That's a great review, Christopher (one I'm looking forward to trying at some point). I mostly wanted to praise you for the excellent photos contained in the review, however. Very tasteful!
It's always more special for me when I have a chance to review a lens in a new environment. I don't know about you, but I sometimes tire of shooting the same things all the time because of doing reviews.
Good review. I recently realized that full frame mirrorless actually has gotten surprisingly affordable and bought a slightly used A7 II and the Sony 50 1.8 and this lens as a starter kit. The results are really pleasing and the overall price was substantially lower than many m43 kits nowadays.
Every new third party lens for the Sony E-mount is welcome. My impression gained from this review is that this is a compact and lightweight lens that gives a level of performance commensurate with its price. If you want better then you have to pay for it. It is not a rival for the Batis 25/2 but a welcome option for those who cannot afford the best.
Thanks for all the great reviews! Haven't bought a single lens for my A6000 yet (happy with the kitlens so far), but good to know what's out there before I buy a bunch of lenses that aren't that impressive. I don't have too much money to spend on camera gear, so video's like these are priceless.
A great review as always! But, you definitely should compare these Samyang lenses to Sony native lenses, as the biggest question here (which you didn't answer) is how they perform, compared to Sony lenses. I think your next review should be of the Sony 28mm f/2 or 35mm f/2.8. Many people want to know whether the Samyang 24 or 35mm lenses can give better results for less money. A review of the Sigma FE 35mm f/1.4 Art would be really great also. Another great budget option for Sony shooters.
The main problem of samyang af lenses is not the focus speed, it's the af accuracy that concerns me. I bought the samyang 24 f2.8. Many people said it was soft. Actually it's not soft if u use manual focus but the AF is always off focus (especially when the focus point is on the LHS of the fame ). I tested 2 copies if this lens and I see the sane problem. Ironically no one picks up this issue
Indeed, well balanced review stating the good things about the lens when it deserves so and not afraid to say the disadvantages of the lens, with real life test examples to back up the claims. This is why I like Christopher's lens reviews. I also start to see why Samyang has been sending Christopher their lenses for reviews for years now. It's because a company has no fear of just and balanced reviews if they focus on putting out great products, and not afraid to accept criticism and work hard to improve. So far with my experiences of Samyang lenses, they have been great. My first Samyang lens was due to a review by Christopher and ever since Christopher's channel is my go to channel for Samyang lens reviews!
I have just bought the Samyang FE 24mm f/2.8. With smaller apertures than f/4, it is sharp at the corners with my Sony a7 camera. The f/2.8 is only good with poor lighting. The autofocus is struggling some times, especially with f/2.8 but when I hear the autofocus beep the autofocus is very accurate. The lens is very silence during autofocus. The huge problem is with vignetting. Of course vignetting is the easiest thing to fix digitally. The camera indeed reduces the problem digitally with jpeg files. For raw files the vignetting is very obvious and Lightroom isn't updated for this lens yet. The main reason I bought this lens is its size and weight. My first e-mount camera was the NEX-3 with the pancake Sony E 16mm f/2.8 (24mm equivalent) and I was very satisfied. The pancake Sony 16mm f/2.8 have similar problems with the Samyang but It is okay.
Hi Achilleas, do you recommand this lens for street photography? I also have the A7 mark 1 and i'm afraid that this lens do not have a good image quality on 24mp censor
Interesting. That 16mm Sony APS-C lens is, optically, the worst lens Sony’s ever made for E-Mount-so if you found it very satisfactory (and you look at your photos on an actual computer monitor) then I think that says a lot about what’s good enough in real world photos vs. what’s good enough when examining a lens through the eyes of a critical reviewer. (I don’t consider Christopher to be that type of reviewer, of course.) I have the Samyang 35mm f/2.8 but I had written off the 24mm version because of some reviews I’d read that basically said it’s garbage. So, coming here for another opinion was definitely a good idea. I’m actually leaning towards buying the Samyang 24mm 2.8 now. :)
Thank you soooo much! Believe me, you made my day. I was looking for an all terrain, single, cheap and compact lens for my Sony A6000. And I found it!! Also a very good deal that it'll work even better when I'll get the A7Rii in a future. Definetly, the perfect choice for me. Excelent review! Thanks so much for your effort! Really really useful review!
@@molohov3875 Ey Bryce! No issues and it works fine. Also the AF. I've enjoyed a lot using this lens in my hollidays in Thailand. It was allways in my camera. I just found quite difficult to manually focus in the middle distance, there is a big gap from 5 meters to infinity, the difference to focus to 5 meters or to 25-30 meters is 1 gauge at least, even with the focus peaking help. But I'm very happy, it worths the price without doubt. So thanks a lot for your review! Don't stop please sharing videos 👍
Great review - I like that you mention that due to it being 24mm, distortion / dark corners are expected. I have just ordered this lens ad I wanted something sleeker than my Tamron 24-70,.
I like the idea of this lens. Seems you comment was made a good while ago. Are you still happy with the lens. I know Samyang updates their lenses with firmware. Have you kept up with this? Does this improve autofocus/vinetting?
Yes, I am still very happy with lens. No, I have not updated software. Vignetting is not a problem. In fact, at times I add a slight vignette. Even wide open at high ISOs, I am pleased. Would you want to see my results?
