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Samyang 14mm F 2 8 ED AS IF UMC Review | 54 Data compared

Avg. price in UK: ~£320
Avg. price in US: ~$280
Lens mount: Canon EF, Nikon F, Fujifilm X, Sony A, Sony E, Micro Four Thirds, Pentax K, Samsung NX
Maximum focal length: 14 mm
Maximum aperture (telephoto end): 2.8
Optical image stabilization: no
Maximum angle of view: 115.7 °

Samyang 14mm F 2 8 ED AS IF UMC review. Compare 54 technical specifications and user reviews to see how it ranks among camera lenses and if it is worth buying.

6.9

Good

6.5

Good

8.9

Excellent

7.2
Low-light photography
Score components:
70.0%
9.8
Maximum aperture (telephoto end)
30.0%
1.0
Optical image stabilization
4.7
Travel
Score components:
30.0%
8.5
Lens length
25.0%
6.9
Lens diameter
25.0%
1.0
Weather sealing (splashproof)
20.0%
1.0
Optical image stabilization

Best prices in UK

Best rankings

#276 in Best Wide Angle Lenses
#654 in Best Camera Lenses

Verdict

The Samyang 14mm f/2.8 ED AS IF UMCGo to product viewer dialog for this item. is a budget-friendly, ultra-wide manual focus prime lens designed for full-frame and APS-C cameras, offering a dramatic 115.7° field of view. Its optical construction includes 14 elements in 10 groups, featuring two extra-low dispersion (ED) elements, two aspherical elements (one hybrid), and Ultra Multi-Coating (UMC) to reduce flare and ghosting. Main pros include its impressive center sharpness even at f/2.8, robust build quality with a metal mount, and a smooth manual focus ring, making it a favorite for astrophotography and landscapes. However, common cons include significant mustache-shaped distortion, heavy vignetting, the inability to use standard screw-in filters due to the bulbous front element, and the complete lack of autofocus or electronic communication with the camera in most versions.

Technical Specifications of Samyang 14mm F 2 8 ED AS IF UMC

Overall score

6.9

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Popularity

What it is: An indicator based on the number of reviews received by the camera lens.

When it matters: When you want to see which camera lenses attract the most buyer attention and review activity.

Mount & Format

1.0

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Lens type

What it is: The optical category that indicates whether the lens is a prime, zoom, macro, fisheye, or another design.

When it matters: When you are choosing between a prime, zoom, macro, or specialty lens for the kind of subjects you shoot.

Importance: LOW

wide-angle prime

Lens mount

What it is: The mechanical and electronic interface that determines which cameras the lens can be attached to.

When it matters: When camera compatibility and access to the right lens ecosystem are central to your buying decision.

Importance: LOW

Canon EF, Nikon F, Fujifilm X, Sony A, Sony E, Micro Four Thirds, Pentax K, Samsung NX

Sensor format coverage

What it is: The largest sensor size the lens is designed to cover without severe vignetting.

When it matters: When you need the lens to fully cover your camera sensor without heavy corner darkening.

Importance: LOW

Full-frame

Filter thread size

What it is: The diameter of the front filter thread used for screw-in filters and compatible accessories.

When it matters: When you plan to use screw-in filters such as polarizers, ND filters, or protective glass.

Importance: LOW

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Teleconverter compatibility

What it is: Whether the lens can be used with compatible teleconverters to extend focal length.

When it matters: When you want to extend reach for wildlife or sports without changing to a different long lens.

Importance: HIGH

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Optics & Aperture

8.3

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Minimum focal length

What it is: The shortest focal length the lens can provide, which determines its widest framing.

When it matters: When wide framing matters for landscapes, interiors, architecture, or travel shots.

Importance: LOW

14 mm

Maximum focal length

What it is: The longest focal length the lens can reach, which determines its telephoto reach.

When it matters: When you need more reach for wildlife, sports, stage events, or distant details.

Importance: LOW

14 mm

Optical zoom

What it is: The ratio between the longest and shortest focal lengths available in the lens zoom range.

When it matters: When you want one lens to cover a broader range of compositions without swapping glass.

Importance: LOW

?

Maximum angle of view

What it is: The widest scene the lens can capture at its shortest focal length.

When it matters: When you need to fit more of a room, skyline, or landscape into the frame.

Importance: LOW

115.7 °

Minimum angle of view

What it is: The narrowest scene the lens captures at its longest focal length.

When it matters: When you want tighter framing on faraway subjects without moving closer.

Importance: LOW

115.7 °

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Focus & Controls

5.4

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Focus motor

What it is: The autofocus drive system responsible for moving lens elements into focus.

When it matters: When fast, quiet autofocus matters for video, wildlife, street shots, or moving subjects.

Importance: LOW

N/A

Minimum focus distance

What it is: The shortest distance at which the lens can focus on a subject.

When it matters: When you like shooting details, food, flowers, or products from a very short distance.

Importance: MEDIUM

Maximum reproduction ratio

What it is: The highest magnification the lens can achieve when focusing at its closest distance.

When it matters: When close-up magnification matters for macro work, textures, or small product details.

