Meike 16mm T2.2 MF micro-four-thirds

The Meike 16mm T2.2 is a budget manual cine lens for MFT shooters who want a wide 32mm equivalent with minimal focus breathing. Macro performance is a nice surprise, but bokeh and build quality are weak spots. Worth it for video beginners on a budget, skip it if you need autofocus or weather sealing.

The optical performance is middle of the pack in our database, landing at the 63rd percentile. Sharpness is fine for 4K video work, and the 13 elements in 10 groups do a respectable job keeping distortion low. The macro score is actually a pleasant surprise at the 81st percentile, which means you can get reasonably close to subjects despite this being a wide lens. But the bokeh score sits at the 34th percentile, which is underwhelming for a cine lens that advertises smooth circular bokeh. The 10-blade diaphragm helps, but it's not magic. Stabilization ranks at the 79th percentile, which is solid, though you'll still want a gimbal or tripod for serious video work.

The competitors here are mostly zoom lenses, which makes this a bit of an apples-to-oranges situation. The Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 is a native MFT zoom with autofocus and better build quality, but it's slower and pricier. The Sigma Contemporary 16-300mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS is far more flexible with its massive zoom range, but it's not a cine lens and won't give you that manual focus feel. The Tamron Di III VC 28-300mm is full-frame glass, so it's not even in the same mount system. For pure cine work on MFT, the Meike holds its own as a dedicated prime, but it's not competing with these zooms on flexibility.

There's no price listed here, which makes value hard to pin down. But Meike lenses typically sit in the budget cine lens category, and for that kind of money, this is a reasonable entry point into manual cinema glass. You're getting a usable wide angle with decent sharpness and minimal focus breathing. Just don't expect premium build quality or buttery bokeh. If you find it under $400, it's a solid deal. Much above that, and you should start looking at used options from bigger names.

The Meike 16mm T2.2 is a manual focus cine lens built for Micro Four Thirds shooters who want that wide, cinematic look without selling a kidney. It's a 32mm equivalent on MFT bodies, so you get a useful all-purpose wide angle that works nicely on the BMPCC 4K, GH5, and similar rigs. The T2.2 aperture is decent for low light and gives you real control over depth of field.

This is not a run-and-gun autofocus lens. It's fully manual, which is either a feature or a dealbreaker depending on how you shoot. The build is solid enough at 590g, and the 10-blade diaphragm promises smooth bokeh. But our database shows some real trade-offs here, especially if you're hoping for a flexible everyday lens.

Skip this if you need autofocus for run-and-gun shooting or if you shoot in rough weather, since there's no sealing. Also skip it if bokeh quality is a priority for you, the 34th percentile bokeh score means backgrounds won't be as creamy as the marketing suggests. If you want a flexible all-in-one lens for both photos and video, look at a native MFT zoom instead.

Buy this if you're a video shooter on Micro Four Thirds who wants a cheap, wide manual prime with minimal focus breathing. It's a good learning tool for pulling focus and getting comfortable with cine-style shooting. The BMPCC 4K and GH5 crowd will appreciate the 32mm equivalent field of view. Just know that you're trading autofocus, build quality, and bokeh polish for that low price.