I took the Rokinon out to play last night for the first time. Loved the lens, and the images. As I was packing everything back into my car, I DROPPED THE LENS ON THE CONCRETE! HARD! I felt so stupid. Here's where I was insanely impressed. The lens hood stopped the glass from coming into contact with the ground, and the back cover also protected the lens. Both the lens hood and the back cover exploded off the lens, and I know have some nicks and scratches on the body. However, THE LENS STILL WORKS! NO BROKEN GLASS! 10/10
Another proof test that installing a UV filter "protects" your lens proven to be bullshit. "Protecting" your expensive lens with a UV filter camera store sales pitch gimmick snake oil bullshit.
As a Rokinon 12mm F2 owner, this makes me smile. I knew the Rokinon was pretty sharp, but didn't expect so much difference vs the Sony. I also own a 21mm F1.4 Rokinon that I am also impressed with. Nice job on the comparison, as usual.
All lenses have a 'sweet spot' when it comes to sharpness and it's usually a couple of stops down from fully open so the Rokinon not only as the advantage of being a prime, over a zoom, but you're probably close to it's sweet spot. I rarely shoot a lens wide open unless low light requires it and in the case of my 10-18 it's usually at f8 for landscapes. A fairer way to test (for sharpness) would be to take a series of pics on a tripod at all aperture settings and pick the sharpest to compare. I normally test all my lenses this way when I first get them to find their 'sweet spot'
actually sony has some misfocus pictures, but yes, they still be bad at sharpness, also seen this with sony 16mm f2.8 vs 16-50 f3.5-f5.6, 16-50 is much better at 16,even both at f/3.5
No. This test is very misleading. All his shots were at f4 - and if you read professional reviews then they warn that this is not the best aperture for the Sony.
Why the F is so hard to frigging do a 10-18mm f 2, Sony? Why are people paying so much for this type of crap? Why don’t they just create a perfect lens?
Nice Review!! Here is my suggestion to your comparison: Most of the daytime landscape shots will usually stop down the lens to f8 to f10. Also, stopping down the lens will usually eliminate the problems of soft corner and chromatic aberration, which are the problems for the Sony and the Rokinon respectively in your review. It is a little bit unfair to Sony because most of your shots are shot at f4, which is wide open for Sony and Rokinon is already stopped down. It would be fairer to compare them in f8-f10. But I really like the Rokinon/Samyang. I bought it last month and I have been extremely satisfied so far :D
Good suggestions, thank you! I tend to shoot everything wide open as much as possible because I think to myself, "If I paid for a fast lens and dont use it, I just wasted my money." I will adjust for comparisons to come.
@@ArthurR In addition, I am always looking for a low light interior architecture lens (churches, cathedrals in Europe) you never do low light interior comparisons... Please try! Thanks.
The Rokinon won by a landslide for me. I haven't used autofocus in months because I'm mostly shooting with a vintage Minolta lens nowadays, I've worked around the lack of OSS in post-production when shooting video, and that f2 makes all the difference. I know which lens I'm going for!
I shoot with a Minolta-Rokkor 50mm f.17. However, as it's a vintage lens, there are no electronic connections, resulting in you not being able to use autofocus. Because of this, the camera also doesn't recognise the lens type, and you won't be able to find information on your exposure in post-production. That being said, it's an absolute gem of a lens, producing beautiful background isolation and nice bokeh. You can check out my work on my Instagram to get a bit of an idea what it looks like! I absolutely love it! instagram.com/aronbagel/
Rokinon 12mm F2.0 is the best wide angle lens. Budget friendly $300-$330 is worth it. Not just budget friendly it's pretty sharpness beat the sony 10-18mm F4 only if you're working on manual assist and peaking levels on Sony for manual lens.
Good comment on the real estate use although I might lean in a different direction. I'm on the edge of changing from the Rokinon to the Sony lens. For real estate, I most often use a tripod so I can shoot at a higher f-stops and 100 ISO (I use natural light) so the Rokinon's wider aperture isn't really important. The problem I have with the Rokinon is focusing. My eyes are getting older and combining age with shooting in a tight space (ie room corner) I often blow a shot because I can't see the viewfinder or screen clearly enough. As well, manually focusing is more time consuming than autofocus. The addition of slightly wider lens and the zoom to 18mm might be enough for outdoor property shots. I often swap out my 30mm SIgma which is a real pain in nasty weather. True, the Rokinon has been a sweet, sharp lens for me, particularly when I went on a 10000km road trip this summer. It is sharp and man, low light and night shots are wonderful. But pleasure might just have to take a back seat for work. (Then again, your side-by-side comparison of the Sony lenses is very worrying. Hmm.) (Note: on both my A6000 and even more so with my A6300, the Rokinon infinity is beyond infinite. I have to focus on the stars and not just move the focus to infinite.)
FYI...I just ordered the Rokinon 12mm from your channel, so I hope I like it. I chose this one over the Sigma 16mm for now. You and your wife do a great job reviewing cameras and lenses and videos. Thank you so much for your valuable information. Jan
Just put the Rokinon 12mm on Infinity focus and Aperture on 8 and it becomes a Point and shoot lens. Everything after 4 feet will be in absolute focus.
Also thank you for reviewed Rokinon 12mm vs Sony 10-18mm Comparison on youtube. I think you're only one probably best review for Rokinon 12 vs. Sony 10-18mm comparison on youtube.
AF is not a huge benefit for video you moron, most pro videographers use MF 99% of the time, so you're either a very poor amateur or just talking horse shit
I use the Sony 10-18mm (15-27mm, 35mm Equivalent) all the time and have considered the Rokinon 12mm. The only benefit I can see is that the Rokinon prime lens with f/2 would be great for astro photography - sharp and with more light. Each lens has its issues wide open, but can be fixed somewhat in Lightroom. The advantages of the Sony are, it is slightly wider angle, which is better for interior or landscape photography. (There is nothing wider?) In these scenarios, you'd probably want everything in focus (higher f-stop) and to use a tripod. For versatility, the Sony is better, as it has the range for wide open for most scenes and interiors, plus can zoom in to 18mm for a portrait. The main benefits are the image stabilisation and autofocus. This makes this lens a breeze to use and to get the shots you want.