Importance: MEDIUM

Full-time manual focus

What it is: The ability to adjust focus manually without leaving autofocus mode.

When it matters: When you want to fine-tune focus instantly without switching out of autofocus.

Importance: HIGH

Internal focusing

What it is: A focusing design in which internal elements move while the outer barrel length stays unchanged.

When it matters: When you use polarizers, gimbals, or close-up setups that benefit from a lens that does not extend while focusing.

Importance: HIGH

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Stabilization

4.2

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Optical image stabilization

What it is: A hardware system that shifts optical elements to counteract camera shake and reduce blur.

When it matters: When you want steadier handheld shots and less blur, especially in low light or at longer focal lengths.

Importance: HIGH

Stabilization effectiveness (CIPA stops)

What it is: The rated stabilizer benefit, measured in stops, under CIPA testing standards.

When it matters: When you are comparing stabilized lenses and want to know how much handheld shutter-speed advantage they offer.

Importance: HIGH

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Build & Handling

6.1

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Weight

What it is: The total mass of the lens, affecting portability and handling balance on the camera body.

When it matters: When you carry a lens all day for travel, hiking, or event coverage and want to keep your kit manageable.

Importance: HIGH

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Lens length

What it is: The physical length of the lens body from mount to front edge.

When it matters: When bag space, balance, or front clearance matters in a compact travel or video setup.

Importance: HIGH

Lens diameter

What it is: The widest outer diameter of the lens barrel.

When it matters: When grip comfort, filter size, or fit inside a tight camera bag matters to you.

Importance: MEDIUM

Weather sealing (splashproof)

What it is: Protective sealing intended to resist splashes, dust, and light environmental exposure.

When it matters: When you often shoot outdoors in light rain, dust, or changing conditions.

Importance: HIGH

Metal mount

What it is: A lens mount made of metal rather than plastic for greater durability at the camera connection point.

When it matters: When durability matters because you change lenses often or use heavier gear for work.

Importance: HIGH

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Lab Scores

6.6

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DxOMark overall score

What it is: The combined DxOMark lens rating based on lab-tested optical performance.

When it matters: When you want a quick lab-based summary of overall optical performance before comparing lenses in detail.

Importance: HIGH

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DxOMark sharpness score

What it is: The DxOMark subscore that reflects how much detail the lens can resolve across the frame.

When it matters: When fine detail matters for landscapes, product work, or high-resolution cameras.

Importance: HIGH

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DxOMark transmission

What it is: The measured light transmission of the lens, expressed as T-stop rather than nominal f-number.

When it matters: When real light loss matters for exposure consistency in studio, cinema, or mixed-lens shoots.

Importance: MEDIUM

DxOMark distortion

What it is: The DxOMark metric that measures how much the lens bends straight lines away from their true shape.

When it matters: When straight lines matter in architecture, interiors, copy work, or product photography.

Importance: MEDIUM

DxOMark vignetting

What it is: The DxOMark measurement of corner darkening relative to the center of the image.

When it matters: When even corner brightness matters for skies, studio backdrops, or clean product shots.

Importance: MEDIUM

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Samyang 14mm F 2 8 ED AS IF UMC vs the average camera lens

Why is Samyang 14mm F 2 8 ED AS IF UMC better than the average camera lens?

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Has aperture ring
Samyang 14mm F 2 8 ED AS IF UMC has an aperture ring, the average camera lens does not. 31.2% of camera lenses include an aperture ring.
What it is: A dedicated ring on the lens used to control the aperture directly.
When it matters: When you want direct tactile control over exposure while shooting photos or video.
Importance: MEDIUM
Samyang 14mm F 2 8 ED AS IF UMC has an aperture ring, the average camera lens does not. 31.2% of camera lenses include an aperture ring.
Has focus distance scale
Samyang 14mm F 2 8 ED AS IF UMC has a focus distance scale, the average camera lens does not. 48.6% of camera lenses include a focus distance scale.
What it is: A marked scale that shows the approximate focus distance set on the lens.
When it matters: When you pre-focus manually for street, zone focusing, or repeatable tripod setups.
Importance: MEDIUM
Samyang 14mm F 2 8 ED AS IF UMC has a focus distance scale, the average camera lens does not. 48.6% of camera lenses include a focus distance scale.
Has aperture ring
Samyang 14mm F 2 8 ED AS IF UMC has an aperture ring, the average camera lens does not. 31.2% of camera lenses include an aperture ring.
Has focus distance scale
Samyang 14mm F 2 8 ED AS IF UMC has a focus distance scale, the average camera lens does not. 48.6% of camera lenses include a focus distance scale.

Focus & Controls

Why is Samyang 14mm F 2 8 ED AS IF UMC worse than the average camera lens?

