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Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE Review | 54 Data compared

Avg. price in UK: ~£260
Avg. price in US: ~$260
Lens mount: Sony E
Maximum focal length: 18 mm
Maximum aperture (telephoto end): 2.8
Optical image stabilization: no
Maximum angle of view: 100.1 °

Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE review. Compare 54 technical specifications and user reviews to see how it ranks among camera lenses and if it is worth buying.

6.4

Good

6.5

Good

5.9

Good

7.2
Low-light photography
Score components:
70.0%
9.8
Maximum aperture (telephoto end)
30.0%
1.0
Optical image stabilization
5.4
Travel
Score components:
30.0%
9.1
Lens length
25.0%
8.7
Lens diameter
25.0%
1.0
Weather sealing (splashproof)
20.0%
1.0
Optical image stabilization

Best prices in UK

£?

Best rankings

#372 in Best Wide Angle Lenses
#832 in Best Camera Lenses

Verdict

The [LK SAMYANG](https://www.lksamyang.com/en/product/product-view.php?seq=438) AF 18mm f/2.8 FE is an ultra-wide-angle prime lens designed for full-frame Sony E-mount mirrorless cameras, delivering a broad 100.1-degree angle of view. Its optical design consists of 9 elements in 8 groups, featuring 3 aspherical, 2 high-refractive index, and 3 extra-low dispersion elements alongside an Ultra Multi-Coating to suppress flare. Key technical specifications include a bright f/2.8 maximum aperture, a 7-blade rounded diaphragm, a 0.25-metre minimum focusing distance, and a 58mm front filter thread. Main advantages include its highly budget-friendly price point, fast and quiet autofocus driven by a linear STM stepper motor, good center sharpness, and an incredibly portable form factor weighing only 145 grams. However, notable drawbacks include a lack of weather-sealed construction, heavy vignetting at wide-open apertures, slightly soft corners, and a lightweight plastic build that feels cheap to some reviewers.

Technical Specifications of Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE

Overall score

6.4

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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

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

Sony E

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

58 mm

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

8.1

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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

18 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

18 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

100.1 °

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

100.1 °

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Focus & Controls

4.7

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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

STM, linear motor

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

?

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

?

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

9.0

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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

?

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

?

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 AF 18mm F 2 8 FE vs the average camera lens

Why is Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE better than the average camera lens?

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Has aperture ring
Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE 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 AF 18mm F 2 8 FE has an aperture ring, the average camera lens does not. 31.2% of camera lenses include an aperture ring.
31.5 mm shorter lens
Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE is shorter than the average camera lens (60.5 mm vs 92 mm). The average lens has a length of 92 mm.
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
Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE is shorter than the average camera lens (60.5 mm vs 92 mm). The average lens has a length of 92 mm.60.5 mm vs 92 mm
13.5 mm narrower lens barrel
Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE is slimmer than the average camera lens (63.5 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 AF 18mm F 2 8 FE is slimmer than the average camera lens (63.5 mm vs 77 mm). The average lens has a diameter of 77 mm.63.5 mm vs 77 mm
1 more aspherical elements
Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE has more aspherical elements than the average camera lens (3 vs 2). The average lens has 2 aspherical elements.
What it is: Specially shaped lens elements used to reduce distortion and improve sharpness with fewer optical compromises.
When it matters: When edge sharpness and lower distortion matter in wide-angle, travel, or everyday shooting.
Importance: MEDIUM
Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE has more aspherical elements than the average camera lens (3 vs 2). The average lens has 2 aspherical elements.3 vs 2
Newer release date
Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE was released more recently than the average camera lens.
August 2019
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 AF 18mm F 2 8 FE was released more recently than the average camera lens.2019 vs 2016
1 more low-dispersion elements
Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE has more low-dispersion elements than the average camera lens (3 vs 2). The average lens has 2 low-dispersion elements.
What it is: Optical elements designed to reduce color fringing by controlling how different wavelengths focus.
When it matters: When you want cleaner edges and less color fringing in high-contrast scenes.
Importance: MEDIUM
Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE has more low-dispersion elements than the average camera lens (3 vs 2). The average lens has 2 low-dispersion elements.3 vs 2
0.05 m shorter minimum focus distance
Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE has a lower minimum focus distance than the average camera lens (0.3 m vs 0.3 m). The average lens has a minimum focus distance of 0.3 m.
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
Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE has a lower minimum focus distance than the average camera lens (0.3 m vs 0.3 m). The average lens has a minimum focus distance of 0.3 m.0.25 m vs 0.3 m
2.04x cheaper
Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE is cheaper than the average camera lens (£260 vs £530).
Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE is cheaper than the average camera lens (£260 vs £530).£260 vs £530
1 more aspherical elements
Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE has more aspherical elements than the average camera lens (3 vs 2). The average lens has 2 aspherical elements.
1 more low-dispersion elements
Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE has more low-dispersion elements than the average camera lens (3 vs 2). The average lens has 2 low-dispersion elements.
Has aperture ring
Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE has an aperture ring, the average camera lens does not. 31.2% of camera lenses include an aperture ring.
0.05 m shorter minimum focus distance
Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE has a lower minimum focus distance than the average camera lens (0.3 m vs 0.3 m). The average lens has a minimum focus distance of 0.3 m.
31.5 mm shorter lens
Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE is shorter than the average camera lens (60.5 mm vs 92 mm). The average lens has a length of 92 mm.
13.5 mm narrower lens barrel
Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE is slimmer than the average camera lens (63.5 mm vs 77 mm). The average lens has a diameter of 77 mm.
Newer release date
Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE was released more recently than the average camera lens.

