Thank you very much for this comparison and for your work in 2022, Dustin! Your videos are „Gold standard“ to me when it comes to lenses. I wish you and your family a happy Christmas and all the best for the upcoming year. Kind regards from Germany, Martin
Very suprising review, top notch as always! Owning the GM myself, it’s by far my favourite lens to use. However, for the price the Samyang is a true winner as you have shown. But, for paid shoots, I would not trade my GM for the Samyang. The autofocus, image quality SOOC, build and Aperture ring are worth the price for me.
@@DustinAbbottTWI I agree 100% with you. It’s a very good development for the Sony platform that 3rd party companies are bringing these types of solid lenses on the market.
When I do fashion shoots, my usual two lenses of choice are one 50/55mm and one 135mm lens, a combination with which I can do every single composition I can think of! I also use, although very rarely, a 16-35! On Sony, I always have the 55mm 1.8 ZA and the 135mm 2.8 Batis on - I've also just ordered the 135 GM!
Great review as always! I’ve had both, currently only own the samyang and you hit the nail on the head when saying the main benefit the GM has is the autofocus speed - that’s the only noticeable difference I have found. Having said that the samyang focus speed is fast enough for my usage so I’m delighted with it!
@@devineffendi sports, the GM wins easily. I don’t think the Samyang would be that good for sports, you might manage the low or medium drive mode, with the samyang, depending on the sport. For moving subjects, it would depend how much movement. I do weddings and graduation balls with lots of dancing. It’s fine for weddings where I only use medium drive mode anyway. For dancing, 135 is too long for my taste, but I think it would be ok, maybe a few misses along the way.
@@kingweddingmedia okay, thanks for the review, im a event photographer too, and i do photoraph sports event too like cycling and running, my body is a6400, and im curious can it took sharp photos for sport
@@devineffendi I used to do sports (outdoor football/soccer) and one of my bodies was a 6600, it took fantastic images. If I was recommending a lens for a 6400 for running and cycling, I’d go with the Tamron 70-180mm f2.8. I used it for my sports photography and it was really good. I still own it but don’t do sports anymore. A 135mm for those sorts of sports would either require a lot of cropping in post to get the framing you want, or be quite limited as you shoot because you can’t zoom in or out and probably won’t be able to move quick enough to change your framing. A 135 on an apsc sensor would be quite tight too, you might find it quite limiting to what shots you can get. For your indoor event stuff, again, I would guess a 135 on a crop sensor would be too tight, but it depends how big the rooms are and how tight you want your framing. One thing I’ve learned in my few years of doing indoor events is you can always crop in for a tighter frame if needed, or move closer, but you generally can’t make your shot wider after it’s been taken.
Hi Dustin. I have been an avid follower for years. Thanks for every test you do. Since it's almost Christmas, from the small island of Capri, in Italy, to you and all your family, best wishes for joy and serenity.
@@nagual2335 I love the lens. The AF is slow in comparison to my 35GM, but otherwise it’s an awesome piece of glass. My only complaint is a personal one, and it’s that it sits on my desk most of the time. It’s rare that I carry it because it’s not wide enough for my everyday shooting. I really only break it out for the rare headshots and outdoor portraits, but I still don’t regret it for the price I got it.
I purchased the Samyang 135mm 1.8. It works well with my lower resolution A7IV. I recently invested in the Sony 135mm 1.8 GM which is exclusively used on my A7RV. Just wow! Anything I shoot now is a potential master piece! Beautiful lens! The Samyang lenses have a weird copy variation, some mediocre and some stellar.
Just tested one Samyang, one Rokinon and the Sony GM few days ago with newest firmware. Samyang has odd AF clicking noises than Rokinon and the Rokinon had front focused and not fixable even using the lens station dock (worked in camera store and calibrated many lenses). The quality control is mediocre to me. Sony GM was the perfect child that does everything right even when I am not looking! I adopted the perfect child!
Now i have the Sony 135mm GM and its a beast of a lens. Great for portraits and is amazing on my A9 for ATV racing. The auto focus is phenomenal on how quick it finds focus and stays focused on the racers flying by. I had a good 50 mph. But I also only three Samyang lenses. I own the 85mm f1.4 V1, the 35mm f1.4, and the 50mm f1.4 V2, that all worked phenomenal and I’ve used them for portraits and all my weddings. Now i did replace my samyang 85mm with the sigma 85mm f1.4 DG DN but i am still keeping the samyang 85mm as a backup. If Samyang would’ve came out with 135 mm before I bought the Sony version I would’ve probably bought the Samyang. But after owning the Sony lens, I am completely happy with, how good it works. Samyang is really doing great things with their lenses. And are not getting enough credit that they deserve. They’ve had some quality control issues in the past but I have not had any issues with any of my lenses. Thanks for the great comparison you never know maybe I might pick up the Samyang 135 mm and use it for portraits and keep the GM For my sports photography. Because I am out there in some rough conditions and rain and dust during these races that the Sony GM just is a solid lens that can take on these types of conditions. I love your videos and thank you for taking the time to compare these two lenses. I’ve been really curious on how they compare and I am really impressed with Samyang and I will continue to use their lenses with great success
Would love to see like short 3 minute videos. I love your content and at this point I feel like most people that watch you trust your judgements. Two versions would help a short one and long version. I know it's a lot of work to put in. I do some quick videos myself so even that takes a while but I know you want to grow your channel even more.
6:46 I dont get why you would move the camera up 90° to see the printed aperture instead to just use the evf or screen you have to use anyway to frame. i kinda wish the aperture rings on G/GM could be toggled to rotate 360 degree and act like a dial
This is comparison between the Best-of-Samyang vs Best-of-Sony. Aperture ring is not necessary as most people will only use max. Fast focusing is essential for portrait. The metal structure could last longer and more stable.
I think that different people have different priorities, which is why I do these comparisons and try to equip people for making an informed decision for themselves.
I have been looking for a great deal on the Sony GM lens; always checking the used market. But today I saw Amazon had a Prime Day special on the Samyang for $540! I checked your review first to see if it was something I should consider (I was actually interested in the Sigma). Anyway, even if it turns out not to my liking, returning it is easy, so I pulled the trigger.
