Samyang AF 18mm F2.8 FE (Sony E) Lens

Let me start by admitting I have owned the lens before - and hated it. To explain: I bought it direct before it was available in Europe let alone on Amazon! and at the time I was playing with a Sony A7 original and using an old NEX6 too. I had bought a Sony 34Zeiss34 35/2.8 that worked pretty well but was hardly exceptional in anything but size - and it was very expensive of course - so I returned it. I bought the Samyang as a replacement and although it was optically great it struggled to focus properly on both the A7 and NEX6, a real disappointment, so I disposed of it through that great auction site in the sky...and got back more than I paid for it -Fast forward to now I have abandoned the clunky A7 and NEX6 and settled on APS-C using a A6500. While looking for ... MoreLet me start by admitting I have owned the lens before - and hated it. To explain: I bought it direct before it was available in Europe let alone on Amazon! and at the time I was playing with a Sony A7 original and using an old NEX6 too. I had bought a Sony 34Zeiss34 35/2.8 that worked pretty well but was hardly exceptional in anything but size - and it was very expensive of course - so I returned it. I bought the Samyang as a replacement and although it was optically great it struggled to focus properly on both the A7 and NEX6, a real disappointment, so I disposed of it through that great auction site in the sky...and got back more than I paid for it -Fast forward to now I have abandoned the clunky A7 and NEX6 and settled on APS-C using a A6500. While looking for something else I stumbled across a recent review of the Samyang using a A6500 and it was so overwhelmingly positive I dug deeper and found that all the reviews were positive. When I discovered that Amazon sells it for a good price I knew it I had to go for it... again. Better luck this time, hopefully, I thought.And so it was. Theres no returning this one. Its absolutely brilliant in all regards on the A6500: eye-waveringly sharp at all apertures and corner to corner, lovely colours and general rendering, no hint of CA even wide open... and it focuses fast, silently and seems to be able to use any AF mode and all AF points just like a native Sony lens. Maybe my first, early copy has been updated, or perhaps the design just doesnt get on well with the older, clunkier Sony E-mount cameras who knows? But I can say with certainty that it works perfectly on a more modern camera like the A6500 - and just to prove it Ive attached three samples I shot this morning on my walk to the shops... the first outing for the lens.Is it perfect? Very nearly. The lens is near-perfect but the little 34hood34 is badly designed compared with its expensive Sony counterpart. On the Sony 34Zeiss.

A perfect little, lightweight gem of a lens!

I’m a retired photojournalist and for over 30 years my go-to 18mm lens has been the legendary Olympus Zuiko 18mm f/3.5. It started off on Olympus OM-1, OM-2, and OM-3 film camera bodies and was then converted to Canon and Nikon digital bodies as the electronic and autofocus revolution began. Through many years of hard use, telling moments, and beautiful light, it is now time for that marvelous, little lens to retire alongside me.The Samyang is a worthy modern day replacement for that lens. While not expected to have the working life of the superbly built, all-metal, light tank construction of the Olympus Zuiko, optically it rivals and surpasses my old standard in terms of sharpness, contrast, color, and distortion on the Sony A7R III. As a welcome bonus, it has ... MoreI’m a retired photojournalist and for over 30 years my go-to 18mm lens has been the legendary Olympus Zuiko 18mm f/3.5. It started off on Olympus OM-1, OM-2, and OM-3 film camera bodies and was then converted to Canon and Nikon digital bodies as the electronic and autofocus revolution began. Through many years of hard use, telling moments, and beautiful light, it is now time for that marvelous, little lens to retire alongside me.The Samyang is a worthy modern day replacement for that lens. While not expected to have the working life of the superbly built, all-metal, light tank construction of the Olympus Zuiko, optically it rivals and surpasses my old standard in terms of sharpness, contrast, color, and distortion on the Sony A7R III. As a welcome bonus, it has accurate and fast autofocus as well.On the downside, however, the plus of the well implemented autofocus comes with the trade off useable but certainly not precise focus-by-wire manual focus. The lens also seems to lack the micro contrast and outstanding color of the Olympus, though not to a high degree.All things considered (for my particular needs) this Samyang 18mm f/2.8 is a perfect little, lightweight gem of a lens that travels well and shoots superbly on the Sony A7R III.Your mileage on other bodies may vary.I’m very happy with the purchase and B&H’s always wonderful buying experience.A footnote: I have compared the Olympus Zuiko 18mm f/3.5 to the awesome Zeiss 18mm f/3.5 for Sony FE and found the optics of the old Olympus nearly comparable to the Zeiss. This little Samyang (or at least my copy) is just fantastic. Especially so, considering the price.Well done, Samyang!