Optics & Aperture

Focus & Controls

Build & Handling

Why is Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE worse than the average camera lens?

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2 fewer aperture blades
Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE has fewer aperture blades than the average camera lens (7 vs 9). The average lens has 9 aperture blades.
No full-time manual focus
Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE does not support full-time manual focus, the average camera lens does. 68.4% of camera lenses support full-time manual focus.
0.1 x lower maximum reproduction ratio
Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE 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 AF 18mm F 2 8 FE does not support weather sealing, the average camera lens does. 50.3% of camera lenses support weather sealing.
Fixed lens hood
Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE does not include a reversible lens hood, the average camera lens does. 79.6% of camera lenses include a reversible lens hood.
Not weather-sealed
Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE 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 AF 18mm F 2 8 FE does not support weather sealing, the average camera lens does. 50.3% of camera lenses support weather sealing.
No full-time manual focus
Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE 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 AF 18mm F 2 8 FE does not support full-time manual focus, the average camera lens does. 68.4% of camera lenses support full-time manual focus.
2 fewer aperture blades
Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE has fewer aperture blades than the average camera lens (7 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 AF 18mm F 2 8 FE has fewer aperture blades than the average camera lens (7 vs 9). The average lens has 9 aperture blades.7 vs 9
Fixed lens hood
Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE does not include a reversible lens hood, the average camera lens does. 79.6% of camera lenses include a reversible lens hood.
What it is: A hood design that can be mounted backward on the lens for more compact storage.
When it matters: When compact packing matters and you want the hood stored neatly on the lens.
Importance: LOW
Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE does not include a reversible lens hood, the average camera lens does. 79.6% of camera lenses include a reversible lens hood.
0.1 x lower maximum reproduction ratio
Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE 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 AF 18mm F 2 8 FE 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.0.09 x vs 0.192 x
37.1% lower user score
Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE has a lower user score than the average camera lens (5.90 vs 8.091).
What it is: A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the camera lens.
When it matters: When real-world owner satisfaction and review volume matter to your decision.
Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE has a lower user score than the average camera lens (5.90 vs 8.091).5.9 vs 8.09
6.38x less popular
Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE is less popular than the average camera lens (1.00 vs 6.383).
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.
Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE is less popular than the average camera lens (1.00 vs 6.383).1 vs 6.38

Optics & Aperture

Focus & Controls

Build & Handling

Graphic comparison of Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE and

Attribute category

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Third-party reviews

United Kingdom

(Reviews last updated: July 2026)

What customers like about Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE?

Extremely lightweight (145g) and compact for easy travel
Highly affordable and offers excellent value for the price
Fast, silent, and accurate autofocus performance
Impressive sharpness, especially in the center and when stopped down to f/5.6 or f/8
Good control of chromatic aberration and flare resistance
Includes a lens hood and protective case in the box

What customers dislike about Samyang AF 18mm F 2 8 FE?

