NiSi Athena Prime cinema lenses on pre-order now

The Athena Prime full frame cinema lenses, revealed one month ago in Las Vegas, will be available by the end of June, with a kit that is the perfect choice for most shooting scenarios.

ProVideo Coalition wrote last month “the crowded market of cine lenses is about to get a new brand, the Athena Prime, from NiSi, a set of five lenses designed to cover full frame sensors, which will debut at the 2023 NAB Show” and now it’s confirmed: the NiSi lens will be available late June, with a price of $1,198.00 for the 14mm, $1,098.00 for the other focal lengths and a total of $5,298.00 for the five lens set.

The NiSi Athena Prime full frame cinema lenses family includes 14mm T2.4, 25mm T1.9, 35mm T1.9, 50mm T1.9, 85mm T1.9 in PL, E and Rf Mounts. The lenses are designed with a full-frame and 46mm imaging circle, covering focal lengths from 14mm ultra-wide angle to 85mm portrait focal length, making it the perfect choice for most shooting scenarios. Some of this we already knew, but availability and price were not available when we first mentioned the new collection, which, we pointed in April, shares some resemblance with the NiSi F3 cinema lens series.

The new kit was introduced by NiSi as “an excellent choice for filmmakers who demand the highest quality optics. These lenses are designed with maximum micro-contrast control and ultra-low chromatic aberration, providing unparalleled image quality with finer image details. The large aperture of T1.9 (25mm, 35mm, 50mm 85mm – 14mm T2.4) and soft bokeh make these lenses ideal for capturing stunning images and videos with beautiful background separation. Whether you’re shooting a feature film, a documentary, or a music video, the Athena Prime lens kit will help you achieve your creative vision.”

Athena Prime: designed to minimize focus breathing

Here is some more information about the new lenses:

The Athena Prime Lens are equipped with a drop in filter mount (E an RF Mount) or rear filter mount (PL Mount), providing a more flexible workflow and creative control for filmmaking. Additionally, these lenses have been designed to minimize focus breathing, ensuring that the change in field of view when adjusting focus from the minimum focus distance to infinity is extremely small.

All NiSi Athena Prime lenses are matched in weight and size, eliminating the need for rebalancing on a gimbal when switching between lenses. The 77mm filter thread (except the 14mm) and matched aperture and focus rings across the range also make it easy to use lens accessories such as filters and focus gears. The focus ring features 300° of rotation with fluorescent focal scales for precise focus pulls, making it easier for filmmakers to achieve their desired focus.