Simply the Canon 135mm f/2 was introduced in 1996. It is being constructed with 20 years old specifications. The Samyang / Rokinon 135mm f/2 was introduced in 2015. 19 years difference with canon. That means a lot. The full electronic autofocus Canon costs around 1000$. The manual Samyang / Rokinon costs around 550$ nearly half the money and that is important. Koreans and Chinese lenses were the underdogs before 2010. However they narrow the gap with the big players Canon, Nikon. Mirrorless cameras and especially the full frame Sony a7 series are very friendly and easy with the focusing of manual lenses. That is a game changer. Amateurs can enjoy the quality of top Canon, Nikon lenses at half the price. Nikon and especially Canon have a great variety of lenses. Unfortunately most of them were introduced during the film era and are aging. They are very slowly updated and Chinese and Koreans are exploiting that.
Actually to say most Nikon and Canon lenses were introduced during the film era is wildly inaccurate. This is not true at all. Nikon's pro-grade nano coated primes and Canon's modern L lenses (85 f/1.4 N, 35 f/1.4 N, 24 f/1.4 N, the UWA zooms, two or three iterations of the 70-200 f/2.8 VR/IS, two iterations of the 24-70 f/2.8, all the super telephotos which are on their 2nd and 3rd revisions, et al) were designed and released in the digital era. But Nikon and Canon have many lenses that they keep in production because they are great lenses in their own right. But to say that most of their 140 plus lens lineups were made during the film era is just not true.
Mr. Abbott, I am not sure if you are aware but on Nikon cameras there are focus assist and overall electronics assist system for manual lenses. In my experience it works very well. My old Nikon AI-S lenses have no chip all you have to do is set the focal length and max aperture in the "Non-CPU Lens Data" menu. When you look through the viewfinder as you turn the focus ring, you get the arrow indicators as to which way to turn the focus ring and once you're in focus, the arrows turn into a circle confirming focus. From my experience it works extremely well, then again I learned on an old Nikon 35mm film camera. I have tried it on a couple different Nikon DSLR and it work great. I am sure you already knew but for the other viewers who may not be aware, it may help them out. Oh and I am not sure if it's available on the entire line but it is available from Nikon D7XXX and up.
floex831 I've been told something similar, but not quite as in detail as what you shared. Thank you. It seems Canon is determined to be the least "manual focus friendly" of all the manufacturers.
I have a D800E and I am familiar with the manual focusing arrows and dot in the middle you are talking about. However, when the dot lights up you may not be completely focused on the intended focal point. Where point of focus is critical, I use an LCD optical viewfinder (focusing loupe) strapped on the display in live view. Canon is MF unfriendly for sure - I think they are relying on Magic Lantern focus assists to bail them out, however, the LCD focusing loupe solution works with Canon as well without the risk of bricking your camera with a bad 3rd party firmware installation experience.
Many mirrorless cameras (I shoot Sony) have both focus peaking and magnification built into the EVF. Makes confirming focus on manual *far* *far* easier. (And faster.)
Many thanks again Dustin for your great reviews. Here I am in 2022 and considering either this lens or biting the bullet and investing in a Zeiss 135mm Sonnar which is 3 times the price - but it truly is one of my most coveted lenses and I'm considering treating myself. I have a few other zeiss and voigtlander lensesand once you get used to the IQ, it's very hard to go back - however this Samyang has really surprised me, and even though this review is almost 7 years old it is still very relevant for me here today. Once again many thanks, and kind regards from Ireland !
Great detailed review! I just bought this lens for my Sony a6400. It's basically a 200mm now for me but i love the extra reach. The optical quality is really outstanding, especially the lack of chromatic abberation and it's really surprising how easy it is to focus with peaking. I was able to take fantastic photos in my first outing. I'm so glad I bought this lens!
Wow. That detail! I really wish Samyang would have an focus confirm chip on their lenses. I will have to look into the dandelion chip or if there is any that is better. Because the quality on this lens is just so amazing. And my eyes aren't.
ted tedsen That's great! It seems like Canon cameras are the least geared towards manual focus lens. I'm glad to get some of this info from Nikon users to share in future articles.
On a Nikon D850, focus confirmation in the viewfinder works great (arrows for adjust direction plus dot when it has achieved focused). Focus using the confirmation dot is spot-on. Also aperture can be set using the camera command dial. Just set the aperture ring on the lens at f22 (max value). No dimming of the viewfinder, full brightness of F2.0 regardless of the aperture set on the camera.
I bought a Nikon copy and tried it out today. Amazingly sharp at F2! I am very impressed. I was able to control aperture on my Nikon D810, and focus confirmation is dead on. (I didn't even use my 3x loupe.) My only gripe: the focus ring seems to be on the stiff side.
No problem, it’s well deserved :)). I was wondering if this could be a good landscape lens choice for me. I’ve just sold my Nikkor f2.8 80-200mm Push /Pull mainly for size and weight reasons and was looking at the Tamron f4 70-210 and the Nikkor f4 70- 200mm to replace it (I actually don’t really need a really wide aperture), but when I looked through my metadata I found that 80% of my images were around 135mm, so I think a prime might be the answer. I even looked at vintage Nikkor primes from f2-f3.5 135mm but reviews are very mixed. Any thoughts, Dustin ? Thanks :))
Dustin Abbott Thanks Dustin, that’s very much appreciated. My hiking/travelling combo consists of the Voigtländer 3.5 20mm, Tamron 2.8 24-70 G2 and ? I‘m not too bothered about the price as I definitely would consider buying second hand. Between the Nikon and Tamron would you still recommend the Tamron ? Thanks Thorsten (Manchester UK)
I hope one day a company can make an adapter that physically clutch the manual focus ring and perform auto-focus based on contrast focusing information.
Thanks for the great review! I own a Fujifilm XT-1 and this lens its amazing for portrait shots. Samyang 135mm f/2 produces very sharp full of detail images and beautiful bokéh. I was very impressed when i used it for the first time.
I have both a 100mm (Canon) and 135mm (Zeiss Milvus), but I reach for the 100mm more for the same reason (though the Milvus is incredible when I do reach for it)
this is in my combo 24-55-135 for peoples, when one does not need AF like 135GM it is its full replacement for 500S. so my beloved combo is 24 1.8 Samyang + 55 zeiss sonnar t* 1.8 and this manual beast :)
+Moe der Große Samyang is beginning to release some AE versions of the lens with some electronics, but not all of them. Some of them even have an electronically controlled aperture iris (more like a Zeiss lens).
Nice review, thanks! I used to shoot Canon 5DII, and I would never use a manual focus lens for all the reasons you describe. But I have this lens for my Sony A7II and I love shooting manual focus with it due to the EVF with IBIS and focus peaking or magnification. I can nail manual focus with ease now. This is a must have lens for the Sony A7 or A99 series of cameras, and maybe not so much for CaNikon.
chrid999 Canon has been the worst of the bunch for not including many manual focus aids. I do have an EG-S focus screen in one of my bodies that helps considerably. Thanks for the feedback. I'll remember than for future Samyang/Zeiss/Rokinon reviews.
I'm really impressed by the complete lack of chromatic abberations. They should do a manual focus 200mm f/2. If they can do that at 35-40% of the cost of the Nikon/Canon equivalent, I'd buy it.
Stiff focus can be an issue with Samyang/Rokinon lenses. Make sure you send yours back if you get one. I had a very stiff focusing 50mm Cine DS that I returned and now see some on eBay at cheap prices because they aren't usable for video.
While they have improved in this regard, Samyang used to have a QC issue where there could be a lot of variability from lens to lens. I definitely ran into that with a lens that I owned from them. I did like you and send it back and got a replacement copy. Fortunately things have improved, and I currently have 4 Samyang lenses in my kit that all perform very well.
I bought a set of Rokinon Cine DS lenses. 24, 35, 50, and 85mm. I got three bad 50mm lenses in a row from Adorama. First, the lens hood didn't actually fit and just fell off the lens. Second, there was a large defect in one of the elements that produced sharp jagged lines on the side. Third, the focus was so stiff it would visibly flex the lens when used with a focus motor. After the third return I think Adorama thought I was just making stuff up and sent me a money return for a portion of the kit price, not the actual price of the lens - which was a $100 difference. I still have a sour taste in my mouth as I never felt like spending an additional $100 and taking the risk of having to wait for and return more lenses. Long story short I still don't have a 50mm. That said, the good ones I have are perfect and I have since bought the 8mm (APC) and 12mm (Full Frame) Fisheyes.