Impressive. Even in direct comparison the Samyang is not that far behind. On the first shot around 10:00 it seems like the Samyang is a fraction darker. Maybe lower transmission? The shot around 12:00 shows more neutral colours on the GM as well as higher contrast. But overall it is a really close call.
Dustin, I have a question (and possible future video idea) regarding portraits. Could you compare and contrast the Sony 70-200mm 2.8 GM II at 200mm with either of these 135mm lenses for portraits? I am considering either a 135mm 1.8 or a 70-200mm 2.8 at 200mm for video interviews and portraits but I do not know what would be more... flattering, better, more "pop" or bokeh, etc. What are your immediate thoughts?
The new GM II is going to deliver near perfect IQ. The real advantage for the 135mm primes is slightly nicer bokeh and shallower DOF due to having an F1.8 aperture.
Im more curious about the Samyang verses the Sigma 135 Art. But im hoping Sigma comes out with a new one soon that is smaller and lighter like they did with their 85 Art.
I have the Samyang and use it on my A6400, still waiting for my A7C to arrive. This lens is perfect and very affordable considering the performance. The only thing is it's really heavy.
thank you very much, the review is very helpful in looking in more detail. I still doubt Samyang because there were several complaints after upgrading to version 4. The autofocus actually became slow and difficult. Please help with information for this. Thank You
That is really spectacular performance. Since I switched to Sony from Nikon I have missed my Sigma Art 135 a lot, but I haven't pulled the trigger on the GM yet. I think this Samyang has my name on it. I'm also sort of half waiting in case Sony releases a 105 1.4 GM which would be optimal IMO.
The 100mm f2.8 STF GM is a strange lens, but also a stellar performer if you don't necessarily need the f1.4. It's one of the few less popular GM's and therefore one of the cheaper ones (especially on the 2nd hand market).
That would be an appealing lens. I'm surprised more lensmakers have jumped on the 100-110mm range, which to me is a great compromise between 85mm and 135mm
I've tried all of the 135mm on the market, including the old Nikon and Zeiss ones, all except for the 135mm GM, which is about to change as I just got one ordered after watching this video. I have tried the 135 GM in the past and I would equate the IQ and rendering to the same level as the legendary Nikon 135mm f2 and Leica APO Telyt 135mm f3.4 lenses... Anyhow, there are some negative comments on this video, that made me want to write this reply, so to anyone thinking of buying a 135mm lens; If you shoot in a studio setting, you might as well get the cheapest lens on the list because in a studio setting, especially if you use more than one strobe, you will not notice any difference in image quality or optical flaws of the lens, however, if you shoot on location, the difference in image quality will be more than noticeable, not just to you but to anyone looking at your image. For Sony shooters, go with either Batis or GM, for Canon users, although not as good as GM or Batis, the RF 135 1.8 is amazing and renders almost as good, for Nikon users I would recommend either the legendary 135mm f2+FTZ or the FTZ+Zeiss 135mm f2 APO Sonnar combination. I would also mention Hasselblad, P1 and Fuji GF lenses but I would expect people who shoot Hassy, P1 and GFX systems know their stuff!
Thanks for this review. What about CA? I did not see any comments in the image quality section of your video. I also did not see any CA so my guess is they're both pretty good 😅
Thank you for this in-depth review of Samyang 135mm f/1.8 vs Sony GM 135mm f/1.8. I am just adventuring into action hockey photography and am currently satisfied with the Full/APS-C results from the 15FPS Tamron 35-150mm f/2.0-f/2.8 paired with an A1. I would like to see if I can get either extra shutter speed or cleaner ISO images with the 135mm f/1.8. Although the Sony GM 135mm f/1.8 is definitely the faster AF speed lens I am still going to try out the Rokinon/Samyang f/1.8 first based on the price along before jumping into a Sony with 1.5X more cost.
@@DustinAbbottTWI YOU ARE CORRECT! It has been over a week now and I had tested both Samsung and Rokinon with Samsung lens station dock together from Amazon with a Sony GM 135mm f/1.8 lenses all with the newest firmware for many days. As an owner of most 3rd party lenses, my was hoping to get the Samyang or Rokinon to save money. For whatever reason, both Samsung and Rokinon copies I got are nowhere as share as the Sony GM in both the center and the edges and the Rokinon is front focused regardless how I adjust it with the lens dock (Micro USB in 2024!!?). Best way I can describe the speed of AF is: Samsung & Rokinon "Acquired" the AF genteelly and smoothly while the Sony GM "Snapped" dead on smoothly like it saw a million dollar!! Huge difference for my need for lowlight sports photography (at least 4x~5x faster). The most interesting result is the ISO. I shoot auto ISO and set the camera to 1/250s & f/1.8 and though not all but many Samsung & Rokinon image shows ~1/4 stop higher (ISO 2500 vs ISO 3200 or ISO 5000 vs ISO 6400) than Sony GM as well. The end result is that I was able to find, test and purchase an used mint condition Sony GM at 25% off retail at a local store with 5 year accidental warranty coverage and am happy with it. additional test: I tested the Sony 135mm GM with the Tamron 35-150mm and Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 GM II all at 135mm and the center sharpness are very similar but Sony GM lenses wins in huge margin with the mid and edges of the frame. AF speeds are all equally good. Tamron will always be my all purpose event lens where 99% of the time I will not be swapping it out under any weather condition but the Sony GM lenses will be for the sports evens where they will be in two separate camera bags all the time for duty calls. Thanks again for the excellent review.
I'm not sure If I had the choice 1.5 years ago I'd go with the GM! Nothing wows my clients like that GM lens though. When you have the opportunity to use it it delivers a knock out punch.
Having bought the Samyang and also used 50mm 1.2 Gm, Reason to buy Samyang: total lack of LOCA better than most lenses and only rivalled by Voigtlander macro APO lenses. Reason to buy Sony GM: that sick sick sick focus speed and center resolution breaking records.
This confirms my decision to go with Samyang 135. I haven’t tested it for a Vball game yet, but hopefully AF speed is sufficient. But if the 50mm GM’s speed is near that 135mm GM speed, that is a really fast AF and might be worth for those doing indoor sports.
I have the Samyang 135 which I choose over the Sony even though I could afford either. The auto focus is fast enough when I did some birds in flight. I’ve not had any issue with af speed. You can use the distance limiter to optimise it even more for your situation. So even though it’s not as quick as the Sony it’s certainly quick enough in most situations.