Thanks.... I was on the fence.. I was looking for a wide lens for landscapes and star shots always on a tripod and manual focus mostly the time so Rokinon for me😎
I really really love your channel! Your videos are just so much fun to watch and are great reviews on the different lenses! Also your way of reviewing the lenses is by far the best I've seen on RUclips. The amount of lenses you review is just amazing and that you listen to your viewers is great! The amount of money and time you invest into this channel is it what makes it so great and so much fun to watch! Thanks so much and keep on like this!
Thanks so much for the kind words! I have a lot of fun trying out different lenses and learning about them - and there are so many options out there so I dont really get bored :)
I think Rokinon is the champion here, so it will be my next in line to purchase alongside Sony 35mm and 50mm. Thank you for the comprehensive breakdown.
Such a great video. I usually get bored with photography videos (as much as I love photography lol) but this was interesting and I didn't skip any of it. Good job!
every time i watch a comparison i get the feeling that i should get both. i prefer sony for video bcz optical steady shot is just amazing and the auto focus is always on point. but for pics the rokinon is a better investment
Great review! However you left out one point that goes to Sony: Sunstars. The Rokinon has 6 aperture blades, so sunstars are a little ugly. There should be a great improvement with the Sony, as it has 7 blades.This is intersting for doing landscape photography. However, as a owner of the Rokinon, I can tell that this is rarely problematic. Shooting stars/milky way with the Rokinon is fantastic. I would highly recommend it for everyone looking for landscape wideangle lenses! Love your channel - keep it up!!
Well f/2 prime lens stopped down to f/4 is sharper compared to f/4 zoom lens shot wide open? helloooo?! :D I was looking for some lens to shoot interiors, got both and compared them side by side. Stopped down the Sony 10-18 definitely had more details than the Rokinon, in the center as well the edges. Over time got few copies of each for different occasions. To me Sony is the greater lens here - sharper stopped down, with AF, OSS, auto-correction, less abberations and zoom range definitely more versetaile than the Samyang. Main problem of the 10-18 Sony tho I consider the quality control variance. From like 4 lenses bought used I got like only one that wasn't decentered at all, the others were always noticably more blurred on one side, most visible shot at 18mm f/4, with 1 copy still visible even at f/8.
Aleksandar Roman their cinema lenses look nice too. I was gonna go for the 16mm cinema lens but it was 100 more than the 12mm standard lens and I needed a new tripod and Mic so I went with the 12mm
I tried out both this lens and the Rokinon 12mm f2, and ended up returning the Rok. The SEL1018 is a versatile lens, and my copy seems to be one of the lucky ones. The Rok was sharper, but only at 300% zoom. Just be sure to get the Sony from a place with a liberal return policy. And be wary about buying it used, in case someone else is trying to offload their bad copy.
Great review, impressed by Rokinon. But 2 points: 1) less barrel distortion could be achieved bc of electrical parts in the sony lens, so the camera might edit the pictures appropriately 2) saw some shakiness on the sony pictures. might be bc of enabled steady shot. alpha6000 tends to make shaky pictures on a tripod with steady shot on
OK the million dollar question for someone who can help me since I'm new to this digital world and I'm looking for a wide angle for blog that is not so expensive for those occasions. In low light do you think this rokinon can help me??????
Great review. The Rokinon is a great lens for astrophotography. Paired with Sony A5100 or A6000 its pretty budget friendly and easily competes with much pricier full frames with associated glass. One thing to bare in mind is the focus markings on the lens aren't accurate...on mine at least.
I had the auto focus version of Rokinon 12mm and I had to return it because it underperformed. My comparison was with Zeiss Batis 18mm (more than twice the price) on a full frame A7R iii. If a lens looks sharp on a cropped frame it doesn't mean it would look sharp on a higher sensor size that has more megapixels.
Also wanted to mention ...I've read several people and reviews say this Samyang/Rokinon 12mm is as sharp as (if not sharper), than the Zeiss Touit 12mm (except in the corners/edges). Have no idea if that's really true though.
I like the sharpness of the Rokinon, but manual focus is a deal killer for me. Mostly shooting interiors on a gimbal. I may pick up the Rokinon for landscape photography
One thing I've learned about focusing a manual lens on Sony a6000 is "don't trust the focus peeking wide open." The missed focus on the Land Rover probably would have benefited (since you were on a tripod) by using the zoom to focus function to get critical focus. The other thing I wonder about is if we're shooting raw and viewing/ adjusting in Lightroom, is it fair to use LR adjustments for chromatic abberation and vignetting to determine the BEST the lens can deliver?
I bought the black and white box Sony 10-18mm after being disappointed with my purchase of the Samyang 12mm F2: same lens as the Rokinon no? It looks identical. I've done test shots with both against walls and buildings. My copy of the Sony (at 12mm 5.6) is similar to the Samyang in the centre but is definitely sharper out from the centre and in the corners. Both lenses have a drop off in sharpness to the edges but my copy of the Sony is certainly sharper overall. I also found the 10-18 better to the edges at 10mm than at 12mm surprisingly.
OK la pregunta del millón para alguien que me pueda ayudar ya que soy nuevo en este mundo digital y busco un gran angular para bloguear que no sea tan caro para esa ocasiones. De poca luz creen que me pueda servir este rokinon ??????
The only thing I don’t like about the Rokinon is the lack of depth of field scale. For a lens this wide focusing by using the dof scale is easy and fast. It is possible to buy both the Rokinon 12mm f2 and Rokinon 8mm f2.8 Fisheye for less money than buying the Sony.