I noticed that you emphasized "manage to get the focus" throughout this video. I believe you talked about using a focusing screen for this one on your website, right? I like this.. I like how 3rd party lenses are giving Canikon a run for their money. I am looking forward to a newer Canon 135mm with IS, and maybe a better optical quality. The 135L hasn't been updated since 1996! That's almost 20 years.
***** I do use a focusing screen, but the advantage of that diminishes at longer distances where achieving visual focus is harder. The Canon 135L has been eclipsed optically, yes, and I would love to see just what you are describing, but the fact that the lenses that have surpassed it optically are both manual focus only gives Canon some breathing room.
You sir, make very good reviews, pleasant to watch ! This will be my next lens. I am a Pentax shooter and soon (hopefully) I´ll have the new full frame in my hands to try it on. I´m not an actionshooter, so the manual focus suits me just fine. Your pics made me decide..especially those leaves..but, all of them really. Very nice!
My Samyang 85mm version for the Pentax has a A setting for auto aperture and Pentax is kind enough to give you focusing conformation if you have a Pentax auto focus camera. I have yet to buy the 135mm f/2 but my guess is that the latest version has the A setting as well.
+Michael Russo Nice. Canon is really behind in some of these manual focus aids and features. The biggest difference, though, is that Canon's iris control is fully electronic, while Pentax (and Nikon) still utilize an older system.
Dustin Abbott Thanks for sharing. I have the Pentax 85mm f/1.8 and f/2 as well as the Samyang 85mm f/1.4. I find the Pentax lenses to have far better color correction for being such old lenses. Sharpness seems to be the same, even though I did not do a scientific test, I would assume all 3 lenses will have good center sharpness. Also the Pentax lenses seem to be more punchy in the colors. Not so muted as the Samyang. I shoot mostly B&W film so it won't matter that much but still interesting.
Dustin Abbott I have the Takumars as well. I tend to be a lens hoarder. Lol The early K mounts and the late S-M-C Takumars are the same formula for the most part. The 200mm f/4 being a exception.
Jo Rich Is that right? It certainly isn't apparent from handling it. I wouldn't think that aluminum would be a great material for the body - once deformed it would be difficult to repair.
Dustin Abbott Rokinon isn't much for repairing anything they make. I had the 35mm f1.4 lens and loved it as far as performance went. Without any drops or mistreating the lens, just after a year of on and off use, the focus barrel froze and something internally was jammed. I sent the lens to Rokinon's support system, Elite Brands, and they proceeded to tell me that that would not be opening up the lens or making an assessment of what went wrong. It would "Cost us too much to have a technician assess the lens, so the best we can do is offer you a lens at wholesale". I fought them on it and they didn't budge. From that point on I decided I wouldn't be making any significant purchases with them until they decide to markedly improve their products and their support. $600 for a year with an optically good lens is too risky. Terrible investment.
Thanks for the great review. I have the Sony A77ii with focus peaking so this should e awesome. I also have the Bower 85mm already so I know this combo works very well, even with action.
+Dustin Abbott , While you commented on the challenge of getting accurate focus at f2, 2.8 etc, how was it closed down a bit around 5.6 or so??? Easier? Would you hesitate using it for headshot sessions with 1.6 crop sensor? I'm thinking that it might be fine on a FF, but on my 60D at 5.6? Maybe a bad match. (Canon's 70-200 is out of my price range at the moment and I need a longer focal length right now for shooting headshots outdoors as my 17-55mm won't do. Samyang's price for that sharpness is really great, but I can't be *hoping* to nail focus when shooting for a client.) Any thoughts?
Another nice review. Before I went mirrorless and bought first the Fujifilm X-T1, and then to Samsung NX1, I was using Pentax, and I had the Pentax K 135mm f/2.5, a lens about as old as I am (from 1978-80 or so), and it was remarkable, and a great focal length. I had to sell it due to finances, but when I go for another 135mm, it will certainly be the Samyang 135mm. The great thing with mirrorless is that you have peaking (this is pretty much on all mirrorless as far as I know), so it helps manually focusing a lot.
+Alexander Rex Evensen I'm sure that Samyang is happy about the growth of mirrorless, as yes, many of the bodies seem to be much kinder to the MF process.
Great review Dustin :-). I'm very impressed with early reports for this lens so I've ordered one and will receive it for my next New Moon astro shoot, I'm very excited. That'll bring my tally up to 6 Samyang lenses. Focus is easy to nail on my A99 with focus peaking and focus magnification on the EVF.
@@DustinAbbottTWI understood. There are zero comparisons online. I’m going to pull the trigger on the vintage Nikon because I can buy three used tele primes (105, 135, & 180) for same price as new Samyang. Supposedly legendary vintage lenses
i did a few test shots with my nikon version on d800 yesterday, amazing optical quality and excellent sharpness; very accurate color rendition and really low chromatic aberrations i would say. however just some information for people who want to buy this lens, i returned mine for an exchange because there was a minor defect literally inside the lens: some metal beads (that give you the hard stop feel) fell off from the rear mounting, they got stuck inside the lens barrel but does not affect image quality or obstruct the lens elements; they make some irritating noise while using it or moving/shaking it.
In the sharpness comparison of your bookcase, both images are shot at ISO400, but the Canon is shot at f/2 and 1/125s, while the Samyang is shot at 1/60s - This suggests that the Samyang was at f/2.8. Also, did you use AF or MF for the Canon lens? The color fringing suggests that it is a bit out of focus, if you used AF on the Canon and 10x Live View manual focus with the Samyang, it is not a fair comparison.
Smittefar1 Both images were shot at f/2 and manually focused at 10x magnification. The variance in the exposure value is because shooting in AV mode with lenses without electronic coupling throws off live view metering, resulting in a very dark screen. I had added more exposure to aid focus, but didn't get it back to the same value as the Canon. I reduced the exposure a bit on the Samyang in post, but the results are accurate.
Should be bit easier use on the E mount version with the focus peaking. be good for static automotive photography, but then they just launched the F1.8 auto focus version.
I had this lens and I returned it. I couldn't dial the focus properly. I bought it to use it on a FF Canon and a MFT Panasonic that on paper was a killer 270 mil F2.0 but even with focus picking on the GX8 pics were not in focus. I didn't play long enough I guess, I wish I can have it back to give it another chance. That lens is solid!!
That's always the challenge with MF glass. It does take a certain skill set, and I too had my focus challenges with this lens. It is better on bodies with more MF aids.
For the item I got (for fuji x) the aperture ring was extremely bad to move. Locks hardly perceivable. When moving the aperture ring the lens even turned out to be loose in the socket. Returned the lens before starting to take photographs … An outlier exemplar?!
Hey Dustin thinking of purchasing this lens now..but what do u think about optical quality of this lens for apsc cameras..and with 10x magnification is it difficult to focus that much ?
It's never as easy as autofocusing, obviously, but with the magnification you should be okay. The bigger problem is that you now have a telephoto lens that is going to be harder to handhold and then try to focus while keeping it still. That gets complicated.
that comparison between the canon and samyang is unbelieveable... it made the canon look like a poor zoom lens. but thanks for your recommendation... auto focus is an important feature.
Your free reviews are starting to get expensive for me! I stayed within the Fuji system because the Viltrox 27mm 1.2 seemed liked a legendary lens; it was. And then I just bought this one, the Samyang 135mm F2 for my Fuji X T4. I used it last night at my son's baseball game. The pictures came out amazing! You should re-release this video, because this lens is not talked about and it should be.
Dustin Abbott I haven't either, but the reviews I've seen with lab tests shows that their optical qualities are amazing. But the cost a lot as well of course, and I think they're all metal on top of that.
+Alexander Rex Evensen I think the Zeiss 135 f 1.8 might disagree :b it has af and the 1.8. And the irony, its sony only and sony shooters are lucky because with peaking, no af, a little bit darker but a ton cheaper is fine :D I own the samyang 85 1.4 and focussing on the a65 is easy
+Fabrizio Cimò check lenstip. but im pretty damn sure it is. but as it is probably superior to a 24mp sensor, might not make a difference depending on your body.
hello mr i have a question please, i will buy the Canon EOS m50 APS C EF-M, and i would like to buy the Samyang Telephoto 135 mm f-2.0 ED UMC Canon EF-M, i would like to know if these two item compatible directly , since Ef-M are, is something else needed to adapt them? does the lens fit directly to the m50 without using an adapter?
I've been having issues with Samyang lenses lately and the focusing barrels being super tight. I had to send back three copies of the 12mm to get a working lens that I was able to pull focus on, and these were the cine style. Not sure if it's the grease their using.