I just got my Samyang 135mm lens, and this lens is quite noisy when aperture open or close, compared to my other Sony or Sigma lenses. Not sure if this is a problem of the model or I am just unlucky.
Would love to see you compare the 135 to the new 70-200ii. I haven’t touched my 135 since it got the gmii….i shoot with strobes most of the time so the extra aperture doesn’t matter much
@@daviddoherty8493 135 is an amazing lens but the 70-200ii(stay far away from the first one) will rarely leave your camera. 70-200gmii all day long simply because it’s so much more practical, versatile and you sacrifice next to nothing for it. The 135 just requires way too much space to be used regularly, and i have to force myself to use it now that I have the 200
Quick Question. I presently use the sigma 105 1.4 for most of my portrait work. I find that to be an amazing lens. Will it be a waste of money to purchase the 135 if I’m using the 105.? I don’t want to be redundant.
135mm is slightly less flexible as a focal length, but there's a huge difference in size there, and the AF will actually probably be a little better on the Samyang considering you are having to adapt or use the built-in adapter FE version.
I wouln't sell that Sigma 105 1.4. I'm not a fan of Sigma neither Tamron but I almost bought thos one, haha. Unfortunately I'd never invest in adapted lenses cus I'm with Nikon Z so I purchased TTartisan 90mm 1.25 which kinda gives similar look
Hi Dustin. I owned the Samyang and sended back next day. No consistency of focusing on my Alpha 7 R IV. Just some front focusing. I can't understand the point with a mirrorless gear that is focusing directly on the sensor, but it was the case. If the focus isn't nail on the requested point, the lense is not for me !
@@DustinAbbottTWI Hi, I'm really confident about your testing (and I owned some lenses after consulting your testings). So, t was also a surprise for me.But, if some other people had the same issue it could be helpful to have also their comments. Regards.
Just sold my six year old heavy Sigma 135 and picked up a much lighter, like new, out of box Samyang 135 for $500. The Samyang 135 delivers equivalent IQ to the Sigma Art and the weight savings makes it the best option for me.
Samyang IQ looks every bit as good as the Sony's, for less than half the price. I'd give up a bit on weather-sealing and materials to save that money. I like the 135mm focal length, and have owned the Sony Zeiss A-mount and the GM lens, but it's a tough focal length for general use, and the weight makes it the first lens to cut from the kit for travel. So personally, I couldn't justify keeping the GM in my collection, but for $1000, might consider adding the Samyang.
I have samyang 135 manuel focus lense for astrophotograph and it is almost at level of high end telescope optic qualty. I know some people get different performance from diffirent coppies of this lense but you rarely find this much qualty on this cheap product when you consider sharp telescope's prices. If want qualty on wide field with out spending too much money. I say buy it. Only problem you will face fi ding good filters.
135 focal length is not something you use everyday so spending 2K on a lens is big investment so the Samyang at half the price makes a lot of sense to many who would like to add a 135 to their bag .
I use the 135GM virtually everyday for dog photography. Because it's my most used lens I was willing to splurge for the best. For focal lengths I use less often I'm willing to look at options from samyang, tamron etc. Also the price difference is nowhere near as stated in this video here in the UK.
I was lucky and got my Samyang for 665 Euros (incl. Tax) on a Black Friday Sale this year. The only problem so far is that i had the eye-AF of my Sony A7Riii on the frame of glasses more often than the eye ... thanx Dustin for the infos!
@@DustinAbbottTWI thank you for all the great videos, detail informations and your thoughts! This helped me to make some buying decisions this year.I wish you and your family a great christmas-time and a good start into 2023!
I also have the A7RIII and even on my 70-200 GMII it also focuses a lot on the glasses and not the eyes. The A7RV isn’t enough to push me over to upgrade, so I’m waiting on whenever the A7RVI comes outs.
It’s sad samyang didn’t want to invest earlier in reviews from important people like you and many others, basically because people like me didn’t buy it because of the lack of different opinions out there, regards, thank you
I think I would still stick with the GM simply because the lens will allow for the camera’s full capabilities, as opposed to limiting the capabilities. That already in itself warrants the GM should be bought. Yes, performance vs price is VERY enticing in the Samyang and very much worth it, but if I wanted to explore my camera’s full capabilities, I couldn’t do it with the Samyang. I say wait a couple more months, save up the money and always get native land for your camera. It’s always pays off in the long run.
@@NT_1I have the Samyang and now the GM 135mm. The autofocus and rendering on my A7RV is second to none with the GM. I put them head to head under real world situation, the GM is more reliable for my pro work and will last much longer.
I bought the 135GM and returned it as 135 is a rarely used focal length and lens was expensive and heavy. Samyang gives users like me an opportunity to keep 135mm in the bag without feeling guilt that you spent a lot on a gear which you only going to use once in a while. If you really really need 135mm and make money out of this hobby then stick to GM otherwise Samyang makes a very compelling case without breaking the bank.
I'm sure the Samyang is a nice lens, but I like Sony native glass as the lenses just integrate so nicely into the ecosystem. Yes, I know it's expensive, but it is worth it.
@@DustinAbbottTWI Yes, one does see why Canon would do what they're doing, but they will alienate x many people. Let's see what the size of x will become. It may become a net backfire 🤷🏼♂️
There's no question that the GM has better autofocus. It also costs nearly twice as much, so for many photographers the best simply isn't in their budget.
@@DustinAbbottTWI i think maybe next time, try the samyang 135 for streets, sports or wildlife then do the comparison too. much better showdown and more realistic I guess
12:20 It appears to me that the Samyang is a smidgen more front-focussed. Could well be why the delightfully sharp Sony appears to be sharper in the middle of the frame.
Дорогой друг! Условия фотографирования (фокус и т.д.) на ваших фото немного разные везде! Что может влиять на качество картинки. Тщательное сравнение, таким образом, не возможно!
TC.. ! A Samsung buyer could deeply regret having bought it if (?) it is not compatible for double-use with a TeleConverter. If (?) the GM is TeleConverter compatible; then that may very well be THE factor a user would pay those 1000 extra..
@@AR-vf7vg I have the Sony G 135mm and my 1.4x tele will not work. It will hit the rear element of the lens. I am not sure about the Samyang but I doubt it would fit.
