Samyang Optics announced this month the release of their two new lenses, XEEN 14mm T3.1 and 35mm T1.5, while promising a new one will be available soon, so as to comply with the promise made in the Summer of 2015.
The new lenses, presented under the XEEN brand (read our article Xeen Cinema lenses: 3 now, 3 more to come), along with the existing 24mm T1.5, 50mm T1.5 and 85mm T1.5 lenses, create, according to Samyang Optics, “a perfect balanced five-lens-set for filming video and cinema with the outstanding image quality from resolving power for 4K+ production.” To which a sixth lens will be added soon, as suggested by the company.
XEEN is a specialized brand in professional video-cine lens launched by Samyang Optics in 2015. The XEEN lenses are designed with Samyang Optics’ know-how and have. According to the company, outstanding optical performance for 4K+ with the X-Coating Technology, ensuring maximum image quality to create a cinematic look. They are usually available under two names: Samyang and Rokinon.
The 24mm x 36mm negative size allows XEEN to not only work with full frame cameras, but also with Super 35, APS-C and APS-H cameras. The lenses are available in five different mounts – PL, EF, F, E, and MFT and two different focus scales – metric and imperial units. Samyang Optics indicates, also, that the aluminum metal housing is known for its reliability in various shooting conditions.
Most of the XEEN lenses come in a bright T1.5 aperture. The lenses deliver high quality footage with clear contrast and impressive colours, even under less-than-optimal lighting conditions. The large aperture also creates a pleasing bokeh effect for a cinematic look.
“Thanks to the rise of multi-channel networks, the demands for video creation is internationally surging and the expectation of video quality is also increasing,” stated a XEEN official. He continued, “to satisfy the international needs, we have completed the first five lenses which deliver a high-quality cinematic image.” With these new lenses, there is only one missing for the six lenses promised by XEEN to become a reality, but information about the future product plan, provided by the company, indicates that “two more XEEN lenses will be announced in the second half of the year”. If this is true, than there is a nother leens being developed. With the one to come next being a wide-angle, sitting between the 14 and 24mm, what focal length will XEEN offer next?
Created to deliver infinite possibilities, XEEN 14mm and 35mm lenses will be globally available in early March. The usual retail price of Rokinon XEEN lenses is $2,145.00, so these new models will probably cost the same.