Shane Fredrick Kinsman I've not done any reviews of the cine line. I did have a 12mm f./2 NCS that I sent back for a similar issue. My review copy was perfect, as was my third, but the second was tight. Once you've got a good copy you should be good to go.
the purple txt from the shot of the book you have with you canon 135 - compared to the rokinon 135's black txt - looks like it is out of focus - do yo have back focus issues with your canon ? have you microadjustet the focus of the lens to your canon 6d body - the canon 135 i borrowed from a friend was insanely sharp with great contrast and no purple fringing ... just a thought ... great review (y) ... I have the 85 mm 1.4 samyang/rokinon and it is wonderful put a paint to nail focus with the 5d mk 3
No AF involved here - I focused them both manually using Live View 10x focus to eliminate focus from the equation. That is the difference in resolution and contrast, not a misfocus. You should see the Canon 135L compared to the Zeiss APO Sonnar! I too thought the Canon amazingly sharp until I compared it with that lens (see my review on my website). I've owned the Canon 135L for years and love it, but these new lenses are much sharper and more contrasty.
Hi there - I'm sorry, but my review schedule is filled months in advance. It's almost impossible for me to go back to reviewing older lenses. The only thing that would change is that obviously it is much easier to nail focus when shooting with a mirrorless camera that has focus peaking and can magnify the image in the viewfinder.
Yes, I mention that in the written review. I don't know all of the reasons, but Nikon versions have been the only ones to receive any electronics historically.
Dustin Abbott ah cool. Maybe they are easier crackable? :) With a d800 i wouldn't even need a chip (or is it needed for the focus indicator?) to get the exifs right. The d800 can "install" a lens, like many others, manually.
Dustin Abbott yeah. You can "install" about ten lenses I think. You just have to define the fastest aperture and the focal length (zooms can't be registered probably due the changing focal length) and then this information will be written into the exifs. The camera has a aperture "sensor" (/hook - or how you call it) and can register how many f-stops the lens is closed. So after setting the fastest aperture, the camera recognizes and writes the correct aperture value - even if it's not the fastest aperture set on the lens. Due this fact the camera is able to set the exposure right in the the aperture priority mode (A/Av) or using the ISO Automatic. Really great feature. Also available in the d7000, d7100, d700, df, d600, d610, d3(s), d4(s), d810, d300(s). Really great.
i Dustin, again Nice presentation not any pixelpiping test that only is showing how bad the optics are Your presentations are always fair to the lens and users Thanks again i have the Zaiss 135mm f2 for my d810 camera and 100mmf2 macro and the famous 85mm zaiss and some sigma Art series
I didn't hardly shoot it on a tripod, but I am experienced with manual focus lenses. I did find it hard to nail focus with in certain situations/distances. Some people will struggle to focus this lens - it depends a lot on your camera body (focus aids?) and how steady your hands are.
Im not surprised by this lens as the Samyang 85mm /f1.4 is the best lens I have ever used. Talk about price AND image-quality difference compared to the Canon L! Crazy! Canon should be ashamed.
Thanks Dustin for your great review! I will be buying this lens for my Sony a6000. Manual focusing isn't a problem thanks to focus peaking and magnification ;) Already have the Samyang 12/2.0 and that's great. Will be interesting the APS-C sensor's focal length being 135*1,5= 202,5mm.
I'm very much an amateur yet these aides have made this transition very smooth and enjoyable, looking forward to getting my hands on the 135mm 😊 Dustin Abbott
Hey! I also have the Sony A6000 and am looking into this lens as my next purchase. I was just hoping to get your feedback on how it worked out for you. It would really help me out. Currently deciding on either the Sony FE 85mm 1.8 or this Samyang.
@@clarissaduque1794 It works well...if you have some way to stabilize your camera. The manual focus ring works fairly well, and the optics are fantastic.
I m wondering if canon makes any minor improvement or modifications to its old product without mentioning it. let say canon 50mm 1.4 or 85mm 1.8 are nearly 20 years old. I am pretty sure that the electronics of these lenses cant be the same as the one produced in let say 1990. or maybe the coatings as well. manufacturing wise it is sometimes gets cheaper to use new technology to make these lens rather than the old tech. any thoughts?
Hi Dustin, thank you for your great reviews. As I can't easily get my hands on the Samyang, I was to curious to know your thought specifically on the colour rendition and perceptual depth in comparison to the Zeiss APO Sonnar 135 F2. I really love the pop and 3D look and colour rendition from the APO Sonnar and how it creates such a beautiful organic look especially for a digital file but at near 4 times the price of the Samyang from ebay Australia, I can't afford it atm. I know the Samyang is as sharp and captures as much or more detail, but that beautiful timeless organic film like Zeiss look if you will, does the Samyang produce images that can create and rival that "timeless organic film like Zeiss" kind of beauty also?
I wouldn't say that it's rendering is a special, but, as you said, it is much more expensive. You may be able to process a little extra "special" into the image.
Hi Dustin, very good review. I have never bought a Manual lens but I do have enough experience with manual focusing. Before purchasing this lens I had a couple of questions. It's with regards to no chip being in the lens. (1) Does this mean that Aperture cannot be controlled/changed from the Body ? (2) Does it mean that the body would not have exposure reading ?
The answer to question one is yes - you have to change aperture with the aperture ring. It's actually not a big deal. The answer to question 2 is that the camera body measures the amount of light coming through the aperture of the lens - not the lens. Your camera body will still expose properly, though I do find that sometimes lenses like this can meter oddly at times.
Dustin Abbott Hey chief thanks for your prompt response. I am primarily a wedding photographer. I am quite thrilled by the quality of the images it produces, guess in some cases better than the original nikon block lenses. Do you believe that this is good for weddings? Or will it be too slow cause of manual focus and manual aperture ring?
Varun Jain That will depend on your skill level in focusing. Image quality is fantastic, but you have to nail focus. I'm pretty experienced, so I do fairly well with MF lenses, but not as good as AF lenses. I stick to AF lenses for wedding ceremonies and break out MF glass sometimes with posed pictures, of decorations, or at receptions where I have a chance to be more deliberate.
Dustin Abbott so using mf for engagement shoots is ideal since we are in full control of the pose and situations in general. Thanks a lot for your guidance!
Hello...you seem knowledgable on camera equipment. I recently acquired some photography equipment from a relative including accessories like: Samyang Interchangeable Lenses 75-300mm F4.5-5.6 , ROKINON AUTO ZOOM MACRO 1:3.5/4.5 F=28-85MM 67 NO. 210667, Minolta X-700 with flash, etc... Are these worth keeping and are they good quality? Also, they seem either unused or mint...thx!
Dustin Abbott Thanks but I did not ask you about what they are worth. I asked you if I should keep them and if you thought they were of good quality...sorry to bother you.
thank you very much. I have sony a99 and it has focus peeking option which is really helpful when it comes to using manual lens. I have samyang 85mm f1.4 and I couldn't use it at f1.4 and up to 2.2 because of CA. how about this lens?
Andy Yoon CA is basically non-existent. You will find no complaints about the optical performance wide open on this lens, and the focus peaking will really help you nail focus.
Hey Dustin,I want to attach this lens to my 12,21,50mm Samyang collection for Fuji . Do you things optically the Fuji mount is similar to full frame?I mean the actual lens,the glass elements not the field of view.Thank you
A great review but as a wedding shooter I wouldn't dare use it. I rather use a 70-200 F2.8 and get fast accurate focus, or any other 135mm with AF. In my experience the client base don't really care about the attributes this lens can provide. Its a pixel peepers dream though. You are my number one go to for lens reviews. Thanks you :)
This definitely inspires me to save up for one later this year. My question is, since this is a manual lens with no contacts with the DSLR, will I need to guess the exposure values too? If so, i better practice "sunny 16" again.
No, the camera body still meters the amount of light coming through the lens. AV mode is often a good choice for lenses without electronics, although I still use manual most often. Metering is fine, however.
Dustin Abbott hi Dustin, just wanted to ask how your lens is holding up these days? As I'm inching closer to buying one of my own, I'm hoping that the build quality of the lens lives up to its image quality. Thanks for your time
StEVO Type R I didn't actually own the lens. I'm a professional reviewer and I get gear sent to me by retailers or the manufacturer. I return the gear after my review period. I had no concerns over the overall build, however.
Was wondering if you ever tried the Mitakon Speedmaster 85 1.2? I've seen good reviews for it, both Mitakon and this Rokinon come at similar price points, trying to figure out which one of those could be my fast portrait prime :) shooting with Pentax K-1
I haven't used any of the Mitakon lenses. I've been so busy with mainstream releases that I haven't had much time for the many new lens makers that have popped up.