Noticeable vignetting (light falloff) at wider apertures
Softness in the corners and edges when shooting wide open at f/2.8
Plastic build quality can feel 'cheap' or flimsy to some users
Lack of weather sealing and physical control buttons on the lens
Some wavy barrel distortion that requires post-processing correction
Visible focus breathing when used for video

Expert reviews

ephotozine.com

18/09/2019

Summary of the review

Samyang AF 18mm f/2.8 FEGo to product viewer dialog for this item. Lens Review

The Samyang AF 18mm f/2.8 FE, reviewed on ePHOTOzine, is a highly portable and affordable 145g full-frame lens for Sony E-mount, featuring excellent, uniform sharpness from f/2.8 to f/16 and a fast, quiet linear STM autofocus motor. While offering impressive optical performance, the lens compromises on build features by lacking weather resistance, exhibiting flare in bright backlit scenarios, and showing diffraction at f/22. The review concludes that the lens is a high-value option for travel and street photography, despite these limitations.

dustinabbott.net

13/01/2020

Summary of the review

Samyang AF 18mm F2.8 Review (Sony FE) - DustinAbbott.net

in english language, be very specific, mention pros and cons insideSearching Dustin Abbott’s review describes the Samyang AF 18mm f/2.8 FEGo to product viewer dialogue for this item. as a highly compact, lightweight (145g) ultra-wide-angle lens that offers excellent value with strong center sharpness, fast linear STM autofocus, and good flare resistance. While it is ideal for travel and vlogging, notable cons include a lack of weather sealing, plasticky build quality, heavy vignetting, and soft corners at f/2.8. YouTube· The lens also exhibits visible barrel distortion requiring correction and noticeable focus breathing, with a somewhat sticky manual focus ring. Despite these limitations, it is praised for its affordable price point, 58mm filter thread, and inclusion of a lens hood, making it a competitive option for Sony full-frame users.

shotkit.com

22/03/2020

Summary of the review

Samyang AF 18mm f/2.8 FE Lens Review

The Shotkit review highlights the Samyang AF 18mm f/2.8 FE as an extremely lightweight (145g) and compact ultra-wide-angle prime for Sony, offering high portability and rapid, silent autofocus. Key advantages include excellent center sharpness at f/2.8 and a budget-friendly price point for a wide-angle, fast prime. However, the lens lacks weather sealing and features a plastic build that feels less premium. The review notes significant corner softness and heavy vignetting at f/2.8, requiring stopping down to achieve consistent sharpness, alongside a 25cm minimum focus distance.

focus-review.com

28/07/2020

Summary of the review

Review SAMYANG AF 18MM F2.8 FE

The Samyang AF 18mm F2.8 FE is an exceptionally compact, lightweight (145g), and highly affordable super wide-angle lens designed for full-frame Sony E-mount cameras. It features an optical design consisting of 9 elements in 8 groups, with 7 diaphragm blades, delivering a 100-degree field of view. The lens offers notable pros, including fast, accurate, and quiet autofocus that integrates well with Eye AF, remarkably low distortion, and excellent central sharpness even when shooting wide open. Its lightweight plastic build relies on a durable metal mount to handle frequent lens changes safely. However, users must navigate some distinct cons, particularly a softer overall contrast, low microcontrast, and noticeable chromatic aberration in the corners at f/2.8. Corner sharpness drops off significantly at full aperture and requires stopping down to f/5.6 or f/8 for sharp results across the entire frame, making it less sharp in the edges than competitors like the Zeiss Batis 18mm or Tamron 20mm. Additionally, the lens exhibits visible vignetting at f/2.8, has a non-linear wavy distortion pattern that is difficult to correct, and lacks weather sealing entirely.

