Photography News Issue 34

Photography News | Issue 34 | absolutephoto.com

Review

Samyang SamyangOpticsmightbeconsidered by many as one of the new kids on the block when it comes to DSLR lenses, but the company has been crafting lenses for over 40 years from its base in South Korea. There’s now a very creditable 18 models in Samyang’s photo lenses range (and more in its Cine and T-Mount fleets), including two autofocus- equipped arrivals, the 50mm f/1.4 AS IF UMC and 14mm f/2.8 ED AS IF UMC. Samyang lenses come in a wide range of fits, including Nikon, Canon and Pentax DSLRs, as well as for Fujifilm, Micro Four Thirds and Sony CSCs. Samyang has a range of optics available for both photographers and cinematographers and the company is focused on innovation and exciting lens options Words by Kingsley Singleton Lens special

Featured lenses

T-S 24mmf/3.5 EDASUMC £625 The only current third-party tilt- shift lens, Samyang’s T-S 24mm, opens up perspective control in landscape and architectural photography for Fujifilm X, Four Thirds, Micro Four Thirds, Pentax, Samsung and Sony A and E mount users (as well as Canon and Nikon fans who don’t want to pay so much). Its optical design comprises 16 elements in 11 groups, including two aspherical and two extra-low dispersion (ED) lenses. Multilayered, anti-reflective UMC coatings provide superb light transmission, high contrast and natural colours.

“which created great satisfaction for users at a desirable price point”. The range now features lenses with full autofocus functionality including the new 50mm f/1.4 AS IF UMC, a Sony E-mount lens, of which the company is very proud: “It is the first autofocus lens in Samyang’s 40 years of creating optical technologies,” beams David, adding that it is the “brightest in its class, and brings the maximum amount of light into the lens so photographers can be at their most creative.” Of these new AF lenses, which also includes the 14mm f/2.8 ED AS IF UMC, he adds, “we’ve taken all the technological know-how and developments in image quality from creating our leading manual focus lenses and reinterpreted it into the autofocus models. The optimised optical design makes the most of full-frame mirrorless cameras, so these lenses offer photographers prime lens image quality and credible AF performance combined with ergonomic design; they help you to really experience the photo- taking moment.” This commitment toqualityhasn’t gone unnoticed, and Samyang was nominated in four lens categories in 2015’s Photography News Awards, Prime:WideAngle for the21mmf/1.4 ED AS UMC CS, Prime: Telephoto for the 135mm f/2 ED UMC, Macro for the 100mm f/2.8 EDUMCMacro and also in the Video Lens category where its 21mm T1.5 and 50mm T1.3 lenses were recognised. Mentioning the Samyang 100mm f/2.8 ED UMC Macro, David is especially proud of that lens’s achievements. “The 100mm Macro is a unique opportunity to experience Samyang’s well-known

We caught up with David Ryu, SalesManageratSamyangtofindout all about the brand, its technologies, and what Samyang lenses can bring to your photography. Like most manufacturersoperating inamarket crowded with dominant brands, Samyang, says David, has been keen to chart its own course. They’re not looking to emulate, but innovate and offer something fresh and exciting. “In recent years,” he says “we’ve tried to comprehend what users around the worldwant from lenses.” Samyang went to those in the know – working photographers and cinematographers – for advice. “We hadmanymeetingswithprofessional and enthusiast photographers and cinematographers,” David says, “and that research has guided our development, which you can find in our autofocus lenses and professional cinematography lens series, XEEN.” Before the latest lenses, Samyang burst into most photographers lives with a series of fast manual focus prime optics. This was “a strong product line-up”, says David,

100mmf/2.8 EDUMCMacro £319 With its 1:1 reproduction ratio, bright f/2.8 maximum aperture, close focusing distance and use of high refractive (HR) and extra low-dispersion lens (ED) elements, the manual focus 100mm Macro is an excellent partner for close-up photography. Its circular, nine- bladed iris gives soft out-of-focus areas, and the 15 elements, 12 group construction uses Ultra Multi Coatings to optimise the light transmission and minimise flare and ghosting. It’s available in an impressive ten lens mounts, including Canon and Nikon DSLRs, and CSCs from Fujifilm, Samsung, Sony and Olympus.

image quality,” he enthuses, “in the 1:1 reproduction ratio the image quality is superior and sharpness is from the centre to corner; in Korea it is called a ‘heavenly macro’!” Part of Samyang’s varied wide- angle range of lenses, David is also keen to highlight the impact of the 14mm f/2.8 ED AS IF UMC; “this is one of our bestsellers in the global market. The lens has a delicate optical design integrating high refractive, hybrid-aspherical, aspherical and extra-low dispersion elements. The freedom this wide- angle viewprovides hasmesmerised photographers globally.” So what’s next for the company? “Samyang,” says David, “will continue to pursue a path in consumer-centric product development, and that means designing and creating diverse and desirable stills and movie optics all around the world.”

These lenses offer photographers prime lens image quality and credible AF performance combined with ergonomic design

samyanglensglobal.com

14mmf/2.8 EDAS IFUMC £269 Samyang’s bestselling lens is a great combination of features and price. The ultra wide-angle of view and fast aperture make it a superb partner for landscape and low-light shooting, like astrophotography. Available in Canon, Nikon, Fujifilm X, Four Thirds, Micro Four Thirds, Pentax, Samsung and Sony A and E versions, the lens has excellent build quality, with a built-in petal shaped lens hood to block flare and a wide, ribbed manual focus ring. Optically, the lens has 14 elements in ten groups with three HR and two ED elements, an aspherical hybrid and aspherical glass element along with anti- reflective coatings.

Above This image was shot on the Samyang 100mm f/2.8 ED UMC Macro, nominated for the best Macro Lens award in the 2015 Photography News Awards. Left The Samyang 14mm f/2.8 ED AS IF UMC lets you combine wide- angle views with shallow depth-of- field effects.