Meike 16mm T2.5 Full-Frame Cine Lens Released

Lens News

by Francesco AndreolaJuly 1^st, 2022

The new Meike 16mm T2.5 is the sixth member in the company’s lineup of full-frame cinema lenses. It comes in 5 lens mount options (PL/EF/RF/E/L) and features a 45mm image circle, geared focus and iris rings, and 11 aperture blades. It is now available for $1,199.

Chinese lens manufacturer Meike is well-known for producing good quality glass that comes at an affordable price. The company offers different lens sets for full-frame, APS-C, and M43 cameras. Among their latest additions, we can find an RF-mount version of their Mini Prime Cine Lens Set for APS-C/S35 cameras.

Now, the company is launching a new lens to expand their full-frame family on the wide end of the spectrum, the Meike 16mm T2.5. This new entry joins the existing 24mm T2.1, 35mm T2.1, 50mm T2.1, 85mm T2.1, and the recently-released 105mm T2.1. Let’s take a closer look.

Meike 16mm T2.5 full-frame cine lens: overview

The new Meike 16mm T2.5 features an image circle of 45mm that makes it compatible with a large number of full-frame and large-format cameras, including the ARRI Alexa Mini LF as well as Sony VENICE 1 and 2. The lens comes in 5 different lens mount options: PL, Canon EF, Canon RF, Sony E, and Leica L.

The lens has a maximum aperture of T2.5 and a minimum focus distance of 0.3m/11”. Being a cinema lens, it comes with industry-standard M0.8 geared focus and iris rings. The focus ring has a long throw of 330°, which should facilitate precise focusing operations. While all other lenses in the series have a 82mm front filter thread, this new 16mm entry requires 86mm filters.

Size, weight, and optical design

Size and weight vary depending on the chosen lens mount option. The length of the lens barrel ranges from 101.9mm (PL) up to 135.9mm (Sony E). Each lens weighs approximately 1,150g/2.5lbs.

The optical design features 16 elements in 11 groups. These include 2 aspherical elements that should help reduce chromatic aberrations. Moreover, the fast T2.5 aperture has a 11-blade construction, which should result in smooth, round background bokeh.

Key features

• Wide-angle 16mm full-frame lens
• T2.5-22
• PL/EF/RF/E/L-mount options
• Image circle: 45mm
• Geared focus and iris rings
• 16 elements in 11 groups
• 11 aperture blades
• Front diameter: 90mm
• Front filter thread: 86mm
• Weight: ∼ 1,150g/2.5lbs.

Price and availability

The new Meike 16mm T2.5 Full Frame Cine Lens is now available for pre-sale on the manufacturer’s website. All lens mount options share the same official retail price of $1,199. The lens should start shipping before July 30th.

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

Have you ever shot on the Meike full-frame cine lenses? What do you think of this new addition? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section down below!