Is there a noticeable difference between the Rokinon 14mm and the Xeen 14mm? These lenses are made by the same company and many filmmakers think that they are the exact same lens minus the metal framing. So I wanted to put this to the test and see for myself if I could tell the difference. So let’s compare the specs:
Rokinon 14mm
| Maximum T-Stop | T3.1 |
| Minimum T-Stop | T22 |
| Diagonal Angle of View | Super35: 89.9° Full Frame: 115.7° |
| Minimum Focus Distance from Image Plane | 11″ / 28 cm |
| Optical Design | 14 Elements in 10 Groups |
| Iris Blades | 6 |
Xeen 14mm
| Maximum T-Stop | T3.1 |
| Diagonal Angle of View | Super35: 98.2° Full Frame: 115.7° |
| Minimum Focus Distance from Image Plane | 11.0″ / 27.9 cm |
| Iris Blades | 9 |
| Focus Rotation | 200° |
| Iris Rotation | 300° |
Here is the short video I put together:
Initial Thoughts:
Just at a glance, I could barely tell any difference between the rokinon 14mm and the xeen 14mm. Sure the xeen physically looks more impressive, but image quality to looks identical to me. The only difference I could tell in the image is the lens flares. The xeen flares a little more which I think looks better than the rokinon’s flare. That’s totally subjective to the filmmaker’s taste.The fact that the xeen’s diameter is wider makes it much easier to judge focus and changing between focus points feels nicer. I know that the Xeen has 3 more blades which would round out the bokeh a little more. But it’s hard to tell on such a wide lens and i’m sure will make more of a difference with longer lenses.
Rokinon 14mm Lens Flare Xeen 14mm Lens Flare
In conclusion, is the Xeen worth $1600 more than the Rokinon. I’m not so sure. Is the xeen nicer to have? Yes, will it impress your clients, that depends. But the Rokinon is a great alternative for the price. You could potentially get an entire used set of rokinon lenses for the price of 1 Xeen lens used.
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