Rokinon Launches XEEN Cine Lenses

Canon Rumors Guy

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Jul 20, 2010
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Rokinon has launched a new line of Cine lenses, and they’re called XEEN. They have launched a 24mm T1.5, 50mm T1.5 and a 85 T1.5, and they’re all priced at $2495 USD each. Each lens will be available in EF, PL, F, E and M4/3 mounts.</p>
<p>XEEN Specifications:</p>
<ul class="top-section-list" data-selenium="highlightList">
<li class="top-section-list-item">Covers Full-Frame 35mm/Vista Vision</li>
<li class="top-section-list-item">Available in PL, Canon EF, Nikon F, Sony E, and Micro 4/3 Mounts</li>
<li class="top-section-list-item">Metal Construction & Fully Manual, No Electronics</li>
<li class="top-section-list-item">Internal Focus Design</li>
<li class="top-section-list-item">Multi-Coating for Color Consistency</li>
<li class="top-section-list-item">Dual Side Focus and T-Stop Scales</li>
<li class="top-section-list-item">11 Blade Iris</li>
<li class="top-section-list-item">Cinema Gearing for Focus and Iris</li>
<li class="top-section-list-item">200° Focus Rotation</li>
<li class="top-section-list-item">Min. Focus Distance:  24mm — 10″, 50mm — 18″, 85mm — 3′ 9″</li>
<li class="top-section-list-item">114mm Front Diameter</li>
<li class="top-section-list-item">1/4″-20 for Lens Support</li>
<li class="top-section-list-item">Weight: 24mm — 2.6 lbs., 50mm — 2.56 lbs., 85mm — 2.7 lbs.</li>
<li class="top-section-list-item">3 Year Limited Warranty</li>
<li class="top-section-list-item">Availability: August 2015</li>
<li class="top-section-list-item">Price: $2,495 each</li>
</ul>
<p>You can read more about these lenses at <a href="http://nofilmschool.com/2015/08/xeen-cine-lenses-samyang-rokinon-officially-announced" target="_blank">NoFilmSchool</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Preorder at B&H Photo: <a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Rokinon/Ntt/Rokinon+Xeen+24mm+T1.5+Lens/N/0/BI/2466/KBID/3296" target="_blank">Rokinon XEEN 24 T1.5</a> | <a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Rokinon/Ntt/Rokinon+Xeen+50mm+T1.5+Lens/N/0/BI/2466/KBID/3296" target="_blank">Rokinon XEEN 50 T1.5</a> | <a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Rokinon/Ntt/Rokinon+Xeen+85mm+T1.5+Lens/N/0/BI/2466/KBID/3296" target="_blank">Rokinon XEEN 85 T1.5</a></strong></p>

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With the same optical design as their VDSLR, 1/5th the price counterparts, the XEEN line is already a dud. You can get some pretty good used cine glass for close to the same price. I fear the people that will get these are the type who care more about their appearance on set than the actual image quality. Now, had Samrokinon actually improved the optical formula, instead of just the housing, I'd tip my hat. What a missed opportunity.
 
Upvote 0
Jun 20, 2015
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I wouldn't put too much stock in their simulated MTF curves. They would be a good reference for comparison if they assembled them consistently. Sadly this is not the case - here are 3 of the 35/1.4...

https://www.dropbox.com/s/l4p1dx5cpdnderc/MTF_Rotations.png?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/c7bemo0a3dv6ps2/MTF_Rotations.png?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/z0sxwkluk16pkhp/MTF_Rotations.png?dl=0

610066 would look somewhat poor overall with a couple of soft edges, 602162 would look OK, 602165 would look horrible everywhere.

A comparison between their 35mm and Canon's equivalent: http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/MTF.aspx?Lens=771&FLI=0&API=0&LensComp=121&FLIComp=0&APIComp=0&CT=VAR

The specified MTF at 30lp/mm is about 0.75 and the variance is about 0.35.
 
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leGreve

Full time photographer and film maker omnifilm.dk
Nov 6, 2010
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Matthew Duclos is impressed apparently, that's a decent start for them..... But yeah, the quality inconsistency across the vdslr lenses is terrible. Indie people love them because they are cheap and know nothing about controlling color across scenes and clips

But remember the cp.2 series.... Rehoused still optics with breathing and varying aperture. People still bought them.
 
Upvote 0
Feb 28, 2013
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People did buy CP.2 Zeiss lenses but you will not find them on the set of any major feature or TV show and these Xeen lenses will likely be no different. Secondly Canon & Zeiss do not have a duopoly, Leica (Summicron & Summilux), Cooke (S4i, S5i etc.), Schneider (Cine-Xenar III, Xenon FF) all sell cinematography prime lenses and Angenieux sell zoom lenses. Add to this lenses from Panavision (not for sale) and the film & TV industries have lots of choice of high quality glass and relative to cameras which have a shorter life lenses have long lives to amortize cost and make a profit.
For serious cinematographers the lenses are more important than the camera compromising quality is not something they willingly do unless doing so for artistic reasons (flare lenses, soft or warm etc)
 
Upvote 0
Oct 18, 2011
1,026
81
The only way these make sense is if they have higher resolution for 4k video. That's the weakness of the current cine lenses from Rokinon, and if all these are adding is a better housing and longer focus throw, they are DOA.

I have to imagine they are a different (or better) optical quality though, cause Rokinon hasnt really taken a greedy path pricing wise. Their cine versions of the still lenses are only slightly more costly, whereas they could have marked them up 2x like a lot of companies
 
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