I just picked up a new Rokinon from Adorama for $259 including shipping. I am now seeking a "small" form factor prime lens with a focal length between the 12mm and my 30mm f/1.4 Sigma to replace the Sony 16mm that I use now. The 16mm is just not sharp enough for my needs. I am considering the 19mm Sigma f/2.8. The 16mm f/1.4 Sigma is a great lens but I want to keep the weight of my travel kit down and the f/1.4 is jut too large and too heavy for my uses. I can snag a new Sigma 19mm f/2.8 lens for $169 which seems like a great option to complete my travel kit...
I’ve compared my SONY 10/18 f4 with the Samsung 12mm/f2 (which is the Rokanon in my market place) at an Astrophotography evening a few months ago and the 12mm/f2 was streets ahead in that environment, f2 speed up my shutter speeds by about 4 times with the obvious improvement to sharpness.
did you turn off OSS on the sony Lens? since you are using a tripod it might be more fair to turn it off. OSS is helpfull when hand held, but on a tripod it can blur the image.
Thank you so much for being on the same wavelength as I for comparisons haha. You're my go-to for a6000 content. I wish you did more natural landscapes with these lenses, though.
Two quick questions: 1) Did you make sure to use the same aperture for each lens for each set of comparison shots? 2) If you used a tripod, did you turn off the Sony's OSS? Stabilization has been known to cause blurry images when used on a tripod. If the answer is YES to both questions, then the Rokinon would appear to be a no-brainer!
I use MFT but i do have a 12mm rokinon since uts available for all major mount types. Autofocus to me is not important with a wide and ultra wide angle because almost everything is in focus anyways lol. Rokinon all the way in this case.
I have the Rokinon, to focus I need to open it up to f:/2 and then close to the aperture I want to use. It is a bit cumbersome for non static subjects. You are tight Sony is too expensive. But you may get shots you miss with the Rokinon.
Awesome test. Appreciate the work gone into it and very helpful! Only thing I'd point out...zoom lenses are sharpest often at F/8, so it's not a completely fair test for a Prime Lens vs Zoom Lens. Otherwise great video :)
You should ask yourself what you are going to use the lens for. The SEL1018 is not that great open at f4. It is best between f5.6 and f8. For landscape and architecture photography that is no issue since this lens also has OSS, allowing you to lower shutter speeds for closed aperture, AF automatically and still have low ISO. Another pro of the 1018 is its low weight. Most of the time I use this lens at 10 mm.
I have the 16mm pancake with wide angle adapter which converts it back to 12mm (so I'm told). I'm thinking of getting the rokinon 12mm wide....can you compare the two and let me know if one is better or same. I'm wanting to use for real estate photography. Thanks mate.
I do owned A6000, SEL35f18 and SEL1018. Thinking to buy Samyang/Rokinon 12mm f2 lens for astrophotography. Currently the price for new lens is $332 USD at my place. hmm
Nice comparison. Thank you for that. Concerning chromatic aberrations and distortion, did you switch off the in-camera auto corrections and the auto lens correction in Lightroom? Since the Sony raw files have correction info embedded the files you are watching in Lightroom are not really what the lens is producing optically. So either you have to switch off all auto corrections for the Sony files or you have to use Lightroom correction settings for optimizing the Rokinon files too.
Great video.. I just subscribed.. one question I have is if I am doing mostly video which lens do you feel would be the better choice. My videos basically are me setting up my A6000 on a tripod about 8 or ten feet away with me sitting in a chair doing a guitar demo. Thank you for your time.
If you can manually focus well, I think the Rokinon 12mm will be much better indoors. Stopped down, it is very sharp, and I personally prefer it over the Sony for every scenario except using it on a gimbal.
Love your videos. I don't know why you disclaim that you aren't professional photographers,lol. You are doing fine job in comparing and explaining, and that gives you a right not to disclaim.😀. Thank you for your videos.
The Sigma 60mm F2.8 is about the same focal length and is a beautiful lens for $200. That is my recommendation if you are in the market for a longer portrait lens. Put the extra $400 in the bank. ;)
Would you recommend the SEL 50 f1.8 then? :) thanks for answering man, love your channel bc I can see what the a6000 is capable of and what lenses could fit the camera better to get the best results!
i got myself the 50mm f1.8 last week after i returned the 35mm 1.8. It takes beeeautiful pictures and is (in my opinion) a lot sharper than the 35. absolutely love that thing. the 35 is a little more versatile though
I'm with him I would like your take on the 85. I had the canon 85mm 1.8 and loved it on my crop sensor canon. Sold it when I made the switch... it's the only lens I miss. IMO the sigma 60 just doesn't cut it.
I still have my Neewer 35mm 1.7 and I love it. But this video really makes me want to try out the other manual options :) If possible I would LOVE to see you review some of the Sigma 1.4 Art lenses like the full frame 50mm 1.4! Keep up the awesome videos
Great review! Glad I chose the Samyang/Rokinon. I'll take sharpness and bright f2 over less CA any day. Also, didn't look "slightly" sharper to me ;) ...I'd say "significantly" or "noticeably" sharper. Lastly...you forgot to mention the Rokinon's awesome MFD! It has a similarly super close MFD like the Zeiss E 24mm (almost a pseudo/mild macro lens). Very useful in many situations (like food, still-life or product shots).
Thanks for your review, just bought a Sony 6400 and wanted to make my mind up about the 10-18mm. Did you turn off OSS on the Tripod? I had a problem with my Alpha 6000 not being able to make a sharp photo with OSS on a Tripod.
Great review but you should use gesture moving pictures around with three finger or use external mouse to eliminate the anoying trackpad clicking noise
One big benefit is that when you are setting up your lens on a tripod and after you found ∞ and marked it with a knife you can shoot without really caring about focusing because everything past 1.5meters is sharp!!