Exceeded My Expectations

I've wanted something wider than 24mm for quite a while, but couldn't justify the cost, size, or weight of what was available in a native lens for my Sony A7rII.Then I saw this new lens was going to be available soon, and it seemed to tick all the boxes. AF, small, light weight, and promises of good image quality, so I signed up for the pre-order.When it arrived, I was happy to see that it even included a nicely made, small, semi-hard case, a nice touch. The lens, although light, feels very nicely made. Nothing rattling or loose, and the lens hood (which reverses for carry), goes on securely with a nice, solid click.I was even more impressed after my first session of photos. The AF was quick and precise, and the images turned out sharp with excellent color and ... MoreI've wanted something wider than 24mm for quite a while, but couldn't justify the cost, size, or weight of what was available in a native lens for my Sony A7rII.Then I saw this new lens was going to be available soon, and it seemed to tick all the boxes. AF, small, light weight, and promises of good image quality, so I signed up for the pre-order.When it arrived, I was happy to see that it even included a nicely made, small, semi-hard case, a nice touch. The lens, although light, feels very nicely made. Nothing rattling or loose, and the lens hood (which reverses for carry), goes on securely with a nice, solid click.I was even more impressed after my first session of photos. The AF was quick and precise, and the images turned out sharp with excellent color and contrast. Wow.What's the downside? Well, I found my copy to be a little soft at f2.8, especially toward the edges, and it can lose contrast shooting directly into the sun. However, I found it sharpens up nicely from f3.5 on up, and it's quite possible to minimize the contrast loss when shooting into the sun by adjusting the composition just a bit.By the way, even though I don't think I'll need to use it much, I found the manual focus ring to be perfectly damped, to the point that it doesn't really feel like focus-by-wire. Very nice indeed.Will this replace somebody's Batis 18mm. Probably not, but for my uses, even if I could afford the Batis, I'd probably opt for this lens for the size and weight savings. It's a definite keeper for me.

Good lens, great size

Pros -1) Autofocus works great on Sony, including for video (fast & quiet)2) Incredibly lightweight - getting full frame lens at this speed and this focal length at this size with this quality is pretty impressive3) Seems well made - even though it's very light it doesn't necessarily feel like a plastic lens in the handCons -1) Noticeable amount of CA & aberrations across the frame in some scenarios (but not horrible)2) It's sharp but not blow-you-away-sharp at full frame when you pixel peep (but in fairness, I'm comparing to higher end and higher dollar lenses in my kit)... but still, I'd expect a little sharper for this price.3) Pretty heavy vignetting at FF - like, I'm not sure I've ever seen vignetting this severe on a lens before and I own A LOT ... MorePros -1) Autofocus works great on Sony, including for video (fast & quiet)2) Incredibly lightweight - getting full frame lens at this speed and this focal length at this size with this quality is pretty impressive3) Seems well made - even though it's very light it doesn't necessarily feel like a plastic lens in the handCons -1) Noticeable amount of CA & aberrations across the frame in some scenarios (but not horrible)2) It's sharp but not blow-you-away-sharp at full frame when you pixel peep (but in fairness, I'm comparing to higher end and higher dollar lenses in my kit)... but still, I'd expect a little sharper for this price.3) Pretty heavy vignetting at FF - like, I'm not sure I've ever seen vignetting this severe on a lens before and I own A LOT of lenses...Overall, I'm keeping this lens. It is the best lightweight, wide angle lens for video gimbal work that I have seen so far. I do like the lens, but at $399, I feel it's just a little overpriced and would have been much happier if I'd purchased it at a lower price.I used it almost immediately on an architecture project alongside a Sigma ART 24-35 & Rokinon 14mm and although the Samyang 18mm couldn't keep up to the Sigma in terms of sharpness, speed and CA/aberration/vignetting control, it performed well enough that I used it frequently on a paying job.