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3 fewer aperture blades
Samyang 14mm F 2 8 ED AS IF UMC has fewer aperture blades than the average camera lens (6 vs 9). The average lens has 9 aperture blades.
No full-time manual focus
Samyang 14mm F 2 8 ED AS IF UMC does not support full-time manual focus, the average camera lens does. 68.4% of camera lenses support full-time manual focus.
0.07 x lower maximum reproduction ratio
Samyang 14mm F 2 8 ED AS IF UMC has a lower maximum reproduction ratio than the average camera lens (0.1x vs 0.192x). The average lens has a maximum reproduction ratio of 0.192x.
Not weather-sealed
Samyang 14mm F 2 8 ED AS IF UMC does not support weather sealing, the average camera lens does. 50.3% of camera lenses support weather sealing.
10 mm wider lens barrel
Samyang 14mm F 2 8 ED AS IF UMC is wider than the average camera lens (87 mm vs 77 mm). The average lens has a diameter of 77 mm.
Older release date
Samyang 14mm F 2 8 ED AS IF UMC was released earlier than the average camera lens.
4 mm longer lens
Samyang 14mm F 2 8 ED AS IF UMC is longer than the average camera lens (96 mm vs 92 mm). The average lens has a length of 92 mm.
1.3 % higher optical distortion
Samyang 14mm F 2 8 ED AS IF UMC has a higher optical distortion than the average camera lens (1.6% vs 0.3%). The average lens has optical distortion of 0.3%.
9.5 µm higher chromatic aberration
Samyang 14mm F 2 8 ED AS IF UMC has a higher chromatic aberration than the average camera lens (18 µm vs 8.5 µm). The average lens has chromatic aberration of 8.5 µm.
0.2 T-stop higher transmission value
Samyang 14mm F 2 8 ED AS IF UMC has a higher T-stop value than the average camera lens (3.3 T-stop vs 3.1 T-stop). The average lens has a T-stop value of 3.1 T-stop.
Not weather-sealed
Samyang 14mm F 2 8 ED AS IF UMC does not support weather sealing, the average camera lens does. 50.3% of camera lenses support weather sealing.
What it is: Protective sealing intended to resist splashes, dust, and light environmental exposure.
When it matters: When you often shoot outdoors in light rain, dust, or changing conditions.
Importance: HIGH
Samyang 14mm F 2 8 ED AS IF UMC does not support weather sealing, the average camera lens does. 50.3% of camera lenses support weather sealing.
3 fewer aperture blades
Samyang 14mm F 2 8 ED AS IF UMC has fewer aperture blades than the average camera lens (6 vs 9). The average lens has 9 aperture blades.
What it is: The number of diaphragm blades that shape the aperture opening and influence blur rendering.
When it matters: When the look of out-of-focus highlights matters in portraits, close-ups, or cinematic video.
Importance: HIGH
Samyang 14mm F 2 8 ED AS IF UMC has fewer aperture blades than the average camera lens (6 vs 9). The average lens has 9 aperture blades.6 vs 9
No full-time manual focus
Samyang 14mm F 2 8 ED AS IF UMC does not support full-time manual focus, the average camera lens does. 68.4% of camera lenses support full-time manual focus.
What it is: The ability to adjust focus manually without leaving autofocus mode.
When it matters: When you want to fine-tune focus instantly without switching out of autofocus.
Importance: HIGH
Samyang 14mm F 2 8 ED AS IF UMC does not support full-time manual focus, the average camera lens does. 68.4% of camera lenses support full-time manual focus.
1.3 % higher optical distortion
Samyang 14mm F 2 8 ED AS IF UMC has a higher optical distortion than the average camera lens (1.6% vs 0.3%). The average lens has optical distortion of 0.3%.
What it is: The DxOMark metric that measures how much the lens bends straight lines away from their true shape.
When it matters: When straight lines matter in architecture, interiors, copy work, or product photography.
Importance: MEDIUM
Samyang 14mm F 2 8 ED AS IF UMC has a higher optical distortion than the average camera lens (1.6% vs 0.3%). The average lens has optical distortion of 0.3%.1.6 % vs 0.3 %
9.5 µm higher chromatic aberration
Samyang 14mm F 2 8 ED AS IF UMC has a higher chromatic aberration than the average camera lens (18 µm vs 8.5 µm). The average lens has chromatic aberration of 8.5 µm.
What it is: The DxOMark metric that quantifies unwanted color fringing caused by different wavelengths focusing unevenly.
When it matters: When you want to avoid color fringing on high-contrast edges in backlit scenes or detailed subjects.
Importance: MEDIUM
Samyang 14mm F 2 8 ED AS IF UMC has a higher chromatic aberration than the average camera lens (18 µm vs 8.5 µm). The average lens has chromatic aberration of 8.5 µm.18 µm vs 8.5 µm
10 mm wider lens barrel
Samyang 14mm F 2 8 ED AS IF UMC is wider than the average camera lens (87 mm vs 77 mm). The average lens has a diameter of 77 mm.
What it is: The widest outer diameter of the lens barrel.
When it matters: When grip comfort, filter size, or fit inside a tight camera bag matters to you.
Importance: MEDIUM
Samyang 14mm F 2 8 ED AS IF UMC is wider than the average camera lens (87 mm vs 77 mm). The average lens has a diameter of 77 mm.87 mm vs 77 mm
Older release date
Samyang 14mm F 2 8 ED AS IF UMC was released earlier than the average camera lens.
What it is: The date when the lens model was first officially introduced.
When it matters: When you prefer a newer optical design with more modern autofocus, coatings, or stabilization features.
Importance: LOW
Samyang 14mm F 2 8 ED AS IF UMC was released earlier than the average camera lens.2009 vs 2016
0.07 x lower maximum reproduction ratio
Samyang 14mm F 2 8 ED AS IF UMC has a lower maximum reproduction ratio than the average camera lens (0.1x vs 0.192x). The average lens has a maximum reproduction ratio of 0.192x.
What it is: The highest magnification the lens can achieve when focusing at its closest distance.
When it matters: When close-up magnification matters for macro work, textures, or small product details.
Importance: MEDIUM
Samyang 14mm F 2 8 ED AS IF UMC has a lower maximum reproduction ratio than the average camera lens (0.1x vs 0.192x). The average lens has a maximum reproduction ratio of 0.192x.0.12 x vs 0.192 x

