[/shoplink] Image courtesy: Photozone

Photozone posted their full Kowa Prominar 25mm f/1.8 MFT lens review:

The Kowa Prominar MFT 25mm f/1.8 faces a difficult task especially given its price tag of 800US$. The 25mm segment is covered by a variety of lenses which are either much faster, much cheaper or both. However, the Kowa lens has at least one advantage – optical performance. The image quality is decent at max. aperture but when stopping down it is about as good as it gets on the micro four thirds system.

The Kowa Micro Four Thirds lenses on eBay:
8,5mm f/2.8 in on [shoplink 54790 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].
12mm f/1.8 in [shoplink 50867 ebay]Black (Click here)[/shoplink], [shoplink 50868 ebay]Green (Click here)[/shoplink] and [shoplink 50869 ebay]Silver (Click here)[/shoplink].
25mm f/1.8 in [shoplink 50870 ebay]Black (Click here)[/shoplink], [shoplink 50871 ebay]Green (Click here)[/shoplink] and [shoplink 50872 ebay]Silver (Click here)[/shoplink].

Image courtesy: Lensrentals

Roger Cicala from Lensrentals got their hands on the new Samyang/Rokinon Xeen 85mm T1.5 lens. As you know Cine Lenses are quite expensive so it’s good to get a much cheaper alternative like the new XEEN series.

So what’s the verdict on build quality? Overall, it’s very good, especially given that it’s selling for about half of what other cinema lenses sell for. I do have some very real concerns about how the focus system will hold up over time and with hard use, but the compromises made seem very reasonable overall. Put another way, I wouldn’t hesitate to buy one based on what I saw today, but I’d be make sure my focus puller was gentle and didn’t ‘slam’ focus. Over time hard use, especially hard focusing use, will take a toll on this lens I think.

The new XEEN Cine lenses are now available on preorder at BHphoto and at Adorama too.