Good, not great, wide angle lens

I was looking for a cheap wide angle lens for my A7R3 and settled on this option. It is acceptably sharp, and works well. The lens feels very light and plastic-y, and the lens hood is similarly cheap feeling. Not an issue really, because it is cheap and I expected these things going in.My main complaint is the focusing. It takes a bit longer than my Sony lenses to focus, and the focus ring is very sensitive. I take a lot of photos of very fast subjects (race cars), and had to set it to manual to properly catch the scene. When in manual mode, it's very easy to bump the focus ring and have it move since it does not have much resistance. The good thing is being a wide lens, precise focusing is not as critical as other situations. An AF/MF switch on the lens itself ... MoreI was looking for a cheap wide angle lens for my A7R3 and settled on this option. It is acceptably sharp, and works well. The lens feels very light and plastic-y, and the lens hood is similarly cheap feeling. Not an issue really, because it is cheap and I expected these things going in.My main complaint is the focusing. It takes a bit longer than my Sony lenses to focus, and the focus ring is very sensitive. I take a lot of photos of very fast subjects (race cars), and had to set it to manual to properly catch the scene. When in manual mode, it's very easy to bump the focus ring and have it move since it does not have much resistance. The good thing is being a wide lens, precise focusing is not as critical as other situations. An AF/MF switch on the lens itself and a better damped ring would be welcome additions.Overall it is worth the price, and it will work well until I am in a position to buy a better quality lens.

Great Alternative to the Sigma 16mm 1.4

The main reason why I chose this lens over the Sigma 16mm 1.4 is mainly because of it's size and weight. I've been primarily shooting with the Sigma 30mm 1.4 which is a beast of a lens but I needed something wider and not as heavy and unfortunately before this came out, there weren't very many options that had good image quality and decent low light capability. I primarily shoot video and a major draw back is that you have to carry around with a gimbal to get smooth shots and to carry the Sigma 30mm 1.4 and Sony A6400 you had to use larger sized gimbals like the Moza Aircross which I have been using. This gets very cumbersome especially when traveling. With the Samyang 18mm weighing only 145 grams it makes it easier to pair with much smaller gimbals like the Zhiyun ... MoreThe main reason why I chose this lens over the Sigma 16mm 1.4 is mainly because of it's size and weight. I've been primarily shooting with the Sigma 30mm 1.4 which is a beast of a lens but I needed something wider and not as heavy and unfortunately before this came out, there weren't very many options that had good image quality and decent low light capability. I primarily shoot video and a major draw back is that you have to carry around with a gimbal to get smooth shots and to carry the Sigma 30mm 1.4 and Sony A6400 you had to use larger sized gimbals like the Moza Aircross which I have been using. This gets very cumbersome especially when traveling. With the Samyang 18mm weighing only 145 grams it makes it easier to pair with much smaller gimbals like the Zhiyun Crane M2 or the Feiyutech G6 Plus. As far as image quality goes I can honestly say that it is more then adequate for video and the pictures I am getting from this nothing short of amazing. The only downside I see from this lens is the body is not as robust as the sigma lens. I feel that for $ they should have made it in metal instead of plastic but I'm sure that would have added a lot more weight. Other then that I honestly have no regrets.

Great for star trackers.

