[Pentaxor]

Review posted:

Samyang 35 mm f/1.4 AS UMC review - Introduction - Lenstip.com

Looks like this will be my next purchase!

I'm sticking with my FA35.

[jeffshaddix]

looks fantastic, but holy crap is it huge!

Sharpness wideopen looks great (where I'd use it 80% of the time) but stopped down @ F/5.6 seems a bit softer than I'd like from the samples provided. I wish they had more showcasing the bokeh though

Agreed...the size is certainly the biggest drawback. I doubt it'd fit in my current lens bag.

I also wish the review spent time examining the bokeh, but I don't think that's a standard test for lenstip (as compared to photozone).

Imo, the resolution, vignetting, distortion, and lateral CA leave nothing to be desired. The longitudinal CA seems high, but hopefully that's correctable with PP.

It would be great to see a photozone review so it can be compared to FA31 (not that I expect the Samyang to beat it).

[Jonathan Mac]

Infortunately, the size make it more of a specialised lens than a walkabout one, which is a shame as it´s a normal FoV on APS-C.

Wish they would make an APS-C version with lower size, weight & cost. I suppose I´ll just need to keep my eye open for an A or M 35/2...

[Damian]

Impressive, but not definitive. Though it seems to be a "technically" superb lens, I'd like to see a Photozone review of this lens taking into account the more "subjective" qualities of the lens. Bokeh for one, color and contrast as well. From what I've seen from the test shots, both on the Samyang site and from Lenstip, the color seems flat and the contrast could use some improvement. I'd rather my pictures have "POP" then be "Technically good" if you know what i mean.
Anyway, my DA35 f2.4 is sharper at the center and actually very impressive wide open, so it will remain my 35mm of choice until I see some more information to change my mind.

Regardless, I'm happy to see that Samyang has come out with another winner. This lens is definitely staying on my radar, but has not yet graduated into the "must buy" category yet. More reviews will determine weather or not it finds a place in my bag.

[ewig]

the price is 520 USD for 35 mm fast lens ... ?
i think i will be better take a FA 35/f2... its overprice imho ..

[Laurentiu Cristofor]

It's always fascinating to read about the shopping decisions that others make. Let them come!

[Rory]

the price is 520 USD for 35 mm fast lens ... ?
i think i will be better take a FA 35/f2... its overprice imho ..

How much is an AF-S 35mm 1.4G? Tell me 520 is overpriced after you look that up.

[ewig]

ofcourse its overpriced..
in compare with this ??

voitglander 35mm/1,4

if only about third party lens with this price then i think i will go to leica

i can hold not to use AF..as long as i have leica in my pocket

[Pentaxor]

How much is an AF-S 35mm 1.4G? Tell me 520 is overpriced after you look that up.

the last time I checked, that lens does not come in K-mount. back to Pentax compatible lenses, the question is, how many are willing to spend $520 on the Samyang over the FA43, FA35, DA35 macro, DAL35, DA40, and other much more cheaper manual focus 35mm lenses. personally, I can't see this lens competing with the other alternatives which are about half to full stop slower at similar aperture openings. the f1.4 is the only main reason, but is that f1.4 better than what is rendered by the FA43 at f1.9 , FA35 at f2 or other 35/40mm lenses at their maximum apertures. is that f1.4 worth the extra cost?

I would say without any hesitation that it is indeed overpriced. they came up with the 85/1.4 which is considerably cheaper than whatever Pentax has to offer (FA*85,A*85,FA77) considering that 2 of those lenses are discontinued and the Zeiss 85 and now the Sigma. not to mention that the Samyang 85 is also almost half of the price of their 35/1.4 lens.

Samyang is faced with the dilemma of having to compete with a tad slower but very efficient and cheaper lenses and pricing it at such amount would result to strong possibility of going for the cheaper, proven and highly efficient alternatives. I think that Samyang may have gotten over their heads about their f1.4 lens and the demand for such. if it's a niche market, I'm not so sure if it would work considering it's use/application but specifically it's rendering.

I forgot to add the Sigma 30 if anyone is considering buying a fast 30mm for the only intended purpose of buying a fast f1.4 30mm lens. for the same amount, you get yourself an excellent f1.4 30mm lens, which is also AF capable.

[nater]

Since I don't own a prime lens in the 29mm-39mm range, I remain intrigued by the Samyang 35mm, however I'll probably first go for the Samyang 8mm with it's stereographic fisheye projection (even though I have the Pentax 10-17mm, the Samyang 8mm is a differernt beast). But considering all camera mounts, 35mm f/1.4 wasn't that bad a choice I think.

What would be better than a 35mm f/1.4 for the MF marketplace? Maybe some nice macro lenses, where MF is no detriment.

[Spotmatic]

Probably, overall. I don't know how the quality control is, but Sigma seems hit or miss. Not really a big deal, just a pain to send in and get calibrated.

The Sigma 30mm is not an option for me, anyway. So a fast, sharp 35mm at $500 is pretty tempting. Especialy since a Zeiss at f2 is quite a bit more, and doesn't necessarily outperform. Has unique colors and look, though.

Look at some pictures on Flickr taken with the Zeiss 35 f2.0 and your opinion may change.

Fast lenses are more difficult to design and manufacture. If you don't really''need'
f1.4 f 2.0 is plenty good especially with today's sensors. DOF at f 1.4 can usually be measured in inches.

[deadwolfbones]

Love it when people try to tell others what they need in a lens.

[Pentaxor]

Love it when people try to tell others what they need in a lens.

it's called a recommendation.

[nater]

it's called a recommendation.

I'm not so sure it's that simple. It's clouded by the fact that people have emotional investments in this stuff. Start off with the fact that only a minority of people here actually make money from photography, and the vast majority are hobbyist or documenting their lives through photography, that means that in a lot of cases equipment purchases fall under discretionary spending. A person wants to feel good about their discretionary spending, since it's hard to quantify it's value (i.e. it's not about expenditure/return on investment in any easily or universally quantifiable way). For some people, there is a continuing need to justify/support not just recent and current expenditures, but also past expenditures. Therefore if something comes along that's new and that could be better than something already purchased, or there's a suggestion that perhaps it's the decision making process of spending itself that should be revised, it's likely a person will defend both their past decisions and their methodology. I think that the form of this defense can sometimes be 'recommendations' to other people (especially the more forceful, hardline, or narrow).

Sometimes recommendations are just simply recommendations - I tend to trust them most when a person describes them more from their person experience and what has worked for them (which allows a reader to 'map' that experience to their own to see how well it fits) vs. saying something should work for everyone, all the time. And ideally it's an dialog, where all parties are open to revising their own perceptions and methodologies when presenting with new information or observations not previously considered.

[jeffshaddix]

Look at some pictures on Flickr taken with the Zeiss 35 f2.0 and your opinion may change.

Fast lenses are more difficult to design and manufacture. If you don't really''need'
f1.4 f 2.0 is plenty good especially with today's sensors. DOF at f 1.4 can usually be measured in inches.

Indeed, and I'd certainly prefer the Zeiss if it wasn't twice the cost of the Samyang.

Lenstip also has a review of the Zeiss up, and it certainly looks amazing (much better on most aspects than the Samyang). I wish lenstip would do a FA31Ltd review...