Samyang AF 135mm F 1 8 FE Review | 54 Data compared

The Samyang AF 135mm f/1.8 FE lens is "Highly Recommended" by ePHOTOzine, delivering exceptional sharpness from f/1.8 to f/2.8, silky bokeh, and minimal distortion or chromatic aberration. It features robust weather sealing, a smooth electronic focus ring, and specialized functions like Astro-Focus and a custom switch, all at a competitive price point. Operational limitations include the 135mm focal length sometimes being too long for tighter spaces and the lack of a dedicated physical aperture ring. Despite these minor points, the lens is considered an outstanding choice for portraits and low-light work due to its excellent performance.

The Samyang (Rokinon) AF 135mm F1.8 is an exceptional prime lens for Sony FE mount that delivers flag-ship optical performance at a highly competitive price point of just under $1,000 USD. It is built around a complex optical formula featuring 13 elements in 11 groups, including six exotic elements like extra-low dispersion (ED) and ultra-precision aspherical (U-ASP) glass. In real-world testing, this formula yields incredible sharpness across the entire frame even when shot wide open at F1.8, matching or exceeding the renowned Sony G Master in corner contrast and sharpness. Furthermore, the lens achieves practically non-existent distortion, minimal vignetting, very low coma for astrophotography, and smoother, less-edged background bokeh geometry than its first-party rival. Physically, the lens features a modern design language with comprehensive weather sealing, a customizable control ring, a focus-hold button, and an innovative, programmable astrophotography mode that automatically locks focus to infinity. Despite its stellar performance, the lens exhibits a few distinct drawbacks when compared directly to the premium alternatives. The primary compromise is its Linear STM focus motor; while silent and accurate for general portraits, it...

The Samyang AF 135mm f/1.8 FE offers a compelling, budget-friendly alternative to the Sony GM equivalent, delivering high utility at about a third of the cost. Mechanically, its standout feature is a remarkably lightweight, weather-sealed plastic body weighing just 772g, making it significantly easier to carry than its competitors. It is packed with functional features, including a smooth rubberised focus ring, a custom switch for lens-based exposure control, a focus limiter, and a dedicated "Astro-mode" that locks focus precisely at infinity. Its STM autofocus motor operates with reasonable speed and accuracy for daily shooting, though it is not recommended for fast-paced sports or action photography. Optically, the lens excels in creating a shallow depth of field, producing very good bokeh with smooth transition zones and circular highlights that quickly lose their corner "cat eyes" when stopped down to f/2.2. Central sharpness is very good to excellent at f/1.8, reaching outstanding, peak performance across the entire frame between f/4 and f/8. Furthermore, distortions are completely negligible, and lateral chromatic aberrations are minimal. On the downside, the lens is not bitingly sharp...

The Samyang AF 135mm F1.8 FE is a highly capable short telephoto prime lens designed for Sony E-mount mirrorless cameras, offering an affordable alternative to Sony’s own G Master equivalent. It features a robust, weather-sealed construction and advanced handling elements, including a customizable focus hold button and a dual-mode custom switch for functions like stepless aperture control. Its linear stepping motor delivers fast, quiet, and highly accurate autofocus that pairs seamlessly with Sony's eye-detection systems, making it highly effective for tight headshots, sports, and wildlife. The optical layout yields spectacular, consistent sharpness from the center to the corners across the image frame, even when shooting wide-open at f/1.8. The review highlights several key pros, including its superb all-round performance, high-end handling, and exceptionally smooth, dreamy bokeh aided by an 11-blade aperture diaphragm. Additionally, it offers a short minimum focusing distance of 0.69m and minimal focus breathing during video capture. On the downside, the primary con noted is the lack of a dedicated physical aperture ring on the lens barrel. While lab tests revealed a trace of pincushion distortion and minor...

The Shotkit review highlights the Samyang 135mm f/1.8 as a high-performance, cost-effective "Bokeh Master" that delivers exceptional sharpness and smooth, circular background blur, rivaling top-tier Sony G Master alternatives. The lens features a lightweight, weather-sealed construction, a custom focus hold button, and an innovative M1/M2 switch that allows the focus ring to operate as a silent aperture ring for video,. Conversely, the review notes a plasticky build quality and the lack of a dedicated physical aperture ring. While the autofocus is generally quiet and capable, it is deemed slightly less responsive in fast-action or low-light scenarios compared to native counterparts. Additionally, the custom switch requires a separate, additional Lens Station accessory for full customization.

The Samyang AF 135mm f1.8 FE is a lightweight, weather-sealed telephoto prime lens tested on the Sony A7IV that delivers exceptional sharpness and image quality on par with the more expensive Sony GM equivalent. Its robust build features seven seal points, three customizable buttons—including a focus hold button and a focus range limiter—and an optical construction designed to minimize chromatic aberration. The lens excels in producing a stunning, smooth background bokeh with well-controlled lens flare, making it a highly valuable and cost-effective tool for controlled portrait sessions, wildlife photography, and reception coverage. However, its primary drawback is its Linear STM focus motor, which occasionally hunts and struggles to lock onto targets as fast as the dual linear motors of the Sony GM lens. This minor focusing issue makes it frustrating for fast-paced wedding environments and unsuitable for action-heavy sports photography. Additionally, it lacks physical features like an aperture ring or a dedicated AF-MF switch. Despite these limitations, roughly 90% of the shots remain tack sharp, making it a fantastic, high-performing choice for photographers who do not rely on instant autofocus.

The ePHOTOzine review awards the Samyang AF 135mm f/1.8 FE lens a "Highly Recommended" rating, praising its exceptional sharpness, smooth bokeh, and fast, silent Linear STM autofocus on the Sony A7R III. Featuring weather sealing and specialized glass elements for minimal distortion, the lens offers impressive technical performance, including a 0.69-meter close focus and a dedicated Astro-Focus mode. The review identifies very few drawbacks, with the primary "con" being that the 135mm focal length may be too long for some, although this is balanced by excellent close-up capabilities. Ultimately, the lens is highlighted for its incredible price-to-performance ratio, making it a highly competitive choice for Sony full-frame users.