I grabbed this lens for the low price. Before I decided on it, I watched plenty of youtube reviews, and they all seemed pretty positive. This is a nice light and very sharp lens. I use it for astrophotography and landscape photography. This lens really shines for astro, I couple it with my A7rII and A7III. Mounting it on a MSM tracker produces pinpoint stars even into the corners. No coma or aberation if you stop it down to f3.2. Even without a tracker coma and bberations are non-existent. The vignetting is not terrible and can easily be removed in Lightroom.

Great option

Often easy to buy cheap, creates wonder images, ultrawide, good af. Got this to vlog, but don't use for that, but I could do. I find interesting closeup images and landscapes, wide angle street images, etc Auto focusing is as good as a sony lens, works great on a7rii or better sony cameras. After all, lens af is both dependent on the lens and the camera body you place it upon. It isn't great for lowlight compared to faster lenses of a similar focal length, it isn't bad, but it isn't magic. Used in astro, it allows good images, but often people prefer faster lenses for that. Made for full frame, but is good on aps-c, although sigma 19mm is a cheaper aps-c option.

Lightweight lens of cinematic scope, 100 of WA

I have a Canon 18-22mm wide angle lens that turns my little APS-c camera into still=cam of cinematic scope. It's big and heavy, outsizing and outweighing the100-D, with a huge phi requiring an upscale CPL. Now I have a full-frame Sony and this little Samsung 8mm lens, which weighs 145g, out performs the above by 5 of angle (100 of WA!), has minimal distortion even up close, and provides good color response, It's a gem, and costs less than half the Canon lens. which is itself a terrific bit of kit. *Everyone*, though, who owns a compatible camera (this is an FE-mount) should own one of these. Must, really. Just get one. Wow.

Small, sharp and fantastic value!

Went out on a limb and pre-ordered this lens as soon as it was announced based on Samyang's recent form. I've not had the lens long but I am very satisfied so far!The most obvious pro of this lens is it's compact size. It feels so nice on my Sony a7rii. Very light and balanced so it's perfect for travelling and hiking. I've owned the Sony 16-35 f4 and it feels somewhat cumbersome after a while but I feel I could walk all day with the Samyang and not notice it.Sharpness is not perfect but great for such a small and cheap lens. At 2.8 it is very respectable indeed with fantastic sharpness from f4 onwards. I doubt many people would notice the difference in quality wide open.I had some concerns over vignetting and distortion with this design but I was again, ... MoreWent out on a limb and pre-ordered this lens as soon as it was announced based on Samyang's recent form. I've not had the lens long but I am very satisfied so far!The most obvious pro of this lens is it's compact size. It feels so nice on my Sony a7rii. Very light and balanced so it's perfect for travelling and hiking. I've owned the Sony 16-35 f4 and it feels somewhat cumbersome after a while but I feel I could walk all day with the Samyang and not notice it.Sharpness is not perfect but great for such a small and cheap lens. At 2.8 it is very respectable indeed with fantastic sharpness from f4 onwards. I doubt many people would notice the difference in quality wide open.I had some concerns over vignetting and distortion with this design but I was again, pleasantly surprised. There is a little bit of both but it is very well controlled and easily fixable. Compared to the hideous distortion of the 14mm 2.8, it's miles improved. On that note, I thought I might miss the extra few mm but I found 18 to be a really fun focal length.Autofocus seems to work very well so far. Not the fastest for video but would work well for things like blogging and is great for stills.Build quality would be the main drawback but for this price, it's to be expected. If you've had any of the recent Samyang AF lenses then you know what to expect. Decent enough plastic build but definitely wouldn't put it through any wet or strenuous conditions.Overall, it's seems like another winner from Samyang. To have such a wide perspective, 2.8, great IQ and autofocus in such a small package at a great price means I can recommend it and I can see this being very popular.I shall be doing some more testing and making a youtube review soon. I shall also update any more findings to this posting. I hope this is helpful. :-)