The new Chiopt AURA Super Speed Prime series consists of five classic focal lengths: 16mm, 24mm, 35mm, 50mm, and 85mm.
The Sony E mount version of the lenses would be right at home on any of the Sony mirrorless hybrids, or the FX30/FX2/FX3, FX6, FX9, BURANO, etc.
You could also use them on any camera with a Nikon Z mount through an adapter, such as a Nikon Z9 or RED KOMODO. They are also a good fit with some of Kinefinity’s offerings that can utilize an E-mount.
You could also use them on the DJI Ronin 4D. All of the lenses are compatible with the Ronin 4D, including the 16mm. You would need to purchase the DJI Zenmuse X9 Lens Mount Unit (E-Mount) if you want to run E-mount lenses on the Ronin 4D.
They all cover a 43.3mm image circle and are available in Sony E, Canon RF, and Leica L. Users can also purchase additional mounts that can be user-installed.
The lenses have the following T-stops:
- 16mm T2.2
- 24mm T1.5
- 32mm T1.5
- 50mm T1.5
- 85mm T1.5
We first saw prototypes of the Chiopt AURA Super Speed Prime Series at NAB 2025. Above, you can see my interview with Chiopt.
Size & Weight
The AURA series lenses weigh between 790-921g / 1.74-2.03 lb, which makes them pretty lightweight given their image coverage and T1.5 aperture (except the 16mm, which is a T2.2).
The length of the lenses ranges from 107mm for the 85mm T1.5, up to 120mm for the 50mm T1.5.
Despite being different lengths and having different weights, all of the iris and focus rings are in a uniform position across the set.
Build Quality
The Chiopt AURA Super Speed Primes are nicely constructed and well-made. I am personally not the biggest fan of silver lenses as I feel like they draw to much attention and they also reflect light.
The focus and iris rings are all nicely weighted, and I didn’t find any inconsistencies across the focal lengths.
Even though they aren’t using traditional-looking gears, they still work well with lens motors.
I suspect the design rationale for the gears on the lenses was to make them more friendly for pulling focus by hand. Given the target audience for these lenses, the design arguably makes sense.
Optical Design
The optical design is claimed to achieve smooth and soft bokeh, and they are said to have very low breathing. Chiopt also claims that there is minimal distortion to ensure that the edges of the image maintain high clarity. The lenses are also claimed to have minimal chromatic aberration.
Markings
The focus markings are in meters on the operator’s side and in feet on the opposite side. I would have preferred to have seen line markings next to the indicated values.
The iris markings are done in a similar way to the focus markings, and again, I would have preferred to have seen line markings next to the indicated values. In saying that, given the target audience of these lenses, it arguably isn’t going to be a big deal.
Front Diameter
The front diameter of the lenses is 74mm, except for the 16mm, which has a front diameter of 88mm. You can use 72mm screw in filters on the 24mm, 35mm, 50mm, and 85mm.
The 16mm doesn’t take screw in filters.
Minimum Focusing Distance
The minimum focusing distance for each focal length is as follows:
- 16mm T2.2- 25cm
- 24mm T1.5- 30cm
- 32mm T1.5- 36cm
- 50mm T1.5- 35cm
- 85mm T1.5- 91cm
Sharpness
I set up a small test with the lens shooting full frame 6K DCI on the Kinefinity MAVO EDGE. This was done to test the center and edge sharpness at various T stops.
The center sharpness is pretty good, even when the lenses are used wide open. The edge sharpness isn’t as good, and the lenses certainly do have a fall-off.
Lens Breathing
I tested out the lenses by doing large focus throws. There is definitely some breathing, and more than I would personally like for a cine lens.
The reason the lenses breathe is that the internal focusing elements physically move back and forth, as you can see above.
Flare
The lenses don’t flare much at all, and I take it that is to do with the coatings that are being used. I didn’t find the flare to be that interesting, but if you are looking for very clean lenses for corporate work, etc., then that probably isn’t going to be an issue.
Chromatic Aberration
The lenses show almost no signs of real-world chromatic aberration, even when used wide open.
Bokeh
The bokeh produced is nice and round, with a pleasing fall-off.
Real World Use
I took the lenses out and got some shots to see how they performed in a variety of different lighting conditions.
The AURA series performs well. They are reasonably sharp, even when used wide open, and they produce pleasing bokeh, and there is a little bit of halation.
Footage was recorded on a Kinifinity MAVO EDGE in 6K DCI.
Price & Availability
The Chiopt AURA Super Speed Primes will be available to purchase on July 9th (this includes an aluminum alloy hard case). The retail price will be $4,499 USD. You will be able to buy individual focal lengths for $899 USD.
Competition
Competition arguably comes in the form of lenses like the Thypoch Simera-C T1.5 Cine Lenses that retail for $879 USD each. Other lenses that could be considered competition are the Rokinon Xeen T1.5, which costs around $1,275 USD, and the IRIX T1.5 Cine Lenses that are $1,195 USD each.
Conclusion
The Chiopt AURA Super Speed Prime Series is a solid set of lenses.
The biggest potential issue facing Chiopt is that competition is very fierce in the ‘affordable’ cine lens space, and with so many options available, it is a hard sell for companies that don’t have a lot of brand recognition to convince potential customers to purchase. That is the harsh reality.
The lenses are well made, they have decent mechanics, and they offer good center sharpness even when used wide open. They don’t flare much, and there is some lens breathing.
The Chiopt AURA Super Speed Prime Series produces nice results. They have a little bit of halation, and they render out-of-focus areas nicely. It is also good that they have user swappable mounts so you can move them between various camera systems.