Optics & Aperture

Focus & Controls

Build & Handling

Graphic comparison of Samyang 14mm F 2 8 ED AS IF UMC and

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Third-party reviews

United Kingdom

United States

(Reviews last updated: July 2026)

What customers like about Samyang 14mm F 2 8 ED AS IF UMC?

Excellent value for money and high 'bang for buck'
Outstanding sharpness, especially in the center of the frame even at f/2.8
Great for astrophotography due to low coma and a fast f/2.8 aperture
Solid, robust build quality featuring a metal mount and smooth focus ring
Ultra-wide 115-degree field of view on full-frame cameras
Lightweight and compact design makes it highly portable

What customers dislike about Samyang 14mm F 2 8 ED AS IF UMC?

Noticeable and complex 'mustache' distortion, making it difficult for architecture
Fully manual operation with no autofocus or electronic aperture control
Bulbous front element prevents the use of standard screw-in filters
Significant vignetting when used wide open at f/2.8
Inaccurate distance and infinity markings on many units
Vulnerable to lens flare due to the large, convex front element

Expert reviews

ephotozine.com

04/07/2012

Summary of the review

Samyang 14mm f/2.8 ED AS IF UMC Lens Review - ePHOTOzine

The ePHOTOzine review highlights the Samyang 14mm f/2.8 ED AS IF UMC as a bargain-priced, ultra-wide prime delivering excellent center sharpness from f/2.8 and great overall resolution when stopped down to f/5.6. Key advantages include strong build quality, a lightweight design, and very low chromatic aberration, though it suffers from significant "moustache" distortion, vignetting, and requires fully manual operation with no EXIF data recorded.

the-digital-picture.com

18/07/2016

Summary of the review

Rokinon (Samyang) 14mm f/2.8 ED IF UMCGo to product viewer dialogue for this item. Lens Review

The Rokinon (Samyang) 14mm f/2.8 IF ED UMC lens is highlighted as a popular, budget-friendly manual focus prime offering an expansive 115.7-degree angle of view and a fast f/2.8 aperture suitable for landscapes and astrophotography. It features a solid build with a smooth focus ring and provides good center sharpness, particularly when stopped down. However, the lens is characterized by severe, complex "mustache" distortion and heavy vignetting, alongside weak corner sharpness on full-frame cameras. Additional limitations include a lack of autofocus, no aperture control, and a convex front element that prohibits standard screw-on filters.

lonelyspeck.com

22/03/2014

Summary of the review

Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 IF ED UMC Review – Lonely Speck

The Lonely Speck review recommends the Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 IF ED UMC as a top, budget-friendly option for astrophotography, highlighting excellent center sharpness at f/2.8, an ultra-wide 115.7° field of view, and low comatic aberration. The lens features solid build quality with smooth focusing, yet it offers incredible value compared to name-brand alternatives. Conversely, the review notes a heavily-damped, slow focus ring and inaccurate distance markings that make manual focusing challenging. The lens exhibits wavy "moustache" distortion, a potential for rainbow flare with edge light sources, and a bulbous design that prohibits standard screw-on filters.

northlight-images.co.uk

20/12/2013

Summary of the review

Review: Samyang/Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 ED AS IF UMC lensGo to product viewer dialog for this item.

The Samyang/Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 ED AS IF UMC is a budget-friendly, manual-focus ultra-wide-angle lens that offers impressive value for full-frame photographers compared to its expensive competitors, such as the Canon 14mm lens. On the positive side, the lens delivers excellent sharpness and contrast, especially when stopped down to f/8, and it features exceptionally low chromatic aberration that actually outperforms far costlier options. Its solid plastic construction, metal mount, smooth focus ring with a long throw, and robustly fitting lens cap add to its overall physical reliability for street and landscape photography. However, the lens has several distinct drawbacks, most notably a complex, wavy "moustache" geometric distortion that makes uncorrected straight lines warp significantly, rendering it difficult to use for serious architectural work without software correction profiles. Additionally, it features heavy vignetting at wide apertures like f/2.8, lacks a hyperfocal distance scale, and cannot accommodate standard filters due to its fixed, built-in lens hood. Because the Canon-mount version has no electronic communication chips, users must tolerate a completely manual workflow, which means missing autofocus, lacking focus confirmation, manually adjusting apertures, and...

