There are many budget cine lenses brands out there in 2025 but which one should you go for your next lens purchase? We explained how to choose one along with our recommendations.
Cinematography is expensive; that's what we (Gen Z and Millennials) used to believe back in the early 2000s and nineties. However, the industry is changing fast with the rise of video content being streamed online and how it's consumed by the masses. This also has pushed optical technologies to come to much cheaper price points, which once were only considered accessible to certain groups of people who could afford the hefty price tags.
With this trend, many new budget cine lenses brands have emerged that offer professional-grade cinematography footage and don't sacrifice other crucial specifications while being light on your wallet. Now, you can carry a great set of cine prime lenses that will take your film or video project to the next level without paying tens of thousands of dollars.
But before we get into that, we have to explain what makes a good cine lens, which is, of course, prices less than a premium and state-of-the-art lens available in the market, what sacrifices you have to accept at the lower price points, and how to shortlist one based on its spec sheet.
1.1st Tier Performance:
You are shooting professional cinema grade video, your lens needs to perform in a way that has the least level of chromatic aberration, distortion, and vignetting which most budget lenses are prone to have.
2. Wide Aperture:
Cinema-grade footage means that you will be shooting in certain low-lighting setups, as certain indie filmmakers won't have professional lighting setups, especially outdoors. For this, look for a camera lens that has a wide aperture ranging from T1.2 to T2.8. This will allow it for better low-light performance and cinematic bokeh.
3. Body Construction
Look for metal or high-quality composite materials construction rather than plastic ones. Your outdoor shooting requires your gear to be sturdy and solid enough to take the daily juggle it will go through along with you.
4. Focus Rings:
In 2025, the new generation of premium lenses will come with a de-clicked aperture ring, which is designed to deliver seamless exposure adjustments. Many claim to be budget cine lenses brands but lack this feature, which we think is a bummer in today's market trends.
5. Super 35
If you are looking for budget lenses, then we are quite positive that you are also onbudget for your entire gear. In such a case, looking for a lens that offers a super 35 sensor or full frame compatibility should be in your consideration for your professional and budget-friendly setup.
6. Price-to-feature ratio:
Your purchase should have a budget price tag as compared to the tier 1 without sacrificing the crucial specification your lens should have. For example, look for minimal focus breathing, and neutral and consistent colors in what it will capture while maintaining sharpness with minimal distortion. A starting point for a "budget price" will be 300 dollars for such lenses which can go up to 600 dollars as more numbers are added to their specifications.
The SIRUI night walker T1.2 S35 cine lens series stands out in the budget cine lenses brands as the best option for filmmakers. Here's why: you get a fast T1.2 aperture with minimal focus breathing, which ensures ultra-sharp footage even in low light. Keeping the entire body to just 93cm, you get an under 600-gram lens, which delivers superior optical quality at this price point, hands down.
A lens of this caliber for cinema-grade footage will cost you around four grand and more without such body construction. You also get an ED and high refractive index glass on top of its aspherical lens interior (not in 75mm).
All these features make it a great contender to be your next prime lens collection, as it is offered in 16 to 70-mm focal lengths at an entry-level price point with professional-grade performance. The 16mm performs equivalent to 24mm, and the 75mm variant equals a 113mm lens in terms of its performance and price ratio, making the deal even more sweet for indie filmmakers.
But no matter which cine lens you choose for your filmmaking, it will boost your work and get your video much closer to professional standards. You will get video quality without spending thousands of dollars and can expand your creativity while being on a budget. If you are looking to get the most out of your budget lens, then the above-mentioned SIRUI S35 is our humble recommendation.