@@CameraRay There is a YT testimony that pretends it is possible to remove a rubber ring on the TC and thus make it mountable onto the Sigma f/1.4 105mm lens (But some electronics remain crippled by design?). I dont know if it would be worthwhile to look into the feasability of that with the GM 135mm lens (a matter of reclaimed space when without the rubber ring), and if, after all, Sony did not cripple electronic communication on its own gears...
@@AR-vf7vg The Tc sticks too far into the lens no matter what alterations you could make. It will hit rear element. If you added a spacer you may get the clearance but image quality would not be very good. You would be better off just cropping the RAW file in and get better results.
I don't shoot Sony E mount, so outcome is a little irrelevant to me. However, given the price differential, why would you buy the Sony, the faster AF is not that significant.
@@DustinAbbottTWI i´ve had both Lenses and the color differences are huge. Totally wrong colors withe the Samyang and so i sold the Lens and get the GM and couldn´t be happier. In all ways the much better Lens.
@@fotomats8651 That seems odd, in Dustin's detailed side by side comparison shots both rendered virtually identical colors on my 4K calibrated monitor.
if you poor need awesome lens go samyang. . if you fucking got money go sony eazy 🤣. and YES i got samyang 🤣. . still make alot money with that cheap lens. . just 1 month i got my money back. . that samyang ZERO green and people color at the line 🤙(color fringing) the true king of king lens for me for photo 60% make eazy to fast edit the photo
@@DustinAbbottTWI even same image quality. Even Sony lens af 0.000.1sec faster than 3rd party with Linear motor, af noise 0.0001db lower than 3rd party, 0.0001g lighter , get g/ gm lens
Thank you very much for this comparison and for your work in 2022, Dustin! Your videos are „Gold standard“ to me when it comes to lenses. I wish you and your family a happy Christmas and all the best for the upcoming year. Kind regards from Germany, Martin
Thank you very much, Martin.
So conclusion is... if faster AF is your top most priority.. get the GM. If not the Samyang will just do it.
That's pretty much it.
And if you want to use it on an fx6 or fx9. Af from Samyang simply doesn’t work, no reviewer will tell you
@@alexkooistrado you mean the AF is not consistent or does it miss all the time on the Samyang?
@@alexkooistra apparently as of February of this year there is a firmware update from Samyang that fixes that issue!
More reliable auto focus is what I want, so the GM is what I invested in. When you’re a pro, GM glass is the reliable choice!
Happy Christmas Dustin, enjoy your videos and have bought some gear over the years as a result!
Thank you, Andrew. Merry Christmas to you, too.
Very suprising review, top notch as always! Owning the GM myself, it’s by far my favourite lens to use. However, for the price the Samyang is a true winner as you have shown. But, for paid shoots, I would not trade my GM for the Samyang. The autofocus, image quality SOOC, build and Aperture ring are worth the price for me.
The GM is an amazing lens (I own one), but Samyang has definitely produced a lens well worth it for those who can't afford the GM.
@@DustinAbbottTWI I agree 100% with you. It’s a very good development for the Sony platform that 3rd party companies are bringing these types of solid lenses on the market.
When I do fashion shoots, my usual two lenses of choice are one 50/55mm and one 135mm lens, a combination with which I can do every single composition I can think of! I also use, although very rarely, a 16-35! On Sony, I always have the 55mm 1.8 ZA and the 135mm 2.8 Batis on - I've also just ordered the 135 GM!
@@bbasleigh6149 Sigma also made in Japan
Amazingly detailed! Thanks.
You're welcome.
Great review as always! I’ve had both, currently only own the samyang and you hit the nail on the head when saying the main benefit the GM has is the autofocus speed - that’s the only noticeable difference I have found. Having said that the samyang focus speed is fast enough for my usage so I’m delighted with it!
Exactly.
how about shooting sports? and moving objects
@@devineffendi sports, the GM wins easily. I don’t think the Samyang would be that good for sports, you might manage the low or medium drive mode, with the samyang, depending on the sport.
For moving subjects, it would depend how much movement. I do weddings and graduation balls with lots of dancing. It’s fine for weddings where I only use medium drive mode anyway. For dancing, 135 is too long for my taste, but I think it would be ok, maybe a few misses along the way.
@@kingweddingmedia okay, thanks for the review, im a event photographer too, and i do photoraph sports event too like cycling and running, my body is a6400, and im curious can it took sharp photos for sport
@@devineffendi I used to do sports (outdoor football/soccer) and one of my bodies was a 6600, it took fantastic images. If I was recommending a lens for a 6400 for running and cycling, I’d go with the Tamron 70-180mm f2.8. I used it for my sports photography and it was really good. I still own it but don’t do sports anymore.
A 135mm for those sorts of sports would either require a lot of cropping in post to get the framing you want, or be quite limited as you shoot because you can’t zoom in or out and probably won’t be able to move quick enough to change your framing. A 135 on an apsc sensor would be quite tight too, you might find it quite limiting to what shots you can get.
For your indoor event stuff, again, I would guess a 135 on a crop sensor would be too tight, but it depends how big the rooms are and how tight you want your framing. One thing I’ve learned in my few years of doing indoor events is you can always crop in for a tighter frame if needed, or move closer, but you generally can’t make your shot wider after it’s been taken.
Amazing review!!! What u can say to me about the focus breathing in each lens?
Thank you for this review!
You're welcome.
Hi Dustin. I have been an avid follower for years. Thanks for every test you do. Since it's almost Christmas, from the small island of Capri, in Italy, to you and all your family, best wishes for joy and serenity.
Thank you very much!
Just grabbed the Samyang on Amazon Prime Day for $560. This comparison made it a no-brainer at that price difference. Thanks!
Wow - such an amazing price!
How was your expirience so far? Are you happy with that lens?
@@nagual2335 I love the lens. The AF is slow in comparison to my 35GM, but otherwise it’s an awesome piece of glass. My only complaint is a personal one, and it’s that it sits on my desk most of the time. It’s rare that I carry it because it’s not wide enough for my everyday shooting. I really only break it out for the rare headshots and outdoor portraits, but I still don’t regret it for the price I got it.
I purchased the Samyang 135mm 1.8. It works well with my lower resolution A7IV. I recently invested in the Sony 135mm 1.8 GM which is exclusively used on my A7RV. Just wow! Anything I shoot now is a potential master piece! Beautiful lens! The Samyang lenses have a weird copy variation, some mediocre and some stellar.
