It has been a very busy week and a busy month for ARRI. A month ago at BVE 2015 we had the chance to see their “miniaturized” ALEXA Mini (very appropriately named) and just after announcing a new ALEXA SXT camera line-up earlier last week, ARRI have come around and announced a new lens flare sets for their Master Anamorphic series of lenses. Hollywood titans JJ Abrams and Paul Thomas Anderson, a proven anamorphic aficionados, will be particularly excited to hear about these new lens flare sets from ARRI.

The new ARRI Master Anamorphic Flare Sets are highly versatile and economical accessories for the ARRI/ZEISS Master Anamorphic lens series. Each of the seven Master Anamorphic focal lengths has its own specific flare set, comprising easily replaceable front and rear glass elements that can be used individually or in combination to provide the lens with three additional looks for enriched on-set creativity.

Since their introduction in 2013, the Master Anamorphic lenses have established themselves as the most advanced anamorphic optics ever designed for the film and television industry. Offering a perfect combination of compact form factor, minimal weight, distortion-free optical performance and an unparalleled high speed of T1.9 across the entire focal length range, they are as fast and easy to use as spherical cine lenses and represent a major step forward in anamorphic cinematography. 

Here's a sample of what these new lens flare sets can do:

For most shooting situations, cinematographers and also VFX supervisors appreciate how effectively the Master Anamorphic optical design and coating technology suppress flares and reflections. Under certain circumstances, however, flares might be exactly what a cinematographer wants in order to heighten the emotional impact of a shot, sequence or project by introducing a level of technical ‘imperfection.’ It is for these situations that the Master Anamorphic Flare Sets have been designed.

The front and rear glass elements that come with each flare set have a special lens coating that encourages flaring, ghosting and veiling glare. These image effects create a visual style that is consistent across all of the flare sets and can be controlled or tweaked via the iris setting, as well as the positioning of lighting fixtures. The front element can be used on its own, as can the rear, or they can be used in combination; each permutation provides a distinct look without sacrificing the resolution, lack of distortion or corner-to-corner optical performance for which the Master Anamorphics are famous.



By using the new ARRI Master Anamorphic Toolkit (purchased separately but compatible with all seven flare sets), the front and rear glass elements can be exchanged with the regular Master Anamorphic elements in a matter of minutes, since each flare element is pre-aligned in a metal frame.

Whether for a feature film, TV show, music video or commercial, the Master Anamorphic Flare Sets give rental facilities a quick and cost-effective way of offering anamorphic productions greater on-set creativity. A set of Master Anamorphics effectively becomes four different sets, each suitable for different flaring requirements while maintaining the huge advantage of being freer from distortions such as curved horizons, focus breathing and ‘mumps’ and ‘pincushion’ effects than any other anamorphic lenses on the market. 

For all your ARRI needs, get in touch with our ARRI Specialists at 0208 977 1222.