This anamorphic thing seems to be hanging on, but the more I research, the more unsure I become.
The coverage.
This is why I want one. The ability to shoot with a standard lens that is also a wide angle. If standard lenses are my base line, then having one that will make my subjects the same size as they are normally, but with a wider angle of view is a useful, maybe even enabling tool.
I am not interested as much in longer focal lengths, because they have a tight compression effect that is perfectly good as is, nor am I after anything wider, but a standard that is a wide? That is a thing.
The flares.
I bought flare filters (Moment Cinestreak) for the very few times I may want to add them to an otherwise dull scene in gloomy or dramatic light. I am not in love with the effect when over used, or even much at all, but a vehicle at night in an otherwise drab location may benefit from them. I realised the only time I actually liked the look was in an excellent video by Mark Bone on making a documentary about a trail bike legend.
The Bokeh.
Wide screen from a longer lens is fine.
Could not care less about oval Bokeh. Funny how something many dislike in spherical lenses is actually a sign of accomplishment with anamorphic’s. It is to me simply an insiders signature, a mark of coolness for those in the know, but otherwise just an artefact of a technical limitation. Must admit to noticing it a lot more, but before I knew what to look for, it did not register.
Distortions.
Much like Bokeh, I will take what comes, but not chase it in its own right.
Organic look.
This is down to a lot of things, lenses only being one of them.
The Sirui 24mm on MFT is the one that appeals because it seems* that most of the things I could care less about are well controlled, the one thing I do like is ideal at about 2:1 stretch.
So, after some deliberation, I am getting the spherical Sirui 24mm Nightwalker lens. This is on special at the moment and gets me a second cinema lens for M43 (all I need with tele ex options). Too many uncontrollable elements with the anamorphic, that I can apply as needed with regular lenses, but not remove from an anamorphic.
Between M43 and full frame I now have (in ff terms) a 24 mft, 48 mft, 35 ff, 50 ff, 150 ff, 50 aps-c, 75 aps-c, 225 aps-c. It is bit all over the place, but makes some sense to me. Sirui are hinting at another two lenses, hopefully one will be a 16 (32mm on mft). The Nightwalker shares the same 67mm filter thread as the bulk of my M43 lenses, which is handy.
*the lens flare thing is mixed.