Resolution wise the 135 Samyang should handle the a7RV fine. I have one I use on that camera and it is amazingly sharp
Just tested one Samyang, one Rokinon and the Sony GM few days ago with newest firmware. Samyang has odd AF clicking noises than Rokinon and the Rokinon had front focused and not fixable even using the lens station dock (worked in camera store and calibrated many lenses). The quality control is mediocre to me. Sony GM was the perfect child that does everything right even when I am not looking! I adopted the perfect child!
Honest review as always 🙏🏼
That's always my intent, for sure.
Now i have the Sony 135mm GM and its a beast of a lens. Great for portraits and is amazing on my A9 for ATV racing. The auto focus is phenomenal on how quick it finds focus and stays focused on the racers flying by. I had a good 50 mph. But I also only three Samyang lenses. I own the 85mm f1.4 V1, the 35mm f1.4, and the 50mm f1.4 V2, that all worked phenomenal and I’ve used them for portraits and all my weddings. Now i did replace my samyang 85mm with the sigma 85mm f1.4 DG DN but i am still keeping the samyang 85mm as a backup. If Samyang would’ve came out with 135 mm before I bought the Sony version I would’ve probably bought the Samyang. But after owning the Sony lens, I am completely happy with, how good it works. Samyang is really doing great things with their lenses. And are not getting enough credit that they deserve. They’ve had some quality control issues in the past but I have not had any issues with any of my lenses. Thanks for the great comparison you never know maybe I might pick up the Samyang 135 mm and use it for portraits and keep the GM For my sports photography. Because I am out there in some rough conditions and rain and dust during these races that the Sony GM just is a solid lens that can take on these types of conditions. I love your videos and thank you for taking the time to compare these two lenses. I’ve been really curious on how they compare and I am really impressed with Samyang and I will continue to use their lenses with great success
That's fair. Thanks for the nice feedback.
great video dustin
Glad you enjoyed it
Would love to see like short 3 minute videos. I love your content and at this point I feel like most people that watch you trust your judgements. Two versions would help a short one and long version. I know it's a lot of work to put in. I do some quick videos myself so even that takes a while but I know you want to grow your channel even more.
I do have a quick review for many of my lens reviews that is about 5 minutes long for that very reason.
Does the Samyang require software updating?
Jeez thought the difference would be bigger / more noticeable ... wow. BIG W for Samyang here. Cheers Dustin!
It's not optically, for sure.
6:46 I dont get why you would move the camera up 90° to see the printed aperture instead to just use the evf or screen you have to use anyway to frame. i kinda wish the aperture rings on G/GM could be toggled to rotate 360 degree and act like a dial
It really comes down to what each photographer prefers.
This is comparison between the Best-of-Samyang vs Best-of-Sony. Aperture ring is not necessary as most people will only use max. Fast focusing is essential for portrait. The metal structure could last longer and more stable.
I think that different people have different priorities, which is why I do these comparisons and try to equip people for making an informed decision for themselves.
Thanks for the nice review! I think the Sony 135mm f1.8 GM is one of Sony's best prime lenses, I have been really happy with the results.
It is definitely one of the best lenses on the platform.
135 GM has the best optical quality, but now could loose potential buyers to 70200GM ii and the new Samyang 135
There's some truth to that.
I have been looking for a great deal on the Sony GM lens; always checking the used market. But today I saw Amazon had a Prime Day special on the Samyang for $540! I checked your review first to see if it was something I should consider (I was actually interested in the Sigma). Anyway, even if it turns out not to my liking, returning it is easy, so I pulled the trigger.
That is amazingly good for this lens. I have one, and love it.
Impressive. Even in direct comparison the Samyang is not that far behind. On the first shot around 10:00 it seems like the Samyang is a fraction darker. Maybe lower transmission? The shot around 12:00 shows more neutral colours on the GM as well as higher contrast. But overall it is a really close call.
It's definitely close.
Dustin, I have a question (and possible future video idea) regarding portraits. Could you compare and contrast the Sony 70-200mm 2.8 GM II at 200mm with either of these 135mm lenses for portraits? I am considering either a 135mm 1.8 or a 70-200mm 2.8 at 200mm for video interviews and portraits but I do not know what would be more... flattering, better, more "pop" or bokeh, etc. What are your immediate thoughts?
The new GM II is going to deliver near perfect IQ. The real advantage for the 135mm primes is slightly nicer bokeh and shallower DOF due to having an F1.8 aperture.
Im more curious about the Samyang verses the Sigma 135 Art. But im hoping Sigma comes out with a new one soon that is smaller and lighter like they did with their 85 Art.
Right now I'd easily recommend the Samyang, but when Sigma brings out a DN version of their lens it could be a different story.
I just bought the rokinon version for $799 at b&h used it for the first time yesterday, was impressed.
Great price, and it is an impressive lens.
I have the Samyang and use it on my A6400, still waiting for my A7C to arrive. This lens is perfect and very affordable considering the performance. The only thing is it's really heavy.
It's definitely on the large side for those compact bodies.
thank you very much, the review is very helpful in looking in more detail. I still doubt Samyang because there were several complaints after upgrading to version 4. The autofocus actually became slow and difficult. Please help with information for this. Thank You
That hasn't been my experience, and I have the most recent firmware.
That is really spectacular performance. Since I switched to Sony from Nikon I have missed my Sigma Art 135 a lot, but I haven't pulled the trigger on the GM yet. I think this Samyang has my name on it. I'm also sort of half waiting in case Sony releases a 105 1.4 GM which would be optimal IMO.
The 100mm f2.8 STF GM is a strange lens, but also a stellar performer if you don't necessarily need the f1.4. It's one of the few less popular GM's and therefore one of the cheaper ones (especially on the 2nd hand market).
That would be an appealing lens. I'm surprised more lensmakers have jumped on the 100-110mm range, which to me is a great compromise between 85mm and 135mm
@@DustinAbbottTWIIt would not be unfeasible to design an 85-135mm f2 lens.
Now you can only choose Sigma 105 1.4 but just HSM instead of DG DN, if it's DG DN, it may be a good choice.
Great lens. If I wasnt going to use it for weddings I would consider the Samyang. But I need very reliable AF.
