Samyang 16mm F2 ED AS UMC CS

Conclusion

Over the length of this lens review, we’ve delved into the intricacies of optical performance and the handling nuances of the Samyang 16mm F2.0 ED AS UMC CS wide-angle prime lens. This lens is exceptional by most measures, and deserves a nod from the Pentax community.  You won't find a fast ultra-wide like this one in the current Pentax and third-party K-mount lineups.

The Samyang 10mm lens barrel

The Samyang 16mm is a sharp lens that occupies the sweetspot of do-it-all niche wide-angle primes. As a landscape, close-up, or low-light lens, it will impress with its relatively easy ease of use while maintaining acceptable sharpness across the frame and range of apertures. For such a fast lens, it is a bargain at $479 MSRP and especially its current street price of just $369.

With the exception of a few small aberrations, this lens performs well across the board. Possible quality control issues apparent as swirl bokeh are the most notable problems we experienced during our review process. Another notable weakness was the amount of vignetting noted at wide apertures. Though the vignetting was prominent, its falloff was pleasant and could be used to naturally highlight the center of the frame with great results. If these issues were to be addressed, our score for this lens would surely increase.

Pros

• Fast F2.0 aperture
• Pleasant bokeh
• Exceedingly sharp across the frame
• Minimal barrel distortion
• Great contrast
• Ghosting and flare resistance
• Great starbursts in daylight
• Aperture ring control and automatic aperture control (supports M, A/Av, S/Tv, and P)
• Affordable at $479 or less

Cons

• Difficult to fine focus in viewfinder due to wide-angle and large depth of field
• Prominent vignetting up to F2.8
• Sub-optimal flare control in harsh light
• No in-camera lens correction profile
• Swirl bokeh when used wide open
• 1 year U.S. warranty

Rating

Recommended Applications

• Landscapes
• Cityscapes
• Astrophotography
• Close-ups
• Capturing Wide-angle Action

The Bottom Line

As a general purpose, fast, wide-angle lens, the Samyang 16mm does what it was designed to do at a level far above it's price point. For a lens that can cover nearly the same field of view as the Pentax 15mm Limited, it does so with the nearly the same quality at a lower cost and with the only reprieve being that it is a more bulky and lacks an autofocus system..

This lens is for photographers who demand high quality optics and are looking for a deal at the expense of auto-focus. The control on sharpness and lack of detracting aberrations make this an excellent lens when the end result is enlarging images in print. We can't emphasize enough that this lens in undervalued compared to the results that it can deliver.

Where to Buy

The Samyang 16mm F2.0 comes marked by many brand names such as Rokinon, Phoenix, Bower, and Falcon. If you live in the U.S., you can help support us by getting your copy at B&H Photo, where you'll recieve free US shipping (international shipping also available) and hassle-free returns!

Click here to order your copy of the Samyang 16mm F2.0 ED AS UMC CS

If you'd like to post your own review of this lens, head to our lens database to tell us your thoughts.