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Archive 2011 · Distagon vs Samyang 1.4/35
  
 
cavewalker
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Distagon vs Samyang 1.4/35


This week we did a 35mm shootout to compare the new Samyang 1.4/35 with the old Distagon 1.4/35. The candidates are Distagon HFT 1.4/35, Flektogon 2.4/35, Samyang 1.4/35, Nikon 1.4/35 (old non aspherical version) and in one shoot the CV Ultron 2/40.

The result is simple: the Samyang is good for the money but it's simply not a Distagon.


35mm bokeh by Urmelchen, on Flickr


35mm sharpness by Urmelchen, on Flickr


35mm sharpness and bokeh by Urmelchen, on Flickr


35mm bokeh by Urmelchen, on Flickr


35mm glowtest by Urmelchen, on Flickr


35mm bokeh by Urmelchen, on Flickr


35mm sharpness by Urmelchen, on Flickr
May 27, 2011 at 12:28 PM
ricardovaste
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Distagon vs Samyang 1.4/35


Wow, that distagon really does look very refined indeed. Thanks for sharing.
May 27, 2011 at 12:33 PM
cgiff
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Distagon vs Samyang 1.4/35


Interesting. I'm worried that people are going to think that's the new AF-S Nikkor, but it doesn't really matter. The Distagon looks quite good, Samyang looks OK, Nikkor looks pretty terrible, and is in line with what I've experienced with mine. The good news is I've used my Nikko to make countless images which I'm happy with, so any will get the job done.

I really want to see the new Zeiss vs. Samyang vs. Nikkor AF-S, but I guess the Samyang is in much more expensive company there.
May 27, 2011 at 12:38 PM
mpmendenhall
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Distagon vs Samyang 1.4/35


Thanks for the comparison.
It appears in many cases that the Samyang is focused slightly farther away than the other lenses (esp. the Distagon); perhaps something about how the lens aberrations appear in the viewfinder promotes far-focusing (or were most of these crops from the same shot)? It does appear to have more SA glow like the Nikon rather than the Zeiss, but the focus differences make fine comparison a bit hard. I think the clearest example of this is the third row, where the Distagon is focused near the left end of the handlebar while the Samyang is focused to the far right of the frame (farther away on handlebar).
In any case, I'm happy keeping my CY Distagon.

Edited on May 27, 2011 at 12:45 PM · View previous versions
May 27, 2011 at 12:41 PM
FlyPenFly
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Distagon vs Samyang 1.4/35


Wow lots of ca on the highlights on the samyang.
May 27, 2011 at 12:45 PM
Tariq Gibran
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Distagon vs Samyang 1.4/35


mpmendenhall wrote:
Thanks for the comparison.
It appears in many cases that the Samyang is focused slightly farther away than the other lenses (esp. the Distagon); perhaps something about how the lens aberrations appear in the viewfinder promotes far-focusing (or were most of these crops from the same shot)? It does appear to have more SA glow like the Nikon rather than the Zeiss, but the focus differences make fine comparison a bit hard. I think the clearest example of this is the third row, where the Distagon is focused near the left end of the handlebar while the Samyang is focused to...Show more →

That's what I noticed as well. In the first shot, you can see that the Samyang looks the sharpest likely due to this difference.
May 27, 2011 at 12:51 PM
banpreso
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Distagon vs Samyang 1.4/35


wow! the samyang has got my attention in terms of sharpness and bokeh. they've really stepped up their game! that lens is about 2x more expensive than their 85mm offering as well.
May 27, 2011 at 12:54 PM
Tariq Gibran
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Distagon vs Samyang 1.4/35


So, was there a conclusion that the older Contax 35 1.4 is superior to the new Zeiss offering wide open?


May 27, 2011 at 12:56 PM
mpmendenhall
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Distagon vs Samyang 1.4/35


The Flek also acquits itself very well in these shots (as does the Ultron in the last row), although for a more fair comparison it should be compared against the other lenses at f2.8.
May 27, 2011 at 12:57 PM
Tariq Gibran
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Distagon vs Samyang 1.4/35


mpmendenhall wrote:
The Flek also acquits itself very well in these shots (as does the Ultron in the last row), although for a more fair comparison it should be compared against the other lenses at f2.8.

If you get a good copy of the Flek, it's almost unbeatable.
May 27, 2011 at 12:58 PM
FlyPenFly
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Distagon vs Samyang 1.4/35


Flekto seems to have the least pleasing bokeh although it's the slowest.
May 27, 2011 at 01:10 PM
AhamB
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Distagon vs Samyang 1.4/35


Thanks for the comparison, cavewalker. The Distagon really has great bokeh.

Tariq Gibran wrote:
If you get a good copy of the Flek, it's almost unbeatable.

I wonder if it has the same color rendering as the Pancolar 50/1.8, which is too greenish for my taste.

Edited on May 27, 2011 at 01:37 PM · View previous versions
May 27, 2011 at 01:24 PM
cavewalker
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Distagon vs Samyang 1.4/35


All shoots are focused with liveview and loupe-hood on a 5D2. The Samyang was not so easy to focus as the Distagon because of some aberrations. The Distagon is more "snappy".
May 27, 2011 at 01:29 PM
FlyPenFly
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Distagon vs Samyang 1.4/35


It might also have focus shift.
May 27, 2011 at 01:42 PM
sebboh
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Distagon vs Samyang 1.4/35


FlyPenFly wrote:
It might also have focus shift.

since these are all shot wide open with liveview that shouldn't matter.
May 27, 2011 at 01:51 PM
Tariq Gibran
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Distagon vs Samyang 1.4/35


AhamB wrote:
Thanks for the comparison, cavewalker. The Distagon really has great bokeh.

I wonder if it has the same color rendering as the Pancolar 50/1.8, which is too greenish for my taste.

The one I owned was neutral in color balance.
May 27, 2011 at 02:30 PM
Morfeus
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Distagon vs Samyang 1.4/35


Very nice test, thanks a lot. What surprises me the most is, that the Flektogon beats all others in sharpness clearly. The Distagon has the nicest bokeh by far and is possibly the best over all. I find the Samyang very dissapointing.
May 27, 2011 at 02:30 PM
Tariq Gibran
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Distagon vs Samyang 1.4/35


Morfeus wrote:
Very nice test, thanks a lot. What surprises me the most is, that the Flektogon beats all others in sharpness clearly. The Distagon has the nicest bokeh by far and is possibly the best over all. I find the Samyang very dissapointing.

The Flektogon has the advantage in this case of being a stop and a half slower so it might be expected to be sharper.
May 27, 2011 at 02:32 PM
Morfeus
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Distagon vs Samyang 1.4/35


Ah, didn't read that this was wide open. That may explain it, thanks
May 27, 2011 at 02:39 PM
mMontag
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Distagon vs Samyang 1.4/35


Cavewalker,

Thanks for your time & effort to post this - nicely done!

Long live the Classics!
May 27, 2011 at 03:21 PM
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