Fair enough.
I'm in Canada, where do I buy this? On Amazon there is the Rokinon 135mm, is it the same thing? And will it work on the samyang dock station?
This is the same lens and will work on the Samyang Lens Station: amzn.to/3GcMTH9
I'd really love to see a Sony 135 f2 G come out. Something much much lighter and offers the classes 135 f2 look would be amazing.
I would be surprised to see much of a size reduction if you are only going to F2. F2.5 could be fairly compact.
I've tried all of the 135mm on the market, including the old Nikon and Zeiss ones, all except for the 135mm GM, which is about to change as I just got one ordered after watching this video. I have tried the 135 GM in the past and I would equate the IQ and rendering to the same level as the legendary Nikon 135mm f2 and Leica APO Telyt 135mm f3.4 lenses... Anyhow, there are some negative comments on this video, that made me want to write this reply, so to anyone thinking of buying a 135mm lens; If you shoot in a studio setting, you might as well get the cheapest lens on the list because in a studio setting, especially if you use more than one strobe, you will not notice any difference in image quality or optical flaws of the lens, however, if you shoot on location, the difference in image quality will be more than noticeable, not just to you but to anyone looking at your image. For Sony shooters, go with either Batis or GM, for Canon users, although not as good as GM or Batis, the RF 135 1.8 is amazing and renders almost as good, for Nikon users I would recommend either the legendary 135mm f2+FTZ or the FTZ+Zeiss 135mm f2 APO Sonnar combination. I would also mention Hasselblad, P1 and Fuji GF lenses but I would expect people who shoot Hassy, P1 and GFX systems know their stuff!
It's a lovely lens, for sure.
I still prefer the 105 focal length over the 135, but this review is excellent! Thank you.
105mm is a great focal length...particularly when paired with a nice, big aperture!
Thanks for this review.
What about CA? I did not see any comments in the image quality section of your video. I also did not see any CA so my guess is they're both pretty good 😅
Neither one of them has issues with CA. In fact, not much in terms of optical issues in general.
I can very highly recommend the Sony 135mm 1.8 GM which I use on the Sony A7RIV both in full frame and in APSC mode.
It's a fabulous lens.
Thank you for this in-depth review of Samyang 135mm f/1.8 vs Sony GM 135mm f/1.8. I am just adventuring into action hockey photography and am currently satisfied with the Full/APS-C results from the 15FPS Tamron 35-150mm f/2.0-f/2.8 paired with an A1. I would like to see if I can get either extra shutter speed or cleaner ISO images with the 135mm f/1.8. Although the Sony GM 135mm f/1.8 is definitely the faster AF speed lens I am still going to try out the Rokinon/Samyang f/1.8 first based on the price along before jumping into a Sony with 1.5X more cost.
Here's hoping you get what you like from it.
@@DustinAbbottTWI YOU ARE CORRECT!
It has been over a week now and I had tested both Samsung and Rokinon with Samsung lens station dock together from Amazon with a Sony GM 135mm f/1.8 lenses all with the newest firmware for many days. As an owner of most 3rd party lenses, my was hoping to get the Samyang or Rokinon to save money. For whatever reason, both Samsung and Rokinon copies I got are nowhere as share as the Sony GM in both the center and the edges and the Rokinon is front focused regardless how I adjust it with the lens dock (Micro USB in 2024!!?). Best way I can describe the speed of AF is: Samsung & Rokinon "Acquired" the AF genteelly and smoothly while the Sony GM "Snapped" dead on smoothly like it saw a million dollar!! Huge difference for my need for lowlight sports photography (at least 4x~5x faster). The most interesting result is the ISO. I shoot auto ISO and set the camera to 1/250s & f/1.8 and though not all but many Samsung & Rokinon image shows ~1/4 stop higher (ISO 2500 vs ISO 3200 or ISO 5000 vs ISO 6400) than Sony GM as well. The end result is that I was able to find, test and purchase an used mint condition Sony GM at 25% off retail at a local store with 5 year accidental warranty coverage and am happy with it.
additional test:
I tested the Sony 135mm GM with the Tamron 35-150mm and Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 GM II all at 135mm and the center sharpness are very similar but Sony GM lenses wins in huge margin with the mid and edges of the frame. AF speeds are all equally good. Tamron will always be my all purpose event lens where 99% of the time I will not be swapping it out under any weather condition but the Sony GM lenses will be for the sports evens where they will be in two separate camera bags all the time for duty calls.
Thanks again for the excellent review.
I'm not sure If I had the choice 1.5 years ago I'd go with the GM! Nothing wows my clients like that GM lens though. When you have the opportunity to use it it delivers a knock out punch.
It is a stunningly good lens.
Having bought the Samyang and also used 50mm 1.2 Gm, Reason to buy Samyang: total lack of LOCA better than most lenses and only rivalled by Voigtlander macro APO lenses. Reason to buy Sony GM: that sick sick sick focus speed and center resolution breaking records.
Fair enough
I got my Samyang within Black Friday time for $718 after tax. A deal I could not refuse! I absolutely love the output of lens!
Great price. It's an amazing value at that price point.
This Samyang 135 is just a huge deal! So much affordable and just pure good image quality. Amazing 👍
Definitely is.
This confirms my decision to go with Samyang 135. I haven’t tested it for a Vball game yet, but hopefully AF speed is sufficient. But if the 50mm GM’s speed is near that 135mm GM speed, that is a really fast AF and might be worth for those doing indoor sports.
That's where I'm at, for sure.
I have the Samyang 135 which I choose over the Sony even though I could afford either. The auto focus is fast enough when I did some birds in flight. I’ve not had any issue with af speed. You can use the distance limiter to optimise it even more for your situation. So even though it’s not as quick as the Sony it’s certainly quick enough in most situations.
Crazy to see the Samyang go toe to toe with the GM in image quality. Hopefully Samy will release this in X mount at some point.
That would be nice
The winner is definitely the customer. So great to have all those options.
That's very true.
I just got my Samyang 135mm lens, and this lens is quite noisy when aperture open or close, compared to my other Sony or Sigma lenses. Not sure if this is a problem of the model or I am just unlucky.
There is some aperture noise, but you get used to it.