Hello Dustin, I have enjoyed every video you have share, thanks. I have a question about this lens, I have two cameras, Canon and Sony a6300, I would like to buy it for Canon and then with adapter use on my Sony, do you have tried how works the Canon version on a6300 with adapter? Thank you very much.
Dustin, thanks again for a great review! I had the canon 135mm it was stolen :( so I was looking for a replacement, I do wedding video and pictures, do you think the price difference is worth going through the troubles of focusing manually? I was thinking on using a sony with EVF.
i have the sony carl zeiss 135mm f1.8 before and it was quite incredible but i move to canon. this samyang 135mm image is superbe too, not build quality of zeiss but wow what a lens, razor sharp. Justin do you have any plan to review Leica gear ?
If this lens and the Zeiss are so much better optically than the Canon L, then I don't know why you wouldn't compare them? Are you afraid the Samyang will beat the Zeiss at 4 times the price? (both MF and 9 blade aperture) I tested my Bower against my Minolta G and Sony lenses and it blew them out of the water but people still don't actually belive it.
PolioVitruvius Put simply, I own the 135L and it was available as a point of comparison. The APO Sonnar was provided to me last year for review purposes and I returned it after the review. I'm a independent reviewer, not a company shill, so I'm not ever afraid of one lens beating another. No conspiracy here, my friend.
Dustin Abbott Sorry. I though you "had" the lens so it didn't make sense that you would not compare them. I guess you meant that you "had" the lens. Sorry I misunderstood. Still would be awesome the see them compared if you have the chance.
Nice but no AF and no CPU contacts. Why not use the Tokina 100mm that is AF and has CPU. Not sure what you mean that you get no focus confirmation. Cameras determine focus in the body. I can fit any non CPU lens on the Nikon D810 and get focus confirmation from the focus dot.
I'm amazed by the differences with the canon 135mm f/2, the Samyang is much much better! I hope I can afford it some day, for the moment I will stick to my Pentacon 135mm f/2.8
That's what is making me almost cry.... All reviews show absolutely insane sharpness and image quality with ZERO chromatic aberration but WHY no auto focus?? I'm forced to get a much expensive Canon 135 f2 L lens for more active outdoors portrait shots. Annoying. -_- I just wish the Canon L had better image quality.
+YTDekus ....hmmmm. if you absolutely want fullframe, you put 400 dollars extra on the 500 difference to the l and get an a7 :b if apsc is allright, the sony alpha 65 used costs you about 400. . with peaking it all really isnt a problem.
thats great for you, every brand has something going for it, nothing wrong with canon :D id be happy for all the flashes and stuff! instead im happy to have peaking :D
"It does have a bit of a hyper focal distance markings here". Really just a depth of field indicator, for any given aperture. That COULD be used to set the hyperfocal distance. Just sayin'. Very good review. Thank you.
Simply the Canon 135mm f/2 was introduced in 1996. It is being constructed with 20 years old specifications.
The Samyang / Rokinon 135mm f/2 was introduced in 2015. 19 years difference with canon. That means a lot.
The full electronic autofocus Canon costs around 1000$. The manual Samyang / Rokinon costs around 550$ nearly half the money and that is important.
Koreans and Chinese lenses were the underdogs before 2010. However they narrow the gap with the big players Canon, Nikon. Mirrorless cameras and especially the full frame Sony a7 series are very friendly and easy with the focusing of manual lenses. That is a game changer.
Amateurs can enjoy the quality of top Canon, Nikon lenses at half the price.
Nikon and especially Canon have a great variety of lenses. Unfortunately most of them were introduced during the film era and are aging. They are very slowly updated and Chinese and Koreans are exploiting that.
That's a pretty fair assessment.
Actually to say most Nikon and Canon lenses were introduced during the film era is wildly inaccurate. This is not true at all. Nikon's pro-grade nano coated primes and Canon's modern L lenses (85 f/1.4 N, 35 f/1.4 N, 24 f/1.4 N, the UWA zooms, two or three iterations of the 70-200 f/2.8 VR/IS, two iterations of the 24-70 f/2.8, all the super telephotos which are on their 2nd and 3rd revisions, et al) were designed and released in the digital era. But Nikon and Canon have many lenses that they keep in production because they are great lenses in their own right. But to say that most of their 140 plus lens lineups were made during the film era is just not true.
Achilleas Labrou sigma optics is now king!
Mr. Abbott, I am not sure if you are aware but on Nikon cameras there are focus assist and overall electronics assist system for manual lenses. In my experience it works very well. My old Nikon AI-S lenses have no chip all you have to do is set the focal length and max aperture in the "Non-CPU Lens Data" menu. When you look through the viewfinder as you turn the focus ring, you get the arrow indicators as to which way to turn the focus ring and once you're in focus, the arrows turn into a circle confirming focus. From my experience it works extremely well, then again I learned on an old Nikon 35mm film camera. I have tried it on a couple different Nikon DSLR and it work great. I am sure you already knew but for the other viewers who may not be aware, it may help them out. Oh and I am not sure if it's available on the entire line but it is available from Nikon D7XXX and up.
floex831 I've been told something similar, but not quite as in detail as what you shared. Thank you. It seems Canon is determined to be the least "manual focus friendly" of all the manufacturers.
I have a D800E and I am familiar with the manual focusing arrows and dot in the middle you are talking about. However, when the dot lights up you may not be completely focused on the intended focal point. Where point of focus is critical, I use an LCD optical viewfinder (focusing loupe) strapped on the display in live view. Canon is MF unfriendly for sure - I think they are relying on Magic Lantern focus assists to bail them out, however, the LCD focusing loupe solution works with Canon as well without the risk of bricking your camera with a bad 3rd party firmware installation experience.
Many mirrorless cameras (I shoot Sony) have both focus peaking and magnification built into the EVF. Makes confirming focus on manual *far* *far* easier. (And faster.)
finally someone who knows how to focus manually, great review and shots to show off the capabilities of this lens
That is a lost art these days, isn't it!
Many thanks again Dustin for your great reviews. Here I am in 2022 and considering either this lens or biting the bullet and investing in a Zeiss 135mm Sonnar which is 3 times the price - but it truly is one of my most coveted lenses and I'm considering treating myself. I have a few other zeiss and voigtlander lensesand once you get used to the IQ, it's very hard to go back - however this Samyang has really surprised me, and even though this review is almost 7 years old it is still very relevant for me here today. Once again many thanks, and kind regards from Ireland !
I understand the conundrum. I would say that if you love Zeiss glass, you might want to look for a used Sonnar and enjoy one of their best.
@Van- I reviewed a loaner copy. It was not mine to keep.
Great detailed review! I just bought this lens for my Sony a6400. It's basically a 200mm now for me but i love the extra reach. The optical quality is really outstanding, especially the lack of chromatic abberation and it's really surprising how easy it is to focus with peaking. I was able to take fantastic photos in my first outing. I'm so glad I bought this lens!
It's great bang for the buck.
Wow. That detail! I really wish Samyang would have an focus confirm chip on their lenses. I will have to look into the dandelion chip or if there is any that is better. Because the quality on this lens is just so amazing. And my eyes aren't.
That's the challenge here. If this had good AF it would be the bargain of the century!
Nikon Mounts has focus confirm chip and my Nikon d810 even shows the direction i must rotat the focus ring on the lens
ted tedsen That's great! It seems like Canon cameras are the least geared towards manual focus lens. I'm glad to get some of this info from Nikon users to share in future articles.
Just ordered it for my A7r, and can't wait to get my hands on it. Also loved to watch your photos and thoughts. So, thanks!
+Harald Brandner That's one of the best bodies to get it for. Enjoy!
On a Nikon D850, focus confirmation in the viewfinder works great (arrows for adjust direction plus dot when it has achieved focused). Focus using the confirmation dot is spot-on. Also aperture can be set using the camera command dial. Just set the aperture ring on the lens at f22 (max value). No dimming of the viewfinder, full brightness of F2.0 regardless of the aperture set on the camera.
Those are features unique to Nikon, but it would certain help.
keeping a eye out for the 100mm f2.8 review
Brilliant review. The best out there on this lens.
Thanks. A lot of reviewers slept on this one
@@DustinAbbottTWI dear mister Abbott, would there be any reason to buy this lens when I already own the Tamron 70-180mm f2.8 VXD for my Sony A7 III?
