Mark Ellington
Rokinon Xeen Professional Cine Lens Bundle
Introduction
The Rokinon Xeen Cine Lens Bundle is a comprehensive set of professional-grade cine lenses designed specifically for PL mount cameras. Manufactured by Rokinon, a brand known for delivering high-quality optics at competitive prices, this bundle includes four essential focal lengths: 16mm, 35mm, 50mm, and 85mm, all featuring a fast T1.5 to T2.6 aperture. These lenses are intended for filmmakers and cinematographers looking to enhance their storytelling through precise and creative visual capture.
Product Overview
The Rokinon Xeen Cine Lens Bundle is crafted with the needs of professionals in mind. Each lens is built to cover full-frame sensors, making them suitable for 6K image capture. The internal focus design allows for consistent optical performance, while the multi-coating provides color consistency across all focal lengths. This bundle is ideal for anyone aiming to create cinematic-quality films, documentaries, or high-end video projects.
Appearance and Design
The Xeen lenses have a robust and sleek appearance, characterized by their all-metal construction that ensures durability and reliability on set. The matte black finish reduces glare and reflections, which is advantageous for cinematographers. One of the unique design elements of these lenses is the dual side focus and T-stop scales, which are particularly useful for collaborative work where multiple crew members may need access to the focus and aperture settings. The cinema gearing for focus and iris also enhances usability and allows for smooth adjustments during filming.
Key Features and Specifications
- 16mm T2.6 Cine Lens: Covers full-frame sensors, internal focus design, multi-coating for color consistency, dual-side focus and T-stop scales, 200° focus rotation, 114mm front diameter.
- 35mm T1.5 Cine Lens: Similar features as the 16mm with slightly different focal length, ideal for wide shots.
- 50mm T1.5 Cine Lens: A versatile standard lens, perfect for medium shots with an 11-blade iris for beautiful bokeh.
- 85mm T1.5 Cine Lens: Excellent for portrait shots, maintaining sharpness and beautiful depth of field.
- Compatibility: PL mount models including AJA CION, Canon EOS C700 FF PL, RED DIGITAL CINEMA DSMC2 BRAIN, and WEAPON.
Experience Using the Product
In various shooting scenarios, the Rokinon Xeen Cine Lens Bundle has consistently delivered exceptional performance. The lenses provide outstanding sharpness and clarity, even at wide apertures. During a recent short film project, the 16mm lens was perfect for capturing expansive landscapes, while the 85mm lens excelled in close-up shots of the actors, providing a beautiful, creamy bokeh. Switching between lenses was seamless, and the consistent front diameter of 114mm allowed for easy use with a single matte box setup. The 200° focus rotation provided ample control for precise focus pulls, which is essential in professional filmmaking.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- High-quality build with durable metal construction.
- Excellent optical performance across all focal lengths.
- Fast apertures (T1.5 – T2.6) for low-light conditions.
- Consistent color reproduction due to multi-coating.
- Usability features like dual-side scales and cinema gearing.
Cons:
- Price point may be high for amateur filmmakers.
- Weight of the lenses could be cumbersome for handheld shooting.
- Lack of electronic control may be limiting for some users.
Conclusion
Overall, the Rokinon Xeen Cine Lens Bundle is an outstanding investment for professional filmmakers looking to enhance their toolkit with high-quality, versatile lenses. With excellent build quality, superb optical performance, and thoughtful design features, these lenses stand out in their category. While the price may be a consideration for some, the benefits they provide in cinematic quality and ease of use make them a worthwhile addition to any serious filmmaker’s equipment. Whether you’re shooting a feature film, a short documentary, or a commercial project, these lenses will undoubtedly elevate your production value.
