p.7 #2 · Samyang AF 18/2.8 FE officially announced
mjk115 wrote:
I like this lens. Not a big WA shooter, so I'm not going to invest a lot of $, but at this size and weight and price, I'm very happy with it.
Great shots! Tamron announced their 20mm 2.8 FE, and that lens has a 67mm filter. The Zeiss 18mm has a 77mm filter. The Samyang is the smallest ultra wide angle prime of any FF system and sells for an affordable price. I think this lens is a sleeper hit!
p.7 #3 · Samyang AF 18/2.8 FE officially announced
Jonathan F wrote:
Great shots! Tamron announced their 20mm 2.8 FE, and that lens has a 67mm filter. The Zeiss 18mm has a 77mm filter. The Samyang is the smallest ultra wide angle prime of any FF system and sells for an affordable price. I think this lens is a sleeper hit!
Thanks and I agree. I was interested in the Tam 20 when I heard about it, and it focuses much closer, but the 18 is obviously wider and lighter and a very impressive little lens IMO. Pairs nicely with my new 35 F1.8.
p.7 #5 · Samyang AF 18/2.8 FE officially announced
Any comments on QC with this lens? I'm wary after my experience with the Sammy 24. I went through 3 copies because of decentering issues and the best one on my a7rII stopped down to f8 still was noticeably less sharp at one side of the frame in a 17"x24" print.
p.7 #7 · Samyang AF 18/2.8 FE officially announced
nandadevieast wrote:
How sharp is this lens, center, corners? Compared to:
16-35/4
17-28/2.8
Batis 18
No reviews as such. Surprisingly small lens.
Don't own any of the others, but I'd guess that it's not as sharp in the corners. It's a tiny $400 lens. Might keep pace with the zooms stopped down, but expecting it to match the Batis is a bit unrealistic. For my uses. it's more than sharp enough. Some more samples.
p.7 #8 · Samyang AF 18/2.8 FE officially announced
When I appears to be not good enough from the competition, I address the tools they are using.
Of course, if those tools are cheap, I can always tell there is the difference between them and me, no matter what can the flaw be in that tool, I sometimes blame it to microcontrast, or maybe coma, distortion, vigneting, bokeh, midfield bokeh, curvature field, slow af, unreliable af, too big, too small, too white, too dark, too soft, too rude, variation copy, extended warranty, focus breathing, zoom sweating... (pick one or two options, honestly, I don't care which one) but their tools never will be capable to match my Megacoolmadeingerman Apo-Character Far-Nokton 8-600mm f:0,95, which makes all my shots meanwhile I'm lying in a balinese bed by the pool...
p.7 #9 · Samyang AF 18/2.8 FE officially announced
After shooting yesterday with it some more mine's headed back to Amazon. It's not bad but expected alittle more in the sharpness category. I know I probably shouldn't but it's Samyang's own fault after giving us the 85 1.4 and 45 1.8. This one just seemed like a let down to me. Could certainly be my copy but not really interested and chasing a better one. So a small AF WA search will continue
p.7 #10 · Samyang AF 18/2.8 FE officially announced
Got mine yesterday, made some first test shots on the river and my usual sharpness series.
A few observations:
Build: Very small and light, but also very plasticky, especially the hood. Had problems screwing in filters (likely due to the plastic filter thread). Build quality is no comparison to the "full" AF series lenses from Samyang (e.g. the 85/1.4, which I own as well). Only realised after ordering that it belongs to the "tiny" series, which is made up by both the 24 and 35 F2.8's and the recent 45mm F1.8. Anyway, I wanted something not too expensive to complement my other primes (24/35/55/85/135) at a focal length which I do not use much. So Batis $ would not be justified. Plus, if it is only 145g (it comes in a practical pouch as well), it is easy to just toss in the bag when I am out and about with my 35mm F1.4 ZA and Sammy 85 mm F1.4.
Focusing: Works well in both AF-C and AF-S mode on my A7III, did not test EYE-AF yet. Exhibits quite strong focus breathing though, so focus stacking is somewhat limited (as with an UWA you have to get very close...)
Image quality: Excellent sharpness in the center wide open and across the frame when stopped down to landscape f-numbers. A bit softer corners at F2.8 and strong vignetting with blue colorcast.
All in all quite decent performance, given price and weight. Sharpness is great and the downsides can be worked around.
p.7 #13 · Samyang AF 18/2.8 FE officially announced
Does anybody of you also have the problem that the green active autofocus points no longer appear when you focus twice on the same object (e.g. landscape)?
In this case the green dot in the lower left corner of my screen is illuminated but the autofocus points are no longer displayed and there is no confirmation sound.
This is not the case with all of my other Sony lenses (tested with A7II).
p.7 #15 · Samyang AF 18/2.8 FE officially announced
Strange behaviour with this lens.
2.8 sharpness center is good and corners scarce.
4.0 sharpness center is very good and corners improves a lot.
5.6 sharpness center decrease and corners very good
8.0 sharpness center decrease greatly and corners good
It seems to me that center sharpness is at it’s maximum between 2.8 and 4.0 while 5.6 and 8.0 becomes lower in sharpness.
Anyone else with this impression?
p.7 #16 · Samyang AF 18/2.8 FE officially announced
scalanc2 wrote:
Strange behaviour with this lens.
2.8 sharpness center is good and corners scarce.
4.0 sharpness center is very good and corners improves a lot.
5.6 sharpness center decrease and corners very good
8.0 sharpness center decrease greatly and corners good
It seems to me that center sharpness is at it’s maximum between 2.8 and 4.0 while 5.6 and 8.0 becomes lower in sharpness.
Anyone else with this impression?
What is your body? In higher resolution sensors, diffraction takes effect earlier.
Also are you manually focusing and keeping the same focus point? If the lens focuses stepped down, maybe the focus is less precise at smaller apertures...
p.7 #17 · Samyang AF 18/2.8 FE officially announced
A7RIII.
I use back button focus focus the first shot at 2.8 then no refocus..
By the way, I think this lens on the camera focuses stopped down in AFC and full aperture in AFS.
Is this correct'
p.7 #18 · Samyang AF 18/2.8 FE officially announced
I just bought this lens and I'll be using primarily for street photography, since it's very lightweight and unobtrusive. I'm curious if anyone has purchased the Lens Station and downloaded the software. Have there been any firmware updates and, if so, have you noticed any changes/improvements?
p.7 #20 · Samyang AF 18/2.8 FE officially announced
colormuse wrote:
I just bought this lens and I'll be using primarily for street photography, since it's very lightweight and unobtrusive. I'm curious if anyone has purchased the Lens Station and downloaded the software. Have there been any firmware updates and, if so, have you noticed any changes/improvements?
I have the USB dock. If you plan on purchasing more Samyang lenses, I think it's a worthwhile investment. I tuned my Samyang 18mm with the dock and I was able to get better sharpness wide open after AF adjustments.