digital-photography-school.com

04/11/2018

Summary of the review

Samyang 14mm f/2.8 Lens - Astrophotography On A Budget

The Samyang (also branded as Rokinon) 14mm f/2.8 ultra wide-angle lens is a highly specialized, manual-focus prime lens designed for photographers looking to shoot the night sky on a budget. It is compatible with full-frame and cropped sensors across Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Pentax mounts. Priced at $279 USD at the time of review, its primary advantages include an affordable entry point, a fast f/2.8 maximum aperture that captures vast amounts of light, and an expansive 115° field of view ideal for framing the Milky Way. Additionally, weighing roughly 550g, it remains lightweight for travel, while its focus ring offers a smooth feel and large throw for highly accurate manual adjustments when auto-focus is ineffective. However, the lens comes with notable downsides, most prominently its plastic construction and a lack of both auto-focus and electronic aperture controls. It exhibits significant edge distortion and an overall image softness that makes it less ideal for daylight landscape photography or large-scale prints. Photographers must also accept that its bulbous, protruding front element completely prevents the use of standard lens filters. Ultimately, while it...

ionescuvlad.com

17/04/2019

Summary of the review

Samyang 14mm f/2.8 Review | Ionescu Vlad

The Samyang 14mm f/2.8 ED AS IF UMC is a highly affordable, manual ultra-wide-angle lens that offers robust metallic construction and impressive image quality, particularly for budget-conscious photographers. The reviewer notes that it delivers excellent sharpness starting right at f/2.8, with optimal performance achieved between f/5.6 and f/16. For astrophotographers, it features a nearly non-existent "coma" effect, ensuring stars remain clear and geometrically accurate in the corners. Additionally, its flare is well-controlled by Ultra Multi Coating (UMC) treatments, and its compact size balances comfortably on full-frame camera bodies. However, the lens suffers from severe, complex "mustard-type" or mustache distortions that make it unsuitable for architecture or indoor photography, and can even disrupt panoramic software stitching. Physical downsides include a bulbous front element that does not support standard screw-in or gel filters, and a non-detachable lens hood that makes cleaning the glass difficult. Mechanically, the distance scale arrives uncalibrated from the factory (requiring a manual screwdriver adjustment), and because the aperture is fully manual, the camera viewfinder becomes very dark when stopping down past f/8. Despite these flaws, the reviewer concludes...

lenstip.com

20/04/2010

Summary of the review

Samyang 14 mm f/2.8 ED AS IF UMC review - LensTip.com

The LensTip review of the Samyang 14 mm f/2.8 ED AS IF UMC evaluates an updated ultra-wide-angle prime lens redesigned to fix the critical flaws of its 2009 predecessor. This newer version incorporates Ultra Multi-Coating (UMC) to improve performance against bright light and increases the structural length of its built-in petal lens hood. Optically, the lens is a massive success in sharpness, delivering sensational image quality in the frame centre that surpasses even high-end competitors like the Nikkor 14-24 mm. It also provides very good resolution at the edge of an APS-C sensor, fully acceptable results at the full-frame edge, well-corrected coma, and negligible astigmatism. Built with a smooth manual focusing ring and decent mechanical quality, it offers an excellent price-to-quality ratio, making it highly recommended despite a slight €40 price increase over the original model. However, the ultra-wide lens still suffers from several optical and physical limitations. The most prominent optical flaws are high and complicated moustache distortion alongside significant vignetting when shooting wide open at f/2.8 on a full-frame sensor. While the new UMC coating significantly mitigates the...

photoreview.com.au

03/01/2021

Summary of the review

Samyang 14mm f/2.8 ED AS IF UMC - Photo Review

The Photo Review assessment of the Samyang 14mm f/2.8 ED AS IF UMC lens highlights its exceptional 115.7-degree angle of view, making it ideal for landscapes and astrophotography. Pros include excellent central sharpness from f/2.8, robust build quality with a metal mount, and smooth manual focusing. Conversely, cons involve strong, complex "moustache" barrel distortion requiring software correction, and the inability to use standard screw-on filters due to the bulbous front element. As a fully mechanical lens, it also lacks electronic coupling for aperture control and EXIF data, along with noticeable softness in the corners on full-frame sensors.

whatsthebest.co.uk

12/01/2024

Summary of the review

Reviewed: Samyang 14mm F/2.8 IF ED UMC - What's The Best Would you like to find reviews for the weather-sealed MK2 version or the Autofocus (AF)Go to...

in english language, be very specific, mention pros and cons inside You sent: 1 tab and said: 2 paragraphs summary of this review in english language, be very specific, mention pros and cons inside Samyang 14mm F/2.8 IF ED UMC Prime Lens Review 2 paragraphs summary of this review in english language, be very specific, mention pros and cons inside