Great comparison, but unfortunately most of the pictures are taken wide open and not at f8-11 like you usually do in landscape photography. I'm very happy with my Samyang ( = Rokinon) copy, but i'm really struggling with sun stars, which are horrible on almost all Samyang / Walimex / Rokinon lenses.
Great & thorough review on these lenses. I'm all for clean nice shots. Question: you mention the sony would be better for videos/vlogs but would you still say in comparison on an overall performance that using the Rokinon be just as fine as it is for the pictures you've captured (sharpness/ color) despite the Rokinon being a manual lens?
I think overall performance in sharpness and color is BETTER on the Rokinon. As long as you can put up with a manual lens (not ideal for vlogging, for example), then I would absolutely recommend it over the Sony 10-18.
How difficult would the Rokinon be to use for action photography? For example some close up shots of Mtn biking along ridge lines. Would the manual focus make it too difficult to get crisp shots? Seems like the 10-18 is a big favorite in the outdoor industry. What are your thoughts?
Hey Technology Mafia, thanks for review and all the videos, really enjoy them! Did you have all enhancement settings for sony lens on on a6000? Just wonder, as sony lens comes not only as a separate bit of gear but also as part of the system that is designed to work in unison. Cheers!
Hey man,thanks for giving us so many good suggestions about lenses. I already have A6000+16-50mm+35mm f1.8. Which one do you think is better for a landscape lense, rokinon 12mm or sigma 19mm? And is it necessary to buy sigma 30mm f1.4 to replace the sony 35mm f1.8？
Thanks for the replies. I live in Canada so I bought the 10-18 lens for over 1000 bucks. Its crazy how I'm getting into manual lenses. It's actually not too bad and is sometimes better for video
This is a great comparison video. I have both lenses at the moment, just cause i feel a lacking in both lenses when it comes to certain landscape shots. Rokinon maybe sharper and better in low light. But i prefer the sony 10-18 when it comes to shooting directly into the sun. I get a much nicer star burst. So im torn. And im wondering, is the tokina 11-16 worth trying? or the crazy expensive Ziess? Will you do more wide angle comparisons? Whats next?
Hi, First of all, I love all your videos! I have Sony a6000 and decided to get Rokinon 12mm wide angle lens. On camera, there is a mode dial. Which mode do I need to choose for this particular manual lens? Program mode? Your response would be greatly appreciated.
If your question is still relevant: You can use either A mode (aperture priority mode), if you want the camera to automatically adjust the exposure time based on a given aperture which you select manually by turning the aperture ring on the lens - or you can use M mode (manual mode) and have full control over all three aspects of a photograph (aperture, exposure time and ISO value). What you can't use is S mode (exposure time priority mode) because this is a full manual lens which has no electronic contacts; your camera therefore can't select an aperture by itself to guarantee a constant exposure time. Lastly, for the same reason, you also can't use P mode (full automatic mode) but what kind of a "photographer" uses that anyway?! ;) A mode is probably what you'll want to use for most of your pictures.
I love your reviews and consider you the source for all things Sony lenses. However, when watching your comparisons, I can't help but wonder if one lens is losing to the other because it is slightly out of focus and less because it is as optically inferior as it appears to be.
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I took the Rokinon out to play last night for the first time. Loved the lens, and the images. As I was packing everything back into my car, I DROPPED THE LENS ON THE CONCRETE! HARD! I felt so stupid. Here's where I was insanely impressed. The lens hood stopped the glass from coming into contact with the ground, and the back cover also protected the lens. Both the lens hood and the back cover exploded off the lens, and I know have some nicks and scratches on the body. However, THE LENS STILL WORKS! NO BROKEN GLASS! 10/10
Another proof test that installing a UV filter "protects" your lens proven to be bullshit.
"Protecting" your expensive lens with a UV filter camera store sales pitch gimmick snake oil bullshit.
also, I go to you for everything a6000 related. I'm so glad you exist mate
Haha thank you!
same here man ..
omg same here!!
+1
Me too!
As a Rokinon 12mm F2 owner, this makes me smile. I knew the Rokinon was pretty sharp, but didn't expect so much difference vs the Sony. I also own a 21mm F1.4 Rokinon that I am also impressed with. Nice job on the comparison, as usual.
All lenses have a 'sweet spot' when it comes to sharpness and it's usually a couple of stops down from fully open so the Rokinon not only as the advantage of being a prime, over a zoom, but you're probably close to it's sweet spot. I rarely shoot a lens wide open unless low light requires it and in the case of my 10-18 it's usually at f8 for landscapes. A fairer way to test (for sharpness) would be to take a series of pics on a tripod at all aperture settings and pick the sharpest to compare. I normally test all my lenses this way when I first get them to find their 'sweet spot'
actually sony has some misfocus pictures, but yes, they still be bad at sharpness, also seen this with sony 16mm f2.8 vs 16-50 f3.5-f5.6, 16-50 is much better at 16,even both at f/3.5
Rokinon is sharper AND it's 1/3 of the price?? I'm getting one.
I honestly try to use mine for all types of photography because it is so nice to use and has such a great sharpness and colour!
No. This test is very misleading. All his shots were at f4 - and if you read professional reviews then they warn that this is not the best aperture for the Sony.
Why the F is so hard to frigging do a 10-18mm f 2, Sony?
Why are people paying so much for this type of crap?
Why don’t they just create a perfect lens?
Yes , do . You won't regret.
Nice Review!!
Here is my suggestion to your comparison:
Most of the daytime landscape shots will usually stop down the lens to f8 to f10. Also, stopping down the lens will usually eliminate the problems of soft corner and chromatic aberration, which are the problems for the Sony and the Rokinon respectively in your review. It is a little bit unfair to Sony because most of your shots are shot at f4, which is wide open for Sony and Rokinon is already stopped down. It would be fairer to compare them in f8-f10.
