Samyang AF 24 70mm F 2 8 FE Review | 54 Data compared

The Samyang AF 24-70mm F2.8 FE marks the manufacturer's first foray into the zoom lens market, delivering an honorable albeit mixed performance for Sony E-mount cameras. Built entirely of metal with weather-sealing protection, the lens stands out for its high-quality construction and a unique customizable "Custom" switch that transforms the smooth manual focus ring into a clickless aperture control ring, making it highly attractive for videographers. Optically, the constant f/2.8 maximum aperture ensures excellent background separation and clean, round bokeh circles at the center of the frame. Furthermore, its silent, electronically adjusted parfocal autofocus behavior allows video users to maintain precise focus while changing focal lengths, complemented by a useful minimum focusing distance of 35 cm across the entire range. However, the lens suffers from notable ergonomic and optical drawbacks, starting with its massive, unbalanced weight of 1.027 kg and an excessively stiff zoom ring. Optically, image sharpness is highly inconsistent; while it delivers great sharpness at 24mm (especially when stopped down to f/4 or f/5.6), the performance drops heavily at 50mm, requiring an f/8 setting to optimize quality, and...

This review details the Samyang AF 24-70 mm f/2.8 FE, the manufacturer's very first autofocus zoom lens, designed for full-frame Sony E-mount cameras and priced competitively at €899. Optically, the lens delivers a mixed but generally pleasing performance; it produces images with high central sharpness at wider apertures and a highly attractive, smooth bokeh with distinct "onion ring" and "cat's eye" effects at the telephoto end. The autofocus tracking system utilizes a linear STM stepping motor that is completely silent and highly accurate, making it highly effective for both photography and video applications. Furthermore, videographers will appreciate its "Custom" mode switch that turns the manual focus ring into a clickless aperture control, its near-parafocal behavior during zoom adjustments, and its compatibility with the Samyang Cine Kit. However, the lens suffers from notable physical and optical drawbacks, most prominent being its massive weight of 1,027 grams, making it the heaviest 24-70mm f/2.8 mirrorless lens in its class. Optically, there is a pronounced loss of sharpness and uniformity toward the edges of the frame, requiring users to stop down the aperture to...

The Samyang AF 24-70mm f/2.8 FE is reviewed as a highly capable, competitive, and feature-rich "all-in-one" standard zoom lens that caters aggressively to both videographers and photographers at a highly attractive price point of €899. Testers praise its exceptional optical and video performance, highlighting a unique parfocal design that maintains focus perfectly on a subject even while zooming in or out. Combined with a quiet, rapid, and precise linear STM autofocus motor, low focus breathing, and a custom mode switch that lets the focus ring double as a silent aperture selector, it makes for a powerhouse video tool. On the photography side, it offers outstanding center sharpness across the entire focal range, highly controlled central chromatic aberration, phenomenal flare resistance, and a beautiful, circular 9-blade bokeh pattern. Its solid, premium metal housing is also fully weather-sealed against dust and moisture. However, reviewers note that the lens forces users to accept significant compromises in physical handling and edge performance. The most glaring drawback is its massive footprint and heavy weight of 1.027 kg, which makes it noticeably heavier and bulkier than...

The Samyang AF 24-70mm F2.8 FE marks the brand's first foray into zoom lenses, designed specifically for Sony full-frame E-mount mirrorless cameras. A standout feature of this standard trans-standard lens is its parafocal design, a characteristic usually reserved for high-end cinema lenses that ensures the focus remains perfectly locked on a subject even while zooming in or out. Geared heavily toward videographers, Samyang supports this focus with an upcoming "cine kit" accessory package. Optically, it is built with 17 elements in 14 groups, features a 9-blade diaphragm, and provides a minimum focusing distance of 35 cm. It also introduces weather-sealing to its robust body and incorporates a customizable switch that changes the focus ring into an aperture control ring by default. However, this feature-rich lens comes with notable downsides, receiving a moderate 3 out of 5 stars from the editors. Its primary drawback is its substantial physical footprint; measuring 13 cm in length and weighing over 1 kg, it is considerably heavier and bulkier than Sony's own premium FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM. Launching at €899, it stands as the most...

The Samyang 24-70mm f/2.8 AF Sony FE is presented as a highly versatile, all-in-one standard zoom lens designed specifically for full-frame mirrorless cameras. Released as part of Samyang's expansion into autofocus and zoom technology, this lens targets creators who frequently switch between photography and video production. A major standout feature is its professional parfocal design, which ensures the lens accurately maintains its focus on a subject while zooming in or out. It is built with an advanced optical formula featuring multiple specialised elements—including aspherical (ASP, H ASP), high refractive (HR), and extra-low dispersion (ED) glass—to deliver sharp image resolution across the entire zoom range, alongside a smooth 9-blade aperture for natural background bokeh. The review highlights several pros and cons regarding its real-world performance and physical attributes. On the positive side, the lens boasts strong video capabilities such as "Cinematic Video AF" for stable, reduced-oscillation focus tracking, a linear manual focus control that mimics a traditional cine lens, and a low minimum focus distance of 0.35 metres for versatile close-up shots. Users also benefit from weather sealing against light rain...