opticallimits.com

05/08/2020

Summary of the review

Samyang AF 18mm f/2.8 FE Review - OpticalLimits

The Samyang AF 18mm f/2.8 FE is reviewed by OpticalLimits as a highly affordable, ultra-lightweight (145g) ultra-wide-angle lens for full-frame Sony E-mount cameras, offering an exceptional value-for-money proposition but coming with clear optical and structural compromises. On the positive side, the lens features a very compact pancake-style profile, a native distortion profile of just 1.8% (which becomes negligible with auto-correction), low field curvature, and good lateral chromatic aberrations restricted to roughly 1 pixel at the borders. Its optical sharpness is very good in the center at f/2.8 and achieves excellent frame-wide resolution, including the corners, when stopped down to its sweet spot of f/5.6. Additionally, manual focusing works smoothly "by wire," and the physical body does not expand during operation. Conversely, the lens suffers from several specific shortcomings, most notably extreme native vignetting that hits a heavy light falloff of ~3.4 EV at f/2.8 and remains visible even when stopped down or corrected via software. Image corners and borders are noticeably soft at wide-open settings, making it less than ideal for astrophotography. While the autofocus settles fine, the initial AF...

digitalcameraworld.com

20/01/2022

Summary of the review

Samyang AF 18mm F2.8 FE review

The Samyang AF 18mm F2.8 FE is a featherweight, pocket-sized ultra-wide-angle prime lens designed for Sony full-frame mirrorless cameras, offering a 100-degree angle of view (76 degrees on APS-C). Measuring 64x61mm and weighing just 145g, it stands out for its unfeasibly compact design and solid build that includes a smooth focus ring and a metal mounting plate. Driven by a stepping motor, its autofocus is quick for stills and smooth for movie capture, though the lens omits extra bells and whistles like customizable rings or AF/MF switches. In terms of optical performance, it delivers excellent image quality with fabulous sharpness across the entire frame—even wide-open—and shows very minor color fringing and minimal barrel distortion compared to rivals. The lens brings clear advantages but also some distinct compromises. Its core pros are its ultra-compact, lightweight frame, superb image sharpness, minimal distortion, and the inclusion of a removable, petal-shaped bayonet hood. On the downside, its cons include a complete lack of weather-sealing or a protective fluorine coating to repel moisture and grease. Additionally, it features a modest minimum focusing distance of 0.25m...

photozone.de

Not dated

Summary of the review

Samyang AF 18mm f/2.8 FE - Review / Test Report Are you planning to use this lens for astrophotography or mostly for landscape and vlogging? Copy

The OpticalLimits review highlights the Samyang AF 18mm f/2.8 FE as an ultra-compact and incredibly lightweight lens, weighing just 145 grams and featuring a 58mm filter size. Optically, the lens delivers impressive performance for its tiny form factor, offering very strong sharpness and a wide center sweet spot when used at its maximum aperture of f/2.8. Image quality further excels when stopped down to f/5.6, where the corners and borders sharpen up beautifully to reach excellent resolution across the entire frame. Additionally, it features exceptionally low field curvature, a smooth manual focus ring, and is considered a highly affordable, standout value proposition within the Sony E-mount ecosystem. YouTube · However, the lens's design involves clear compromises. The build quality feels somewhat cheap and "toy-like" due to an untextured plastic lens barrel sitting on a metal mount. Optically, the small front element results in heavy vignetting at f/2.8, which remains a factor even at medium apertures, alongside soft corners and borders when shot wide open. Finally, the autofocus speed is slower than expected for an ultra-wide prime lens, exhibiting noticeable micro-adjustments...

ephotozine.com

14/10/2019

Summary of the review

Samyang AF 18mm f/2.8 FE Lens Review - Performance

The ePHOTOzine review of the Samyang AF 18mm f/2.8 FE lens highlights its outstanding optical performance, noting excellent sharpness across the frame from f/2.8 to f/16 and fast autofocus on high-resolution Sony bodies. Weighing just 145 grams, this compact, affordable lens is lauded for its superb handling and high-contrast imaging. While performance is high, the lens lacks weather sealing and displays noticeable flare when shooting directly into bright light sources. Despite these limitations, the lens is "Highly Recommended" for its high-value, lightweight design.

pcmag.com

28/05/2020

Summary of the review

Rokinon 18mm F2.8 AF Sony E Review - PCMag

The PCMag review highlights the Rokinon 18mm F2.8 AF for Sony E as a budget-friendly, ultra-lightweight (5.1 oz) prime lens, delivering an expansive view for mirrorless users. It is recognized for quick, quiet autofocus and good sharpness when stopped down, but it exhibits heavy vignetting at f/2.8. The lens features a lightweight plastic construction with no weather sealing, and it struggles with image resolution on high-megapixel sensors. Due to these compromises, the review prefers alternatives like the Tamron 20mm F2.8 for better, more affordable performance.

