Samyang 21mm T1 5 ED AS UMC CS Review | 54 Data compared

The Samyang Cine Lens kit (VDSLR II) contains five full-frame manual lenses (14mm, 24mm, 35mm, 50mm, and 85mm) designed to bring professional cinema features to DSLR and mirrorless filmmakers at a fraction of standard cinema lens costs. A major benefit of these lenses is their true "cine" design, which uses light-measured T-stops rather than estimated F-stops for precise, consistent exposures across lens changes. Additionally, they feature a clickless aperture ring for smooth exposure adjustments during a shot, built-in standard 0.8 pitch gears for follow-focus rigs, and side-mounted markings for easier reading by a focus puller. Testing with a Sony A7S camera and a Fotga follow-focus rig showed that the internal focusing mechanics operate smoothly and quietly without changing the physical length or rotating the filter thread, allowing hassle-free use of screw-in filters and matte boxes. Despite their strong performance as budget-friendly alternatives for shooters using small cinema or mirrorless cameras, the lenses do have notable drawbacks for high-end cinematic productions. Industry purists and professional cinematographers have voiced valid complaints regarding the structural inclusion of plastic in the lens housings rather...

The Samyang/Rokinon 21mm f/1.4 ED AS UMC CS is a compact, manual-focus prime lens designed for APS-C and Micro Four Thirds mirrorless cameras, offering a 31.5mm or 42mm equivalent focal length respectively. Built with an eight-element optical formula including one extra-low dispersion (ED) and three aspherical (AS) elements, it delivers robust build quality and exceptional sharpness that peaks between f/3.5 and f/5.6. Its key pros include an ultra-bright f/1.4 aperture for excellent shallow depth-of-field control, a circular nine-blade bokeh design, and superb optical correction that results in virtually unnoticeable distortion and well-controlled chromatic aberration. It also features an internal focusing mechanism, a 58mm filter thread, and a highly competitive price tag. However, the lens comes with notable cons, primarily its lack of autofocus and optical image stabilisation, which may not appeal to all modern shooters. Because it lacks electronic contacts, it cannot transmit metadata to record focal length or aperture values in the camera's EXIF data. Optical performance reveals visible corner shading (vignetting) at its widest f/1.4 setting—though this clears up by f/2.8—and image sharpness drops noticeably at small apertures...

The LensTip review of the Samyang 21 mm f/1.4 ED AS UMC CS highlights a fast, dedicated manual-focus prime lens for mirrorless cameras that delivers highly polarizing test results. On the positive side, the lens produces outstanding, near-record-breaking image quality in the frame centre, especially when stopped down to f/4.0. It also boasts low lateral chromatic aberration, imperceptible spherical aberration, very good distortion correction, and exceptional resistance against ghosting and flares when shooting into bright light. Mechanically, it features a smooth manual focus ring and a properly damped aperture ring. However, the lens is severely held back by poor factory quality control, as the tested unit suffered from noticeable decentering that caused significant sharpness differences between the left and right sides of the frame. Additional drawbacks include weak image quality near the frame edges at wider apertures, distinct vignetting (reaching a 50% brightness loss in the corners at f/1.4), and a complete lack of a depth of field scale on the lens barrel, which is an unusual omission for a fully manual lens. The review ultimately leaves the tester with...

The ePHOTOzine review highlights the Samyang 21mm f/1.4 UMC CS X as a compact, high-quality lens for APS-C cameras, praised for its bright f/1.4 aperture that aids manual focusing and creates a pleasing, distinct character. The lens features smooth manual controls and serves as a versatile, enjoyable tool for deliberate, stationary photography. However, significant drawbacks stem from its fully manual, non-electronic design, which lacks autofocus, EXIF data transmission, and automatic diaphragm, requiring manual aperture adjustment. Additionally, the review notes the absence of a depth of field scale on the barrel, making it less suitable for fast-paced action.

The Rokinon 21mm f/1.4 ED AS UMC review by Dustin Abbott highlights a highly capable manual-focus prime lens for APS-C and Micro 4/3 cameras, featuring robust build quality, a smooth focus ring, and a compact design. Optically, the lens excels with exceptional sharpness and contrast at f/1.4, minimal distortion, and impressive flare resistance, making it an excellent choice for low-light photography. However, significant drawbacks include the lack of electronic contacts, which means no EXIF data, no in-camera lens correction, and the need to enable specific camera settings for manual operation. The lens is also positioned at a higher price point within the Rokinon lineup and requires precise manual focus, which may limit its appeal to some photographers.

The Rokinon 21mm f/1.4 ED AS UMC is a fast, manual-focus wide-angle lens designed for mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras, available in Canon M, Fujifilm X, Micro Four Thirds, and Sony E mounts. A major strength of this lens is its optical performance, delivering excellent sharpness that rivals full-frame glass, along with imperceptible barrel distortion (0.10%) and effective light-falloff control that clears up completely by f/2.8. Its compact form factor—measuring just 2.66 inches long and weighing a lightweight 0.70 lbs—offers a distinct size and weight advantage over bulkier DSLR alternatives. Photographers will also benefit from its smooth 160-degree focus ring rotation and a non-rotating 58mm front element, making it highly practical for using circular polarizers and filters. However, the lens does have notable drawbacks, most significantly the complete lack of autofocus functionality. Its laboratory performance was also less consistent than some APS-C competitors; for example, the Fujifilm XF 16mm f/1.4 outperformed it at wide apertures and eliminated vignetting faster (by f/2). Close-up performance is another weak point, as its 10.87-inch minimum focusing distance and 1:9.51 maximum magnification ratio fall short of rival...

The Rokinon Cinema Lens Kit—featuring the 24mm, 35mm, 50mm, and 85mm T1.5 prime lenses—offers exceptional value for budget-conscious filmmakers seeking a professional, cinema-style shooting experience without the steep cost of high-end glass. A major advantage of this kit is its remarkably fast T1.5 aperture across all four standard focal lengths, making the lenses a dream for low-light situations and shooting wide open. They also effectively emulate high-end cinema lenses by featuring smooth, de-clicked iris rings and geared focus rings. The lenses provide a pleasing low-contrast look right out of the box, which helps shooters capture a high dynamic range aesthetic. Furthermore, they exhibit excellent control over chromatic aberration and keep distortion well within acceptable limits for professional video work. However, the kit has noticeable drawbacks tied to its budget price point, particularly regarding build quality, sharpness discrepancies, and color consistency. While the focus throw is a comfortable 150 degrees, the external housing is built entirely of plastic rather than metal. Filter management is also slightly inconvenient because the 85mm lens utilizes a 72mm thread size, while the other three lenses...