Would love to see you compare the 135 to the new 70-200ii. I haven’t touched my 135 since it got the gmii….i shoot with strobes most of the time so the extra aperture doesn’t matter much
I still haven't gotten one of those in for review, but maybe I'll do that comparison when I do.
@@DustinAbbottTWI it’s so much better than the original. I have to say the original was complete garbage 😂
Literally in the process of choosing between a 135 and a 70-200. Any thoughts?
@@daviddoherty8493 135 is an amazing lens but the 70-200ii(stay far away from the first one) will rarely leave your camera. 70-200gmii all day long simply because it’s so much more practical, versatile and you sacrifice next to nothing for it. The 135 just requires way too much space to be used regularly, and i have to force myself to use it now that I have the 200
Quick Question. I presently use the sigma 105 1.4 for most of my portrait work. I find that to be an amazing lens. Will it be a waste of money to purchase the 135 if I’m using the 105.? I don’t want to be redundant.
135mm is slightly less flexible as a focal length, but there's a huge difference in size there, and the AF will actually probably be a little better on the Samyang considering you are having to adapt or use the built-in adapter FE version.
I have a 105 and immediately sold my 135 the moment I bought the 105 and compared both .
I wouln't sell that Sigma 105 1.4. I'm not a fan of Sigma neither Tamron but I almost bought thos one, haha. Unfortunately I'd never invest in adapted lenses cus I'm with Nikon Z so I purchased TTartisan 90mm 1.25 which kinda gives similar look
Hi Dustin. I owned the Samyang and sended back next day. No consistency of focusing on my Alpha 7 R IV. Just some front focusing. I can't understand the point with a mirrorless gear that is focusing directly on the sensor, but it was the case. If the focus isn't nail on the requested point, the lense is not for me !
That's actually very surprising. I've had very good focus consistency with the last 10 or so Samyang lenses that I've used or owned.
@@DustinAbbottTWI Hi, I'm really confident about your testing (and I owned some lenses after consulting your testings). So, t was also a surprise for me.But, if some other people had the same issue it could be helpful to have also their comments. Regards.
Great review.....I hope Samyang makes one for the Nikon Z series.
I think that could happen. Nikon seems to be opening up.
Just sold my six year old heavy Sigma 135 and picked up a much lighter, like new, out of box Samyang 135 for $500. The Samyang 135 delivers equivalent IQ to the Sigma Art and the weight savings makes it the best option for me.
Nice. I actually sold my 135GM because I rarely shoot the focal length and kept the much cheaper Samyang.
Samyang IQ looks every bit as good as the Sony's, for less than half the price. I'd give up a bit on weather-sealing and materials to save that money. I like the 135mm focal length, and have owned the Sony Zeiss A-mount and the GM lens, but it's a tough focal length for general use, and the weight makes it the first lens to cut from the kit for travel. So personally, I couldn't justify keeping the GM in my collection, but for $1000, might consider adding the Samyang.
That's sound logic to me. If it is not a priority focal length, the Samyang makes more sense for occasional use.
135mm Zeiss (milvus or classic) if manual focus is ok.
I love that lens, for sure.
I have samyang 135 manuel focus lense for astrophotograph and it is almost at level of high end telescope optic qualty. I know some people get different performance from diffirent coppies of this lense but you rarely find this much qualty on this cheap product when you consider sharp telescope's prices. If want qualty on wide field with out spending too much money. I say buy it. Only problem you will face fi ding good filters.
Very good astro lenses, for sure.
135 focal length is not something you use everyday so spending 2K on a lens is big investment so the Samyang at half the price makes a lot of sense to many who would like to add a 135 to their bag .
That's pretty much where my thought process is.
I use the 135GM virtually everyday for dog photography. Because it's my most used lens I was willing to splurge for the best. For focal lengths I use less often I'm willing to look at options from samyang, tamron etc. Also the price difference is nowhere near as stated in this video here in the UK.
The MFT test say that the Samyang is one of the sharpest lens ever.
I was lucky and got my Samyang for 665 Euros (incl. Tax) on a Black Friday Sale this year. The only problem so far is that i had the eye-AF of my Sony A7Riii on the frame of glasses more often than the eye ... thanx Dustin for the infos!
What an amazing price!
@@DustinAbbottTWI thank you for all the great videos, detail informations and your thoughts! This helped me to make some buying decisions this year.I wish you and your family a great christmas-time and a good start into 2023!
I also have the A7RIII and even on my 70-200 GMII it also focuses a lot on the glasses and not the eyes.
The A7RV isn’t enough to push me over to upgrade, so I’m waiting on whenever the A7RVI comes outs.
@@homeboi808 good to know.
For me samyang would be kinda ok choice too because i am not too much liking 135
Exactly.
Hope Samyang can make the identical copy of their lens.
As I have heard there was a lot of complaint on bad copies of Samyang lens.....
That was much truer in times past. Their quality control is better.
we just got the samyang - it's fantastic
Congrats - enjoy!
what if ur shooting sports?
Then save up for the GM
If I didn’t need the autofocus speed and FPS, that Samyang would be fantastic. Good on Samyang.
Exactly.
Gi sir can you review sony 24-105 f4
I reviewed it probably five years ago. Search on my channel.
@@DustinAbbottTWI copy sir!! Manny tnx!!!
@@DustinAbbottTWI i dont see it can you send me link so i can review it im about to buy between 24-105 or the sigma 24/70 im using sony rv ❤️
samyang seems to have more compression. the dock shot revealed that
I do think the bokeh is a little softer with the Samyang.
It’s sad samyang didn’t want to invest earlier in reviews from important people like you and many others, basically because people like me didn’t buy it because of the lack of different opinions out there, regards, thank you
I think that has changed again. They've got a new representative working with me that seems to be very pro-active.
I think I would still stick with the GM simply because the lens will allow for the camera’s full capabilities, as opposed to limiting the capabilities. That already in itself warrants the GM should be bought.
Yes, performance vs price is VERY enticing in the Samyang and very much worth it, but if I wanted to explore my camera’s full capabilities, I couldn’t do it with the Samyang.
I say wait a couple more months, save up the money and always get native land for your camera. It’s always pays off in the long run.
That's fair. It seems like opinions are pretty divided in the comments, with people who own either lens quite happy with their choice.