@@richardchaitt774 Thanks for your reply, and yes I’d happily like to see. On paper what I like most about this lens is: 1. Tiny size and weight -1.5in barrel length and 94 g. 2. Remarkably little lens distortion - Rare for a 24mm at this size. The little distortion present is of the pin cushion type (no stretching of the edges). 3. Price - Easy to find gently used in the $100 usd price range. 4. Firmware updates through lens station- I like this, which may make lens future proof. Things that aren’t so appealing on paper 1. Not the sharpest in clinical chart tests - Seems to be noticeably behind Tamron, Sony, and Sigma at 24mm, f2.8, (f3.5 for Sigma). 2. No dust/weather sealing gasketing- Wouldn’t want to shoot in rain or snow and would be afraid to leave stored on camera 3. Limited lens controls - No clicky aperture ring & no AF/MF switch. 4. The lens station would be extra money-eats into the low cost to own. What do you like most about it? What is the contrast and colors like?
The main problem of samyang af lenses is not the focus speed, it's the af accuracy that concerns me. I bought the samyang 24 f2.8. Many people said it was soft. Actually it's not soft if u use manual focus but the AF is always off focus (especially when the focus point is on the LHS of the fame ). I tested 2 copies if this lens and I see the sane problem. Ironically no one picks up this issue
I saw this lens yesterday in the photokina in Cologne and was very impressed cause of it's size and weight. Now I know that is good enough for my A7III and will buy it. Love your channel ...
As there is few information about samyang 24mm in Korea, I had wondered this lens. After watching this review, my curiosity is solved!!! Take my money, Samyang!!!
허림 sometime this lens will go under the name "rokinon" instead of samyang (same company, diffrent name on the lens depending on where in the world it is bought). Have you looked for rokinon 24mm instead of samyang 24mm?
great details on this Samyang lens. I just picked on up a month ago and I've loved it, especially for the price. I just dropped a review of it, too, which led me here and I'm happy about that!
This comment was made 4 years ago. Are you still happy with the lens? Have you kept it updated, (Samyang updates theirr lenses). Would you still recommend it?
It is not made out of metal by the way. I personally own this lens and have watched other reviews and this channel is the only one stating it's metal. It's in fact made fully of plastic and is incredibly light. There is cases where people have reported their AF going out after months of use, so make of that what you will. It's overall a good lens just very cheaply made, which for the price is understandable. Even the silver mount is just painted silver plastic, very easy to tell and if you were to put too much pressure on it would probably crack. Be careful.
I just purchased this lease. The lens hood does not lock into place. Did you experience the same? It can rotate, but you do not get any feeling that it is locked when you reach full rotation (like you might see with other lens hoods). Would love to know if others experienced this as well?
Just wow, this lens is amazing. I had the 6D + ef 24mm 2.8 is usm, but I switched to the M5. This combo a7 + 24 2.8 is amazing for all the people who want to stay with a full frame sensor !
Tenks for the review! Looks like I know what I'm buying :) Would be the perfect pair up with my Sony 50mm f1.8 when I want to travel light. Granted, I do have the 24-105mm f4 G lens, which I absolutely love but it's such a heavy bugger to lug around that I dunno, when I just want to shoot casually, the extra weight is just not worth it for me.
Hi Christopher, I have a Sony A7r2 and I’m thinking of getting this lens or the Tamron 24mm 2.8 prime. I’ve heard the Tamron is extremely sharp but it’s AF not so good and it suffers from an unusual amount of barrel distortion. With your experience, I’d like to know which of those two lenses you recommend. Thanks.
Ooooooh, I already have the 35mm. It certainly can meet its little baby brother! The 35mm is really nice to have, definitely because it is so damn small and light. It is CUTE! And yet it gets you pretty darn good images. I really hope that this is just like that, maybe not as good as Sony Zeiss but for the money better than you could expect.
I'm thinking about getting both the 24mm and 35mm f 2.8 from Samyang. Like the idea of these small, and well reviewed lenses. It's been a few years, are you still happy with the 24 and 35 mm Samyangs?
5:22 For a 24mm lens, (and one at this size at that: 1.46 in barrel length) distortion, (pin-cushion), is controlled rather well! It is truer than the Sony, f2.8, G; Tamron, 24mm, f2.8; & Sigma 24mm, f2, DG DN. While these competing lenses are on a whole ‘nother level of sharpness I would never buy them based on their distortion profiles. I have the king of the court, (Sony, 24mm, GM, f1.4), so I’m OK this Samyang product is not the sharpest thing out there. I’m intrigued by the tiny size and weight, low distortion, good color & contrast, and budget friendly price tag for my second camera, Sony A7C. I’ll have to be careful shooting in rainy weather but this lens seems like a good fit for me.
What do you think worth more, the samyang 24mm f2.8 or the Sony fe 28mm f2. In my country, the price is almost the same, because of the discount in various Sony lenses.
This is one is going in my bag! Great review. I have been looking at the 18 batis 25batis, 21tokina. All at $1000 usd or greater and not 24. Great price, finally! I wonder if Rokinon, would it be identical? I've heard they are the same, but why two names?
Socrates Vela Rokinon is the same. Different name for the same reason as Opel and Vauxhall cars have different names i.e. nobody knows and no sense in it at all
Samyang lenses have the rokinon name in some countries... Samyang and rokinon is the same company. The only diffrence is the name printed on the lens... Everything else is the same.
Nice lens w as hoping to get this for my APS-C camera but its a bit to soft for me there. Oh well I still plan to get the 35mm Soon. I need a good 50mm for APS-C.
Dear Christopher. Thanks for your reviews, especially that of the third party lenses for Sony ILC. Which ones would you say are the best 16, 24, 35, 50 and 85mm equivalent lenses for Sony A6400? I mean based on price, AF performance, MFD, sharpness and colour? I am looking for good overall 35 and 50mm equivalent. Thanks a lot.
Hi chris.. if you got the chance can you also review the tokina 100mm f 2.8 macro. I have watch some review they all say good thing about it.. but its hard to believe unless i heard it from you. Godbless.