I bought a Nikon copy and tried it out today. Amazingly sharp at F2! I am very impressed. I was able to control aperture on my Nikon D810, and focus confirmation is dead on. (I didn't even use my 3x loupe.) My only gripe: the focus ring seems to be on the stiff side.
+Claire's Daddy I observed the same with the focus ring.
One of the best reviewers ever! Thank you.
Citizen X Thank you very much!
Any chance of doing 85mm f1.4 on crop vs. 135mm f2.0 on ff? I think it would be a worthy comparison :)
i think 135 f2 will kill it
Been waiting for a review on this lens. Thank you for making one. I'm really considering it.
My pleasure. If you can learn how to get it in focus consistently it may be the new best optical value out there.
Excellent review as usual. You’re my first choice when reviewing any equipment.
That's kind feedback.
No problem, it’s well deserved :)).
I was wondering if this could be a good landscape lens choice for me. I’ve just sold my Nikkor f2.8 80-200mm Push /Pull mainly for size and weight reasons and was looking at the Tamron f4 70-210 and the Nikkor f4 70- 200mm to replace it (I actually don’t really need a really wide aperture), but when I looked through my metadata I found that 80% of my images were around 135mm, so I think a prime might be the answer. I even looked at vintage Nikkor primes from f2-f3.5 135mm but reviews are very mixed.
Any thoughts, Dustin ?
Thanks :))
This is an excellent lens, for sure, though for your described purpose I would probably go with the Tamron 70-210...particularly at current prices.
Dustin Abbott Thanks Dustin, that’s very much appreciated. My hiking/travelling combo consists of the Voigtländer 3.5 20mm, Tamron 2.8 24-70 G2 and ? I‘m not too bothered about the price as I definitely would consider buying second hand. Between the Nikon and Tamron would you still recommend the Tamron ?
Thanks Thorsten (Manchester UK)
I hope one day a company can make an adapter that physically clutch the manual focus ring and perform auto-focus based on contrast focusing information.
+Aaron Yang That would be interesting.
Thanks for the great review! I own a Fujifilm XT-1 and this lens its amazing for portrait shots. Samyang 135mm f/2 produces very sharp full of detail images and beautiful bokéh. I was very impressed when i used it for the first time.
Fuji Boy This lens makes more sense on some cameras like the Fuji that have better focus aids.
Dustin Abbott Yes, that's true. I love the focus peaking and the digital image split of my XT-1.
I own Both telephoto (100mm and 135mm) and i find myself using the 100 because of the close focus.Although the 135 is excellent !
I have both a 100mm (Canon) and 135mm (Zeiss Milvus), but I reach for the 100mm more for the same reason (though the Milvus is incredible when I do reach for it)
Thats it! I can't hold off from buying this anymore....
I use this with the Samsung NX1 ,with focus peaking a real help wide open .
It would be great if you re-visited this lense with your A7R3 and it`s manual focus assist capabilities.
Perhaps if I do a 135mm showdown at some point. I think there is an E-mount version.
this is in my combo 24-55-135 for peoples, when one does not need AF like 135GM it is its full replacement for 500S. so my beloved combo is 24 1.8 Samyang + 55 zeiss sonnar t* 1.8 and this manual beast :)
That's still optically strong, for sure.
I totally agree, at 135mm I NEED AF . I own the samyang 85mm, which already is hard to focus wide open. I d recommend to go with the L lens.
+Moe der Große Does the Samyang 85mm have AF-confirm to tell you if you nail the focus?
+Tran Thai Binh No. The lens does not give any information to the camera.The camera don´t even "knows" that there is a lens.
+Moe der Große Samyang is beginning to release some AE versions of the lens with some electronics, but not all of them. Some of them even have an electronically controlled aperture iris (more like a Zeiss lens).
Thank you guys!
this lens is great for astrophography and landscape
The new autofocusing version is also nice for astro.
Nice review, thanks! I used to shoot Canon 5DII, and I would never use a manual focus lens for all the reasons you describe. But I have this lens for my Sony A7II and I love shooting manual focus with it due to the EVF with IBIS and focus peaking or magnification. I can nail manual focus with ease now. This is a must have lens for the Sony A7 or A99 series of cameras, and maybe not so much for CaNikon.
chrid999 Canon has been the worst of the bunch for not including many manual focus aids. I do have an EG-S focus screen in one of my bodies that helps considerably. Thanks for the feedback. I'll remember than for future Samyang/Zeiss/Rokinon reviews.
I'm really impressed by the complete lack of chromatic abberations. They should do a manual focus 200mm f/2. If they can do that at 35-40% of the cost of the Nikon/Canon equivalent, I'd buy it.
That would be cool, though it would be a beast to focus on a DSLR.
It sure would. Not an indoors sport photography lens as the Nikon and Canon equivalents are. It would be more of a slow-paced candid portrait lens.
Nice review. This lens is really perfect, the sharpest lens I ever had... No problem about focus on Nikon version.
I’m glad you are enjoying it
Stiff focus can be an issue with Samyang/Rokinon lenses. Make sure you send yours back if you get one. I had a very stiff focusing 50mm Cine DS that I returned and now see some on eBay at cheap prices because they aren't usable for video.
While they have improved in this regard, Samyang used to have a QC issue where there could be a lot of variability from lens to lens. I definitely ran into that with a lens that I owned from them. I did like you and send it back and got a replacement copy. Fortunately things have improved, and I currently have 4 Samyang lenses in my kit that all perform very well.
I bought a set of Rokinon Cine DS lenses. 24, 35, 50, and 85mm. I got three bad 50mm lenses in a row from Adorama. First, the lens hood didn't actually fit and just fell off the lens. Second, there was a large defect in one of the elements that produced sharp jagged lines on the side. Third, the focus was so stiff it would visibly flex the lens when used with a focus motor. After the third return I think Adorama thought I was just making stuff up and sent me a money return for a portion of the kit price, not the actual price of the lens - which was a $100 difference. I still have a sour taste in my mouth as I never felt like spending an additional $100 and taking the risk of having to wait for and return more lenses. Long story short I still don't have a 50mm. That said, the good ones I have are perfect and I have since bought the 8mm (APC) and 12mm (Full Frame) Fisheyes.
I noticed that you emphasized "manage to get the focus" throughout this video. I believe you talked about using a focusing screen for this one on your website, right?
I like this.. I like how 3rd party lenses are giving Canikon a run for their money. I am looking forward to a newer Canon 135mm with IS, and maybe a better optical quality. The 135L hasn't been updated since 1996! That's almost 20 years.
***** I do use a focusing screen, but the advantage of that diminishes at longer distances where achieving visual focus is harder. The Canon 135L has been eclipsed optically, yes, and I would love to see just what you are describing, but the fact that the lenses that have surpassed it optically are both manual focus only gives Canon some breathing room.
You sir, make very good reviews, pleasant to watch ! This will be my next lens. I am a Pentax shooter and soon (hopefully) I´ll have the new full frame in my hands to try it on. I´m not an actionshooter, so the manual focus suits me just fine. Your pics made me decide..especially those leaves..but, all of them really. Very nice!
It sounds like the lens would suit your style very well, then.
My Samyang 85mm version for the Pentax has a A setting for auto aperture and Pentax is kind enough to give you focusing conformation if you have a Pentax auto focus camera. I have yet to buy the 135mm f/2 but my guess is that the latest version has the A setting as well.
+Michael Russo Nice. Canon is really behind in some of these manual focus aids and features. The biggest difference, though, is that Canon's iris control is fully electronic, while Pentax (and Nikon) still utilize an older system.
Dustin Abbott Thanks for sharing. I have the Pentax 85mm f/1.8 and f/2 as well as the Samyang 85mm f/1.4. I find the Pentax lenses to have far better color correction for being such old lenses. Sharpness seems to be the same, even though I did not do a scientific test, I would assume all 3 lenses will have good center sharpness. Also the Pentax lenses seem to be more punchy in the colors. Not so muted as the Samyang. I shoot mostly B&W film so it won't matter that much but still interesting.
Michael Russo
There are a number of excellent legacy lenses. I'm a big fan of some of the SMC Takumar lenses.
Dustin Abbott I have the Takumars as well. I tend to be a lens hoarder. Lol The early K mounts and the late S-M-C Takumars are the same formula for the most part. The 200mm f/4 being a exception.
Nikon version has electronics (it can work in A mode) and focus confirm works
+Enkoder Novi Yes, and Samyang has started to retrofit some of its Canon mount lenses with AE versions, but I haven't reviewed one yet.