widescenes.com

07/12/2019

Summary of the review

Samyang AF 18mm F2.8 FE - Tiny but Super Wide

The Samyang AF 18mm f/2.8 FE lens delivers an outstanding, highly recommended performance as a remarkably lightweight and budget-friendly ultra-wide-angle prime lens designed for Sony full-frame cameras. Extensively tested over three weeks during autumn in Japan on a Sony A7Riii, the lens proved to be "sharp as a tack" from its maximum aperture of f/2.8 all the way down to f/16, with image softening only beginning at f/22 due to diffraction. Its featherlight construction of just 145 grams and short 60.5mm length make it an incredibly comfortable choice for travel, landscapes, and street photography, allowing photographers to easily handhold shots at low shutter speeds when paired with in-body image stabilization. Despite its high value and superb optical clarity, the lens does come with a few notable drawbacks. The most significant physical omission is its lack of weatherproof sealing, meaning users must exercise caution when shooting in adverse environmental conditions. Additionally, while the lens functions perfectly on Sony APS-C crop-sensor cameras, its focal length shifts to an equivalent of 27mm, which strips away its ultra-wide-angle identity and reduces it to a...

pixelrama.de

Januar 2020

Summary of the review

Samyang AF 18mm f2.8 FE review for panorama photography by Jan Röpenack

The Samyang AF 18mm f2.8 FE is reviewed by Jan Röpenack as a highly capable and ultra-wide prime lens tailored for landscape, architectural, and panorama photography. The prominent pros highlighted in the review include its exceptionally lightweight and compact build, weighing just 145 grams, which makes it an ideal travel companion for handheld shots, drone use, and gimbals. Optically, it provides excellent center sharpness, crisp resolution, and fast, near-silent autofocus driven by a linear STM motor. Additionally, it offers impressive flare resistance and a highly competitive, budget-friendly price tag compared to native Sony alternatives. However, the review details several notable cons and compromises made to achieve its small size and low price. The physical construction is dominated by lightweight plastics that lack texture, resulting in a cheap, toy-like build quality and a flimsy lens hood. It completely lacks external control buttons, switches, and weather sealing gaskets. Performance-wise, there is heavy vignetting at f/2.8 and noticeable, wavy "mustache-style" barrel distortion that requires profile corrections in post-processing. Corner and edge sharpness also drop off considerably when wide open, requiring the lens to...

alphadxd.fr

28/11/2019

Summary of the review

Review: Samyang 18mm F2.8 AF - AlphaDxD Forum

The Samyang 18mm F2.8 AF ultra-wide-angle lens review on the AlphaDxD forum focuses heavily on its real-world performance, physical handling, and high-value proposition for Sony E-mount mirrorless systems. Reviewer Marc-104 explicitly highlights that while the optic performs excellently on a standard 24-megapixel sensor like the Sony A7III, it shows notable resolution limitations on high-megapixel sensors such as the 61-megapixel Sony A7RIV. Structurally, the lens is part of Samyang’s "Tiny Series", praised for its incredibly compact, palm-sized form factor and light weight of just 145 grams. Additionally, users appreciate the integration of a quiet linear STM autofocus motor and a convenient 58mm front filter thread, making it a highly practical option for travel photography, vlogging, and gimbal use. Despite its undeniable value, the review and community discussion identify clear optical and mechanical downsides. The most prominent con is the soft corner performance on high-resolution cameras when shooting wide open; photographers must stop the lens down to F8 to achieve good edge-to-edge sharpness on high-end bodies. Community feedback also notes that the build quality is heavily plastic and lacks any weather-sealing gaskets,...