I am enjoying your reviews. Can you please advise me? I have a Sony a6300 and I’m looking for a small lens do do street photography with. I’d love you advice as I’m looking for a small lens that would almost make the camera fit in a back pocket. Any suggestions?
Hey Christopher)). May you please check how the lens' behavior is at f10, f11 in video etc. My experience with 35 1.4 af samyang with a7R3 is terrible. It defocuses by itself in afc.
I wanna get a 35mm full frame equivalent in my a6500 camera. Will there be anything wrong with such idea? If not, it's gonna be a perfect match for me with reasonable price, light weight & good quality in aps-c world. Thanks!
Can anybody tell me how this compares to the Sony 20mm apsc pancake lens? Im looking for something around this focal length in compact form for cheap. But I'm not sure which is the better option.
Happy New Year. Great review. I just have a question 🙋, is the Samyang 24/2.8 comparable to the Sony 24/1.8 and Sigma 30/1.4 when paired with an apsc camera like Sony a6500? Thank you.
The full frame has better colors then the apsc.Does anyone knows if apsc lenses on an a7 body have better colors then apsc lenses on apsc body.I would like to use my apsc lenses when i buy the a7.Then slowly invest in full frame lenses
Chris, am I right in assuming that lens mount on the lens is actually plastic, spray-painted silver? Something 'off' about the colour of the lens mount, the way it didn't shine right on camera? You usually mention when a mount is plastic, just wondering if Samyang managed to trick you with the silver paint job?
Excellent review. I've a Sigma 19mm f2.8 but I find the rattle in the motor when off extremely annoying! As I cycle tour a lot, this Samyang been lighter too may be a better option ... as long as it doesn't rattle? LOL
The main problem of samyang af lenses is not the focus speed, it's the af accuracy that concerns me. I bought the samyang 24 f2.8. Many people said it was soft. Actually it's not soft if u use manual focus but the AF is always off focus (especially when the focus point is on the LHS of the fame ). I tested 2 copies if this lens and I see the sane problem. Ironically no one picks up this issue
i wasnt very happy with the image quality.. i also have the tamron 28-70 and almost never found myself wanting to use the samyang for the extra 4mm because the tamron is so sharp
Thank you very much for your review. I would like to know if anyone has tried this lens on sony a6500. I know the lens is tried on a5100 but I'm still curious how it performs on sony a6500. It will take some time for this lens to become available in the country I live in and I'm curious about the price when it does.
The video AF was a bit slow, but I would dare say it's making a smooth transition that looks rather pleasant. I sometimes think they're a bit too jerky for video.
The lens hood of this lens is ridiculously short. It doesn't protect from flaring at all. I bought a lens hood attached to the filter thread instead from eBay.
Price is really compeling. Question to anyone who used this lens. Is it good for video work? I want to change my kit 16-50mm lens for this but don't know if this is worth it or should I look at something else?
Hi, if you had to pick between the 35mm 2.8 and 24mm 2.8 based on just picture and video quality, (without regard to the angle of view or price) which one would you pick? Thanks for the great reviews!
Hey Christopher been enjoying your videos for a while now and have decided to invest in a new lens (nothing big just looking for a cheap 1.4 lens). I've come down to the Samyang 24mm 1.4 or the sigma 30mm 1.4. I know the Samyang often has quality and build issues and the sigma can be prone to chromatic aberration but has autofocus which isnt too big of a deal for me, just nice to have the precision. Any Input?
Dudeius Mannigast I have. 35mm on my APS-C sensor seems too tight. However if it is that nice of a lens I would definitely consider it. Edit: just realized af is only for sony. I'm working with canon
The canon 24 mm is efs mount so if you plan on using it with a Sony camera you'll need an adapter that is compatible with those lenses. Also the image circle projected by that lens is too small for a full frame sensor so if you have a full frame camera you'll either have to live with vignetting or turn on crop mode which kinda defeats the purpose of a full frame camera in the first place so if you have a full frame camera I would recommend the samyang lens
I just got this lens for my Sonay A7 III and was wondering where in the menu I can find the in camera corrections that you mention? I'm still new to the camera so I can't find it anywhere...
So if I were going to be doing more video work for fitness and some travel videos, would you say that 35mm would be better than 24mm? I have a sony A7iii by the way
@@christopherfrost It's been 5 years since your comment, but it seems the 24 mm has almost no focus breathing, (zooming in upon focus changing), would you say this is fair for this lens?
Hi Chris, I want to ask you what do you think it would be a best buy between a tamron 60 mm 2.0 macro and the Tokina 100 mm 2.8 macro, which one would be better? I plan to shoot Marco, portraits and still life, thanks
i always wonder what is your test procedure regarding sharpness in center and corners, do you refocus at corners? and as you know it can be significant difference, because it is actually different distance to the lens, and it matters at large aperture
i think you are not exactly right, field curvature, maybe this is the correct name, but cannot agree that lens should be exactly sharp there, consider this steps: set to manual focus, focus to the center, measure distance between lens and test focus point, when photographed object is flat, then measure distance between lens and the same object but to the point you see on the camera screen in the corner, then distance will be longer than to the center, then when you modify distance between lens and center focus point to match distance from corner, you will find center point out of focus, so, I think it is even not possible, especially at large apertures to have exactly the same sharpness in the corner when focused in the center. of course distortions like chromatic aberration should be controlled. I would like to see results from some higher end lens, i.e. Batis 25mm, with exactly the same test procedure.