But I really like the Rokinon/Samyang. I bought it last month and I have been extremely satisfied so far :D
Good suggestions, thank you! I tend to shoot everything wide open as much as possible because I think to myself, "If I paid for a fast lens and dont use it, I just wasted my money." I will adjust for comparisons to come.
TechnologyMafia me too hahaha
But only wide open you are able to tell wether the lens is good or crap...
And that is what you are also seeing stopped down
@@ArthurR In addition, I am always looking for a low light interior architecture lens (churches, cathedrals in Europe) you never do low light interior comparisons... Please try! Thanks.
Don't sell yourself short, you are a pro. Excellent, relevant info. Keep up the great work.
I got a great copy of the 10-18. Mine is tack sharp and very fast and accurate focus. I love it. I use it in all my real estate photography.
Any issues with flares and purple fringing? how about the barrel distortion at the wide end? is it fixable? i'm on the fence for the Sony.
Juan Dela Cruz me too.
I need a lens for real estate photography
The Rokinon won by a landslide for me. I haven't used autofocus in months because I'm mostly shooting with a vintage Minolta lens nowadays, I've worked around the lack of OSS in post-production when shooting video, and that f2 makes all the difference. I know which lens I'm going for!
I shoot with a Minolta-Rokkor 50mm f.17. However, as it's a vintage lens, there are no electronic connections, resulting in you not being able to use autofocus. Because of this, the camera also doesn't recognise the lens type, and you won't be able to find information on your exposure in post-production. That being said, it's an absolute gem of a lens, producing beautiful background isolation and nice bokeh. You can check out my work on my Instagram to get a bit of an idea what it looks like! I absolutely love it!
instagram.com/aronbagel/
Rokinon 12mm F2.0 is the best wide angle lens. Budget friendly $300-$330 is worth it. Not just budget friendly it's pretty sharpness beat the sony 10-18mm F4 only if you're working on manual assist and peaking levels on Sony for manual lens.
Good comment on the real estate use although I might lean in a different direction. I'm on the edge of changing from the Rokinon to the Sony lens. For real estate, I most often use a tripod so I can shoot at a higher f-stops and 100 ISO (I use natural light) so the Rokinon's wider aperture isn't really important. The problem I have with the Rokinon is focusing. My eyes are getting older and combining age with shooting in a tight space (ie room corner) I often blow a shot because I can't see the viewfinder or screen clearly enough. As well, manually focusing is more time consuming than autofocus. The addition of slightly wider lens and the zoom to 18mm might be enough for outdoor property shots. I often swap out my 30mm SIgma which is a real pain in nasty weather. True, the Rokinon has been a sweet, sharp lens for me, particularly when I went on a 10000km road trip this summer. It is sharp and man, low light and night shots are wonderful. But pleasure might just have to take a back seat for work. (Then again, your side-by-side comparison of the Sony lenses is very worrying. Hmm.)
(Note: on both my A6000 and even more so with my A6300, the Rokinon infinity is beyond infinite. I have to focus on the stars and not just move the focus to infinite.)
FYI...I just ordered the Rokinon 12mm from your channel, so I hope I like it. I chose this one over the Sigma 16mm for now. You and your wife do a great job reviewing cameras and lenses and videos. Thank you so much for your valuable information. Jan
Just put the Rokinon 12mm on Infinity focus and Aperture on 8 and it becomes a Point and shoot lens. Everything after 4 feet will be in absolute focus.
I have used the Sony 10-18 every day for a year. I thought it was sharp until I saw this review! Buying the Rokinon now.
I know it´s late, but finally, were you happy with the Rokinon as you had both? thanks
Man, thanks for making this video! Hard decision for me which one to get for video shooting 🙈
Also thank you for reviewed Rokinon 12mm vs Sony 10-18mm Comparison on youtube. I think you're only one probably best review for Rokinon 12 vs. Sony 10-18mm comparison on youtube.
bot?
@@Marshcar haha has to be! no human would type like that...
Jake Wagner yeah haha it seems like it’s just “also thank you for reviewed [insert video title here] on RUclips.”
WILL THE SONY WORK ON MY FULL FRAME SONY A7R4?
Missing a HUGE benefit with the 10-18 in that it has auto focus for video. Major major benefit when doing most forms of video work
Completely agree. If you can get away with 16mm on the kit lens, that works as well....
AF is not a huge benefit for video you moron, most pro videographers use MF 99% of the time, so you're either a very poor amateur or just talking horse shit
I use the Sony 10-18mm (15-27mm, 35mm Equivalent) all the time and have considered the Rokinon 12mm. The only benefit I can see is that the Rokinon prime lens with f/2 would be great for astro photography - sharp and with more light. Each lens has its issues wide open, but can be fixed somewhat in Lightroom. The advantages of the Sony are, it is slightly wider angle, which is better for interior or landscape photography. (There is nothing wider?) In these scenarios, you'd probably want everything in focus (higher f-stop) and to use a tripod. For versatility, the Sony is better, as it has the range for wide open for most scenes and interiors, plus can zoom in to 18mm for a portrait. The main benefits are the image stabilisation and autofocus. This makes this lens a breeze to use and to get the shots you want.
Thanks.... I was on the fence.. I was looking for a wide lens for landscapes and star shots always on a tripod and manual focus mostly the time so Rokinon for me😎
It would have been nice to see some indoor shots. I think most people are looking at these lenses for real estate photography.
I really really love your channel! Your videos are just so much fun to watch and are great reviews on the different lenses! Also your way of reviewing the lenses is by far the best I've seen on RUclips. The amount of lenses you review is just amazing and that you listen to your viewers is great! The amount of money and time you invest into this channel is it what makes it so great and so much fun to watch! Thanks so much and keep on like this!
