p.1 #1 · The Samyang 35-150 f/2-2.8 on my Leica SL2
Last year Samyang joined the L-mount Alliance. The 35-150 f/2-2.8 is their first L-mount lens being offered, introduced this June. It's been available in Sony E-mount for about a year, positioned there as a lower cost-higher value competitor to the Tamron 35-150 f2-2.8. I've concluded from the many written and YouTube reviews Samyang (with firmware 2.0) succeeded in doing that.
I've had a couple days now to test out my new Samyang lens and here are my findings:
- The overall fit and finish is nice for the price. I'd say on the same level as my Lumix S primes. The zoom ring tension is firm and there is no lens creep. Reports I've read and watched on the E-mount version (months old now) said that lens creep was an issue right out of the box. That's not happening with my copy so far. Maybe Samyang got the message and tightened things up.
- The only criticisms I have so far are: The 1 year factory warranty is too short with no ability to cost-extend it; the lens hood doesn't have a lock button and; the lens cap's center pinch doesn't give a secure grip. I'm using a spare Fuji GFX 82mm cap instead, the Leica SL 82mm cap works well also.
- My ApolloOne image viewer's EXIF shows the 35-150's focal length is actually 35.9mm-146.9mm.
- There is no L-mount lens station dock yet available to control optional lens settings and to update future firmware.
- The raw files from the camera have a built-in lens profile for correcting distortion and CA. It's automatically applied in my Adobe Camera Raw program. Yes, most L-mount lenses have this feature but I wasn't sure if this Samyang would and that's good news. Sony lenses don't have a built-in raw profile that works with Adobe. I've had to wait months for Adobe created raw profiles for new Sony mount lenses and that's no fun.
- Lens Testing Details:
My SL2 (47MP sensor) was tripod mounted, using electronic shutter, ISO 100, ibis off, central spot CDAF, 2 second self timer, the best of two test photos selected at each setting, viewed at 300% on my 27" 5K iMac. The photos were taken outdoors with soft overcast lighting with my standard targets at approximately 60 feet in distance.
I tested the 35, 50, 85, 100, 135 & 150 focal lengths wide open and then at full stops down to f/11. All the focal lengths were very usable wide open with a noticeable improvement stopped down to the next full stop. The optimum aperture was f/5.6 throughout. At 85-150mm the corners did a little better at f/8 but that did give back a bit of diffraction softening in the central 1/3rd zone but not much...I'm pixel-peeping at 300%. F/11 did diffraction soften the photos overall but they still looked very good to me. The right and left sides looked equally sharp so I think I got a good copy.
So resolution and contrast are really very-very good, better than I had hoped for. It's been cloudy here so extreme CA and lens flare tests will have to wait. Overall I think the Samyang 35-150 is a great value and an outstanding choice but it is a big boy. If you can handle the Leica SL 24-90 comfortably then the Samyang will be a similar handful. BTW, I have the 24-90 and did compare them at 35, 50, and 85-90. In terms of resolution and contrast my two copies tested out essentially equivalent. The Leica was a little stronger at 35mm, 50mm was a push, and the Samyang a little better at the 85-90 focal lengths.
I ordered the 35-150 L-mount from the Samyang USA website. I was able to get a double discount of Father's Day and 10% off. That lowered the price to $1209.10 with free shipping. The lens is also available at B&H for $1399. If interested in buying from B&H you might try seeing if they will price match via their chat box located on their Samyang 35-150 lens page. The 35-150 is also available in the Rokinon brand. It's the same exact lens, just with a different brand name from a long time USA distributor.
