So what do you think of the new Rokinon Xeen Lenses?

Alexandre de Tolan · January 12, 2016

I know that's a early call to start to make assumptions. For what it seems there's only a few pre-production units out there but I assume that they will not change much from there.

Picking up from the images that I've seen online it seems a good addition to the market. For the price tag I can see many indie filmmakers building their own set. Reliability is unknown and we'll see if they pass the test of time.

Comparing it to Zeiss CP.2 lenses (based only on what I've seen on the web), I find that CP.2s have an advantage in term of color rendition. Skin tones are rendered more neutral and beautiful in the Zeiss system than in the Rokinon one. I also find the bokeh more nervous on the Xeen lenses, especially when full wide open.

On the other hand, and relying on the tests I've seen, it seems that the Korean brand has less contrast than Zeiss. This can be an advantage in cheaper cameras which have a more restrict dynamic range to work with. They don't flare as well. Personally I'm very fond of the flare characteristics found on Zeiss lenses but for others that don't like their lenses to flare Xeen could be a good choice, and a cheap one. They also seem to breath less than CP.2s.

All in all we're talking about half the price for Xeen lenses when compared to Zeiss. One can build a full set of 6 primes with the same cash spent on a 3 set from Zeiss. Curiously Sony has cut the price of their Cinealta lenses since no one has any interest on them. Let's see how Rokinon will turn out.

Edited January 12, 2016 by Alexandre de Tolan

Jon Kline · January 18, 2016

If you're open to used, and you're patient, Zeiss CP2s can be had for around the same price as new Xeen lenses. Since they will likely last for 30+ years, buying used doesn't seem like a big negative to me.

Albion Hockney · January 19, 2016

I don't understand the place these lenses fill. The rokinon glass is sub par to even canon L series in most focal lengths. for the price point used cine glass seems like a much better buy. I often question new Zeiss CP2 purchases vs older Zeiss super speeds even though sometimes a more modern look is desired.

Maybe nice for a rental house to have as a cheap option for entry level/corporate production that needs PL cine lenses

Alexandre de Tolan · January 20, 2016

I don't understand the place these lenses fill. The rokinon glass is sub par to even canon L series in most focal lengths. for the price point used cine glass seems like a much better buy. I often question new Zeiss CP2 purchases vs older Zeiss super speeds even though sometimes a more modern look is desired.

Maybe nice for a rental house to have as a cheap option for entry level/corporate production that needs PL cine lenses

I suppose this aren't the same exact glass found on their other lenses. The most obvious difference is flare characteristics for instance.

I agree that it's a risky move from Rokinon since the obvious choice seems to buy used Zeiss glass. I'm not so sure about L glass. I've shot some projects on L glass (mainly chosen by the DP), and never grew fond of it.

They were announced to sell for about 2500USD each but since then rumours went out saying that they can actually end up being sold for half that price tag. At 1250USD I find them a steal and I can see many small production companies to invest on them.

I personally have a set of Zeiss ZFs (18 | 21 | 25 | 35 | 50 | 85) and the added mods (de-click, cine fronts and machined gear rings), makes my lenses more expensive than Xeens. Of course one could say that Zeiss glass is better (and I agree), but the added comfort on set (no need to adjust follow focus and matteboxes, and longer focus throw), makes for a hard decision when picking these new, and then... They will also be even cheaper used.

Edited January 20, 2016 by Alexandre de Tolan

Stuart Brereton · January 20, 2016

I don't understand the place these lenses fill. The rokinon glass is sub par to even canon L series in most focal lengths. for the price point used cine glass seems like a much better buy. I often question new Zeiss CP2 purchases vs older Zeiss super speeds even though sometimes a more modern look is desired.

Maybe nice for a rental house to have as a cheap option for entry level/corporate production that needs PL cine lenses

Canon L Series glass is of extremely high quality, so I'm not sure what point you're trying to make here. They are stills lenses, so ergonomically not the best for Cine work, but the glass itself is excellent. CP2's might not have the constant stop that you could expect with Superspeeds, but they do cover Full-Frame, which is a major consideration these days, with the increasing proliferation of non standard size sensors.

Rental houses already have cheap options. There are many sets of both Standard and Super Speeds, which have been paid off many times over, and consequently rental houses can afford to almost give them away.

Satsuki Murashige · January 20, 2016

It's probably the same glass as their stills lenses but with improved coatings, just like the Canon primes and Zeiss CPs. One thing I have discovered is that there is always a lower-end market for 'high-end' products like cine lenses. As in, no matter how cheap a product is someone will always complain that it's not cheaper. That's who these lenses are for.

Stuart Brereton · January 20, 2016

Xeen lenses have the same optical elements as the much cheaper Rokinon 'Cine' Primes. what you're paying for is aluminum construction rather than plastic, and PL mounts

Kenny N Suleimanagich · January 20, 2016

Rokinon’s biggest issue was quality control. One lens would be completely useless, when another would work as designed (even focussing, no play in the gears, etc). I’d love to know if these have those problems.

Edited January 20, 2016 by Kenny N Suleimanagich

Kalle Folke · January 20, 2016

Rokinon’s biggest issue was quality control. One lens would be completely useless, when another would work as designed (even focussing, no play in the gears, etc). I’d love to know if these have those problems.

Not according to this: https://matthewduclos.wordpress.com/2016/01/13/rokinon-cine-cine-ds-and-xeen-whats-the-difference/

Phil Rhodes · January 20, 2016

consequently rental houses can afford to almost give them away.

Christ, Stuart, you really haven't been back to Blighty in a while, have you.

Kenny N Suleimanagich · January 21, 2016

Great news about the quality control. Paying the premium from Duclos also meant that the lenses were checked out beforehand.

Mark Kenfield · January 21, 2016

The way I see it, if you need superspeed lenses (for night exteriors or HFR work) with cine mechanics, and can't afford to be buying or renting more high-end/industry-standard glass. The Xeens are really the only game in town.

Certainly they don't match the better glass wide-open. But if you need f/1.4 and have no other way to get it...

Adrian Sierkowski · January 21, 2016

I think the sony cinealta primes, at T2, are actually cheaper per lens than the Xeen as a 6 lens set is 12900 or so of the Sony's.

Jon Kline · January 21, 2016

Oh yes, the Sony CineAlta 6-lens set is a crazy good value after the price drop a few months ago.

Nice primes are something you'll probably keep until you retire (and then sell as part of your retirement plan). Get financing if you need it, but buy something with long-term value.

Alexandre de Tolan · January 21, 2016

I think the sony cinealta primes, at T2, are actually cheaper per lens than the Xeen as a 6 lens set is 12900 or so of the Sony's.

Nobody picks them. That's why they suffered a major price drop recently.

Get financing if you need it, but buy something with long-term value.

As the OP I was just interested in hearing what forum users think about them. I'm not planning to buy lenses. I have a full set of Zeiss primes and I'm very happy with them.