Thanks so much for the kind words! I have a lot of fun trying out different lenses and learning about them - and there are so many options out there so I dont really get bored :)
I think Rokinon is the champion here, so it will be my next in line to purchase alongside Sony 35mm and 50mm.
Thank you for the comprehensive breakdown.
Such a great video. I usually get bored with photography videos (as much as I love photography lol) but this was interesting and I didn't skip any of it. Good job!
every time i watch a comparison i get the feeling that i should get both. i prefer sony for video bcz optical steady shot is just amazing and the auto focus is always on point. but for pics the rokinon is a better investment
Rokinon is still the best for astro photography
Great review! However you left out one point that goes to Sony: Sunstars.
The Rokinon has 6 aperture blades, so sunstars are a little ugly. There should be a great improvement with the Sony, as it has 7 blades.This is intersting for doing landscape photography. However, as a owner of the Rokinon, I can tell that this is rarely problematic. Shooting stars/milky way with the Rokinon is fantastic. I would highly recommend it for everyone looking for landscape wideangle lenses!
Love your channel - keep it up!!
Well f/2 prime lens stopped down to f/4 is sharper compared to f/4 zoom lens shot wide open? helloooo?! :D
I was looking for some lens to shoot interiors, got both and compared them side by side. Stopped down the Sony 10-18 definitely had more details than the Rokinon, in the center as well the edges. Over time got few copies of each for different occasions. To me Sony is the greater lens here - sharper stopped down, with AF, OSS, auto-correction, less abberations and zoom range definitely more versetaile than the Samyang. Main problem of the 10-18 Sony tho I consider the quality control variance. From like 4 lenses bought used I got like only one that wasn't decentered at all, the others were always noticably more blurred on one side, most visible shot at 18mm f/4, with 1 copy still visible even at f/8.
one thing that i like about your review is you are always humble in giving opinions :)
all rokinon lenses, 12, 50, 85 that came out are amazingly sharp and if you don't need af they are really best buy!
Aleksandar Roman And don't forget the 8mm fisheye. Such a fun lens to use. :)
Aleksandar Roman their cinema lenses look nice too. I was gonna go for the 16mm cinema lens but it was 100 more than the 12mm standard lens and I needed a new tripod and Mic so I went with the 12mm
I tried out both this lens and the Rokinon 12mm f2, and ended up returning the Rok. The SEL1018 is a versatile lens, and my copy seems to be one of the lucky ones. The Rok was sharper, but only at 300% zoom. Just be sure to get the Sony from a place with a liberal return policy. And be wary about buying it used, in case someone else is trying to offload their bad copy.
Great review, impressed by Rokinon. But 2 points:
1) less barrel distortion could be achieved bc of electrical parts in the sony lens, so the camera might edit the pictures appropriately
2) saw some shakiness on the sony pictures. might be bc of enabled steady shot. alpha6000 tends to make shaky pictures on a tripod with steady shot on
OK the million dollar question for someone who can help me since I'm new to this digital world and I'm looking for a wide angle for blog that is not so expensive for those occasions. In low light do you think this rokinon can help me??????
Great review.
The Rokinon is a great lens for astrophotography. Paired with Sony A5100 or A6000 its pretty budget friendly and easily competes with much pricier full frames with associated glass.
One thing to bare in mind is the focus markings on the lens aren't accurate...on mine at least.
I had the auto focus version of Rokinon 12mm and I had to return it because it underperformed. My comparison was with Zeiss Batis 18mm (more than twice the price) on a full frame A7R iii. If a lens looks sharp on a cropped frame it doesn't mean it would look sharp on a higher sensor size that has more megapixels.
I would say the 12mm one is the budget zeiss wide angle lens.
Also wanted to mention ...I've read several people and reviews say this Samyang/Rokinon 12mm is as sharp as (if not sharper), than the Zeiss Touit 12mm (except in the corners/edges). Have no idea if that's really true though.
The Rokinon is such a fun and unique lens. I love it.
I like the sharpness of the Rokinon, but manual focus is a deal killer for me. Mostly shooting interiors on a gimbal. I may pick up the Rokinon for landscape photography
One thing I've learned about focusing a manual lens on Sony a6000 is "don't trust the focus peeking wide open." The missed focus on the Land Rover probably would have benefited (since you were on a tripod) by using the zoom to focus function to get critical focus.
The other thing I wonder about is if we're shooting raw and viewing/ adjusting in Lightroom, is it fair to use LR adjustments for chromatic abberation and vignetting to determine the BEST the lens can deliver?
I bought the black and white box Sony 10-18mm after being disappointed with my purchase of the Samyang 12mm F2: same lens as the Rokinon no? It looks identical. I've done test shots with both against walls and buildings. My copy of the Sony (at 12mm 5.6) is similar to the Samyang in the centre but is definitely sharper out from the centre and in the corners. Both lenses have a drop off in sharpness to the edges but my copy of the Sony is certainly sharper overall. I also found the 10-18 better to the edges at 10mm than at 12mm surprisingly.
OK la pregunta del millón para alguien que me pueda ayudar ya que soy nuevo en este mundo digital y busco un gran angular para bloguear que no sea tan caro para esa ocasiones. De poca luz creen que me pueda servir este rokinon ??????
The only thing I don’t like about the Rokinon is the lack of depth of field scale. For a lens this wide focusing by using the dof scale is easy and fast. It is possible to buy both the Rokinon 12mm f2 and Rokinon 8mm f2.8 Fisheye for less money than buying the Sony.
Nice comparison. Another confirmation that the Rokinon is a beast.