Properly designed camera lenses will have a flat plane of field, and avoid field curvature (even if it can be somewhat beneficial in certain situations).
sorry but still cannot agree, this time with statement 'properly designed', according to this, Zeiss for instance, is not able to design lenses properly, you should rather say 'perfect lens in perfect world' should have flat plane of field, just found article from on zeiss website, chapter 4: lenspire.zeiss.com/photo/en/article/focusing-zeiss-dslr-lenses-for-peak-performance-part-one-the-challenges/
anyway, i like your reviews very much, just would like to know that you did or did not refocus in the corners, and what is the distance between lens and the test object. i would prefer both.
Hi Christopher, in your opinion which lens would you pick between this samyang 24mm f2.8 or the Sony 28mm f2 and why? Looking to purchase one or the other. Thank you
Maybe it's trivial, but the af drive speed setting influences the video af more noticeably than with still photography, did you check what your camera setting is set up?
I have the Samyang 35mm 1.4 AF and the 50mm 1.4 AF for my sony A7iii, now personally I don't think I will be purchasing this particular lens since I do own the Sony/Zeiss 24-70f4, however, do you know when they will be releasing an 85mm lens? I do have the sony 85 1.8, but if Samyang releases an 85mm with a 1.4 aperture then I'm trading that Sony lens in a heartbeat :) Also, I wonder why Samyang is only designing f2.8 lenses instead of f2 or faster? I mean, Fuji is able to achieve faster aperture lenses but still maintain a smaller/lighter body.
Incredible review, thank you!! I came here because I noticed some vignetting and was wondering if that was normal. Do you have any more info on the in-camera correction settings. Do you know where I can find them on the a7iii? Does this work for video as well?
![Samyang AF 24mm F2.8 FE - Review w/ Sony A7III [ Rokinon AF 24mm F2.8 ]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/vb8vs_zHGso/mqdefault.jpg)
Christopher, please continue doing lens reviews, can't find anyone on youtube who can do it so straight to the point, so detailed and so brief.
That's a great review, Christopher (one I'm looking forward to trying at some point). I mostly wanted to praise you for the excellent photos contained in the review, however. Very tasteful!
Thanks Dustin, I had a lot of fun shooting with this in abandoned quarries!
It's always more special for me when I have a chance to review a lens in a new environment. I don't know about you, but I sometimes tire of shooting the same things all the time because of doing reviews.
Christopher Frost Photography - Chris what do you think about using this lens for continuous AF in video - I was looking at the sony 28mm F2.
I totally agree, the quality of pictures, included ! Congratulations, Christopher!
Great to see the big guns in the gear review world get on together ;)
Good review. I recently realized that full frame mirrorless actually has gotten surprisingly affordable and bought a slightly used A7 II and the Sony 50 1.8 and this lens as a starter kit. The results are really pleasing and the overall price was substantially lower than many m43 kits nowadays.
How much did you pay for the camera body?
@@giocareperdivertirsiYou can get one for about 550 these days.
Every new third party lens for the Sony E-mount is welcome. My impression gained from this review is that this is a compact and lightweight lens that gives a level of performance commensurate with its price. If you want better then you have to pay for it. It is not a rival for the Batis 25/2 but a welcome option for those who cannot afford the best.
Great review and beautiful images Christopher. This little lens looks like a great walk around companion!
I agree! I kinda like the size, and the fact that this 24mm has very little distortion. I like the idea of using it as a walking around lens.
Thanks for all the great reviews! Haven't bought a single lens for my A6000 yet (happy with the kitlens so far), but good to know what's out there before I buy a bunch of lenses that aren't that impressive. I don't have too much money to spend on camera gear, so video's like these are priceless.
A great review as always!
But, you definitely should compare these Samyang lenses to Sony native lenses, as the biggest question here (which you didn't answer) is how they perform, compared to Sony lenses.
I think your next review should be of the Sony 28mm f/2 or 35mm f/2.8.
Many people want to know whether the Samyang 24 or 35mm lenses can give better results for less money.
A review of the Sigma FE 35mm f/1.4 Art would be really great also. Another great budget option for Sony shooters.
Ilia Sukhovsky agree! I wish there was a comparison between Sony FE 28mm 2.0 vs. Samyang 24mm 2.8
The main problem of samyang af lenses is not the focus speed, it's the af accuracy that concerns me. I bought the samyang 24 f2.8. Many people said it was soft. Actually it's not soft if u use manual focus but the AF is always off focus (especially when the focus point is on the LHS of the fame ). I tested 2 copies if this lens and I see the sane problem. Ironically no one picks up this issue
Best Lens Review Channel!
Indeed, well balanced review stating the good things about the lens when it deserves so and not afraid to say the disadvantages of the lens, with real life test examples to back up the claims. This is why I like Christopher's lens reviews. I also start to see why Samyang has been sending Christopher their lenses for reviews for years now. It's because a company has no fear of just and balanced reviews if they focus on putting out great products, and not afraid to accept criticism and work hard to improve. So far with my experiences of Samyang lenses, they have been great. My first Samyang lens was due to a review by Christopher and ever since Christopher's channel is my go to channel for Samyang lens reviews!
I love that you do corner sharpness tests. Thanks!
I have this lens on a Sony A7R. The camera is very light making it great for travel, and street photography. Lovely review
I have just bought the Samyang FE 24mm f/2.8.
With smaller apertures than f/4, it is sharp at the corners with my Sony a7 camera. The f/2.8 is only good with poor lighting.
The autofocus is struggling some times, especially with f/2.8 but when I hear the autofocus beep the autofocus is very accurate.
The lens is very silence during autofocus.
The huge problem is with vignetting. Of course vignetting is the easiest thing to fix digitally. The camera indeed reduces the problem digitally with jpeg files.
For raw files the vignetting is very obvious and Lightroom isn't updated for this lens yet.
The main reason I bought this lens is its size and weight.
