfect tool for anyone who wants to take their smartphone videography to the next level.

The latest advancements in smartphone technology, such as bigger camera sensors and faster optics, have created new challenges for conversion lenses developed for older smartphones with smaller sensors. As many of you might already have experienced, these lenses do not perform great and most of the time leave you with mediocre-quality results. Here at Beastgrip, we always aim to make only the best gear for your smartphone photography and filmmaking. We are proud to release the MK2 version of our 1.55X Anamorphic lens.

In general, Anamorphic lenses that deliver great optical performance are very challenging to make, and it became even more difficult to make a lens that produces great results on the latest devices. The most noticeable issues come with a soft image toward the sides of the frame, vignetting (dark corners), and noticeable optical aberrations (color fringing and halation). While many would argue those optical “imperfections” add character to the image, making it more “natural” and helping to hide the usual smartphone look. This, of course, is a very subjective topic, and we agree that it’s the case when all those imperfections are not so strong that it’s basically destroying the image. AR coating also plays a big role in the final image's appearance since it’s responsible for horizontal flare colors and intensity. It can be so intensive that it’s flaring at any light source where the whole image gets additional color shade to the point where it strongly affects the overall color tones and white balance of the image.

In reality, any conversion lens adds additional optical “imperfections”. In an ideal scenario, the perfect lens would not have any of those, which is impossible to achieve. We aimed to create the lens with the most balanced performance, great details across the whole frame, great-looking flares, and color accuracy.

The Beastgrip 1.55X Anamorphic MK2 lens comes with a completely redesigned, brand-new optical design that produces excellent results on all previous and new generations of smartphones. Its new three-glass elements design and pro-grade AR coating will ensure you always get the best possible results. While filming with this new lens, you will get those perfectly balanced horizontal lens flares that are never oversaturated and are just perfect. It produces natural, beautiful colors without adding the additional hue as some other lenses do. It has no vignetting and great details across the frame with a very settled roll-off toward the corners, even on devices with a 24mm primary camera.

The body of this new lens is built from anodized machined aluminum, which makes it highly durable. It also includes a rotating barrel to help you properly align the lens. It also has a 37mm lens mount that will fit into our universal rig Beastgrip Pro and Beastcage and can be used with Android and iPhone smartphones.

Phones and Rigs:

Beastgrip 1.55X anamorphic Lens Mk2 is compatible with all smartphones. You can use it with iPhone and our dedicated Beastcages or universal Beastgrip Pro rig.

Filters:

Due to its ultra-wide horizontal field of view and the new larger glass, we had to increase the size of the filter mount and equip this lens with a 62mm filter mount. Our 58mm filters will not fit directly to this lens; however, we will include a custom-made step-down ring if you still want to use your Beastgrip 58mm filters.

Please note: using 58mm filters with this lens via a step-down ring will cause vignetting on the main wide camera. Camera zoom of up to 15% will be required to eliminate vignetting.

We recommend using 62mm directly or at least 77mm filters with step-up rings for the best performance. The minimal in-camera zoom may still be required depending on the filter frame design on devices with 24mm or wider cameras. Minimal in-camera zoom will not affect the quality of your videos, even when filming in 4K

Also, we would like to share some tips on getting the best results while filming with our new 1.55X Anamorphic MK2 lens.

• Lens alignment is very important to have optimal optical performance. So you must ensure the lens barrel is aligned horizontally to avoid image skewing. Also, when using a universal Beastgrip Pro rig, ensure the lens is centered with the camera. We recommend using a third-party app with anamorphic lens de-squeeze support like Beastcam, Filmic Pro, etc.
• Due to the optical squeeze and barrel distortion, this lens does not work well with image stabilization on your smartphone. We recommend turning image stabilization off and using a tripod or gimbal if you are after those well-stabilized shots. If filming handheld, you can turn the image stabilization option on, but first, do some tests to see how much movement image stabilization can handle before creating optical distortion.
• Like any other anamorphic lens, our new 1.55X MK2 has a barrel distortion. One of the tips we can give you when filming cityscapes and landscapes is to try to keep the horizon in the middle of the frame, so it stays in a straight line. If your rig gets tilted a bit, you will notice a horizontal distortion. Ultimately, it all depends on your personal preferences and filming style, as some people might even like that.
• We suggest adding a simple diopter filter to your lens if you want to film close-up shots. The optimal focus distance of this lens is from about 3ft, and if you want to get closer to your object and get those nice tight shots, you will need to use a diopter filter to be able to focus correctly. Diopter filters come in sets of four and each has its own magnifying power. Depending on diopter strength, you will be able to get a clear focus just from a few inches away up to a couple of feet.

If you're a smartphone user who needs high-quality cinematic footage, the Beastgrip 1.55X Anamorphic Lens MK2 is a must-have. It's the perfect tool for taking your content to the next level. It allows for capturing footage with a more cinematic look and feel. Whether you're a filmmaker, content creator, or just someone who wants to capture beautiful memories, this lens will transform your smartphone into a powerful tool for creating stunning visuals.

In conclusion, while many 1.55 Anamorphic lenses are on the market, the Beastgrip 1.55X Anamorphic Lens MK2 stands out as a superior option. Other companies have just released their first 1.55 Anamorphic lenses, while here at Beastgrip, we already did lots of work to update our first generation 1.55 Anamorphic and bring you the ultimate MK2 version that is more advanced and superior to any other 1.55X lens on the market.