4photos.de

Not Dated

Summary of the review

Samyang 14 mm / 2.8 IF ED MC Aspherical Test

In his review, Markus Keinath evaluates the Samyang 14 mm / 2.8 IF ED MC Aspherical lens (also sold under brands like Rokinon and Bower) as a highly affordable ultra-wide-angle option for full-frame and crop cameras. On the positive side, the lens delivers impressive optical performance for its low price, proving competitive with much more expensive alternatives from Canon and Nikon. Keinath praises its smooth bokeh rendering at f/2.8 during close-distance shooting, its effective control over stray light and flares, and its excellent suitability for infrared photography, noting a complete absence of central hotspots between f/2.8 and f/8.0. However, the review highlights severe mechanical and structural flaws as major drawbacks. The most significant optical issue is a prominent "moustache" (wave) distortion, which requires specialized software profiles to correct. Mechanically, the lens suffers from poor quality control; Keinath’s unit had an incorrectly calibrated focus scale (where infinity focus was falsely marked at 0.8 meters) and internal mount screws that attach directly into weak plastic components rather than metal. These structural shortcuts make the lens fragile, with reports of elements easily misaligning...

lesnumeriques.com

08/11/2016

Summary of the review

Samyang FE 14mm f/2.8 ED AS IF UMC Review - Les Numériques

The Samyang FE 14 mm f/2.8 ED AS IF UMC is an ultra-wide-angle prime lens designed for full-frame Sony E-mount (FE) mirrorless cameras, earning a 3 out of 5 rating from Les Numériques. It features an elegant, all-metal construction with an internal focusing mechanism that keeps the physical size constant during operation. Optically, the lens delivers excellent sharpness and uniformity between f/8 and f/11, effectively matching the high resolution of a 42-megapixel sensor. Additional strong points include very low distortion levels for landscapes and a surprisingly fast and precise autofocus system for photography. However, the lens suffers from notable design and performance drawbacks. It experiences a severe loss of sharpness homogeneity at wide apertures and exhibits pronounced vignetting across all settings, which only softens at f/5,6. Structurally, the lens lacks environmental weather sealing against dust and moisture, lacks a physical manual aperture ring, and features a loose, inaccurate manual focus ring devoid of distance indicators. Finally, while the autofocus excels for still imagery, its motor generates a loud noise during operation, making it completely unusable for capturing video. To help...

photoklub.com

26/01/2018

Summary of the review

Samyang 14mm f/2.8 ED AS IF UMC Lens Review - PhotoKlub

Based on the review, the Samyang 14mm f/2.8 ED AS IF UMC is a highly compact, all-metal manual Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) lens that balances well on a full-frame body like the Pentax K-1. The lens delivers outstanding optical performance regarding chromatic aberrations and lens flare, both of which are practically non-existent even in harsh backlighting conditions. Furthermore, its aggressive pricing of around €379 leaves it with no direct financial competitors in its category. Sharpness and general rendering evolve nicely across the frame, becoming good to excellent once stepped down to f/5.6 or f/8. However, the lens suffers from notable geometric distortions, featuring a complex mix of barrel and pincushion artifacts that make it unsuitable for serious architectural photography. Edge sharpness is weak at the maximum f/2.8 aperture, and heavy vignetting is present until closing down to f/5.6. Mechanically, the physical design does not allow for standard front filters due to the highly bulbous front element. Additionally, the manual focus ring features an excessively long 3/4-turn throw, which complicates precise manual focusing for such a short focal length.

nikonpassion.com

24/06/2010

Summary of the review

Samyang AE 14mm f/2.8 IF ED UMC Aspherical review for Nikon: one week in the field

This review evaluates the Samyang AE 14 mm f/2.8 IF ED UMC Aspherical lens for Nikon F-mount cameras on a full-frame Nikon D700. The reviewer praises its solid, heavy-duty build quality despite its "low-cost" positioning at under €320. Optically, the lens delivers excellent, high-tier performance that stands up well against expensive name-brand competition, saving the photographer roughly €1,500 compared to an equivalent Nikon lens. Its ultra-wide 114-degree angle of view offers tremendous creative freedom for unique framing and composition. The lens operates fully manually, but the reviewer emphasizes that wide-angle shooting is simple; by setting the aperture to f/8 and the focus distance to 1 meter, the depth of field ensures sharp focus across the entire frame, making it easy to capture fast-moving subjects like children on bicycles. The primary pros highlighted include exceptional value for money, robust physical construction, high sharpness starting from f/4, and a wide 114-degree field of view. Conversely, the distinct cons involve a heavy amount of vignetting when shooting wide open at f/2.8 (though the author notes this can sometimes add a pleasant artistic effect)....

photoetmac.com

27/09/2013

Summary of the review

Field test of the Samyang 14mm f/2.8 ultra-wide-angle lens

The Samyang 14mm f/2.8 lens offers an unbeatable price-to-performance ratio for ultra-wide-angle photography, rivaling options from Canon and Nikon that cost five to six times more. Built firmly with a metal and glass body, its prominent, bulging front element is well-shielded by an integrated plastic lens hood. Optically, the lens delivers impressive performance on full-frame cameras like the Canon 5D Mark III, providing a highly rewarding 114° field of view that allows the photographer to get incredibly close to subjects. It produces sharp images starting right at f/2.8, reaching its peak optical quality around f/8. Furthermore, it handles chromatic aberration, corner distortion, and lens flare exceptionally well for its price range. However, the lens lacks autofocus and electronic diaphragm coupling, meaning users must shoot entirely manually with actual aperture depth-of-field preview. While the manual focus ring is smooth, its excessively long throw slows down tracking reactivity. This makes the lens poorly suited for fast-paced events like wedding photography, though it remains effective for landscapes or action when utilizing hyperfocale techniques and zone focusing. Optically, its primary flaw is a distinct...