My first e-mount camera was the NEX-3 with the pancake Sony E 16mm f/2.8 (24mm equivalent) and I was very satisfied. The pancake Sony 16mm f/2.8 have similar problems with the Samyang but It is okay.
Hi Achilleas, do you recommand this lens for street photography? I also have the A7 mark 1 and i'm afraid that this lens do not have a good image quality on 24mp censor
Interesting. That 16mm Sony APS-C lens is, optically, the worst lens Sony’s ever made for E-Mount-so if you found it very satisfactory (and you look at your photos on an actual computer monitor) then I think that says a lot about what’s good enough in real world photos vs. what’s good enough when examining a lens through the eyes of a critical reviewer. (I don’t consider Christopher to be that type of reviewer, of course.)
I have the Samyang 35mm f/2.8 but I had written off the 24mm version because of some reviews I’d read that basically said it’s garbage. So, coming here for another opinion was definitely a good idea. I’m actually leaning towards buying the Samyang 24mm 2.8 now. :)
Thank you soooo much! Believe me, you made my day. I was looking for an all terrain, single, cheap and compact lens for my Sony A6000. And I found it!! Also a very good deal that it'll work even better when I'll get the A7Rii in a future. Definetly, the perfect choice for me. Excelent review! Thanks so much for your effort! Really really useful review!
Edu Broncano no issues using it on a6000?
@@molohov3875 Ey Bryce! No issues and it works fine. Also the AF. I've enjoyed a lot using this lens in my hollidays in Thailand. It was allways in my camera. I just found quite difficult to manually focus in the middle distance, there is a big gap from 5 meters to infinity, the difference to focus to 5 meters or to 25-30 meters is 1 gauge at least, even with the focus peaking help. But I'm very happy, it worths the price without doubt. So thanks a lot for your review! Don't stop please sharing videos 👍
Great review - I like that you mention that due to it being 24mm, distortion / dark corners are expected. I have just ordered this lens ad I wanted something sleeker than my Tamron 24-70,.
It's been 3 years how has you 24mm, Samyang, f2.8 worked out for you? I'm a sunstars person. Does this lens give you nice sunstars when stopping down?
Based on your review, I bought one. Used it for over a month and am very satisfied.
I like the idea of this lens. Seems you comment was made a good while ago. Are you still happy with the lens. I know Samyang updates their lenses with firmware. Have you kept up with this? Does this improve autofocus/vinetting?
Yes, I am still very happy with lens. No, I have not updated software. Vignetting is not a problem. In fact, at times I add a slight vignette. Even wide open at high ISOs, I am pleased. Would you want to see my results?
@@richardchaitt774 Thanks for your reply, and yes I’d happily like to see. On paper what I like most about this lens is:
1. Tiny size and weight -1.5in barrel length and 94 g.
2. Remarkably little lens distortion - Rare for a 24mm at this size. The little distortion present is of the pin cushion type (no stretching of the edges).
3. Price - Easy to find gently used in the $100 usd price range.
4. Firmware updates through lens station- I like this, which may make lens future proof.
Things that aren’t so appealing on paper
1. Not the sharpest in clinical chart tests - Seems to be noticeably behind Tamron, Sony, and Sigma at 24mm, f2.8, (f3.5 for Sigma).
2. No dust/weather sealing gasketing- Wouldn’t want to shoot in rain or snow and would be afraid to leave stored on camera
3. Limited lens controls - No clicky aperture ring & no AF/MF switch.
4. The lens station would be extra money-eats into the low cost to own.
What do you like most about it? What is the contrast and colors like?
How can I send you photo examples from this lens?
The main problem of samyang af lenses is not the focus speed, it's the af accuracy that concerns me. I bought the samyang 24 f2.8. Many people said it was soft. Actually it's not soft if u use manual focus but the AF is always off focus (especially when the focus point is on the LHS of the fame ). I tested 2 copies if this lens and I see the sane problem. Ironically no one picks up this issue
I saw this lens yesterday in the photokina in Cologne and was very impressed cause of it's size and weight. Now I know that is good enough for my A7III and will buy it. Love your channel ...
Nice review, Chris! Subscribed. Keep it up
As there is few information about samyang 24mm in Korea, I had wondered this lens. After watching this review, my curiosity is solved!!! Take my money, Samyang!!!
허림 sometime this lens will go under the name "rokinon" instead of samyang (same company, diffrent name on the lens depending on where in the world it is bought). Have you looked for rokinon 24mm instead of samyang 24mm?
Still a relevant review for 2022, got it for my Sony A7 iii
great details on this Samyang lens. I just picked on up a month ago and I've loved it, especially for the price. I just dropped a review of it, too, which led me here and I'm happy about that!
This comment was made 4 years ago. Are you still happy with the lens? Have you kept it updated, (Samyang updates theirr lenses). Would you still recommend it?
@@Cthames123 mine works flawless for years whitout a single lens firmware update. Used on A6300, A7iii and A7iv.
Great review! Another hint while testing - maybe sunstars test? Especially for wide angle lenses it's quite good test to know their performance!
Maciej Loboda I keep forgetting to do sunstars, sorry!
In Korea, preorder is started today (22th, June) and lens will be delivered from 2nd, July. I also order this lens and wait its delivery.
this lens will kill a lot of sales of Batis 25mm
1/4 price, 1/3 weight and size and losing one stop only
Lucky Never ... yep...just order one of these for exactly that reason.
That stop is a big deal tho. Still, I kinda agree, the price is excellent.
Got one also, nice quality for price, even on an A7R3 !! size and weight excellent for travelling...
Silvestro Crino me too!
