Rokinon 21mm F 1 4 ED AS UMC CS Review | 54 Data compared

The LensTip review of the Samyang 21 mm f/1.4 ED AS UMC CS concludes that this manual ultra-fast wide-angle prime lens for mirrorless cameras leaves photographers with highly mixed emotions. On the positive side, the lens delivers outstanding image quality at the centre of the frame, with resolution numbers that brush against record-breaking values. Optical strong points include remarkably low lateral chromatic aberration, imperceptible spherical aberration, and highly effective distortion correction. Additionally, the multi-layered UMC coating ensures excellent performance against bright light, providing strong flare and ghosting resistance. Conversely, the lens suffers from distinct performance weaknesses and physical design omissions. A primary optical downside is the weak image quality on the edges of the frame across a large area near its maximum f/1.4 aperture, coupled with noticeable vignetting. LensTip also observed a slight optical decentering during testing, which led to sharpness differences between the left and right sides of the frame and a high 25% astigmatism level at f/2.0. Mechanically, because it lacks electronic contacts, the camera body cannot read EXIF data or control the aperture. Photographers may also find...

The ePHOTOzine review highlights the Samyang 21mm f/1.4 UMC CS X as a compact, well-built manual prime lens, praised for its bright f/1.4 aperture, smooth bokeh, and suitability for low-light, reportage, and street photography on APS-C/MFT cameras. While offering high-quality imaging, the lens is a fully manual optic lacking autofocus, automatic diaphragm, and electronic EXIF data transmission, and it also omits built-in image stabilization and a depth-of-field scale, making it less ideal for fast-paced action.

The Samyang 21mm f/1.4 ED AS UMC CS is a fast, manual-focus wide-angle prime lens designed for mirrorless cameras, earning a perfect 5 out of 5 score from What Digital Camera. It stands out as an excellent budget-friendly choice (originally priced at £279) for photographers who shoot stationary subjects, landscapes, or street photography and have the time to fine-tune their focus. On the pros side, the lens delivers impressive image quality with excellent center sharpness even wide open at f/1.4, which creates a beautiful, deep background blur (bokeh). It also features a robust, compact, and solid all-metal build that aligns perfectly with smaller mirrorless bodies, paired with a highly fluid manual-focus ring and a nicely notched aperture ring. Chromatic aberrations, flare, and distortion are also well-controlled due to its advanced internal glass elements and special multi-coatings. However, the lens does have a few cons that buyers should keep in mind before purchasing. Because it is entirely manual focus and lacks optical stabilization, it is poorly suited for action or fast-paced photography where instantaneous focusing is required. Furthermore, the lens features...

The DustinAbbott.net review of the Rokinon 21mm f/1.4 ED AS UMC highlights this lens as an exceptionally strong performer designed for APS-C and Micro Four Thirds mirrorless cameras. It boasts extremely strong image quality with high resolution at wide apertures, low chromatic aberration, and a lightweight, well-damped, and compact construction. The primary cons are that it is a fully manual lens lacking autofocus, focus confirmation, and electronic EXIF communication, along with a lack of weather sealing. While its manual nature limits fast-paced shooting, the optical performance is described as excellent.

📸 The Samyang/Rokinon 21mm f/1.4 Review Summary The Samyang/Rokinon 21mm f/1.4 is a lightweight (290g), compact manual-focus lens designed for APS-C and Micro Four Thirds mirrorless systems, providing a versatile 31.5mm equivalent field of view (42mm on MFT) that fits neatly between traditional 28mm and 35mm street focal lengths. Optically, the lens delivers strong performance when focusing closely and shows excellent resistance to both flare and chromatic aberration. While it is a bit soft wide open at f/1.4, center sharpness improves significantly at f/2 and f/2.8, peaking at f/4. However, corner sharpness lags behind, requiring the user to stop down to f/5.6 for peak edge-to-edge performance, and the bokeh can occasionally appear nervous with hard edges. Mechanically, the lens features a precise, tactile aperture ring that moves smoothly in 1/2 steps, but it suffers from a major design flaw in its manual focus ring, which is too loose and easily adjusted by accident. For a fully manual lens, it is also missing a hyperfocal scale on the barrel—a highly missed feature for street photographers—and completely lacks electronic contacts, meaning no...

The Samyang/Rokinon 21mm f/1.4 ED AS UMC CS is a highly-rated manual focus lens designed for APS-C and Micro Four Thirds mirrorless cameras, offering an equivalent focal length of approximately 31.5mm or 42mm respectively. The review highlights its advanced optical construction, which includes one extra-low dispersion (ED) lens and three aspherical (AS) elements to ensure high contrast and resolution across the frame. Built with a robust, solid quality that features a fluid manual-focus ring and a clicked aperture ring, the lens is praised for its portability and impressive image sharpness, particularly when stopped down to f/5.6. The lens's primary pros include its exceptionally sharp central resolution even at f/1.4, effective control of chromatic aberration, and minimal barrel distortion. Additionally, its nine-blade aperture creates attractive circular bokeh, and the internal focusing system is a benefit for filter users. On the cons side, the lens is entirely manual, lacking autofocus, optical stabilisation, and electronic contacts, which means no Exif data (like aperture or focal length) is recorded by the camera. Furthermore, corner shading (vignetting) is noticeable at f/1.4, and the lens is...

The Rokinon 21mm f/1.4 ED AS UMC is a fast, wide-angle, manual-focus prime lens specifically engineered for mirrorless interchangeable-lens compact cameras (ILCs). Priced around $499 street, it fills a gap in the market with native mounts for Canon M, Fujifilm X, Micro Four Thirds, and Sony E systems. Mechanically, it is praised for its lightweight, compact aluminum-alloy construction and a smooth, ribbed focusing ring with a 120-to-160-degree rotation. Optically, the lens stands out with highly competitive resolving power. In bench testing, it achieved excellent, imperceptible barrel distortion control (0.10%) and cleared up all light falloff completely by f/2.8, making it an appealing choice for landscape and street photographers who value high-speed optics over automation. Despite its strong optical foundation, the review highlights several drawbacks and point-by-point performance inconsistencies when compared to its competition. A primary drawback is its strict manual design, which lacks autofocus and may alienate action or speed-oriented shooters. At wide apertures, its image consistency falls short of the premier Fujifilm XF 16mm f/1.4 R WR, which also beats the Rokinon by eliminating vignetting earlier (by f/2) and...

The Trusted Reviews assessment of the Samyang 21mm f/1.4 ED AS UMC CS highlights a compact, well-built wide-angle prime lens offering excellent center sharpness from f/1.4 and superb corner-to-corner clarity when stopped down to f/5.6. Its robust construction and smooth manual-focusing ring are noted as key strengths, alongside an optical design that effectively controls distortion. However, the manual-only operation and absence of electronic camera contacts mean users will lose EXIF data and automatic lens corrections. While offering a competitive price-to-performance ratio, the lens also suffers from significant vignetting at maximum aperture.