Two years after the announcement of their landmark ATHENA PRIME series, NiSi is back at NAB unveiling a fresh set of fast, lightweight lenses known as the AUREUS PRIME series. These new T1.4 full-frame cinema lenses are designed to be sharp, consistent, and ideal for modern large format sensors. The launch includes five focal lengths—18mm, 24mm, 35mm, 50mm, and 85mm—but more are already in development, including a 29mm, 65mm, and 105mm. The lenses are available individually or in a set.
NiSi says these AUREUS lenses share “a similar optical character and tonal rendering” to the ATHENA line, so expect a clean and reliable look with consistent color and contrast. The AUREUS series is notably faster at T1.4 though, versus ATHENA’s T1.9 and T2.4 apertures. That speed boost comes alongside a small bump in size and weight, but the AUREUS lenses are still quite compact for T1.4.
All the lenses weigh about 2.87 lb and measure 3.54 x 4.33”, making them ideal for quick swaps on a balanced gimble, drone, or vehicle rig. They will be available exclusively in PL-mount for now, and have a built-in rear filter holder that works with NiSi offerings like ND, diffusion, and more.
The AUREUS lenses have 46mm image circles, 90mm front diameters, and 86mm filter threads. Close focus ranges from 10” on the 18mm to 3’ on the 85mm. NiSi also promises minimal focus breathing, “smooth, rounded bokeh” with 11 diaphragm blades, and consistent 0.8 MOD gearing across the set, with a generous 300° focus throw.
For more information about the NiSi AUREUS PRIME cine lens series, including features, specs, and highlights, be sure to check out the detailed product pages.
