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Archive 2016 · Pre-order: Samyang AF 50mm f/1.4 FE ($699)

Fred Miranda
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Pre-order: Samyang AF 50mm f/1.4 FE ($699)

The new Samyang (Rokinon) AF 50mm f/1.4 FE is now available for pre-order at B&H Photo for $699.
It will begin shipping in August 2016!

Pre-order it from B&H Photo

The big question is: How does it compare to the new FE 50/1.4 ZA costing about twice as much?

We already have two reviews: PhotographyBlog and ePhotozine.

Here is an excerpt from the ePhotozine review:

"Sharpness can simply be described as excellent. In more detail, centrally every aperture reaches this standard, the lens peaking at between f/2 and f/11 where the figures are very even throughout. The actual pinnacle of sharpness centrally is f/2.8 but in reality it is little different from the other mid apertures. It's pretty impressive."

Jul 22, 2016 at 03:14 PM

Gunzorro
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Pre-order: Samyang AF 50mm f/1.4 FE ($699)

Seems like it will have great potential at a very attractive price, even if that sample's aperture has a rather wonky shape.

Jul 22, 2016 at 04:15 PM

freaklikeme
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Pre-order: Samyang AF 50mm f/1.4 FE ($699)

I have no doubt Samyang can produce a lens with excellent optics. I have questions about their AF reliability and longevity, and how they'll handle it when something does break. It's a very attractive price, but it's not so low that people are going to forgive failures in the mechanics or in customer service.

Jul 22, 2016 at 05:16 PM

chrisd999
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Pre-order: Samyang AF 50mm f/1.4 FE ($699)

It's unusual to see any lens that has edges matching centre sharpness like this one at f/4. I wonder how it compares with the FE 55 stopped down for landscape, cityscape and such. Based on the chart it looks compelling.

Jul 22, 2016 at 05:38 PM

ArizonaImage
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Pre-order: Samyang AF 50mm f/1.4 FE ($699)

The Samyang 14mm 2.8 is proof they can make amazing optics. It held its ground compared to the Nikon 14-24mm and Distagon 15mm, really well.

Jul 22, 2016 at 05:41 PM

Fred Miranda
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Pre-order: Samyang AF 50mm f/1.4 FE ($699)

According to the above chart, the lens is outstanding throughout the entire image field starting at f/2.8 at close distances. It's also excellent wide open in the center.
The only issue the initial reviews found was excessive LoCA and CA.

The reviews contradict each other though. In one, the center is amazing wide open (chart) and on the other the center is not so good wide open (images)...copy variation?

Jul 22, 2016 at 05:41 PM

charles.K
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Pre-order: Samyang AF 50mm f/1.4 FE ($699)

I do think if you are intending to buy a f/1.4 lens, it should be used at f/1.4 - 1.8. From the reviews I see a lot of CA which would make it difficult to PP out. At least with the later generation of native lenses this is not really an issue anymore.

Again until the lens is out and tested it may prove to be quite a gem.

Jul 22, 2016 at 07:52 PM

GMPhotography
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Pre-order: Samyang AF 50mm f/1.4 FE ($699)

Agree if I'm buying a 1.4 it needs to be good like the GM 85 at 1.6 or 1.8. Seems this is like a 2.8 starting point. I'll pass but still good to see more choices.

Jul 22, 2016 at 09:50 PM

fsiagian
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Pre-order: Samyang AF 50mm f/1.4 FE ($699)

I expected $399. For that price, I will go with a used Zeiss 55mm 1.8.

Jul 22, 2016 at 10:43 PM

Fred Miranda
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Pre-order: Samyang AF 50mm f/1.4 FE ($699)

We have so many fifties now...Whenever Samyang releases a compact AF 135/2 for the e-mount with similar IQ to their current SLR version, that will generate way more interest!

Jul 22, 2016 at 10:50 PM

bjornthun
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Pre-order: Samyang AF 50mm f/1.4 FE ($699)

A first comparison of the Samyang AF 50/1.4 and the Sony Zeiss 50/1.4 FE. Sonyalpharumors refers to the French "Les Numeriques". Link: http://www.sonyalpharumors.com/big-new-50mm-lens-battle-zeiss-50mm-f1-4-fe-versus-samyang-50mm-f1-4-fe-surprising-conclusion/

The test indicates that the Samyang lens is the sharper of the two.

Edited on Jul 23, 2016 at 07:45 AM · View previous versions

Jul 23, 2016 at 06:12 AM

DavidBM
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Pre-order: Samyang AF 50mm f/1.4 FE ($699)

bjornthun wrote:
A first comparison of the Samyang AF 50/1.4 and the Sony Zeiss 50/1.4 FE. Sonyalpharumors refers to the French "Focus Numerique". Link: http://www.sonyalpharumors.com/big-new-50mm-lens-battle-zeiss-50mm-f1-4-fe-versus-samyang-50mm-f1-4-fe-surprising-conclusion/

The test indicates that the Samyang lens is the sharper of the two.

This is astonishing! I really doubt that it's true, but it'd be nice to know more.

We have had the lens rental test showing how good the Sony is. And the Sony is a larger and more complex lens which, other things being equal, should make it better. And Roger has given us reason to think the the complexity is not paid for in worse than average variation

Les Numériques are not terrible, on the other hand.

