Rokinon Tilt-Shift 24mm F3.5

General Image Quality

In the following pages we will look in detail at every measurable performance parameter, but for the moment we will consider those subjective elements that can make or break an image.

Field of View

24mm is wide, especially on full frame where it delivers a field of view of 83.5°.  As a reference, it gives a field of view close to 16mm on APS-C. The Rokinon tilt-shift is thus well-suited for landscapes, cityscapes or anything requiring a large field of view. With its close focusing capabilities, one could suppose it can serve as a macro replacement in a pinch. However, considering the short focal length, its maximum magnification is, in fact, no more than 0.11x (calculated, since the company does not provide this value). What's more, this is only true in the straight orientation. 24mm is comfortable in use given the intended purposes.

On APS-C, the 59.9° field of view is still perfectly usable, but might be a bit on the narrow side for landscapes or interiors. Considering only the focal length, it becomes a good walkaround lens.

Color and Contrast

The lens produces images with a strong level of contrast and saturation. Colors are rich and deep. While they do not feel overdone, it clearly is a departure from what a Pentax user has come to expect (even though Pentax colors are often regarded as pleasantly saturated themselves). Contrast is a bit harsh, without the subtle gradation that's the hallmark of a Pentax prime.

Metering and Exposure

Since this is a tilt-shift lens, and unlike other Rokinons, there is no automatic aperture control on this lens. Still, we can confirm that the aperture ring operates precisely.

This lens has a manual aperture diaphragm, which means that the viewfinder darkers as you stop down the lens using the aperture ring. The camera's metering system will compensate the shutter speed (and ISO if set to auto) accordingly to get a consistent exposure.  This means that Av mode can be used for semi-automated metering, as you would use with an M42 lens. 

When tilting or shifting, pre-setting the exposure in M mode using the green button is preferable.

See our manual lens metering guide to learn how to properly expose with this lens in either Av or M mode.  Note that a custom function must be set to permit the use of the aperture ring.

Starbursts

As can be seen on the image below, the six straight aperture blades are able to generate pleasing starbursts around small light sources. Our example was shot at F5.6 and exhibits thick lines that should be pleasing in most shooting situations.

Shake Reduction

Focal length must be manually selected each time the camera is turned on. This will ensure that SR operates accurately. With the lens shifted or tilted, however, there is no guarantee that the system will work as expected.

Lens Corrections and EXIF Data

The lens communicates no information to the camera. The EXIF will contain the focal length that was manually set, as well as the settings controlled by the camera (ISO, shutter speed, flash, etc). The manufacturer's name, lens model and aperture will be missing or interpreted erroneously depending on the software used. There will be no lens profile nor any automatic corrections.

On-Board Flash Usage

The K-1 does not have an on-board flash. When testing on a K-3, there is a shadow at the bottom of the frame.

User Report

The Rokinon 24mm Tilt-shift gives a good overall impression. It does not feel cheap, operates very well in general, and does what it's supposed to do. Even for someone not used to tilt-shift lenses, it takes only a short time to become comfortable with using its adjustments and controls. Everything moves as it should and the position of the dials is for the most part intuitive and natural. It is a large lens, but not overly so. It feels well balanced when used on a K-1 or K-3.

Subjectively, the images produced are satisfying. They have a distinct look to them, mainly because of the strong contrast and saturated colors. There is no immediately obvious loss of performance when using the tilt and shift, a good thing since the lens is likely to be used more often displaced than in its regular position.

In the following section we will look at the sharpness measurements.