Five New NiSi Athena Prime Rewind Cine Lenses Give You Two Looks in One Lens

NiSi has announced the Athena Prime Rewind series, a set of full-frame cinema primes designed for ARRI PL mount cameras. These lenses promise two distinct looks in one package: a vintage, dreamy aesthetic when shot wide open, and a clean, modern rendering when stopped down. The latest additions to the family are 14mm T2.4, 25mm T1.9, 35mm T1.9, 50mm T1.9, and 85mm T1.9.

It’s been nearly two years since NiSi teased these lenses, so it was about time to launch. And on paper, they certainly seem promising.

One Lens, Two Cinematic Personalities

The defining feature of the Rewind Series is its optical design that shifts character based on aperture. Wide open, you get bubble bokeh and intense flaring that creates atmospheric, vintage-inspired shots. Stop down, and the same lens delivers clean, controlled modern optics, giving you creative flexibility without swapping glass. At the same time, that’s s also the biggest difference from the previous Athena series.

All five lenses feature 300-degree focus rotation for precise manual control, standardized 0.8 MOD gearing compatible with follow focus systems, and consistent front diameters across the set. This makes lens swaps quick and keeps your rig balanced throughout a shoot.

Full-Frame Coverage Across Five Focal Lengths

All of the five lenses are designed to cover full-frame sensors and come exclusively in ARRI PL mount. So, apparently, NiSi is targeting high-end cinema cameras like the ALEXA Mini LF, for example.

The NiSi Rewind Series set looks like this:

• NiSi Athena Prime 14mm T2.4
• NiSi Athena Prime 25mm T1.9
• NiSi Athena Prime 35mm T1.9
• NiSi Athena Prime 50mm T1.9
• NiSi Athena Prime 85mm T1.9

Specs

Spec	14mm T2.4	25mm T1.9	35mm T1.9	50mm T1.9	85mm T1.9
Focal Length	14mm	25mm	35mm	50mm	85mm
Maximum Aperture	T2.4	T1.9	T1.9	T1.9	T1.9
Minimum Aperture	T22	T22	T22	T22	T22
Lens Mount	ARRI PL	ARRI PL	ARRI PL	ARRI PL	ARRI PL
Format Coverage	Full-Frame (46 mm Image Circle)	Full-Frame (46 mm Image Circle)	Full-Frame (46 mm Image Circle)	Full-Frame (46 mm Image Circle)	Full-Frame (46 mm Image Circle)
Angle of View	113.9° / 103.6° / 79.8°	81.1° / 71.7° / 51.1°	64.3° / 55.1° / 38.1°	47.5° / 40.1° / 27.2°	28.6° / 24° / 16.1°
Focus Scales	Metric, Imperial	Metric, Imperial	Metric, Imperial	Metric, Imperial	Metric, Imperial
Filter Thread	No	77 mm	77 mm	77 mm	77 mm
Minimum Focus Distance	—	—	—	50 cm	80 cm
Aperture Blades	10	10	10	10	10
Image Stabilization	No	No	No	No	No
Lens Mounting	No	No	No	No	No
Gear Standard	0.8 MOD (F/I)	0.8 MOD (F/I)	0.8 MOD	0.8 MOD (F/I)	0.8 MOD
Focus Rotation	300°	300°	300°	300°	300°
Electronic Communication	No	No	No	No	No
Front Diameter	80 mm	80 mm	80 mm	80 mm	80 mm
Length	85.3 mm	81.3 mm	81.3 mm	81.3 mm	81.3 mm
Weight	800 g	800 g	800 g	800 g	800 g

Pricing and Availability

NiSi has not yet announced the exact shipping date for the Athena Prime Rewind series. The lenses are available for preorder now, and priced at $1,399 for the 14mm T2.4 and $1,269 for the remaining options. You can also get the full 5-lens set for $5,999, which saves you around $500.

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