Originally posted by Gimbal The Samyang 24mm 1.4 is also impressive wide open but does improve somewhat by stopping down and out-resolves the K1 across the entire frame at 2.8. Thus also very impressive.
The 70 and 35mm limited (although APS-C only) are also sharp but only after stopping down, also my copies are not even across the frame. While pin sharp in center and on the left side, they lack something on the right side. Stopped down it does improve of course.
Every lens I own out revolves the K-1, in fact none of even them even out-resolve the K-3.
I recently posted a series of lens charts on 1.4 lenses, which showed that no 1.4 lens is as sharp as my macro lenses, especially corner to corner. But I've never seen charts on the Samyangs.
Anyone who has been through the lens charts at Photozone or a similar site will tell you, there are very few sub ƒ4 lenses that perform well wide open.
Nikon AF D 50mm 1.4
Nikkor AF-S 50mm f/1.4
Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM
Canon EF 50mm f/1.2 USM L
On APS_c
Pentax SMC-FA 50mm f/1.4
Pentax SMC DA* 55mm f/1.4 SDM
People don't apparently buy these lenses for wide open performance, regardless of brand, even if some folks would like to believe they do. People who want sharp edge edge wide open, buy a macro; Like anything, you have to know how to get what you want, and not assume that you can get everything in every lens. Ranting about what lens manufacturers "should" offer doesn't add anything to the conversation. At some point you have to deal with reality.
Notice, not one of 1.4 type lenses matches the 50 macro at ƒ2.8. The macro is excellent, centre and edge. SO, if you are looking for corner to corner sharpness at a wide aperture, that's the way to go.
Notice no one's 1.4 lenses are terribly sharp wide open. So are you saying the Samyang lenses somehow break that trend. I'm going to need some convincing.
Sayang 1.4. look pretty average for a 1.4 to me. No where did it test excellent on the edges. It does look really good ƒ4 to ƒ8.