Just to clarify..... The body is made of aluminum, not engineered plastic. Check the website.
Jo Rich Is that right? It certainly isn't apparent from handling it. I wouldn't think that aluminum would be a great material for the body - once deformed it would be difficult to repair.
Dustin Abbott Rokinon isn't much for repairing anything they make. I had the 35mm f1.4 lens and loved it as far as performance went. Without any drops or mistreating the lens, just after a year of on and off use, the focus barrel froze and something internally was jammed. I sent the lens to Rokinon's support system, Elite Brands, and they proceeded to tell me that that would not be opening up the lens or making an assessment of what went wrong. It would "Cost us too much to have a technician assess the lens, so the best we can do is offer you a lens at wholesale". I fought them on it and they didn't budge. From that point on I decided I wouldn't be making any significant purchases with them until they decide to markedly improve their products and their support. $600 for a year with an optically good lens is too risky. Terrible investment.
Micah Lindstrom Samyang lens durability is that bad ???
u make me so confuse
i'm tending to buy samyang 135 @@
Great Review man, convinced me to buy this over the Canon 135 for Sony A7R
You'll have to comment after you've shot with it for a while. Interested to hear how you like in on the A7R
Dustin Abbott Will do sir, just can't decide if I should go for the Canon mount it FE, as I already have the Metabones adapter lol
Dustin Abbott Only thing I'll miss from that lens is Autofocus, but I can wipe my tears away with the spare $500 I'll save
Thanks for the great review. I have the Sony A77ii with focus peaking so this should e awesome. I also have the Bower 85mm already so I know this combo works very well, even with action.
VERY helpful - especially your summation at the end. Thanks, Dustin!
My pleasure, Paul.
+Dustin Abbott , While you commented on the challenge of getting accurate focus at f2, 2.8 etc, how was it closed down a bit around 5.6 or so??? Easier? Would you hesitate using it for headshot sessions with 1.6 crop sensor? I'm thinking that it might be fine on a FF, but on my 60D at 5.6? Maybe a bad match.
(Canon's 70-200 is out of my price range at the moment and I need a longer focal length right now for shooting headshots outdoors as my 17-55mm won't do. Samyang's price for that sharpness is really great, but I can't be *hoping* to nail focus when shooting for a client.) Any thoughts?
*****
Accurate focus via Live View is easy but can be cumbersome. Perhaps a used copy of the 135L might be a better choice.
+Dustin Abbott...Yeah, I was thinking that as well. Thanks, Dustin.
Awesome review man!
Thank you!
Another nice review. Before I went mirrorless and bought first the Fujifilm X-T1, and then to Samsung NX1, I was using Pentax, and I had the Pentax K 135mm f/2.5, a lens about as old as I am (from 1978-80 or so), and it was remarkable, and a great focal length. I had to sell it due to finances, but when I go for another 135mm, it will certainly be the Samyang 135mm. The great thing with mirrorless is that you have peaking (this is pretty much on all mirrorless as far as I know), so it helps manually focusing a lot.
+Alexander Rex Evensen I'm sure that Samyang is happy about the growth of mirrorless, as yes, many of the bodies seem to be much kinder to the MF process.
Great review Dustin :-). I'm very impressed with early reports for this lens so I've ordered one and will receive it for my next New Moon astro shoot, I'm very excited. That'll bring my tally up to 6 Samyang lenses. Focus is easy to nail on my A99 with focus peaking and focus magnification on the EVF.
This lens looks realy good
Gary Plummer Sony users definitely have an advantage compared to we Canon shooters when it comes to MF!
Hanna Saba It is a very nice lens.
thanks for the review!
Did the dog was ok after the jump?
The dog was thrilled!
Have noticed a rattling of loose parts inside? I've ordered 3 so far and they all have it. It sounds like loose bearings or aperture leaves.
Leigh Smith I didn't get any rattling, but I did notice a sticking point in the focus ring on the copy I reviewed. I suspect that will loosen up.
Now with an R6 not a problem with this lens 👌 😀
Mirrorless definitely helps
Samyang 135 or Nikkor 135 2.8 for F mount?
I haven't tested the Nikkor lens, so I don't feel qualified to make that determination.
@@DustinAbbottTWI understood. There are zero comparisons online. I’m going to pull the trigger on the vintage Nikon because I can buy three used tele primes (105, 135, & 180) for same price as new Samyang. Supposedly legendary vintage lenses
i did a few test shots with my nikon version on d800 yesterday, amazing optical quality and excellent sharpness; very accurate color rendition and really low chromatic aberrations i would say.
however just some information for people who want to buy this lens, i returned mine for an exchange because there was a minor defect literally inside the lens: some metal beads (that give you the hard stop feel) fell off from the rear mounting, they got stuck inside the lens barrel but does not affect image quality or obstruct the lens elements; they make some irritating noise while using it or moving/shaking it.
Arthur, sorry to hear about your experience. I'm not surprised that you were impressed by the optics, though.
In the sharpness comparison of your bookcase, both images are shot at ISO400, but the Canon is shot at f/2 and 1/125s, while the Samyang is shot at 1/60s - This suggests that the Samyang was at f/2.8.
Also, did you use AF or MF for the Canon lens? The color fringing suggests that it is a bit out of focus, if you used AF on the Canon and 10x Live View manual focus with the Samyang, it is not a fair comparison.
Smittefar1 Both images were shot at f/2 and manually focused at 10x magnification. The variance in the exposure value is because shooting in AV mode with lenses without electronic coupling throws off live view metering, resulting in a very dark screen. I had added more exposure to aid focus, but didn't get it back to the same value as the Canon. I reduced the exposure a bit on the Samyang in post, but the results are accurate.
An honest review. Thanks
Chris Estonia That's the kind I like to do ;)
Should be bit easier use on the E mount version with the focus peaking. be good for static automotive photography, but then they just launched the F1.8 auto focus version.
Exactly.
I had this lens and I returned it. I couldn't dial the focus properly. I bought it to use it on a FF Canon and a MFT Panasonic that on paper was a killer 270 mil F2.0 but even with focus picking on the GX8 pics were not in focus. I didn't play long enough I guess, I wish I can have it back to give it another chance. That lens is solid!!
That's always the challenge with MF glass. It does take a certain skill set, and I too had my focus challenges with this lens. It is better on bodies with more MF aids.
Great optics, but your account doesn't surprise me, either. A longer focal length like this can be a challenge for a lot of shooters.
Pair it with mirrorless camera and you'll be amazed. Focus peaking helps alot.
Absolutely. That makes a big difference
For the item I got (for fuji x) the aperture ring was extremely bad to move. Locks hardly perceivable. When moving the aperture ring the lens even turned out to be loose in the socket. Returned the lens before starting to take photographs … An outlier exemplar?!
Probably, though I've found that Samyang's quality control has gotten MUCH better in the last 4 years.
Hey Dustin thinking of purchasing this lens now..but what do u think about optical quality of this lens for apsc cameras..and with 10x magnification is it difficult to focus that much ?
It's never as easy as autofocusing, obviously, but with the magnification you should be okay. The bigger problem is that you now have a telephoto lens that is going to be harder to handhold and then try to focus while keeping it still. That gets complicated.
that comparison between the canon and samyang is unbelieveable... it made the canon look like a poor zoom lens. but thanks for your recommendation... auto focus is an important feature.
It definitely is. There is room for improvement with the 135L, but I do think Canon will replace it in the next year or two.
Your free reviews are starting to get expensive for me! I stayed within the Fuji system because the Viltrox 27mm 1.2 seemed liked a legendary lens; it was. And then I just bought this one, the Samyang 135mm F2 for my Fuji X T4. I used it last night at my son's baseball game. The pictures came out amazing! You should re-release this video, because this lens is not talked about and it should be.
Their new autofocusing 135mm F1.8 has gotten more attention recently.
Great vids !! How about the lens?? Do u keep it or sold !! I'm confusing @@
Btw greeting from Viet Nam !!
AF and it will be best 135mm ever :)
+Beso Gociridze The Zeiss APO Sonnar 2/135mm might have something to say about that.
+Dustin Abbott And Voigtlander f/4. It's f/4, but the image quality is perfect (literally).
*****
Haven't used it, but I've heard good things about other Voigtlanders.
Dustin Abbott I haven't either, but the reviews I've seen with lab tests shows that their optical qualities are amazing. But the cost a lot as well of course, and I think they're all metal on top of that.
