Hawk Class-X 38-80mm

1. Overview

The Hawk Class-X 38-80mm is a modern 2x anamorphic zoom lens from the German manufacturer HAWK (Vantage), released in 2018. It covers the Super 35 sensor and is aimed at productions that want to combine the classic anamorphic look with the flexibility of a zoom.

2. Characteristics

Flare characteristics according to CINEFLARES datasheet:

• Types: Streak, Caustic, Rainbow, Veiling, Anamorphic Spot
• Colors: White, Blue
• Intensity: Strong

Linked pattern entries:

• anamorphic-streak
• caustic-flare
• rainbow-flare
• veiling-glare
• anamorphic-spot

3. Creative Use

With a 2.0x squeeze, the lens delivers pronounced horizontal oval bokeh, shallow depth of field, and strong, white-blue streak flares—typical characteristics of the classic anamorphic look. The distortion is barrel-shaped, which remains visible, especially in the wide-angle range, and gives the image body. T2.8 is fast for an anamorphic zoom, but noticeably limits low-light situations compared to fast primes. The lens is primarily found in well-equipped rental houses (Vantage branches, ARRI-authorized partners) and is typically rented for larger commercial productions or series where changeover times between focal lengths need to be minimized without sacrificing 2x anamorphic. The rental budget is often an obstacle for indie productions.

4. Specs Overview