This is true if you have High end cameras. Like the Sony A7RV
@@NT_1I have the Samyang and now the GM 135mm. The autofocus and rendering on my A7RV is second to none with the GM. I put them head to head under real world situation, the GM is more reliable for my pro work and will last much longer.
I bought the 135GM and returned it as 135 is a rarely used focal length and lens was expensive and heavy. Samyang gives users like me an opportunity to keep 135mm in the bag without feeling guilt that you spent a lot on a gear which you only going to use once in a while. If you really really need 135mm and make money out of this hobby then stick to GM otherwise Samyang makes a very compelling case without breaking the bank.
This is very, very close to my own thinking on the subject.
I'm sure the Samyang is a nice lens, but I like Sony native glass as the lenses just integrate so nicely into the ecosystem. Yes, I know it's expensive, but it is worth it.
Fair enough!
I actually don't know what you mean there? Is this a roundabout way of justifying GM lenses to yourself? Snobbery at its finest 😂
Perfer the Samyang 135 image but it's close enough to Sony I would rather not miss a shot due to autofocus. Samyang 135 is still incredible value.
Fair enough.
I picked up the Samyang for $663 on an Amazon Black Friday sale, it was a no brainer
Definitely at that price!!
Excellent work.
For me, the Samyang in Z mount, please 😄
It's this type of thing that'll one day make me buy a Z camera.
I definitely think there is more hope for a Z mount than a Canon RF mount at this point.
@@DustinAbbottTWI Yes, one does see why Canon would do what they're doing, but they will alienate x many people. Let's see what the size of x will become. It may become a net backfire 🤷🏼♂️
Doesn't more seal point mean higher points to fail? I guess the Samyang is better in that respect, fewer seal points to fail.
That's not how it works. These are not electronics that can fail - they are rubber gaskets that just help keep everything sealed.
My point is that if a lens has less gaskets needed that means it needs less sealing and thus less points of sealing failure. @@DustinAbbottTWI
If the Sony GM 135mm is one of the best lenses ever made, so is the Samyang.
Fair point, so long as you are specifically referring to image quality.
it looks like they're equal tools...except very specialized applications.
They both have serious strengths.
Will never settle for less.
Autofocus is very important.
Sony gm 135 is still the best
There's no question that the GM has better autofocus. It also costs nearly twice as much, so for many photographers the best simply isn't in their budget.
@@DustinAbbottTWI i think maybe next time, try the samyang 135 for streets, sports or wildlife then do the comparison too. much better showdown and more realistic I guess
12:20 It appears to me that the Samyang is a smidgen more front-focussed. Could well be why the delightfully sharp Sony appears to be sharper in the middle of the frame.
I'm a little skeptical of that. Being front focused with a 2D flat chart is pretty atypical...and I've run this kind of test for hundreds of lenses.
The future Nikon Z, hehe
Here's hoping?
Дорогой друг! Условия фотографирования (фокус и т.д.) на ваших фото немного разные везде! Что может влиять на качество картинки. Тщательное сравнение, таким образом, не возможно!
TC.. ! A Samsung buyer could deeply regret having bought it if (?) it is not compatible for double-use with a TeleConverter.
If (?) the GM is TeleConverter compatible;
then that may very well be THE factor a user would pay those 1000 extra..
Neither lens works with TC.
@@CameraRay Is that so ? REALLY of big importance ! Is that so ? (Sorry to insist...)
@@AR-vf7vg I have the Sony G 135mm and my 1.4x tele will not work. It will hit the rear element of the lens. I am not sure about the Samyang but I doubt it would fit.
@@CameraRay There is a YT testimony that pretends it is possible to remove a rubber ring on the TC and thus make it mountable onto the Sigma f/1.4 105mm lens (But some electronics remain crippled by design?).
I dont know if it would be worthwhile to look into the feasability of that with the GM 135mm lens (a matter of reclaimed space when without the rubber ring),
and if, after all, Sony did not cripple electronic communication on its own gears...
@@AR-vf7vg The Tc sticks too far into the lens no matter what alterations you could make. It will hit rear element. If you added a spacer you may get the clearance but image quality would not be very good. You would be better off just cropping the RAW file in and get better results.
I don't shoot Sony E mount, so outcome is a little irrelevant to me.
However, given the price differential, why would you buy the Sony, the faster AF is not that significant.
I think there are reasons, but the Samyang is a huge value alternative that doesn't give up much.
Big price difference comparing a 700 dollar lens to the Sony 2100 dollars you get what you pay for.
Yes, though the Samyang is pretty astoundingly good optically for that money.
i don´t like the yellowish color Tones of a Samyang lens sorry but no chance vs a G-Master Lens.
I'm intrigued that you perceive yellowish tones from this Samyang. The color profile seemed pretty similar to me between them.
@@DustinAbbottTWI i´ve had both Lenses and the color differences are huge. Totally wrong colors withe the Samyang and so i sold the Lens and get the GM and couldn´t be happier. In all ways the much better Lens.
@@fotomats8651 That seems odd, in Dustin's detailed side by side comparison shots both rendered virtually identical colors on my 4K calibrated monitor.
@@heathwirt8919 on my Studio Display Nano as well. Colors are the same.
Samyang did magic here, but thanks to Sony's third-party-friendly ecosystem.
Agreed. This is why I mostly recommend people into the Sony space these days.
Samyang is really putting the heat on more expensive lenses these days. Their 135 is next on my list of purchases.
Absolutely.
Really Really Really Really Really....
???
samyang better then gm :)
That's probably debatable, but kudos to Samyang for producing such a competitive lens at a much lower price point.
if you poor need awesome lens go samyang. . if you fucking got money go sony eazy 🤣.
and YES i got samyang 🤣. . still make alot money with that cheap lens. . just 1 month i got my money back. . that samyang ZERO green and people color at the line 🤙(color fringing) the true king of king lens for me for photo 60% make eazy to fast edit the photo
Glad you are enjoying your lens
no reason to buy third party if have money.
Perhaps, though that might not be true in every case.
@@DustinAbbottTWI even same image quality. Even Sony lens af 0.000.1sec faster than 3rd party with Linear motor, af noise 0.0001db lower than 3rd party, 0.0001g lighter , get g/ gm lens
IMO Samyang destroys the GM. So cheap and that performance. Its a no-brainer.
Samyang
I'm not sure that destroying is accurate, but value for money is definitely a no-brainer.