Samyang Lenses

Samyang lenses - Fast photo and video lenses from South Korea

Many DSLR photographers are constantly on the lookout for new, even better lenses that perfectly suit their own requirements. Since the camera manufacturers' range is quite limited in this respect, many photographers are quick to look around the portfolio of so-called third-party manufacturers as well. Among the best known of these are Tamron, Sigma and Tokina. The South Korean lens manufacturer Samyang receives comparatively little attention in Germany - wrongly, we think, because the Samyang range includes numerous fast photo and video lenses that meet even the highest demands with flying colours. It is therefore worth taking a closer look at the lenses of this manufacturer.

Mainly fixed focal lengths with manual focus and aperture adjustment are part of the portfolio of the South Korean lens manufacturer. The lenses are offered in many different bayonet variants and are accordingly compatible with numerous cameras. The lenses of this manufacturer have been available in Germany since 2015. The wide range of products is aimed in particular at filmmakers and photographers who are looking for quality lenses, but still place a lot of value on a very good price-performance ratio. Considering the quality, light intensity and imaging performance, Samyang lenses are comparatively inexpensive. The portfolio can be divided into the following three series:

• Photo lenses, which are very fast and have manual focus and aperture adjustment
• Video DSLR lenses for demanding film productions with the DSLR camera
• Cinema lenses of the new Xeen Cinema Prime series, which enable professional video recording

To make it easier for you to find your way around the extensive Samyang range and find a lens to suit your needs, we have put together a helpful buying guide in the section below. Feel free to check it out if you're having trouble deciding on one of the Samyang lenses!

The photo lenses and their features

The Samyang range includes many fixed focal lengths. They cover a focal length range from 14 to 300 millimetres and thus offer everything a photographer needs - from ultra-wide-angle to telephoto lenses. These are manual fixed focal lengths without autofocus, which are especially aimed at ambitious hobby and experienced professional photographers. Manual lenses are not suitable for beginners because some experience is required to achieve good results. On the other hand, with these models you enjoy full creative freedom to shape the image effect according to your own wishes. These lenses are particularly popular for landscapes, portraits, insects and architecture. Because of the high speed, a great bokeh is also guaranteed, which is particularly appreciated in the artistic field.

In addition to the fixed focal lengths, the range also includes special wide-angle, fisheye, zoom and tilt-shift lenses. All lenses have a few things in common: they are very fast, have high-quality optical glass, are made of solid aluminium and do not need servo motors or automatics. Only the recently released autofocus lenses are an exception, because with them automatic focusing is possible. The attractive price is also common to all lenses from this manufacturer. The lenses can be used on SLR cameras as well as on mirrorless system cameras from Nikon, Canon, Fuji, Olympus, Samsung, Sony and Pentax.

The video DSLR lenses and their special features

If you are one of those people who like to shoot demanding films with the DSLR, you will love the Samyang VDSLR cine lenses! They also feature manual aperture and manual focus, and are suitable for almost any application - from professional macros to stunning wide-angle shots and personal portraits. The manufacturer even has fisheye VDSLR lenses in its range. They are also characterised by a high light intensity and are equipped with multi-coated lenses. As a result, the lenses are also convincing for demanding 4K recordings. The lenses have toothed rings on the aperture and focus rings, so that the brightness and sharpness can be adjusted using a motorised follow focus system. The manual fixed focal lengths are suitable for many different systems, such as the Nikon, Canon, Samsung NX, Sony A and Sony E bayonets, as well as the Pentax K, FourThirds and Micro FourThirds bayonets.

The professional Xeen Cinema Prime series and its features

A brand new addition to the Samyang range are the high-end lenses from the Xeen series. They have been specially developed for professional video productions and demanding filming and are therefore a must for every videographer. As they have a high resolution, they support the 4K format. They can be used up to 35mm format without any vignetting or edge drop. At the moment, the series includes seven different fixed focal lengths, all of which work with internal focusing and cover the following focal lengths:

• 14 millimetres
• 16 millimetres
• 24 millimetres
• 35 millimetres
• 50 millimetres
• 85 millimetres
• 135 millimetres

All the lenses - apart from the compact 14-millimetre wide-angle model - have identical external dimensions. This helps to ensure that you can change lenses quickly without having to readjust the rig or the follow focus system each time. The Xeen lenses are extremely fast and are equipped with eleven aperture blades that can be adjusted continuously and very smoothly. This makes it possible to achieve a particularly soft and beautiful bokeh. The respective aperture indexes can always be read from the side. There are two gear rims for aperture and focus control, so that all models can be used with follow focus systems that have a 0.8 millimetre gear rim. Another highlight is the X-coating, which was specially developed for the XEEN optics. It ensures maximum image quality and also ensures that the lenses remain clean even when exposed to dust and moisture. For this reason, a long service life is guaranteed. Models are available for Arri-PL, Sony-E, Canon-EF, Nikon-F and Micro-Four-Thirds.

Overview of all the pros and cons of Samyang lenses

Accordingly, most lenses require you to focus manually, which doesn't sit well with all photographers. However, unless you have a problem focusing by hand, you will certainly make a good choice with this manufacturer's lenses