Samyang 14mm T3 1 VDSLR ED AS IF UMC II Review | 54 Data compared

In this review, Ruben Kremer evaluates the Samyang 14mm T*3.1 Cine lens by mounting a Nikon F version onto an APS-C crop sensor camera, noting that its long flange focal distance makes it highly adaptable to multiple camera mounts using basic adapters. The reviewer notes several strong advantages, including very smooth manual focusing, a clickless and fluid aperture ring, and durable build quality that suggests long-term longevity. Optically, the full-frame lens yields a very sharp image when stepped down, and despite its ultra-wide focal length, it maintains highly acceptable edge distortion even when tested on crop sensor bodies. However, the field test also highlights a few notable disadvantages. The lens loses some of its sharpness and gets noticeably softer when shooting wide-open at its maximum T3.1 aperture. Additionally, it features a fixed sunhood and lacks front filter threads, meaning filmmakers who want to use neutral density (ND) filters will be forced to deploy them via a dedicated matte box setup. Kremer also points out that because the optic covers a full-frame sensor, using it exclusively on severe crop sensors misses...

The Samyang 14mm f/2.8 ED AS IF UMC is a highly budget-friendly, manual-focus ultragroothoek (ultra-wide-angle) lens designed for full-frame cameras. Built largely from metal, it features a complex optical design with an integrated plastic lens hood and a smooth 260-degree focus ring rotation. The Nikon variant supports electronic communication for in-camera aperture control, EXIF data, and i-TTL flash pairing, whereas other mounts lack these electronics. Performance tests show excellent sharpness from the center to nearly the edges even at the widest f/2.8 aperture, alongside minimal chromatic aberration and high resistance to lens flare. The lens's primary advantages include its durable build quality, outstanding image sharpness, exceptionally low chromatic aberration, and a very attractive price point. However, users must contend with several drawbacks, such as heavy vignetting at f/2.8 (darkening corners by two to three stops) and strong, complex mustache barrel distortion along the edges. Additionally, filters cannot be mounted directly without a bulky optional holder, the infinity focus markings on the barrel are misleading, and native post-processing correction profiles are missing in popular software, requiring users to manually seek out...

This review evaluates the Samyang 14mm f/2.8 and 24mm f/1.4 wide-angle lenses for night photography, specifically targeting astrophotography, the Milky Way, and the Northern Lights. Built firmly out of metal, both lenses offer exceptional, biting sharpness, neutral colours, excellent contrast, and minimal coma—meaning stars in the corners remain sharp points rather than turning into comma shapes. The ultra-bright 24mm f/1.4 lens stands out for letting in two full stops more light than an f/2.8 lens, which significantly reduces exposure times or ISO needs to cleanly capture moving auroras. While the manual focus rings run smoothly, their long rotation throws allow for highly precise adjustments. Furthermore, their highly competitive pricing makes them highly accessible, entry-level powerhouses compared to expensive first-party alternatives. However, the reviewer highlights notable drawbacks, beginning with the fully manual nature of the lenses, which lack electronic communication for lens data, metering, or autofocus. This complicates daytime shooting and fast-paced photography. Optically, the 14mm f/2.8 suffers from heavy mustache-shaped distortion that is difficult to correct with standard Adobe profiles, and its bulbous front element completely prevents the use of...