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01-21-2017, 09:29 AM - 1 Like   #16
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I previously owned the Samyang 135/2. I would agree that yes it may be the sharpest of the "inexpensive economy lenses" that you can buy. But it is certainly not sharper than some of the super premium lenses (e.g. Zeiss Otus). Also, as others have said, there are 3 Pentax macro lenses that I believe are just as sharp as this Samyang lens.

There are many characteristics of a lens. I just purchased a $2000 USD lens that I knew was not extremely sharp - but I bought it because it's overall rendering is what I would describe as "creamy/artistic" and I just love the look.

For most of my needs, I'm thinking that most lenses these days are plenty "sharp enough".

If I need sharpness, I just shoot my K1 in the pixel shift mode. I did some PS shooting last night in my studio. The images were totally unuseable because they were far too sharp showing every single spec of dust and smudged finger-print on the shinny metal/glass surface I photographed.

I believe that sharpness is over-rated by many of the Internet lens reviewers, probably because it's one of the lens characteristics that's the easiest to measure.


Last edited by Fenwoodian; 01-21-2017 at 09:36 AM.
01-21-2017, 09:36 AM   #17
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QuoteQuote:
but I bought it because it's overall rendering is what I would describe as "creamy/artistic" and I just love the look.
Overlooking this type of lens, is the biggest downfall of "I learned everything I know on the internet" photographer. I find it a bit distressing to see folks go on and on about "sharpness" as if it was the defining factor in determining whether or not you get a good image.

If you are overly concerned about sharpness, you're missing the point.

My DA 21 ltd isn't the sharpest lens, but god is it smooth.









Does anyone in their right mind actually think these images would be better, taken with a sharper lens?

If a lens doesn't make an impression on me in the thematic threads or Post Your Photos, I probably won't even look at how harp it is. That puts lenses like this at a serious disadvantage, because none o it's images, if in fact they've been posted, has ever caught my interest.

Last edited by normhead; 01-21-2017 at 10:21 AM.
01-21-2017, 11:24 AM   #18
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QuoteOriginally posted by Rondec Quote
Sharpest lenses I have used -- DFA 100 macro WR and probably DFA 70-200 f2.8. The zoom, if you have a good copy is amazingly sharp at f2.8. I haven't used the Samyang (not a big manual focus person), so I can't compare. Seems like macro lenses feel sharper in general due to their flat field.
I'm also very impressed by the D-FA* 70-200. Such a stunner.

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5760/30791220462_9e85fcc16f_o_d.jpg

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5676/30405000643_3610f394a0_o_d.jpg
01-21-2017, 11:33 AM   #19
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I agree with the above posts that sharpness is not everything. But from the samples I saw of the Samyang 135mm, it looks like a great lens even in other respects. Shallow DoF, decent bokeh, nice colours, low low CA. Seems like a great FF portraiture lens

01-21-2017, 01:10 PM   #20
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QuoteOriginally posted by Na Horuk Quote
I agree with the above posts that sharpness is not everything. But from the samples I saw of the Samyang 135mm, it looks like a great lens even in other respects. Shallow DoF, decent bokeh, nice colours, low low CA. Seems like a great FF portraiture lens
My SIgma 70 macro is my favourite portrait lens on APS-c. Sharp and dreamy.
01-21-2017, 06:27 PM   #21
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QuoteOriginally posted by normhead Quote
Overlooking this type of lens, is the biggest downfall of "I learned everything I know on the internet" photographer. I find it a bit distressing to see folks go on and on about "sharpness" as if it was the defining factor in determining whether or not you get a good image.

If you are overly concerned about sharpness, you're missing the point.

My DA 21 ltd isn't the sharpest lens, but god is it smooth.

Does anyone in their right mind actually think these images would be better, taken with a sharper lens?

If a lens doesn't make an impression on me in the thematic threads or Post Your Photos, I probably won't even look at how harp it is. That puts lenses like this at a serious disadvantage, because none o it's images, if in fact they've been posted, has ever caught my interest.

What do you get from a smooth or creamy lens that you could not get with PP noise reduction? when I turn up noise reduction, my images get very smooth, not that I find that an improvement.
01-21-2017, 07:12 PM - 1 Like   #22
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Do I really have to explain everything?

01-21-2017, 07:17 PM - 1 Like   #23
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QuoteOriginally posted by civiletti Quote
What do you get from a smooth or creamy lens that you could not get with PP noise reduction? when I turn up noise reduction, my images get very smooth, not that I find that an improvement.
Are you- are you serious?
01-21-2017, 09:14 PM   #24
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QuoteOriginally posted by lithedreamer Quote
Are you- are you serious?
Yes. What is the meaning of smoothness in the images produced by a lens beyond smearing?

---------- Post added 01-21-17 at 08:16 PM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by normhead Quote
Do I really have to explain everything?
Not everything, just this, which makes no sense to me at this point.
01-21-2017, 09:35 PM   #25
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QuoteOriginally posted by civiletti Quote
Yes. What is the meaning of smoothness in the images produced by a lens beyond smearing?

---------- Post added 01-21-17 at 08:16 PM ----------



Not everything, just this, which makes no sense to me at this point.
With wide-aperture lenses, the quality of the bokeh is important for portraits and any background blurring task. What you were saying about PP noise reduction, is just overdoing noise reduction on an image, destroying fine details everywhere. I posted this earlier, but it's a good example:

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/557/31169371310_1358113357_o_d.jpg

The leaves and bud in focus are nice and sharp, but if you scroll over to the background, it's smooth and relatively undistracting. That couldn't easily be done with noise reduction unless applied selectively (if you had jagged bokeh). You'd have to do it to every image, which would be a huge pain.
01-21-2017, 09:35 PM   #26
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Digitalis: "the newer zeiss otus line of lenses when adapted to K mount could beat it easily..." Weren't you working on an adaption of a Nikon F-mount flavor of this for a Pentax body?

I wonder about the DA 35 f2.8 Macro. Wasn't it supposed to be the sharpest Pentax lens available for many years?
01-22-2017, 01:46 AM   #27
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QuoteOriginally posted by pres589 Quote
Weren't you working on an adaption of a Nikon F-mount flavor of this for a Pentax body?
Correct, I have had a lens technician adapt one for K mount. At present I have the lens for evaluation, so far it has proved to be a stellar performer optically. However some adjustments may have to be made as the distance scale isn't entirely accurate due to the modifications to the focus travel of the lens.
01-22-2017, 05:39 AM   #28
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That sounds like something benefiting its own thread with details on the swap. Sounds more involved than I had assumed originally.
01-22-2017, 08:52 AM   #29
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Sharpest I have are:

Vivitar 55mm 2.8 Macro (manual K-mount)

Pentax FA 100mm 2.8 Macro

The FA 50mm 1.4 is really sharp as well.

I really think that a lot of the "sharpness" has to do with nailing focus. In my experience, AF is usually not spot on so you don't really get images that are sharp as they could be.

I actually have very few lenses that I would not consider able to get sharp images from.
01-22-2017, 09:09 AM   #30
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QuoteOriginally posted by normhead Quote
Do I really have to explain everything?
Oh snap.
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