Rokinon SP 14mm F 2 4 Review | 54 Data compared

The Rokinon SP 14mm f/2.4 lens is a high-resolution prime offering an electronic aperture for improved EXIF data recording and accurate exposure, representing a notable upgrade over older 14mm models. It delivers excellent control over lateral chromatic aberration, solid sharpness when stopped down, and creates a distinct 18-point starburst effect. The-Digital-Picture.com However, the lens exhibits significant vignetting, geometric distortion, and flare, along with somewhat soft performance at the maximum f/2.4 aperture. Additionally, potential users should be aware of possible quality control issues regarding sample-to-sample variation and lens alignment.

The Rokinon/Samyang SP 14mm f/2.4 is a premium manual focus lens delivering exceptional, world-class optical resolution capable of handling high-resolution sensors and 8K video, note and. It features a unique f/2.4 aperture for improved light gathering in astrophotography, extremely low coma, well-controlled aberrations, and an electronic interface for EXIF data and aperture control. However, the lens is heavy, bulky, and lacks weather sealing, which is limiting for outdoor use. Other drawbacks include significant vignetting at f/2.4 requiring post-processing correction and a fixed, bulbous hood that prevents the use of traditional screw-in filters.

The Samyang XP 14mm f/2.4 (branded as the Rokinon SP 14mm f/2.4 in North America) is a premium, ultra-wide prime lens designed to match DSLRs with 50+ megapixel sensors. Its complex optical construction features 18 elements in 14 groups, incorporating two aspherical, one hybrid aspherical, two extra-low dispersion, and three high refractive elements to combat chromatic aberration, distortion, and flare. Built into a solid, robust casing, the lens delivers stellar image quality with highly consistent sharpness across the frame, which remains exceptionally high in the corners even at its widest f/2.4 aperture. Key advantages of this lens include its generous viewing angle, superb optical performance, and premium build quality featuring electronic contacts that transmit exposure data and enable focus confirmation in the viewfinder. However, the lens has several distinct limitations that buyers must consider. It is strictly manual focus, lacks weather sealing—even missing a rubber gasket at the mount—and is exclusively available for Canon and Nikon DSLR systems. While the manual focus ring offers fluid, tactile handling with a long rotational travel and a helpful depth of field scale, it...

The Samyang XP 14mm f/2.4 manual focus lens (also branded as the Rokinon SP 14mm F2.4) delivers excellent, high-resolution image quality across the entire frame, making it fully capable of handling 50-megapixel sensors and 8K video production. Compared to Samyang’s older 14mm model, this premium lens features a significantly sturdier aluminum alloy build, a more comfortable rubber focus ring, and vastly improved optical performance. Its primary advantages include exceptionally low geometric distortion—avoiding the complex "moustache" distortion of its predecessor—minimal off-axis aberrations, and excellent control over coma and chromatic aberration, which can be effortlessly corrected in post-processing. Furthermore, the lens includes internal focusing and an electronic mount that communicates directly with the camera to automate aperture control and enable focus confirmation lights in the viewfinder. Despite its high performance, the lens presents several notable drawbacks, particularly its lack of autofocus and the absence of a depth-of-field scale. Manual focusing can prove highly challenging at wide apertures on modern DSLR screens, and the lack of a hard stop at infinity requires users to exercise extreme care when shooting distant subjects or astrophotography....

Photography Life evaluates five wide-angle lenses for astrophotography, identifying the Rokinon 14mm f/2.4 as the top choice for its exceptional sharpness and low coma, while the Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 offers high performance despite noticeable corner issues. The budget-friendly Samyang 14mm f/2.8 provides excellent value, delivering solid image quality, unlike the lower-ranked options in the comparison. The review also notes the Irix 15mm f/2.4 as a durable, high-quality alternative, though it carries a higher price tag. Conversely, the Laowa 12mm f/2.8 is rated lowest due to poor sharpness, severe vignetting, and distracting star halos, making it unsuitable for high-quality night sky photography. Photography Life

The Sigma 14mm f/1.8 Art and Rokinon SP 14mm f/2.4 emerged as the top choices for astrophotography based on real-world testing. The Sigma Art delivered the best overall image quality at f/2.8, minimal vignetting, and responsive autofocus for daytime use. Its ultra-wide f/1.8 aperture also provides a massive advantage for manual focusing at night and shooting the fast-moving Aurora Borealis. However, it is the heaviest lens tested at 2.53 lbs and suffers from image quality loss when shot wide open. Meanwhile, the Rokinon SP is praised as the lightest (1.73 lbs) and most budget-friendly option. It features a helpful manual focus stop just past infinity and a fluid focusing ring, though it lacks weather sealing, lacks official lens profiles in editing software, and exhibits heavy vignetting. In contrast, the Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 and Zeiss Milvus 15mm f/2.8 struggled to compete in night sky performance. The Nikon zoom offers great versatility by zooming up to 24mm, reliable weather sealing, and daylight autofocus. Despite these perks, it proved to be the most difficult lens to focus manually at night due to slack...

The Shotkit comparison reviews three Rokinon 14mm lenses, finding the manual focus version offers exceptional budget-friendly value, the f/2.4 SP delivers superior resolution, and the AF model offers the best balance of features. Key pros include excellent optical performance across the range, with the premium f/2.4 variant mitigating distortion, while the AF model adds convenience in a lightweight package. However, the analysis highlights significant cons, such as the manual focus lens's fragile, "disposable" build and the absence of full weather sealing on most models. Additionally, all versions feature a bulbous front element that prevents standard filters and requires costly, bulky external filter systems.

The Venus Optics Laowa 15mm f/2 lens is a fast, compact, and rectilinear ultra-wide lens specifically designed for Sony mirrorless cameras, though versions for Canon R and Nikon Z mounts are now available. It is highly recommended for nightscape and aurora photography due to its bright f/2 aperture, which allows for short exposures to freeze movement in the sky. The lens features a solid metal construction weighing 600 grams, making it significantly more portable than competitors like the Sigma 14mm Art. Optically, it delivers sharp on-axis performance comparable to premium lenses and supports standard 72mm filters thanks to its flat front element. Despite its high-quality optics, the lens has several drawbacks, most notably its lack of electronic contacts, meaning no metadata or aperture information is transferred to the camera. While vignetting is significant when used wide open at f/2, it is easily corrected in software and improves greatly by f/2.8. Off-axis, it exhibits some coma and astigmatism, though these levels are similar to more expensive alternatives. A unique professional feature is the "de-clickable" aperture ring, which allows for smooth, silent...

The Rokinon 14mm f/2.4 SP lens offers several notable optical improvements over the older 14mm f/2.8 model, particularly for daytime and traditional landscape photography. A key advantage of the new "Special Performance" (SP) version is the significant reduction in the older lens's infamous "moustache distortion," which helps render straight lines and architecture much flatter. Furthermore, the 14mm f/2.4 SP provides a visibly brighter frame with roughly 1/3 of a stop more light transmission at matching apertures, less severe corner vignetting, and noticeably better overall image contrast and color reproduction. It also transitions from manual aperture rings to convenient electronic aperture control directly via the camera body. However, the reviewer experienced critical build quality and optical consistency flaws that ultimately led to returning the lens. Physically, the lens did not mount smoothly onto the camera body, creating a sticky, metal-on-metal friction during twisting. It is also roughly 200 grams heavier than its predecessor. Optically, the specific copy tested suffered from a severe defect where the right side of the frame dissolved into complete blur and mush, likely due to misaligned internal...