NiSi has just announced its latest offering in the world of cinema lenses: the ATHENA series. These compact, full-frame prime lenses are designed for filmmakers who demand exceptional optical performance, smooth operation, and versatile compatibility with various camera systems.
The world of cinematography continues to evolve with new technologies and gear being introduced on a more and more frequent basis. NAB 2023 was no exception! As content creation becomes increasingly democratized, more and more filmmakers and cinematographers are looking for affordable yet high-quality equipment to create inspiring content. In recent years, NiSi has been focusing on expanding its range of cinema lenses, particularly their line of cinema primes.
The ATHENA Primes consists of five lenses: 14mm T2.4, 25mm T1.9, 35mm T1.9, 50mm T1.9, and 85mm T1.9. These lenses have been designed with a full-frame and 46mm imaging circle, ensuring that they cover the entire sensor and provide high-quality images without any vignetting. According to NiSi, a few of the key design features of the ATHENA Primes are micro-contrast control, ultra-low chromatic aberration, and nearly no focus breathing. These features ensure that the lenses offer exceptional image quality with finer image details. The lenses feature a large aperture of T1.9 and soft bokeh for beautiful background separation. Filmmakers will appreciate the cinematic look and feel that these lenses can provide.
Available in Arri PL, Canon RF, and Sony E mount – the mirrorless flavors (RF/E) sport a drop-in filter mount, which provides a more flexible workflow and creative control for filmmaking. This feature allows filmmakers to easily add and remove filters without having to disassemble the lens. The drop-in filter mount also ensures that the filters are located closer to the sensor, in a sealed unit, which reduces the chance of lens flares.
The lenses are matched in weight and size, which means they do not require rebalancing on a gimbal when switching between lenses. This feature makes them an ideal choice for filmmakers who use gimbals in their work. The matched aperture and focus gears across the range also make it easy to use lens accessories such as a follow focus or motor unit. The focus ring features 300° of rotation with fluorescent focal scales for precise focus pulls, making these even more versatile in a range of scenarios.
The ATHENA Prime specifications and features are certainly promising. It will be interesting to see how they perform in real-world shooting situations and how they stack up against the wave of new, affordable cinema lenses in the market. If NiSi’s track record with their filters is any indication, we can expect the ATHENA lenses to be well-made, reliable, and competitively priced.
For more information and technical specs, visit the Duclos Lenses website! If you’re ready to place your pre-order, you can do so using the button below.
| 14mm | 25mm | 35mm | 50mm | 85mm | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum Aperture | T2.4 | T1.9 | T1.9 | T1.9 | T1.9 |
| Lens Mount | PL/E/RF | PL/E/RF | PL/E/RF | PL/E/RF | PL/E/RF |
| Aperture Blades | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Image Circle | 46mm | 46mm | 46mm | 46mm | 46mm |
| Gear MOD/Pitch | 0.8/32 | 0.8/32 | 0.8/32 | 0.8/32 | 0.8/32 |
| Close Focus | 9.8″ | 11.8″ | 11.8″ | 19.7″ | 31.5″ |
| Focus Rotation | 300° | 300° | 300° | 300° | 300° |
| Front Filter | None | 77mm | 77mm | 77mm | 77mm |
| Front Dia. | 80mm | 80mm | 80mm | 80mm | 80mm |
| Length (PL) | 3.36″ | 3.2″ | 3.2″ | 3.2″ | 3.2″ |
| Length (RF/E) | 4.7″ | 3.2″ | 3.2″ | 3.2″ | 3.2″ |
| Weight (PL) | 1.7 lbs. | 1.7 lbs. | 1.7 lbs. | 1.7 lbs. | 1.7 lbs. |
| Weight (RF/E) | 1.9 lbs. | 1.9 lbs. | 1.9 lbs. | 1.9 lbs. | 1.9 lbs. |