35mm F1.4 Samyang or Rokinon Prime Lens

stoney

Rokinon 35mm 1.4. Insanely sharp at 1.4.

Reviews

* http://www.ephotozine.com/article/samyang-35mm-f-1-4-ed-as-umc-lens-review-19625
* http://www.dslrmagazine.com/pruebas/pruebas-tecnicas/samyang-35-mm-f-1-4-as-umc-la-prueba.html
* http://www.photozone.de/canon-eos/655-samyang35f14eosapsc
* http://www.lenstip.com/index.php?test=obiektywu&test_ob=297

Available at:

* http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=Rokinon+35mm+1.4&_sacat=0&_odkw=Rokinon+35mm&_dlsa=0&_osacat=0
* http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=Samyang+35mm+1.4&_sacat=0&_odkw=Rokinon+35mm+1.4&_dlsa=0&_osacat=0

last_SHIFT

Video samples plz with your 100+ low GOP settings? :)

stefanos

I have one too. It is truly an excellent lens despite quite a bit of purple fringing and aberrations and heavy breathing. Exceptional lens. However, I 'm actually thinking of selling mine. I got it cause my two other main lenses, the 20mm 1.7 and the nikkor 50mm 1.2 AI-S in FF terms are 40mm and 100mm, leaving a big gap in between, which the 35mm covers as it is equivalent to 70mm. But, for portraits and close ups, I prefer the nikkor 50mm, for handheld and "wides", the 20mm is obviously better, so I haven't really got much use from the 35mm. I think if you shoot in confined spaces like small houses+apartments, and do interviews and stuff, it's really usefull, but for most of the stuff I do, I can move with the 50mm a bit further back and get the 70mm equivalent, not that big of a deal for me. But I'm not too worried as it's a good investment and I bet is easy to resell, so I'll think about it a bit more, it's just that I'm short on cash and haven't got proper income, and I'd rather have another couple lights. :(

stoney

It's primarily for indoor interview. 20mm was a bit wide... catching lighting devices. 50mm was a bit long. 35mm is just perfect for indoor interview from waist-up. Good corner sharpness at 2.0 is definitely a plus. Hopefully this becomes my cash cow.

sioppa

The Rockinon rocks!!! I got the lens few weeks ago. When I got the lens, I thought it's really heavy and big, because I used to use Nikon 35mm 1.8G for 35mm FOV. Now I want to sell my all other prime lenses to get all Samyang.

Vitaliy_Kiselev

@stonebat

Told ya.

stoney

+1. They gotta rename the brand to Rockinon. Or Rocky!!!

I thought about selling my FD, AI-s, Vivitar, Hexanon... but those are fun "small" lenses for my personal work. Keep'em all.

tinyrobot

I still can't decide between the Samyang 35mm or the Nikkor 35mm f/1.4 AI-S. Two areas pulling me back is the size and build of the Samyang. Also, I have heard of the exposure shift on the Samyang through the different apertures. If anyone has experience with both, it would be great to hear.

stoney

Samyang is internal focus. A big plus when using a matte box with 4x4 filters.

GH body + m43 pancakes for candid photo. GH body + big lenses for video. It took me more than a year to make up my mind.

I feel great about this purchase. YMMV.

LPowell

+1 @stonebat
The Rokinon 35mm and 85mm lenses also work well with a follow focus on a small rig. The focus ring on the Nikon version rotates in the standard Nikon direction, which is opposite to the Four Thirds standard. With the TrusMT follow focus, I prefer the Nikon focus direction, as it pulls the focus point closer as I turn the follow focus knob toward me.

martinbeek

I have this lens too, for a few months now. Nice for stills, but not usable for video; maybe only handheld.
Focusing makes the optical block inside wobble up and down. If you turn the focus ring clockwise, the image moves up, if you turn it ccw, the image moves down. The optics move about half a millimeter, but on a 24 inch screen, it's already almost a centimeter. Guess what it looks like on a 20 foot cinema screen...
I tried to swap it for a better one two times, but this is just a design flaw; the three lenses i've seen were identical. So, i've stopped using it.

Martin

Vitaliy_Kiselev

>Nice for stills, but not usable for video; maybe only handheld.

This must look like - "try not to use focus pulls".
For interviews this lens works perfect.

>Focusing makes the optical block inside wobble up and down

35mm has heavy breathing, but I don't see up-down syndrome.

stoney

No focus pulls on this baby.

I didn't see the up and down issue either.

BTW does it need a lens support?

stefanos

>BTW does it need a lens support?
nah you'll be fine. it sure does look like a beast with the added adapter on the gh2 doesn't it? :)

stoney

It is a beast. But it sure looks great with Cinematics matte box. I bet some clients would be impressed by the look. Haha.

stoney

Arrrggg... bad luck continues. I got a bad copy.

When the lens is pointing toward upward, rotating the focus ring makes washboard scraping sound. It vibrates, too. Gotta exchange it.

otcx

I am intrested this lens a lot. What adapter would work best with this? Nikon? Canon?

Tommyboy

@otcx

I think it is a personal taste at this point. I went with Canon since I want to use it with the new FF from them.

alcomposer

Re: Wobble:

I have the 35mm 1.4... And I am experiencing a wobble- however it has nothing to do with the optical block inside the lens- the whole GH2 is simply moving up and down .5mm or so when I use the Follow Focus (seriously small pulls). Any ideas regarding GH2 stabilization - especially for this lens (and other larger lenses?)

I am using a TrusMT FF + Shoulder Rig + Rails + Letus style quick release block.

Maybe its time to get a cage?

Vitaliy_Kiselev

@alcomposer

Only with this lens?

LPowell

@alcomposer

Here's how I mount the Rokinon 35mm on my follow-focus shoulder rig - it's very stable:

alcomposer

@VK- Not only with this lens- but this is quite a heavy and large lens so I notice it more :(

@LPowell- I must be a troglodyte or something--- but I have NOT scene that mount! Please let me know where I can get this mount- considering my predisposition for Nikon Mount- this is outstanding!

UPDATE: Any thoughts on this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nikon-G-AF-S-F-Lens-Micro-4-3-M4-3-Mount-Adapter-Tripod-Mount-GF7-GF3-G3-/230695651512?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35b68848b8#ht_5649wt_934

UPDATE 27/11/2011
Got the mount in the mail today! FANTASTIC! ROCK solid!

Vitaliy_Kiselev

@alcomposer

It looks like Chinese now make many adapters with such mount.
Pentax PK, Nikon F, etc

LPowell

@alcomposer

Good find! That does look like it would work. I made the Nikon lens mount in the photo above out of a cylindrical adapter, like this one:

http://www.adorama.com/CZM43NK.html

I mounted the adapter inside a collar mount made for a Canon telephoto lens, like this one:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Canon-EF-100mm-f-2-8-USM-Macro-Lens-Tripod-Mount-Ring-/260821785675?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cba309c4b

The adapter was a bit smaller than the inside diameter of the collar. I cut a strip of 1/8th-inch thick rubber sheet to use as a gasket.

Here's a link to the details on the shoulder rig:

http://www.personal-view.com./talks/discussion/558/gh2-shoulder-mount-follow-focus-rig-gini-trusmt

alcomposer

Thanks @LPowell!

Ill get one and report back here what it is like (I have a few gear reviews in the pipeline) I am a bit suspicious re the build quality- (would prefer a PL style) - but I may be surprised!

stoney

Very nice. It's cheaper than a quick release!!

All m43 adapters should have a leg like that.

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