DZOFilm Pavo 28mm 2x Anamorphic T2.1 PL Mount (S35) Blue

Cobalt-filled engravings mark a coating decided at the factory: on the DZOFilm Pavo 28mm 2x Anamorphic T2.1 PL & EF Mount Blue, the blue coating cannot be swapped later. The horizontal flare leans blue whatever the colour of the source, a look long tied to science fiction and night-time thrillers. It takes a hard light aimed into the lens to draw one; ambient practicals rarely do, so the streak is placed with lighting, not fought by the operator. A torch beam sweeping a dark corridor brings it out on cue.

In a Super 35 2x anamorphic package, the master shot usually comes from the 28 mm, widest of nine Pavo focal lengths running to 180 mm. The image circle, 31.5 mm across, is matched to 4:3 recording. An ARRI ALEXA Mini in 4:3 2.8K (29.7 mm diagonal) is fully covered, framing about 80° across and 35° high, and de-squeezes to 2.67:1 before a light side crop to 2.39:1. Open Gate 3.4K, near 33.6 mm, vignettes. Close focus of 0.4 m, counted from the sensor plane, frames a vocalist and microphone in a tight single.

DZOFilm places the cylindrical optics behind the focusing group, a mid-anamorphic layout that helps keep this 15-element, 13-group anamorphic prime short, with a 95 mm front and M86 thread. It is also the only Pavo with a 14-blade iris (the others use 16), and the 2x squeeze draws defocused highlights into ovals. Wide open, expect gentle barrel distortion and a faint swirl that builds toward the frame edges, welcome on a performance piece and worth testing on sets full of straight lines.

The lens arrives in PL, with an EF bayonet, screws, shims and a screwdriver packed alongside, so converting it is a bench job. A rear collar adjusts back focus within ±0.2 mm without unmounting. With 270° of focus travel, a 79° iris arc and 0.8 MOD gears in the same positions across the Pavo range, FIZ motors and brackets survive a lens change untouched. Metric scales, no data contacts. Light enough for drones and Steadicam, it also covers full frame behind a Marlin 1.6x Expander (sold separately), as a 45 mm-class lens near T3.5. As the coating is permanent, houses quoting both looks keep blue-flare and neutral Pavos side by side.