+Alexander Rex Evensen I think the Zeiss 135 f 1.8 might disagree :b it has af and the 1.8. And the irony, its sony only and sony shooters are lucky because with peaking, no af, a little bit darker but a ton cheaper is fine :D I own the samyang 85 1.4 and focussing on the a65 is easy
is sharpness superior also vs 70-200 IS mkII?
Fabrizio Cimò I didn't directly compare them. The two are pretty different in terms of size and cost, however.
+Fabrizio Cimò check lenstip. but im pretty damn sure it is. but as it is probably superior to a 24mp sensor, might not make a difference depending on your body.
hello mr i have a question please, i will buy the Canon EOS m50 APS C EF-M, and i would like to buy the Samyang Telephoto 135 mm f-2.0 ED UMC Canon EF-M, i would like to know if these two item compatible directly , since Ef-M are, is something else needed to adapt them? does the lens fit directly to the m50 without using an adapter?
If you buy it in an EF-M mount there is no adapter necessary.
Excellent lens especially at f2 and f4
For sure.
I've been having issues with Samyang lenses lately and the focusing barrels being super tight. I had to send back three copies of the 12mm to get a working lens that I was able to pull focus on, and these were the cine style. Not sure if it's the grease their using.
Shane Fredrick Kinsman I've not done any reviews of the cine line. I did have a 12mm f./2 NCS that I sent back for a similar issue. My review copy was perfect, as was my third, but the second was tight. Once you've got a good copy you should be good to go.
Will this work for the Canon rebel t6i or will i need an adapter
It will work just fine.
Dustin Abbott thanks alot
Hi Dustin. I am well interested in this lens. I wanted to know if the focus picking function or the focus guide works on the EOS R? Thank you.
The focus peaking, yes, the focus guide, no.
Very nice review
Thanks
the purple txt from the shot of the book you have with you canon 135 - compared to the rokinon 135's black txt - looks like it is out of focus - do yo have back focus issues with your canon ? have you microadjustet the focus of the lens to your canon 6d body - the canon 135 i borrowed from a friend was insanely sharp with great contrast and no purple fringing ... just a thought ... great review (y) ... I have the 85 mm 1.4 samyang/rokinon and it is wonderful put a paint to nail focus with the 5d mk 3
No AF involved here - I focused them both manually using Live View 10x focus to eliminate focus from the equation. That is the difference in resolution and contrast, not a misfocus. You should see the Canon 135L compared to the Zeiss APO Sonnar! I too thought the Canon amazingly sharp until I compared it with that lens (see my review on my website). I've owned the Canon 135L for years and love it, but these new lenses are much sharper and more contrasty.
thanks Dustin - I will have to look at some of the new 135 mm's
can you re-review the lens and focusing experience when using focus peaking
Hi there - I'm sorry, but my review schedule is filled months in advance. It's almost impossible for me to go back to reviewing older lenses. The only thing that would change is that obviously it is much easier to nail focus when shooting with a mirrorless camera that has focus peaking and can magnify the image in the viewfinder.
@@DustinAbbottTWI right, thanks :) Cheers!
Thanks a lot for your review!
By the way: the nikon version has at least a focus indicator!
Yes, I mention that in the written review. I don't know all of the reasons, but Nikon versions have been the only ones to receive any electronics historically.
Dustin Abbott ah cool.
Maybe they are easier crackable? :)
With a d800 i wouldn't even need a chip (or is it needed for the focus indicator?) to get the exifs right. The d800 can "install" a lens, like many others, manually.
Dustin Abbott yeah. You can "install" about ten lenses I think. You just have to define the fastest aperture and the focal length (zooms can't be registered probably due the changing focal length) and then this information will be written into the exifs. The camera has a aperture "sensor" (/hook - or how you call it) and can register how many f-stops the lens is closed. So after setting the fastest aperture, the camera recognizes and writes the correct aperture value - even if it's not the fastest aperture set on the lens.
Due this fact the camera is able to set the exposure right in the the aperture priority mode (A/Av) or using the ISO Automatic.
Really great feature.
Also available in the d7000, d7100, d700, df, d600, d610, d3(s), d4(s), d810, d300(s). Really great.
i Dustin, again Nice presentation not any pixelpiping test that only is showing how bad the optics are Your presentations are always fair to the lens and users Thanks again i have the Zaiss 135mm f2 for my d810 camera and 100mmf2 macro and the famous 85mm zaiss and some sigma Art series
ted tedsen Those are some nice lenses! I'm shocked by that report from Pixel... the lens is much better than what that shows.
Hello..
I want to know how Samyang 135mm performence without tipod ? When the telephoto lens is prone to shaking without image stabilization..
I didn't hardly shoot it on a tripod, but I am experienced with manual focus lenses. I did find it hard to nail focus with in certain situations/distances. Some people will struggle to focus this lens - it depends a lot on your camera body (focus aids?) and how steady your hands are.
Im not surprised by this lens as the Samyang 85mm /f1.4 is the best lens I have ever used. Talk about price AND image-quality difference compared to the Canon L! Crazy! Canon should be ashamed.
I'm planning on getting around to using it at some point. Great value for the money!
The one with the Nikon mount has an AE chip. I think only the Nikon version has the chip though.
That's right, although Samyang has started to release a few AE chipped Canon lenses, and their new SP line has fully electromagnetic diaphragms.
Thanks Dustin for your great review! I will be buying this lens for my Sony a6000. Manual focusing isn't a problem thanks to focus peaking and magnification ;) Already have the Samyang 12/2.0 and that's great. Will be interesting the APS-C sensor's focal length being 135*1,5= 202,5mm.
I envy Sony shooters when it comes to manual focus lenses. Sony has definitely packed more focus aids into its bodies.
I'm very much an amateur yet these aides have made this transition very smooth and enjoyable, looking forward to getting my hands on the 135mm 😊 Dustin Abbott
Hey! I also have the Sony A6000 and am looking into this lens as my next purchase. I was just hoping to get your feedback on how it worked out for you. It would really help me out. Currently deciding on either the Sony FE 85mm 1.8 or this Samyang.
@@DustinAbbottTWI How works for video?
@@clarissaduque1794 It works well...if you have some way to stabilize your camera. The manual focus ring works fairly well, and the optics are fantastic.
So can you zoom in and out with it?
No - this is a fixed focal length lens.
Most if not all sy/Rokinon lenses allow aperture control and exif data on Pentax cameras :)
Nice. That's not true for we Canon shooters!
I m wondering if canon makes any minor improvement or modifications to its old product without mentioning it. let say canon 50mm 1.4 or 85mm 1.8 are nearly 20 years old. I am pretty sure that the electronics of these lenses cant be the same as the one produced in let say 1990. or maybe the coatings as well. manufacturing wise it is sometimes gets cheaper to use new technology to make these lens rather than the old tech. any thoughts?
I don't see any issues with your theory, but can't either dispute or verify it.
Focus peaking is the way to go .
simontramper Tell Canon that!!
Dustin Abbott Magic lantern on your 6D has awesome focus peaking.
Hi Dustin, thank you for your great reviews. As I can't easily get my hands on the Samyang, I was to curious to know your thought specifically on the colour rendition and perceptual depth in comparison to the Zeiss APO Sonnar 135 F2. I really love the pop and 3D look and colour rendition from the APO Sonnar and how it creates such a beautiful organic look especially for a digital file but at near 4 times the price of the Samyang from ebay Australia, I can't afford it atm. I know the Samyang is as sharp and captures as much or more detail, but that beautiful timeless organic film like Zeiss look if you will, does the Samyang produce images that can create and rival that "timeless organic film like Zeiss" kind of beauty also?
I wouldn't say that it's rendering is a special, but, as you said, it is much more expensive. You may be able to process a little extra "special" into the image.
Hi Dustin, very good review. I have never bought a Manual lens but I do have enough experience with manual focusing.
Before purchasing this lens I had a couple of questions.
It's with regards to no chip being in the lens.
(1) Does this mean that Aperture cannot be controlled/changed from the Body ?
(2) Does it mean that the body would not have exposure reading ?
The answer to question one is yes - you have to change aperture with the aperture ring. It's actually not a big deal.
The answer to question 2 is that the camera body measures the amount of light coming through the aperture of the lens - not the lens. Your camera body will still expose properly, though I do find that sometimes lenses like this can meter oddly at times.
Dustin Abbott Hey chief thanks for your prompt response. I am primarily a wedding photographer. I am quite thrilled by the quality of the images it produces, guess in some cases better than the original nikon block lenses. Do you believe that this is good for weddings? Or will it be too slow cause of manual focus and manual aperture ring?