I just picked up a new Rokinon from Adorama for $259 including shipping. I am now seeking a "small" form factor prime lens with a focal length between the 12mm and my 30mm f/1.4 Sigma to replace the Sony 16mm that I use now. The 16mm is just not sharp enough for my needs. I am considering the 19mm Sigma f/2.8. The 16mm f/1.4 Sigma is a great lens but I want to keep the weight of my travel kit down and the f/1.4 is jut too large and too heavy for my uses. I can snag a new Sigma 19mm f/2.8 lens for $169 which seems like a great option to complete my travel kit...
I’ve compared my SONY 10/18 f4 with the Samsung 12mm/f2 (which is the Rokanon in my market place) at an Astrophotography evening a few months ago
and the 12mm/f2 was streets ahead in that environment, f2 speed up my shutter speeds by about 4 times with the obvious improvement to sharpness.
The Rokinon is a really fun lens! Currently $249 it's a steal!
excellent review, and logical comparison. a great formula you have to deliver common sense conclusions.
did you turn off OSS on the sony Lens? since you are using a tripod it might be more fair to turn it off. OSS is helpfull when hand held, but on a tripod it can blur the image.
Sascha Wagner very true. OSS should’ve been turned off
Thank you so much for being on the same wavelength as I for comparisons haha. You're my go-to for a6000 content.
I wish you did more natural landscapes with these lenses, though.
Two quick questions:
1) Did you make sure to use the same aperture for each lens for each set of comparison shots?
2) If you used a tripod, did you turn off the Sony's OSS? Stabilization has been known to cause blurry images when used on a tripod.
If the answer is YES to both questions, then the Rokinon would appear to be a no-brainer!
Yes and yes.
Awesome review. The Rokinon beats the Sony hands down. For landscape and real estate work, I would get the Rokinon.
I use MFT but i do have a 12mm rokinon since uts available for all major mount types. Autofocus to me is not important with a wide and ultra wide angle because almost everything is in focus anyways lol. Rokinon all the way in this case.
Congrats on 50k!
Better the rokinon or tokina 11-16mm?
which software do you use for editing your photos? Great video thank you
Thanks
you should try making an external battery with npf batteries, I'd like to see your take on a project like that. great video like always!
I have the Rokinon, to focus I need to open it up to f:/2 and then close to the aperture I want to use. It is a bit cumbersome for non static subjects. You are tight Sony is too expensive. But you may get shots you miss with the Rokinon.
Awesome test. Appreciate the work gone into it and very helpful! Only thing I'd point out...zoom lenses are sharpest often at F/8, so it's not a completely fair test for a Prime Lens vs Zoom Lens. Otherwise great video :)
Hello. What color was the box of the Sony 10-18mm f/4 OSS,, orange or white?
You should ask yourself what you are going to use the lens for. The SEL1018 is not that great open at f4. It is best between f5.6 and f8. For landscape and architecture photography that is no issue since this lens also has OSS, allowing you to lower shutter speeds for closed aperture, AF automatically and still have low ISO. Another pro of the 1018 is its low weight. Most of the time I use this lens at 10 mm.
What happened to the decentered lens? Could it be fixed???
I have to choose one from these two for video purpose and also wants to save money .. pls recommend me the better one ?
Hi dude thank you for this review. I wanted to ask which would be the go to wide lens in 2020 for vlogging.
I have the 16mm pancake with wide angle adapter which converts it back to 12mm (so I'm told). I'm thinking of getting the rokinon 12mm wide....can you compare the two and let me know if one is better or same. I'm wanting to use for real estate photography. Thanks mate.
I think that for interior shooting the stabilization and AF of the Sony largely outweighs the extra aperture stop of the Rokinon.
I do owned A6000, SEL35f18 and SEL1018. Thinking to buy Samyang/Rokinon 12mm f2 lens for astrophotography. Currently the price for new lens is $332 USD at my place. hmm
Nice comparison. Thank you for that. Concerning chromatic aberrations and distortion, did you switch off the in-camera auto corrections and the auto lens correction in Lightroom? Since the Sony raw files have correction info embedded the files you are watching in Lightroom are not really what the lens is producing optically. So either you have to switch off all auto corrections for the Sony files or you have to use Lightroom correction settings for optimizing the Rokinon files too.
Great video.. I just subscribed.. one question I have is if I am doing mostly video which lens do you feel would be the better choice. My videos basically are me setting up my A6000 on a tripod about 8 or ten feet away with me sitting in a chair doing a guitar demo. Thank you for your time.
If you can manually focus well, I think the Rokinon 12mm will be much better indoors. Stopped down, it is very sharp, and I personally prefer it over the Sony for every scenario except using it on a gimbal.
Great comparison , what good lens for shooting milky way?
Love your videos. I don't know why you disclaim that you aren't professional photographers,lol. You are doing fine job in comparing and explaining, and that gives you a right not to disclaim.😀. Thank you for your videos.
Please review the new Sony FE 85mm f1.8 on the a6000! it's price is 599
The Sigma 60mm F2.8 is about the same focal length and is a beautiful lens for $200. That is my recommendation if you are in the market for a longer portrait lens. Put the extra $400 in the bank. ;)
Would you recommend the SEL 50 f1.8 then? :) thanks for answering man, love your channel bc I can see what the a6000 is capable of and what lenses could fit the camera better to get the best results!
i got myself the 50mm f1.8 last week after i returned the 35mm 1.8. It takes beeeautiful pictures and is (in my opinion) a lot sharper than the 35. absolutely love that thing.
the 35 is a little more versatile though
I'm with him I would like your take on the 85. I had the canon 85mm 1.8 and loved it on my crop sensor canon. Sold it when I made the switch... it's the only lens I miss. IMO the sigma 60 just doesn't cut it.
the rokinon barrel effect makes that door like it has a secret ready to get out ...
Please redo the canon 10-18 vs sony with the new sony lens...
A brilliant comparison, thanks for this video! The Rokinon (Samyang) is an amazing lens with super abilities.
Can i use this on A7? And would it give me a wider view because its fullframe?