Here are some possibilities

(1) Les Numériques made a mistake
(2) It's true, but of course Les Numeriques test at close distances - in which case for portrait use the Samyang will be sharper
(3) It's true close up like in (2), but it's paid for in bokeh
(4) It's sample variation - LN got one of the best Samyang, and one of the worst Sony (that's my hunch - we are at such a high threshold of quality these days that sample variation trumps design variation. You might have better chance of a better lens with the Sony, but that doesn't mean your Sony will be better than a particular Samyang.

Of course it might just be true, but that's not what the balance of evidence suggests...

Jul 23, 2016 at 06:45 AM

Tariq Gibran
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Pre-order: Samyang AF 50mm f/1.4 FE ($699)

freaklikeme wrote:
I have no doubt Samyang can produce a lens with excellent optics. I have questions about their AF reliability and longevity, and how they'll handle it when something does break.

You could almost replace "Samyang" with "Sony" in that sentence a year or two ago with regard to FE lenses...

Jul 23, 2016 at 07:43 AM

AGeoJO
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Pre-order: Samyang AF 50mm f/1.4 FE ($699)

Fred Miranda wrote:
We have so many fifties now...Whenever Samyang releases a compact AF 135/2 for the e-mount with similar IQ to their current SLR version, that will generate way more interest!

The MF version of the Samyang 135mm f/2 lens is reported to be a strong contender to the Zeiss Apo. Who would have thought it would be the case, huh? If they do introduce the AF version in FE mount, I will get my CC ready. For the same reason, it is really not that far fetched for Samyang to give the Zony 50mm f/1.4 a run for its money. It will be interesting to find out how the two perform in real life in the next several weeks here.

Jul 23, 2016 at 07:54 AM

chez
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Pre-order: Samyang AF 50mm f/1.4 FE ($699)

GMPhotography wrote:
Agree if I'm buying a 1.4 it needs to be good like the GM 85 at 1.6 or 1.8. Seems this is like a 2.8 starting point. I'll pass but still good to see more choices.

It looks like the center is fine wide open. Do you really care about the corners when shooting at 1.4?

Jul 23, 2016 at 08:11 AM

bjornthun
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Pre-order: Samyang AF 50mm f/1.4 FE ($699)

Notable in Les Numeriques's test is the strong performance at f/5.6, f/8 and f/11 of the humble Sony 50/1.8 FE, where it beats its' three competitors, Leica 50/1.4 Asph., Zony 50/1.4 and the Samyang AF 50/1.4 FE. Something for landscapes?

Jul 23, 2016 at 08:26 AM

Tariq Gibran
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Pre-order: Samyang AF 50mm f/1.4 FE ($699)

bjornthun wrote:
Notable in Les Numeriques's test is the strong performance at f/5.6, f/8 and f/11 of the humble Sony 50/1.8 FE, where it beats its' three competitors, Leica 50/1.4 Asph., Zony 50/1.4 and the Samyang AF 50/1.4 FE. Something for landscapes?

At what distance does Les Numeriques test? It appears that ephotozine and Les Numeriques might use different distances for their testing given the results.

Jul 23, 2016 at 08:57 AM

Fred Miranda
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Pre-order: Samyang AF 50mm f/1.4 FE ($699)

Dpreview tested at infinity and Les Numeriques at closer range. Both review sites showed the 55/1.8ZA and Samyang 50/1.4 being sharper than the Sony 50/1.4ZA. (center and edge). Can we really trust reviews anymore? They are all over the place!
When we read that, our first reaction is to blame on lens variation but that in itself is bad news for Sony.

Dpreview also demonstrated that the 55/1.8ZA has smoother out of focus rendition at f/1.8! (more blur). That surprised me at first but I then realized we are comparing 50mm to 55mm.

Jul 23, 2016 at 09:03 AM

bjornthun
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Pre-order: Samyang AF 50mm f/1.4 FE ($699)

Tariq Gibran wrote:
At what distance does Les Numeriques test? It appears that ephotozine and Les Numeriques might use different distances for their testing given the results.

I don't read French, so I studied their graphs instead. I also own the Sony 50/1.8 FE, and it does well stopped down at long distances. At f/1.8 it's not that great in real life either, only the very center is ok. So, I find the test indicate real performance of the Sony 50/1.8 FE.

Jul 23, 2016 at 09:09 AM

AGeoJO
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Pre-order: Samyang AF 50mm f/1.4 FE ($699)

There was an online reviewer that claimed he could see the difference in sharpness level between the GM 24-70mm and the Zony 24-70mm f/4..... on the camera screen, mind you. He had two cameras with each lens mounted and seriously claimed the difference was not only apparent but significant. He showed the model he was shooting and asked her whether she could see the obvious difference and guess what the model said

? For all we know he tweaked the monitor to render the two cameras differently. I would agree that difference could be there on the computer monitor but on the tiny camera monitor? Give me a break!

With that said, the way I look at it, Fred, although I read/watch reviews and I look at charts/graphs but I rely MORE on user's experience evaluation and look at the rendition of images generated but the difference lenses. Sharpness alone doesn't make/break the lens, IMHO. Bokeh rendition is also high on my list.

Jul 23, 2016 at 09:16 AM

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