I think Sony 24mm 1.4 if the main problem for batis:)
im using a7iii and used 14mm f2.8 and it will freeze sometimes, so it is advised to use Sony for the time being until software fix is up
It is not made out of metal by the way. I personally own this lens and have watched other reviews and this channel is the only one stating it's metal. It's in fact made fully of plastic and is incredibly light. There is cases where people have reported their AF going out after months of use, so make of that what you will. It's overall a good lens just very cheaply made, which for the price is understandable. Even the silver mount is just painted silver plastic, very easy to tell and if you were to put too much pressure on it would probably crack. Be careful.
looks awesome i need one in my life
i am liking your new test wall Chris
I just purchased this lease. The lens hood does not lock into place. Did you experience the same? It can rotate, but you do not get any feeling that it is locked when you reach full rotation (like you might see with other lens hoods). Would love to know if others experienced this as well?
Just wow, this lens is amazing. I had the 6D + ef 24mm 2.8 is usm, but I switched to the M5.
This combo a7 + 24 2.8 is amazing for all the people who want to stay with a full frame sensor !
Nicely done review. Thanks for your effort!
Best reviews on RUclips.
Great review Christopher - nice and tiny lens - great for Sony fullframe.
Tenks for the review! Looks like I know what I'm buying :)
Would be the perfect pair up with my Sony 50mm f1.8 when I want to travel light. Granted, I do have the 24-105mm f4 G lens, which I absolutely love but it's such a heavy bugger to lug around that I dunno, when I just want to shoot casually, the extra weight is just not worth it for me.
Hi Christopher, I have a Sony A7r2 and I’m thinking of getting this lens or the Tamron 24mm 2.8 prime. I’ve heard the Tamron is extremely sharp but it’s AF not so good and it suffers from an unusual amount of barrel distortion. With your experience, I’d like to know which of those two lenses you recommend. Thanks.
Ooooooh, I already have the 35mm. It certainly can meet its little baby brother!
The 35mm is really nice to have, definitely because it is so damn small and light. It is CUTE! And yet it gets you pretty darn good images.
I really hope that this is just like that, maybe not as good as Sony Zeiss but for the money better than you could expect.
I'm thinking about getting both the 24mm and 35mm f 2.8 from Samyang. Like the idea of these small, and well reviewed lenses. It's been a few years, are you still happy with the 24 and 35 mm Samyangs?
5:22 For a 24mm lens, (and one at this size at that: 1.46 in barrel length) distortion, (pin-cushion), is controlled rather well! It is truer than the Sony, f2.8, G; Tamron, 24mm, f2.8; & Sigma 24mm, f2, DG DN. While these competing lenses are on a whole ‘nother level of sharpness I would never buy them based on their distortion profiles. I have the king of the court, (Sony, 24mm, GM, f1.4), so I’m OK this Samyang product is not the sharpest thing out there. I’m intrigued by the tiny size and weight, low distortion, good color & contrast, and budget friendly price tag for my second camera, Sony A7C. I’ll have to be careful shooting in rainy weather but this lens seems like a good fit for me.
I still wish I didn’t have to give up so much in the sharpness department with this lens.
Thanks for this great thorough review
Nice video as usual! Hope to see more regular contents from you.
What do you think worth more, the samyang 24mm f2.8 or the Sony fe 28mm f2. In my country, the price is almost the same, because of the discount in various Sony lenses.
Since you said that it becomes 36mm on an APSC, what kind of lens that is affordable should I get to get the 24mm effect on an APSC?
Hi Chris Please do a review on tarmon 24mm f2.8 for Sony Thanks
This is one is going in my bag! Great review. I have been looking at the 18 batis 25batis, 21tokina. All at $1000 usd or greater and not 24. Great price, finally! I wonder if Rokinon, would it be identical? I've heard they are the same, but why two names?
Socrates Vela oh the 25 batis is mmmmm wonderful. I have heard only good things. But double the price.
Socrates Vela Rokinon is the same. Different name for the same reason as Opel and Vauxhall cars have different names i.e. nobody knows and no sense in it at all
rolandsv8 thx
Samyang lenses have the rokinon name in some countries... Samyang and rokinon is the same company. The only diffrence is the name printed on the lens... Everything else is the same.
V PR yeah, batis is purrrrrrrrrfect, but too much for a moderate wide. If I had the money, I would get nothing but batis.
Hi, is in camera correction available for video too?
Hello Christopher, Would be awesome if you add a rate to the lens, in stars or from 1 to 10 grade all around
thanks for your work, its amazing
Thanks again for these reviews but I've noticed that you haven't done a Tamron 24 f2.8 review which I'd like to know about before deciding.
Nice lens w as hoping to get this for my APS-C camera but its a bit to soft for me there. Oh well I still plan to get the 35mm Soon. I need a good 50mm for APS-C.
Dear Christopher. Thanks for your reviews, especially that of the third party lenses for Sony ILC.
Which ones would you say are the best 16, 24, 35, 50 and 85mm equivalent lenses for Sony A6400?
I mean based on price, AF performance, MFD, sharpness and colour?
I am looking for good overall 35 and 50mm equivalent.
Thanks a lot.
hey Chris could u suggest a upgrade to 18-55 and 50 1.8 . camera is a d5300.everyone is welcome to suggest
Hi chris.. if you got the chance can you also review the tokina 100mm f 2.8 macro. I have watch some review they all say good thing about it.. but its hard to believe unless i heard it from you. Godbless.
I am interested in your view, would this make a good combination on a Sony A7S?
Thanks for this review! I’m thinking of picking one up for myself.
I am enjoying your reviews. Can you please advise me? I have a Sony a6300 and I’m looking for a small lens do do street photography with. I’d love you advice as I’m looking for a small lens that would almost make the camera fit in a back pocket. Any suggestions?
