Fred Relaix wrote:
FYI hyperfocal distance (focusing your camera at the hyperfocal distance ensures maximum sharpness from half this distance all the way to infinity) on a full frame camera for a 14mm lens is so short that manual focusing is a non-issue :
f/2.8 : 2.32m
f/4 : 1.65m
f/5.6 : 1.17m
f/8 : 0.83m
f/11 : 0.59m
f/16 : 0.42m
I would personally not replace my 85L with the Samyang, however if the 14mm is good, manual focusing is hardly an issue really.
I agree about the 14mm lens. I was concern about manually focusing the 85mm at such a small DOF. I like all my pictures to be sharp on the eyes. I am considering the 14mm Samyang too when it comes out(depend on the review).
cogitech wrote:
Well, the f1.2 still might come true. He only wanted to commit to the f1.4 during that interview, quite possibly because the f1.2 would only be for Canon anyway.
A guy from Germany contacted and asked about the f1.2 directly (copied from the thread over in the Alt Forum):
""Hello dear kind people at Samyang!
I am a proud and very pleased owner of a Samyang 85mm/f1.4 for Canon, and I am interested in buying a 35mm lens for my camera now.
So when searching for this focal length I found some rumors going through the web, stating that Samyang is planning a 35mm/f1.2 for Canon. Is this true, should I wait buying a Canon lens and maybe buy a Samyang next month or so?
Thanks a lot...
Martin, Germany, Berlin..."
[the answer as follows:]
"Dear Mr. Martin Hoppe,
We are also considering 35mm/f1.2 lens but there is no determination yet.
Even we decide to make 35mm/f1.2 lens, the lead time is over 7~9 months.
We are planing to release 14mm F2.8 lens at the end of March 2010 to our customers.
I was just contemplating about purchasing the 35L. I wish they would release it before I pick up the 35L. Waiting for the Samyang 35mm may not be too good since we really don't know when they will release it for sure.
The 35/1.4 is coming in the second half of 2010, as stated in the interview. The only thing that is uncertain is whether Canon mount will get the f1.2 version.
mh2000 wrote:
If I sounded like I was saying your tests were garbage, I wasn't. All lenses look roughly in about the same league, so I think it is hard to say any one is better than the other from your test, that's all I'm saying. From what I'm seeing it would be hard to conclusively test out which is better IMO... and really I don't think it matters much. The lens looks like a winner... not just in your tests, but in much that has been posted. I would probably own one right now if I didn't have the TS-E 90 for that FL in MF... and don't really need f1.4 much......Show more →
Understood. Don't worry, I didn't take offense at all to what you said/asked. I just wanted to show you that it might be a bit premature to make the judgment that "maybe the EF 85/1.8 is sharper" because many people have had the opposite experience. The Rokinon is at least as sharp at f1.4 as the EF is at 1.8.
I also agree that any further sharpness comparison would be splitting hairs, and that regarding sharpness alone there is very little to distinguish these lenses. As you say, it is nearly every other aspect of lens performance where the Rokinon really shines, especially over the 85/1.8 and especially for the money.
The only reason I'm really considering the Samyang 85mm for is video. I like to try some video on the 5D2 and that 85mm look good with the big manual focus ring.
cogitech wrote:
The 35/1.4 is coming in the second half of 2010, as stated in the interview. The only thing that is uncertain is whether Canon mount will get the f1.2 version.
I'm debating if I should wait to see the samyang first or just take the plunge and get the 35L. I've been wanting the 35L for so long and was able to save to be able to finally get it. Such a difficult decision......
drive_75 wrote:
The only reason I'm really considering the Samyang 85mm for is video. I like to try some video on the 5D2 and that 85mm look good with the big manual focus ring.
The focus ring is awesome. It's like a vault. My Sigma 50mm and Canon 10-22mm feels like something one might pick up at the garbage bin in comparison. In this regard I regret I bought it, especially regarding the Sigma that was as dear to me. It has fallen in grace. Even my previous Tamron 90mm macro, that I thought had an excellent focus ring does not even reach to the ankles of this lens.
The focus ring truly has an exquisite and vaultish feel to it.
irris wrote:
The focus ring is awesome. It's like a vault. My Sigma 50mm and Canon 10-22mm feels like something one might pick up at the garbage bin in comparison. In this regard I regret I bought it, especially regarding the Sigma that was as dear to me. It has fallen in grace. Even my previous Tamron 90mm macro, that I thought had an excellent focus ring does not even reach to the ankles of this lens.
The focus ring truly has an exquisite and vaultish feel to it.
Try a an Asahi-Pentax Super-Takumar or SMC-Takumar. You'll cream your jeans.
(The Rokinon is nice compared to any modern AF lens, but compared to some of the oldies, it's only "not bad".)
irris wrote:
The focus ring is awesome. It's like a vault. My Sigma 50mm and Canon 10-22mm feels like something one might pick up at the garbage bin in comparison. In this regard I regret I bought it, especially regarding the Sigma that was as dear to me. It has fallen in grace. Even my previous Tamron 90mm macro, that I thought had an excellent focus ring does not even reach to the ankles of this lens.
The focus ring truly has an exquisite and vaultish feel to it.
Iris,
It's great feedback on this. I think I'll pick one up next week to try it. I saw the Bower is only in the $200's range. Thanks.
drive_75 wrote:
The only reason I'm really considering the Samyang 85mm for is video. I like to try some video on the 5D2 and that 85mm look good with the big manual focus ring.
Either photozone had a really bad copy, or their testing methodology is shite. Who knows. All I know is that this lens doesn't perform anything like their "graphs."
Even my previous Tamron 90mm macro, that I thought had an excellent focus ring does not even reach to the ankles of this lens. 
