I've had the Samyang 14 for a couple of weeks and I am finally learning (I think) how to focus properly. I have a Canon 5DMkII and bought the lens with Nikon mount and a Nikon-EOS adapter to invoke the AF-confirm functionality [the alternative for me would have been a EOS mount and glue a AF-confirm chip on it, but I did not want to do that]. Now that part works well, allthough it takes some time to get used to the often reported inaccurate marked focus ring when shooting wide-open. With my particular sample, it means that I turn the focus ring to a value below (lesser distance) where the AF-confirm flashes, and then move the ring to a greater distance til it beeps again. Then I get sharp exposures. The tolerance is quite wide, so if I continue to turn the focus-ring, AF-confirm will continue to report that it's in focus, but on pixel-level it wont be. Any others with this experience?
Well, with that said I am now turning my attention to the quite complex distortion this lens has. I use ACR/PS CS5 for my editing. It ships with profiles for all std lenses but of course - not Samyang :-/. Anyone seen or heard of a correction profile for this lens - or could give me any idea how to correct it manually in ACR?
This is my first post here, so bare with me - English is not my native language. Hopefully I am at the right spot :-)
Just so you know AF confirm chip adapters are not the best for precise focus. If you want to focus accurately and precisely use live view and 10X magnification. Other alternatives include a split image/microsprism focusing screen or Angle Finder C. All of which will provide far more accurate and precise focus than a focus chip adapter.
BTW since the 14mm has such a large depth of field in focus I just use standard hyper-focus settings. For example if I just set the focus on 3 feet and f/16 – then I'm shooting everything in focus from 1foot 3inches to infinity! Set focus on 7 feet and I'm in focus from 1 foot 8 in to infinity. However, if you are trying to focus close distance at f/2.8 - that is a major challenge unless you use live view.
@davidrwilliams
Thanks for the link, got the profiles. I did not adjust them - and today I just used the distortion correction version. The weather here is far to soggy to fine-tune any CA.
@Qwerty64
Thanks. Yep, if I have the patience I'd use Liveview, but for most of the time I dont :-). I have thought about a split-image but would like to find a MkII so I can test it first. What is "Angle Finder C"? But also take a look at the crops below, I think you can get really far with an adapter too - used as I described above.
@dbehrens
Thanks. I've heard about PT-lens but if I can avoid it I would like to skip any additional software. Do you know if it performs better than the profiles in ACR - or have more tuning possibilities?
Anyway, I went out today to take a few shots. The weather is lousy, it just started to snow again here in Stockholm after at least downtown had been snow-free for a week. So with that in mind, here are a few examples.
Image with corrected distortion in ACR (via profile from the link davidrwilliasm posted). Looks fine to me.
For reference, here it is untouched
Sorry for the lack of artistery here, but this is more to show the sharpness this lens has, take a look on the crop below. F/4.5. This church-tower did not look very straight without the correction. Handheld, AF set with the AF-confirm chip.
Heres a 100% crop. If you disregard the snowflakes I am pretty impressed with the sharpness.
To me it's quite impressive wide-open too. Here's a F/2.8-shot with some of the few outdoor flowers available at this time a year. This one is not corrected distortion-wise. I dont think it matters on a picture like this. It even adds something... again handheld, AF-confirm works well.
...and here's the 100%crop F/2.8. Softer than stepped down but still good if you ask me. Bokeh looks good on a crop, and really nice fullsize.
I agree with the above posters:
PT Lens works quite well, is relatively inexpensive, and integrates itself into the Raw conversion dialog in PS. A profile for the Samyang 14 is included with many other lenses & body combinations. http://epaperpress.com/ptlens/index.html
For manual focus, focus confirm is not very accurate nor precise. If it all possible use Live View 5-10x. If you are on a tripod you can move the focus square about in the frame like using a loupe on large format ground glass to make sure the important portion of your scene is in focus.
Mike K
Mike K wrote:
I agree with the above posters:
PT Lens works quite well, is relatively inexpensive, and integrates itself into the Raw conversion dialog in PS. A profile for the Samyang 14 is included with many other lenses & body combinations. http://epaperpress.com/ptlens/index.html
Thanks Mike. Ok, great. I wasnt aware it was that integrated with PS. That's a +.
Mike K wrote:
For manual focus, focus confirm is not very accurate nor precise. If it all possible use Live View 5-10x. If you are on a tripod you can move the focus square about in the frame like using a loupe on large format ground glass to make sure the important portion of your scene is in focus.
Mike K
Did you have a look on the 100%crops above? Those are handhelds with the AF-confirm chip - and not just lucky-shots. They turn out like this. I am impressed, even by the 2.8 flower shot allthough it lacks some contrast on that aperture perhaps. DOF is a few cm there, and spot on. (a few cm would translate into max 2 inches)