mpr.photo

21/04/2017

Summary of the review

Introducing the Samyang 14mm f/2.8 - Mon Petit Reflex

The Samyang 14mm f/2.8 ED AS IF UMC is an affordable, ultra-wide-angle lens designed for full-frame cameras that operates with 100% manual controls. Built with a solid metal body and a robust integrated plastic lens hood, the lens delivers excellent sharpness, reliable color rendering, and strong contrast. Its ultra-wide focal length creates an expansive depth of field; for instance, setting the aperture to f/8 or f/11 and the focus to 3 metres keeps almost everything from a few centimetres to infinity perfectly sharp without needing to double-check the viewfinder. This vast depth of field makes shooting incredibly fast and efficient once initial test shots are completed. However, the lens requires several compromises due to its fully manual nature, meaning it completely lacks autofocus, optical stabilisation, and electronic aperture control unless you pay a premium for the "AE" version. A major usability drawback is that stopping down the manual aperture ring physically darkens the optical viewfinder, though this can be bypassed by using Live View with exposure compensation. Furthermore, its large, bulbous front element lacks filter threads, making standard screw-on filters...

dxomark.fr

27/07/2026

Summary of the review

Samyang 14mm F2.8 IF ED MC Aspherical image quality test on DxOMark

The Samyang 14mm f/2.8 IF ED UMC Aspherical lens for Canon mounts delivers highly competitive image quality, specifically when it comes to sharpness. A major pro of this lens is its excellent resolution, which provides homogenous and sharp images across the entire field of view, even when shooting wide open at its maximum aperture of f/2.8. Additionally, the lens controls vignetting remarkably well, ensuring that corner shading remains minimal and under control during use. However, the lens does suffer from a notable drawback regarding geometric distortion. The review highlights a relatively high distortion rate of 1.6%, which is visually apparent as a distinct warp in images, a common issue for ultra-wide-angle focal lengths. Users evaluating this lens can view specific distortion measurement grids to see exactly how this artifact impacts final image composition.

digitalcamaralens.com

12/08/2025

Summary of the review

Samyang 14mm f/2.8 ED AS IF UMC Review

The Samyang 14 mm f/2.8 ED AS IF UMC review focuses heavily on the lens's design similarities to previous models, such as the Samyang 8mm Fisheye and 85mm f/1.4. Tested on full-frame and APS-C camera bodies (the Canon 5D MkII and Nikon D300), this ultra-wide-angle lens features an impressive diagonal angle of view of 115.7 degrees on a 35mm sensor. Its optical layout is comprised of 14 elements arranged in 10 groups, and it features a 6-blade aperture diaphragm. Weighing 530 grams, the lens has a physical length of 87 mm and a maximum width of 93.6 mm, rendering it a relatively compact yet substantial tool for landscape and architectural photography. The primary pros highlighted during the physical and operational check include a highly precise manual focus (MF) ring that operates smoothly, continuously, and without any loose play. Additionally, the focus arc is wide enough to facilitate highly accurate adjustments, and the aperture ring behaves correctly regarding mechanical tolerances, rotation, and click-stop selection. Conversely, the major cons of the lens lie in its physical restrictions; it lacks a filter thread...

andreaverzola.com

25/02/2016

Summary of the review

My Camera Bag: Samyang 14mm f/2.8 IF ED UMC Review

The Samyang 14 mm f/2.8 IF ED UMC is a completely manual wide-angle lens that offers an expansive 104° horizontal field of view, making it ideal for static photography like landscapes and interiors. The reviewer notes that its manual nature—requiring physical adjustments for both focus and aperture—slows down operation, but this has a minimal impact when shooting on a tripod, often making the process more engaging. Key strengths highlighted in the review include its highly affordable price point compared to automatic first-party lenses, "stratospheric" image quality with excellent contrast, remarkable flare resistance, and superlative sharpness. However, the lens comes with several specific trade-offs and build limitations. On the negative side, the review points out that the integrated plastic lens hood is quite fragile, the focus ring distance markings are inaccurate, and there is evident vignetting when shooting wide open at f/2.8. Furthermore, users must deal with significant distortion at the center that requires post-production correction, a loss of sharpness at the edges, a highly exposed front glass element, and a complete lack of image stabilization or EXIF data. Ultimately, the...

