[kosmoejtg]

Since these lenses are manual does it makes sense to just get a legacy manual lens for less? What is the attraction of these lenses?

[Adam]

Since these lenses are manual does it makes sense to just get a legacy manual lens for less? What is the attraction of these lenses?

Optically, they are very good. Up there with the best Sigma/Pentax lenses, just without AF.

[kosmoejtg]

Adam, do you ever sleep?

[yusuf]

Since these lenses are manual does it makes sense to just get a legacy manual lens for less?

You might want to check this out https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/10-pentax-slr-lens-discussion/46479-revie...erical-if.html

What is the attraction of these lenses?

Amazing IQ and awesome Price

[Adam]

Adam, do you ever sleep?

I'm trying to win the giveaway

[Canada_Rockies]

I'm trying to win the giveaway

Cheater! Oops - I just blew my chances, didn't I?

[elliott]

Some lenses they make don't have a legacy counterpart, you won't find an 24mm tilt/shift lens in Pentax mount anywhere else.

[SpecialK]

Optically, they are very good. Up there with the best Sigma/Pentax lenses, just without AF.

And likely faster.

[abacus07]

The Samyang/etc... 85mm has to be considered an excellent value and an excellent lens but that doesn't mean that the older 85's don't also have their place. They are also excellent and they are much smaller. I'm really glad that Samyang is making these great 85's so that the legacy 85's are still available at reasonable prices for those of us that like small lenses.

[stevebrot]

Better? Define better.

I think the allure is that they are available new, have decent build, have the "A" position on the aperture ring, and are decent performers. In short, the Samyang products are the value queens in the current lens market.

I own the 8mm fisheye and would consider purchase of one of their other lenses, but I must share that the focus ring on my copy was badly out of calibration and required a significant adjustment to get right (hard to do with that short a focal length). I don't know if the maladjustment is an indication of their final QC process or just a fluke, but it does give me a point for caution.


Steve

[rbefly]

Since these lenses are manual does it makes sense to just get a legacy manual lens for less? What is the attraction of these lenses?

Hello kosmoejtg,
Sometimes it does make sense. Now, I love my legacy glass as much as anyone, but the Samyangs (under various labels) fill a definite need, a market niche.
Because, in a couple of focal ranges, the prime legacy lenses available (for Pentax, in this example) are not really cheaper overall and sometimes hard to even find.
This is especially true in the wide angle and short tele (sometimes called 'Portrait" lens) focal length. For example, these legacy Pentax lenses;
M 20mm f/4.0- $300
A 15mm f/3.5- $500-$700
A 16mm f/2.8- fish eye $500
A 20mm f/2.8- $400-$500
A 24mm f/2.0- $400
FA 20mm f/2.8- $500
FA 24mm f2.0- $ 500
Compared to the Samyang 14mm f/28 at- $300, 16mm f/2.0- $450, 24mm f/1.4- $600.

Same with the 85mm's, the most comparable Pentax 85 (auto aperture, manual focusing) would be the A series f/1.4. Going price? $700-$1,000. Hard to find.
The FA version adds auto focusing, is also f/1.4. $1,000, if you can find a clean one.
Even the older M 85mm f/2.0 Pentax is around- $250.
The Samyang? 85mm f/1.4- $300.
So, they'll always be a spot for a reasonably-priced brand-new lens, in focal lengths that are hard-to-find and/or expensive in legacy glass.
And I hear the Samyangs are pretty good, too!
Ron

[kosmoejtg]

I have to admit I have been wanting a wider lens for taking pictures at car shows. Maybe I should consider the 14mm.

[abacus07]

For the lenses that you mention it comes down to size more than cost. Nobody should ever say that the Samyang lenses aren't excellent but they are also quite large due to large apertures. Some do not care about the size but prefer large apertures. Some like myself are perfectly happy with a $125 K24f2.8. I don't need fast wide angles for landscapes but size is relatively important.

[kosmoejtg]

I just checked prices at B&H for the heck of it. Are Bower, Rokinon, Samyang and Vivitar all the identical lens? There were priced from $299 to $399 with Bower the lowest and Rokinon the highest. Oh, I just noticed the Vivitar says it is 13mm and looks a little different.

[THoog]

I just checked prices at B&H for the heck of it. Are Bower, Rokinon, Samyang and Vivitar all the identical lens? There were priced from $299 to $399 with Bower the lowest and Rokinon the highest. Oh, I just noticed the Vivitar says it is 13mm and looks a little different.

Yes, they are identical - they are also sold badged as Pro-Optic, Polar, Falcon, Opteka, and Walimex. Samyang has arrangements with a lot of different distributors. There are different prices because they are passing through different distributors - the prices can flip-flop when one distributor has a sale. The Vivitars have different styling and are frequently listed with a slightly different focal length (the 8mm fisheye as a 7mm), but the optics are the same. The 8mm and 14mm are the oldest of the series, and there were occasional Q/C issues; the later lenses showed improvements in build and overall quality. (CORRECTION: The 85mm was the first, but all three came out in 2009.) You may see two listings for the 8mm fisheye - so many people were "shaving" the fixed hood for use as a circular fisheye on FF that Samyang re-issued it with a removable hood.