You might recall the name NiSi from when the company announced its F3 Cinema Primes in 2018. The lenses made a splash because of their price point ($10K for a 5 lens kit), but it's uncertain how many are in circulation today. There aren't that many use cases available online.
Early on there was speculation that the F3 lenses—"F" standing for full-frame and "3" standing for series 3—were based on the now-defunct Bokkelux lenses, and that sentiment is very much true. DIYPhotography published an article clearing up the confusion, stating that NiSi bought Bokkelux, so anything they do with the lenses is a moot point.
NiSi has now introduced its first wide-angle spherical still lens in the form of a 15mm F4.
Optically, the lens has 12 elements in 10 groups with one aspherical element and two extra-low dispersion elements to limit chromatic aberration and distortion. Something unique about the lens is its 10 blade aperture, which produces a 10 point sunstar, even at F4. The manual focus lens can slow down to F22 and features a common 72mm filter thread to add ND or polarizing filters. It has separate rings for focus and aperture with markings to one side.
The lens covers full-frame sensors up to a 43.2mm image circle while providing a 112° field of view. For close-up work, the lens has a 7.8" (0.2m) minimum focusing distance and a maximum magnification of 0.13x.
Credit: NiSi
We've seen an uptick in wide-angle lenses as of late, especially from brands like Laowa and Meike. It'd be interesting to watch if NiSi aims to cement itself in the world too.
The 15mm F4 is available for pre-order now for $579 and has options for Canon RF, Fujifilm X, Nikon Z, and Sony E-mount. The expected delivery date is February of this year.