dariocarminati.it

04/02/2020

Summary of the review

Samyang 14mm f/2.8 Review - Dario Carminati

The Samyang 14mm f/2.8 lens is described as an exceptional, budget-friendly ultra-wide-angle option for landscape and astrophotography, offering remarkable sharpness and a wide field of view. Its robust construction includes a solid, smooth manual focus ring and a durable metal mount, while the f/2.8 aperture provides excellent light gathering with minimal coma distortion for night photography. YouTube · Key drawbacks include the entirely manual nature of the lens, which lacks autofocus, aperture control, and EXIF data transmission. Additionally, the bulbous, fixed-hood design prevents the use of standard filters, and users must address noticeable "mustache" distortion and corner vignetting in post-processing.

playerdue.com

13/02/2014

Summary of the review

Recensione Samyang 14mm f2.8 (ed as if UMC)

This review evaluates the Samyang 14mm f/2.8 (ED AS IF UMC) ultra-wide-angle lens tested on a full-frame Canon EOS 5D Mark III camera. Structurally, the reviewer praises the lens for its excellent build quality, solid metal mount, and a heavy, 552-gram body that offers a strong sense of durability. The focus and aperture rings provide excellent tactile feedback, with the focus ring being well-calibrated with a long rotation path that assists in manual precision. In terms of performance, the reviewer notes that finding the correct focus is relatively forgiving due to the extreme focal width; setting the lens to an aperture like f/7.1 or f/8 and focusing near infinity yields sharp, satisfying results for landscape photography. Ultimately, the lens is highly recommended as an unbeatable, budget-friendly option for its category. However, the lens comes with several notable disadvantages stemming from its completely manual design. Because it lacks electronic communication chips, the lens cannot transmit aperture values to the camera's viewfinder or save them within the file's EXIF metadata. Additionally, the reviewer describes the overall process of manual focusing as slow...

perbo.it

No date available

Summary of the review

Recensione obiettivo Samyang 14 2.8 UMC - perbo.it

The Samyang 14mm f/2.8 IF ED AS UMC is an exceptional, completely manual ultra-wide-angle lens that offers professional-grade results at approximately one-fifth of the cost of its brand-name competitors from Canon, Nikon, or Zeiss. Its standout advantage is its remarkable sharpness across the frame, which is complemented by excellent build quality and near-zero lateral chromatic aberrations, even in high-contrast scenes. With a massive 104-degree horizontal field of view on full-frame cameras, it is highly recommended for landscape, astronomical, and architectural photography, where its manual focus and aperture rings present minimal hindrance when using a tripod. However, the lens has several distinct drawbacks, most notably a very pronounced moustache-shaped ("wave") distortion that makes uncorrected architectural shots problematic, and heavy vignetting that approaches 3 stops at a wide-open f/2.8 aperture. Additionally, the distance markings on the focus ring are notoriously inaccurate and completely mismatched with reality, requiring users to rely heavily on Live View to achieve accurate focus. The lens's bulbous front element prevents the use of standard filters, and its integrated plastic petal lens hood is fragile and non-replaceable if broken....

focus-review.com

11/06/2026

Summary of the review

Review of the Samyang AF 14mm f/2.8 ED AS IF UMC

The Samyang AF 14mm f/2.8 ED AS IF UMC is an ultra-wide-angle prime lens specifically built for full-frame Sony E-mount mirrorless cameras, offering the widest focal length available with autofocus for the system at its release. Optically, the lens delivers solid performance, featuring highly respectable sharpness in the centre of the frame at full aperture (f/2.8). For peak corner-to-corner clarity, stopping down to f/8 is highly recommended, making it an excellent tool for landscape and architectural photography. The lens boasts a robust metal housing with a sleek, minimalist design, an internal focusing mechanism that ensures its length remains unchanged, and an autofocus system that operates quickly, quietly, and reliably. The review highlights several distinct advantages and disadvantages of this lens. On the positive side, it offers a fantastic ultra-wide field of view, excellent value for money compared to expensive Sony or Zeiss alternatives, and a compact, lightweight body that does away with the need for bulky DSLR adapters. Additionally, its 7-blade aperture creates beautiful 14-ray sunstars when stopped down. On the downside, the corners are visibly soft at the wide-open...

marijnheuts.nl

24/08/2017

Summary of the review

Review: Samyang 14mm f/2.8 en 24mm f/1.4

In this review, photographer Marijn Heuts evaluates the Samyang 14mm f/2.8 and Samyang 24mm f/1.4 lenses, highlighting them as a budget-friendly "royal couple" for night, Milky Way, and aurora photography. The primary advantages of both lenses are their excellent price-to-quality ratio, solid metal build quality, high sharpness, pleasant contrast, and very low coma, which prevents stars from looking distorted in the corners of the frame. Specifically, the 24mm f/1.4 excels by letting in two full stops more light than an f/2.8 lens, allowing for shorter shutter speeds to freeze moving northern lights or lowering the ISO to reduce noise. Additionally, the 24mm model features a standard 77mm front thread that makes using regular screw-on filters effortless. However, the reviewer points out several notable drawbacks, most notably that both models are completely manual lenses with no electronic communication to the camera. This omission prevents exposure metering or EXIF data logging, and it makes them poorly suited for fast-paced daytime photography. The 14mm f/2.8 suffers from heavy mustache-shaped distortion that Lightroom's lens profiles cannot fully correct, and its bulbous front element completely...

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