digitalcamaralens.com

27/07/2026

Summary of the review

Samyang AF 18mm f/2.8 FE - Review and Test at DigitalCamaraLens

This review analyzes the Samyang AF 18mm f/2.8 FE lens on a full-frame Sony A7R II camera, highlighting its remarkably compact, ultra-lightweight design (145 grams) and affordable retail price of €379. Optically, the lens earns a baseline passing grade due to severe performance trade-offs across the frame. While the central sharpness is remarkably sharp and color reproduction is high-quality, the performance significantly drops off toward the corners. Extreme 35mm corners struggle to exceed 16–19 lp/mm at any aperture, heavily restricted by significant field curvature and an inversion of the focal plane. The core strengths of the lens are its exceptional portability, pleasant handling, low geometric distortion (-1.66%), and high versatility on APSc sensors, where a 27mm equivalent focal length avoids the weakest edge areas. On the downside, the lens suffers from prominent lateral chromatic aberrations, progressive vignetting peaking at 182% at f/2.8, and inconsistent flare resistance depending on light angles. It ultimate earns an overall score of 6.03 out of 10, recommended primarily as a lightweight travel lens or for cropped sensor cameras.

juzaphoto.com

25/01/2021

Summary of the review

Samyang AF 18mm f/2.8 FE: review and photos by Juza

The Samyang AF 18mm f/2.8 FE is an exceptionally lightweight and compact wide-angle prime lens designed for full-frame Sony mirrorless cameras, making it an ideal companion for travel and landscape photography. Weighing only 145 grams and costing around €350, it offers an incredibly affordable, fraction-of-the-weight alternative to heavier zoom lenses and premium prime lenses like the Zeiss Batis 18mm. Reviewer tests on a 24-megapixel Sony A7C revealed outstanding image quality with edge-to-edge sharpness even at its maximum f/2.8 aperture, making it highly capable for night-time photography. Additionally, chromatic aberration is minimal, the stepper autofocus motor operates quickly and silently, and the lens comes packaged with a useful lens hood, a rigid protective case, and a generous 5-year warranty when purchased through official Italian channels. Despite these strong positives, the review highlights several distinct compromises. To achieve its ultra-lightweight footprint, the lens features an all-plastic exterior build that lacks weather sealing, which results in a fragile, almost toy-like physical handling experience. There are no external physical controls aside from the focus ring, forcing users to dive into the camera menus to...

focus-review.com

18/07/2020

Summary of the review

The Samyang AF 18mm F2.8 FE is the lightest, smallest, and most affordable autofocus super-wide-angle lens available for full-frame Sony E-mount cameras. Priced at €365.00, this 145-gram lens features a high-quality plastic body, a smooth focus ring, and a durable metal mount. Its optical layout comprises 9 elements in 8 groups, incorporating three aspherical and five special glass elements. In terms of performance, the autofocus system is praised for being fast, quiet, and highly accurate, working seamlessly with Sony's Eye AF and face detection tracking. The main advantages of the lens are its excellent value for money, lightweight construction, compact size, and reliable autofocus. However, it comes with notable disadvantages: it is completely lacking in weather-sealing, and the image contrast is somewhat soft. Optically, while the center of the frame is quite sharp wide open, the corners are visibly soft at f/2.8, requiring users to stop down to f/5.6 or f/8 for landscape and architectural photography to achieve edge-to-edge sharpness. Vignetting is highly prominent at f/2.8 but clears up significantly by f/4, and the lens exhibits a wavy, non-linear distortion...

focus-review.com

28/07/2026

Summary of the review

Samyang AF 18mm f/2.8 FE Review

The Samyang AF 18mm F2.8 FE stands out as the smallest, lightest (145g), and most affordable autofocus super wide-angle lens available for full-frame Sony E-mount cameras. Optically, it delivers excellent center sharpness even at full aperture, making it a highly capable tool for landscapes, architecture, and interior photography when stopped down to f/5.6 or f/8. The lens features a smooth-turning plastic housing with a lightweight metal mount, 9 optical elements, and an autofocus system that is fast, quiet, and accurately supports Eye AF and facial recognition. Furthermore, its low distortion and compact physical profile allow it to double effectively as a 28mm equivalent lens on smaller APS-C sensor bodies. However, its ultra-compact and budget-friendly design comes with notable performance trade-offs. The review highlights that the lens lacks weatherproofing, features a slightly softer overall contrast and microcontrast compared to competitors, and displays noticeable vignetting and corner softness when shot wide open at f/2.8. While its distortion is low, it is non-linear and exhibits a wavy pattern that is difficult to correct in post-processing. When stacked against rivals like the weather-sealed Tamron...

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