XEEN Meister 14mm T2.6 and 24mm T1.3 – First Look

by Jeff LochSeptember 21^st, 2023

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The XEEN Meister 14mm T2.6 and 24mm T1.3 have recently been announced, and during IBC 2023, we had a first look at them. So, without any further ado, let’s take a closer look at these full-frame cinema lenses!

The XEEN Meister primes were first introduced back in November 2021, and at launch, only three focal lengths were available: 35mm, 50mm, and 85mm. The Meister series of lenses all have a maximum aperture of T1.3 and cover full-frame image sensors. However, with only three focal lengths available and the widest one being only 35mm, it was hard to call the XEEN Meister a proper lens set.

Ahead of IBC 2023, XEEN announced the addition of two new focal lengths to the Meister primes: a 14mm T2.6 and a 24mm T1.3. As you know, tradeshows are the perfect occasion to get our hands on newly announced products, so we stopped by the XEEN booth to learn more about these new wide-angle lenses.

XEEN Meister 14mm T2.6 and 24mm T1.3 – specifications

With the recent addition of two new wide-angle options, the XEEN Meister series now consists of five lenses, including a 14mm T2.6, a 24mm T1.3, and the already released 35, 50, and 85mm T1.3.

Since the XEEN Meisters are mainly targeted at rental houses and high-end productions, you can expect a lot of consistency in the lens set, including:

• Full-frame image sensor coverage with a 43.2mm image circle. According to XEEN, the lenses can easily resolve 8K+ resolutions.
• The lenses will be available in three different lens mounts, including Canon EF, Sony E, and PL mount. The PL mount version supports the Cooke i-Technology protocol that can record the lens metadata.
• The XEEN Meister primes housing is mainly made out of metal, with a front barrel made of titanium for extra durability.
• An outer diameter of 114mm (which is an industry standard for matte boxes). However, the 14mm T2.6 has an outside diameter of 134mm. The lenses don’t have any front filter threads.

• The focus throw is very long at 300 degrees. Both aperture and focus gear ring positions will match between the lenses, so you will save time when swapping out lenses as you won’t need to re-adjust the focus/iris motors or matte box positions. The scales are on both sides of the lens for focus pullers and feature a luminous font.
• Thirteen aperture blades for a smooth and pleasing bokeh.
• All lenses feature XEEN’s X-coating to control internal light reflections that effectively reverse back “the internal light reflections to create a distinctive look with flare and ghosting for dramatic effects,” according to the company.

Pricing and availability

The XEEN Meister 14mm T2.6 and 24mm T1.3 should be available soon and retail for $5,995 per lens. The price of the XEEN Meister series has been reduced from $8,495 to $5,995, allowing them to fall into a more “reasonable” ballpark.

For more information, please visit XEEN’s website here.

What do you think about the XEEN Meister primes? Have you already had the chance to shoot a project with these? Don’t hesitate to let us know in the comments below!