Great review Chris. I really appreciate the consistency in your reviews. In an unrelated question, what is the name of the village at 8:15? Thanks
Llangrannog
When you will do a video to the Samyang af 24 mm f1.8?
if only a manufacturer would do a small apsc 24mm for street photography! this is the closest i could find, but apsc performance is a bit subpar
Hey Christopher)). May you please check how the lens' behavior is at f10, f11 in video etc. My experience with 35 1.4 af samyang with a7R3 is terrible. It defocuses by itself in afc.
I wanna get a 35mm full frame equivalent in my a6500 camera. Will there be anything wrong with such idea? If not, it's gonna be a perfect match for me with reasonable price, light weight & good quality in aps-c world. Thanks!
Can anybody tell me how this compares to the Sony 20mm apsc pancake lens? Im looking for something around this focal length in compact form for cheap. But I'm not sure which is the better option.
Happy New Year. Great review. I just have a question 🙋, is the Samyang 24/2.8 comparable to the Sony 24/1.8 and Sigma 30/1.4 when paired with an apsc camera like Sony a6500? Thank you.
Hey Chris, good review, but when will you be posting the video of the Tamron 100-400mm?
Mr Hist You don't have long to wait :-)
Can you please beg Samyang for a review sample of their new 85 mm f1.4 AF EF lens ? Id love to see what theyve done with that
For the a6600 would you recommend this lens or the Sony 20mm 2.8 for a walk around lens?
Hey Chris, have you had a chance to do another video for this product after they recently updated firmware for video?
The full frame has better colors then the apsc.Does anyone knows if apsc lenses on an a7 body have better colors then apsc lenses on apsc body.I would like to use my apsc lenses when i buy the a7.Then slowly invest in full frame lenses
would like to see comparison to sony fe 28mm f2
Chris, am I right in assuming that lens mount on the lens is actually plastic, spray-painted silver? Something 'off' about the colour of the lens mount, the way it didn't shine right on camera? You usually mention when a mount is plastic, just wondering if Samyang managed to trick you with the silver paint job?
Excellent review. I've a Sigma 19mm f2.8 but I find the rattle in the motor when off extremely annoying! As I cycle tour a lot, this Samyang been lighter too may be a better option ... as long as it doesn't rattle? LOL
I just gave mine a quick shake and there is no rattling sound :-)
This lens I want to have!!
The main problem of samyang af lenses is not the focus speed, it's the af accuracy that concerns me. I bought the samyang 24 f2.8. Many people said it was soft. Actually it's not soft if u use manual focus but the AF is always off focus (especially when the focus point is on the LHS of the fame ). I tested 2 copies if this lens and I see the sane problem. Ironically no one picks up this issue
How does it compare to the $300 Sony e-mount 20mm f2.8? I think that'd be a better buy.
The Sigma 19mm f2.8 is sharper and cheaper.
i wasnt very happy with the image quality.. i also have the tamron 28-70 and almost never found myself wanting to use the samyang for the extra 4mm because the tamron is so sharp
Hey Chris, is there any chance you'd review the sony 28mm f2?
Giomarco Quiros A review of that lens will be coming :-)
Giomarco Quiros it is a good lens, but This FF at 24mm, emount is rare.
Looking forward to it!
i'm also really interested in which is the better lens
Thank you very much for your review. I would like to know if anyone has tried this lens on sony a6500. I know the lens is tried on a5100 but I'm still curious how it performs on sony a6500.
It will take some time for this lens to become available in the country I live in and I'm curious about the price when it does.
Take a look at my APS-C test results to see what the image quality will look like
I have bought the Samyang 35/28 AF.. this one is probably next
The video AF was a bit slow, but I would dare say it's making a smooth transition that looks rather pleasant. I sometimes think they're a bit too jerky for video.
The lens hood of this lens is ridiculously short. It doesn't protect from flaring at all. I bought a lens hood attached to the filter thread instead from eBay.
What about using it with Sony A7CR?
Price is really compeling.
Question to anyone who used this lens.
Is it good for video work? I want to change my kit 16-50mm lens for this but don't know if this is worth it or should I look at something else?
Chris, thanks for the excellent review. It's so good that I've just bought one. Do you know if there is any lens profile for the lens?
Hi, if you had to pick between the 35mm 2.8 and 24mm 2.8 based on just picture and video quality, (without regard to the angle of view or price) which one would you pick? Thanks for the great reviews!
Very hard question. Probably 35mm. It depends more on your personal preference than anything else
Thank you. Hope you continue reviewing all the new lenses Samyang is coming up with these days!
Hey Christopher been enjoying your videos for a while now and have decided to invest in a new lens (nothing big just looking for a cheap 1.4 lens). I've come down to the Samyang 24mm 1.4 or the sigma 30mm 1.4. I know the Samyang often has quality and build issues and the sigma can be prone to chromatic aberration but has autofocus which isnt too big of a deal for me, just nice to have the precision. Any Input?
Aidan Mac you looked into the samyang 35mm f1.4 AF? 🤔
Dudeius Mannigast I have. 35mm on my APS-C sensor seems too tight. However if it is that nice of a lens I would definitely consider it. Edit: just realized af is only for sony. I'm working with canon
Christopher, what do You think... this lens or Canon panckake 24mm?
The canon 24 mm is efs mount so if you plan on using it with a Sony camera you'll need an adapter that is compatible with those lenses. Also the image circle projected by that lens is too small for a full frame sensor so if you have a full frame camera you'll either have to live with vignetting or turn on crop mode which kinda defeats the purpose of a full frame camera in the first place so if you have a full frame camera I would recommend the samyang lens
I just got this lens for my Sonay A7 III and was wondering where in the menu I can find the in camera corrections that you mention? I'm still new to the camera so I can't find it anywhere...
