Samyang Rokinon Xeen 14mm T/3.1 Pro Cine Lens (for Video Review

The Samyang Rokinon Xeen 14mm T/3.1 is a specialist's tool. It's a wide-angle cine prime built for video rigs, with a chunky aluminum body and a long 200-degree focus throw that's perfect for pulling focus by hand. Forget autofocus or stabilization. This lens is all about physical control and consistent T-stop markings for matching shots across a scene.

The optical performance lands in the 33rd percentile, so it's not the sharpest tool in the shed. The aperture is also a bit dim at T/3.1, ranking in the 30th percentile. But that's not really the point. This lens is built for a specific job: getting smooth, repeatable manual focus pulls on a cinema camera. For that, the long throw and clear markings are excellent. Just don't expect it to double as a stills or run-and-gun lens.

At $1295, this is a tough sell unless you're building out a dedicated cinema kit. You're paying for the cine-specific features like the geared rings and T-stop scale. If you don't need those, you can get a sharper stills lens for half the price. But if you do need them, this is one of the more affordable ways to get them in a wide-angle prime.

Stack it up against a versatile zoom like the Panasonic 14-140mm f/3.5-5.6 II, and the Xeen looks extremely limited. That Panasonic has stabilization, autofocus, and a huge zoom range. But for pure manual cinema work, the Xeen's dedicated controls win. Compared to other cine primes, it's cheaper but also optically softer. The Viltrox 35mm f/1.7, for instance, is much brighter and has AF, but it's a different focal length and lacks the cine-specific build.

Buy this lens if you're a filmmaker building a manual cinema rig and you need a reliable wide-angle with proper gears. It's a set tool, not a do-it-all lens. For everyone else, especially hybrid shooters or anyone who needs autofocus, look at the more versatile options.