Varun Jain
That will depend on your skill level in focusing. Image quality is fantastic, but you have to nail focus. I'm pretty experienced, so I do fairly well with MF lenses, but not as good as AF lenses. I stick to AF lenses for wedding ceremonies and break out MF glass sometimes with posed pictures, of decorations, or at receptions where I have a chance to be more deliberate.
Dustin Abbott so using mf for engagement shoots is ideal since we are in full control of the pose and situations in general. Thanks a lot for your guidance!
Varun Jain That's right.
is it sharper than the sony fe 85 1.8?
Yes it is.
Is there any difference in the image quality between the Samyang 135 vs the Sigma 135 Art?
I didn't compare the two, so I can't speak definitively. Both are amazing optical instruments.
The cheap samyang killed the sigma.
Hey Dustin I have a canon eos 90d. Can I use samyang 135mm f2 on it ?
Of course, though the focal length will become a 216mm equivalent - so pretty long.
Thank you Sir. It helped.
Hello...you seem knowledgable on camera equipment. I recently acquired some photography equipment from a relative including accessories like: Samyang Interchangeable Lenses 75-300mm F4.5-5.6
, ROKINON AUTO ZOOM MACRO 1:3.5/4.5 F=28-85MM 67 NO. 210667, Minolta X-700 with flash, etc...
Are these worth keeping and are they good quality? Also, they seem either unused or mint...thx!
+Prescott Kane your best best is to check out eBay and see if they are selling there and for how much
Dustin Abbott
Thanks but I did not ask you about what they are worth. I asked you if I should keep them and if you thought they were of good quality...sorry to bother you.
I'm afraid I'm not familiar with the optical qualities of those lenses.
Dustin Abbott
Okay cool! Have a great weekend...thx!
thank you very much. I have sony a99 and it has focus peeking option which is really helpful when it comes to using manual lens. I have samyang 85mm f1.4 and I couldn't use it at f1.4 and up to 2.2 because of CA. how about this lens?
Andy Yoon CA is basically non-existent. You will find no complaints about the optical performance wide open on this lens, and the focus peaking will really help you nail focus.
Thank you 😃
Hey Dustin,I want to attach this lens to my 12,21,50mm Samyang collection for Fuji . Do you things optically the Fuji mount is similar to full frame?I mean the actual lens,the glass elements not the field of view.Thank you
It will be the exact same optically. They are only changing the mount.
Thank you!
A great review but as a wedding shooter I wouldn't dare use it. I rather use a 70-200 F2.8 and get fast accurate focus, or any other 135mm with AF. In my experience the client base don't really care about the attributes this lens can provide. Its a pixel peepers dream though. You are my number one go to for lens reviews. Thanks you :)
I don’t use MF glass at weddings much, either (though I do pull out MF sometimes for either posed shots or artistic shots of decorations)
This definitely inspires me to save up for one later this year. My question is, since this is a manual lens with no contacts with the DSLR, will I need to guess the exposure values too? If so, i better practice "sunny 16" again.
No, the camera body still meters the amount of light coming through the lens. AV mode is often a good choice for lenses without electronics, although I still use manual most often. Metering is fine, however.
Dustin Abbott Thanks for the info and for the great review. Very sharp images.
StEVO Type R
My pleasure. Thank you!
Dustin Abbott hi Dustin, just wanted to ask how your lens is holding up these days? As I'm inching closer to buying one of my own, I'm hoping that the build quality of the lens lives up to its image quality. Thanks for your time
StEVO Type R
I didn't actually own the lens. I'm a professional reviewer and I get gear sent to me by retailers or the manufacturer. I return the gear after my review period. I had no concerns over the overall build, however.
Sir can I use this lens with my canon 90D ?
Yes you can. The 1.6x crop factor of your 90D will make the focal length behave longer as with every lens, but the lens is fully compatible
@@DustinAbbottTWI thank you Sir ...
Is this lens sharper than any Canon L lens? Yes or Yes?
There are sharper Canon L lenses than the Samyang, but it is sharper than the 135L
This lens or the XF90mm f2 for Fuji?
I'd probably go with the Fuji. 135mm is VERY long on crop cameras.
Was wondering if you ever tried the Mitakon Speedmaster 85 1.2? I've seen good reviews for it, both Mitakon and this Rokinon come at similar price points, trying to figure out which one of those could be my fast portrait prime :) shooting with Pentax K-1
I haven't used any of the Mitakon lenses. I've been so busy with mainstream releases that I haven't had much time for the many new lens makers that have popped up.
Hello Dustin, I have enjoyed every video you have share, thanks. I have a question about this lens, I have two cameras, Canon and Sony a6300, I would like to buy it for Canon and then with adapter use on my Sony, do you have tried how works the Canon version on a6300 with adapter? Thank you very much.
It works just fine with the Sigma MC-11 adapter, for example.
The Samyang?
Dustin, thanks again for a great review! I had the canon 135mm it was stolen :(
so I was looking for a replacement, I do wedding video and pictures, do you think the price difference is worth going through the troubles of focusing manually? I was thinking on using a sony with EVF.
+Salvador Espinosa That really depends on your focusing expertise. Weddings might present a challenge, though I don't see an issue with portraits.
Thank you for your quick reply, really appreciate it, keep it up man.
I buy it 2 day ago, amazing lens, do you think it is good as Zeiss 135mm f/2 Apo Sonnar T* ?
+vince B.G I don't think it renders as special, and the handling isn't as good, but it is an exceptional lens for the money!!
i have the sony carl zeiss 135mm f1.8 before and it was quite incredible but i move to canon. this samyang 135mm
image is superbe too, not build quality of zeiss but wow what a lens, razor sharp. Justin do you have any plan to review Leica gear ?
Not at the moment. I stay pretty busy as it is!
my next lens it is
Enjoy!
If this lens and the Zeiss are so much better optically than the Canon L, then I don't know why you wouldn't compare them? Are you afraid the Samyang will beat the Zeiss at 4 times the price? (both MF and 9 blade aperture) I tested my Bower against my Minolta G and Sony lenses and it blew them out of the water but people still don't actually belive it.
PolioVitruvius Put simply, I own the 135L and it was available as a point of comparison. The APO Sonnar was provided to me last year for review purposes and I returned it after the review. I'm a independent reviewer, not a company shill, so I'm not ever afraid of one lens beating another. No conspiracy here, my friend.
Dustin Abbott Sorry. I though you "had" the lens so it didn't make sense that you would not compare them. I guess you meant that you "had" the lens. Sorry I misunderstood. Still would be awesome the see them compared if you have the chance.
Nice but no AF and no CPU contacts. Why not use the Tokina 100mm that is AF and has CPU. Not sure what you mean that you get no focus confirmation. Cameras determine focus in the body. I can fit any non CPU lens on the Nikon D810 and get focus confirmation from the focus dot.
That's not true on a Canon body, unfortunately.
Dustin Abbott Oh well there’s something I learned today 😀
I'm amazed by the differences with the canon 135mm f/2, the Samyang is much much better! I hope I can afford it some day, for the moment I will stick to my Pentacon 135mm f/2.8
It's surprising how a strong a lens it is!
That's what is making me almost cry.... All reviews show absolutely insane sharpness and image quality with ZERO chromatic aberration but WHY no auto focus?? I'm forced to get a much expensive Canon 135 f2 L lens for more active outdoors portrait shots. Annoying. -_- I just wish the Canon L had better image quality.
+YTDekus That's the nature of Samyang lenses, I'm afraid. The 135L is still wonderfully sharp...just not as sharp as this Samyang.
+YTDekus ....hmmmm. if you absolutely want fullframe, you put 400 dollars extra on the 500 difference to the l and get an a7 :b if apsc is allright, the sony alpha 65 used costs you about 400. . with peaking it all really isnt a problem.
Joshua Mack Too late :) I already got a 6D and 135L and a bunch of other lenses and making some extra money with my photography.
thats great for you, every brand has something going for it, nothing wrong with canon :D id be happy for all the flashes and stuff! instead im happy to have peaking :D
Nikon versions have an AE chip with focus confirm.
That certainly would help, as does the viewfinder in the D850.
Dustin Abbott What does the D850 viewfinder have?
Brighter and clearer and makes seeing focus easier, from what I understand (though I didn't use MF glass on it while I had it).
Dustin Abbott Looking forward to your review with that combo.
"It does have a bit of a hyper focal distance markings here". Really just a depth of field indicator, for any given aperture.
That COULD be used to set the hyperfocal distance. Just sayin'. Very good review. Thank you.
+John Doe I think that is what I was trying to communicate by a "bit", though I could have explained it better.