I think it's under 'Lens Correction' or 'Lens Compensation' or something like that. Read the instruction manual
Nice review Christopher. How would you compare this lens to the Samyang 12mm F.2 NCS CS that you reviewed about a year ago?
I wouldn't compare them...they're completely different lenses :-)
Hy Christopher.
Great review.
Which lens would you recommend for astro photography for the A7R2?
Thank you for your kind answer.
Hmm, I'm not sure. The Venus Optics 15mm f/2 is good but it does have some coma unfortunately
Good review as usual, bummer you didn't do the coma test on this one.
So if I were going to be doing more video work for fitness and some travel videos, would you say that 35mm would be better than 24mm? I have a sony A7iii by the way
Hmm, don't know. 35mm is a little easier to use and perhaps a little more versatile.
@@christopherfrost It's been 5 years since your comment, but it seems the 24 mm has almost no focus breathing, (zooming in upon focus changing), would you say this is fair for this lens?
Hi Chris, I want to ask you what do you think it would be a best buy between a tamron 60 mm 2.0 macro and the Tokina 100 mm 2.8 macro, which one would be better? I plan to shoot Marco, portraits and still life, thanks
I haven't tried the Tokina lens I'm afraid
@@christopherfrost ok Chris, thanks for answering
Pancake 24mm F2.8! It would be very good for videographers. I hope flare resitance and sunstars would be better, but it is $350!
Which one better for video samyang 24mm or sony 28mm? Thx
Something with a mechanical manual focus, not fly-by-wire
... ID love if they made Something around 14-17 mm, fullframe. F4 or 5.6, just as tiny.
They released a new lens. I think its a 18mm F2.8
i always wonder what is your test procedure regarding sharpness in center and corners, do you refocus at corners? and as you know it can be significant difference, because it is actually different distance to the lens, and it matters at large aperture
The issue you're referring to is called 'field curvature'. Properly designed lenses should be able to cope with that.
i think you are not exactly right, field curvature, maybe this is the correct name, but cannot agree that lens should be exactly sharp there, consider this steps: set to manual focus, focus to the center, measure distance between lens and test focus point, when photographed object is flat, then measure distance between lens and the same object but to the point you see on the camera screen in the corner, then distance will be longer than to the center, then when you modify distance between lens and center focus point to match distance from corner, you will find center point out of focus, so, I think it is even not possible, especially at large apertures to have exactly the same sharpness in the corner when focused in the center. of course distortions like chromatic aberration should be controlled. I would like to see results from some higher end lens, i.e. Batis 25mm, with exactly the same test procedure.
Properly designed camera lenses will have a flat plane of field, and avoid field curvature (even if it can be somewhat beneficial in certain situations).
sorry but still cannot agree, this time with statement 'properly designed', according to this, Zeiss for instance, is not able to design lenses properly, you should rather say 'perfect lens in perfect world' should have flat plane of field, just found article from on zeiss website, chapter 4: lenspire.zeiss.com/photo/en/article/focusing-zeiss-dslr-lenses-for-peak-performance-part-one-the-challenges/
anyway, i like your reviews very much, just would like to know that you did or did not refocus in the corners, and what is the distance between lens and the test object. i would prefer both.
Hi Chris! Thanks for your videos, always helpful! Just a question: how do you think it'll perform for astrophotography on an A7RIII ? Thank you
It'll be a start - but you probably want a lens with a brighter aperture, less vignetting and slightly sharper corners
Please anyone who knows, would this lens be suitable for real estate photography?? Thank you in advance! 😊😊
Hi Christopher, in your opinion which lens would you pick between this samyang 24mm f2.8 or the Sony 28mm f2 and why? Looking to purchase one or the other. Thank you
Tricky question - personally I much prefer the wider 24mm angle and the smaller size of the Samyang lens
@@christopherfrost which one would you say is sharper?
@@omrichetti Off the top of my head, I think the Samyang is a bit sharper, but check my review of the Sony lens to see
Great review as always.is good & wide enough for landscapes and street photography with sony FF ?
Sure.
Maybe it's trivial, but the af drive speed setting influences the video af more noticeably than with still photography, did you check what your camera setting is set up?
The video AF speed was set to 'fast'
Hmmm, interesting
Pretty nice lens though
Is the "in camera correction" working with video or only with pictures? Thank you for the time you dedicate in reply..
On Sony cameras it works with both (I think)
Christopher Frost Photography thank you very much for your reply.
I have the Samyang 35mm 1.4 AF and the 50mm 1.4 AF for my sony A7iii, now personally I don't think I will be purchasing this particular lens since I do own the Sony/Zeiss 24-70f4, however, do you know when they will be releasing an 85mm lens? I do have the sony 85 1.8, but if Samyang releases an 85mm with a 1.4 aperture then I'm trading that Sony lens in a heartbeat :)
Also, I wonder why Samyang is only designing f2.8 lenses instead of f2 or faster? I mean, Fuji is able to achieve faster aperture lenses but still maintain a smaller/lighter body.
compact size is the key
Faded.Visuals fuji lenses are for aps-c sensors which makes it a lot easier to design smaller
Incredible review, thank you!! I came here because I noticed some vignetting and was wondering if that was normal. Do you have any more info on the in-camera correction settings. Do you know where I can find them on the a7iii? Does this work for video as well?
They're in the camera's menus. They do work for video. You'll still see a bit of vignetting when shooting at bright apertures, though
@@christopherfrost Amazing, thank you! I will have a look in the settings.
Great review, as always! Did you ever feel the need to upgrade to the A7r3 for your kind of work?
Nah - if I needed the extra speed then yes, but I don't