I still have my Neewer 35mm 1.7 and I love it. But this video really makes me want to try out the other manual options :) If possible I would LOVE to see you review some of the Sigma 1.4 Art lenses like the full frame 50mm 1.4! Keep up the awesome videos
Those are HUGE! Maybe - I am curious how they would perform on an APSC camera.
Are de-centered elements a common problem with the Sony 10-18mm ..?
Great review! Glad I chose the Samyang/Rokinon. I'll take sharpness and bright f2 over less CA any day.
Also, didn't look "slightly" sharper to me ;) ...I'd say "significantly" or "noticeably" sharper.
Lastly...you forgot to mention the Rokinon's awesome MFD! It has a similarly super close MFD like the Zeiss E 24mm (almost a pseudo/mild macro lens). Very useful in many situations (like food, still-life or product shots).
Thanks for your review, just bought a Sony 6400 and wanted to make my mind up about the 10-18mm. Did you turn off OSS on the Tripod? I had a problem with my Alpha 6000 not being able to make a sharp photo with OSS on a Tripod.
Great review but you should use gesture moving pictures around with three finger or use external mouse to eliminate the anoying trackpad clicking noise
Youre the first person to complain about it....
Would you recommend the Rokinon for doing video or it may be a bit tougher with lack of auto focus?
With a wide angle, focus isnt very difficult. I would definitely recommend it. Save the $500, get the Rokinon.
Is the rokinon good for daily vlogging and videos?
One big benefit is that when you are setting up your lens on a tripod and after you found ∞ and marked it with a knife you can shoot without really caring about focusing because everything past 1.5meters is sharp!!
Good idea.
Great comparison, but unfortunately most of the pictures are taken wide open and not at f8-11 like you usually do in landscape photography. I'm very happy with my Samyang ( = Rokinon) copy, but i'm really struggling with sun stars, which are horrible on almost all Samyang / Walimex / Rokinon lenses.
Great & thorough review on these lenses. I'm all for clean nice shots. Question: you mention the sony would be better for videos/vlogs but would you still say in comparison on an overall performance that using the Rokinon be just as fine as it is for the pictures you've captured (sharpness/ color) despite the Rokinon being a manual lens?
I think overall performance in sharpness and color is BETTER on the Rokinon. As long as you can put up with a manual lens (not ideal for vlogging, for example), then I would absolutely recommend it over the Sony 10-18.
TechnologyMafia what would you suggest be a good wide lens for vlogging, ideally?
chromatic aberration bugs me so much....
How difficult would the Rokinon be to use for action photography? For example some close up shots of Mtn biking along ridge lines. Would the manual focus make it too difficult to get crisp shots? Seems like the 10-18 is a big favorite in the outdoor industry. What are your thoughts?
Very interesting video. The channel is informative. Thank you.
"this is the new GH5" was the best part^^:))
Did you disable the OSS? On a tripod and with a long exposure, the pictures are more blurry if you leave the OSS on.
This should only matter for longer exposure times.
Hey Technology Mafia, thanks for review and all the videos, really enjoy them! Did you have all enhancement settings for sony lens on on a6000? Just wonder, as sony lens comes not only as a separate bit of gear but also as part of the system that is designed to work in unison. Cheers!
btw. I'm using myself Samyang 12 f2.0. Are there any differences between Rokinon?
Hey man,thanks for giving us so many good suggestions about lenses. I already have A6000+16-50mm+35mm f1.8. Which one do you think is better for a landscape lense, rokinon 12mm or sigma 19mm? And is it necessary to buy sigma 30mm f1.4 to replace the sony 35mm f1.8？
Great video as always. Grettings from Spain
Hola mi amigo! Un dia quiero visitarle en Madrid!
I sold my 10-18. One corner was a bit soft, so I'm thinking of the rokinon
Umar G Rally if you have money try voightlander 10mm or 12mm
The QC issues are very unfortunate with the 10-18. It could be a much better lens if it was $500 retail and QC wasnt an issue.
Thanks for the replies. I live in Canada so I bought the 10-18 lens for over 1000 bucks. Its crazy how I'm getting into manual lenses. It's actually not too bad and is sometimes better for video
This is a great comparison video. I have both lenses at the moment, just cause i feel a lacking in both lenses when it comes to certain landscape shots. Rokinon maybe sharper and better in low light. But i prefer the sony 10-18 when it comes to shooting directly into the sun. I get a much nicer star burst. So im torn. And im wondering, is the tokina 11-16 worth trying? or the crazy expensive Ziess? Will you do more wide angle comparisons? Whats next?
Hi,
First of all, I love all your videos! I have Sony a6000 and decided to get Rokinon 12mm wide angle lens. On camera, there is a mode dial. Which mode do I need to choose for this particular manual lens? Program mode? Your response would be greatly appreciated.
If your question is still relevant: You can use either A mode (aperture priority mode), if you want the camera to automatically adjust the exposure time based on a given aperture which you select manually by turning the aperture ring on the lens - or you can use M mode (manual mode) and have full control over all three aspects of a photograph (aperture, exposure time and ISO value). What you can't use is S mode (exposure time priority mode) because this is a full manual lens which has no electronic contacts; your camera therefore can't select an aperture by itself to guarantee a constant exposure time. Lastly, for the same reason, you also can't use P mode (full automatic mode) but what kind of a "photographer" uses that anyway?! ;) A mode is probably what you'll want to use for most of your pictures.
Can you please do a comparison between the Tokina 11-16 and the Sony 10-18? I'm considering buying one of those lens but not sure which one to buy.
I own the Zeiss Touit 12mm f/2.8, which I like. A review perhaps?
I love your reviews and consider you the source for all things Sony lenses. However, when watching your comparisons, I can't help but wonder if one lens is losing to the other because it is slightly out of focus and less because it is as optically inferior as it appears to be.