NiSi Unveils New Athena Full-Frame Cinema Lenses

Three new Athena primes have joined the five existing lenses, which range from 14mm T2.4 to 85mm T1.9, filling in some gaps and expanding the range to 135mm.

The NiSi Athena 18mm T2.2, 40mm T1.9, and 135mm T2.2 lenses join the Athena series, which now has eight lenses in total. And, like the previous Athena lenses, the new additions promise high-quality optical performance in a compact, lightweight package. The lenses are also available in a variety of configurations, both with and without drop-in filters.

The new lenses are similar in size and form to the other Athena lenses. While the new 135mm T2.2 is visibly longer than the previous seven lenses, they all have the same gearing positions for the focus and aperture control rings, allowing them to be changed around in cinema rigs. Because of their similar weight distribution, they should perform well on gimbals. Every manual focus lens has a 300-degree focus throw.

Like its predecessors, the new NiSi Athena lenses are compatible with a wide range of lens mounts, including Canon RF, Sony E, L-Mount, Fujifilm GF, and Arri PL.

NiSi plans to sell all eight lenses in a new Athena Prime Master Kit for $8,999. However, the kit includes a case that can hold a ninth lens. Perhaps NiSi will release another Athena prime at some point, somewhere between 85mm and 135mm. The new nine-lens enclosure is available separately for $299.

However, for the time being, it is an eight-lens set that is reasonably priced for full-frame cinema lenses. $8,999 works out to $1,124 per lens, which is surprisingly low in the cine lens market. For filmmakers who have already purchased the first five Athena lenses, NiSi is offering a three-lens add-on kit including the three additional primes for $3,499. The original five-lens package is still available at $5,798.

All NiSi Athena lenses are also sold separately for $1,198 to $1,268 apiece.


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