Samyang 85mm f1.4

[neytiri]

You can purchase from Malaysia. Visit www.fotogears.com, i brought one with price around USD380. Like it very much.

Cheers !

 

[synfan]

well..
i'm going to korea soon..
dunno should get one of this to try out..
lol..
did a conversion from a korean website stating the price for this lens, it will cost me $404..
lol..
any advise?

 

[Anthony Lee]

well..
i'm going to korea soon..
dunno should get one of this to try out..
lol..
did a conversion from a korean website stating the price for this lens, it will cost me $404..
lol..
any advise?

Sin $ or USD. If S$ 404, very good price plus you can try it out there. Buy a few back, you may be able to make some money.

 

[dRebelXT]

You can purchase from Malaysia. Visit www.fotogears.com, i brought one with price around USD380. Like it very much.

Cheers !

Post photos please!
Is it better than EF 85 F/1.4?

 

[CS TAN]

Post photos please!
Is it better than EF 85 F/1.4?

EF 85 f/1.4?

 

[synfan]

Check tis website out..
http://search.danawa.com/dsearch.php?tab=Main&k1=%BB%EF%BE%E7&module=goods&act=dispMain

http://www.photomalaysia.com/forums/showthread.php?t=92363
http://www.samdobsonphotography.com/samyang-85mm-f1-4-review-nikon/
http://lenstip.com/166.1-Lens_review-Samyang_85_mm_f_1.4_Aspherical_IF__Introduction.html

 

[zzz47]

I also have this one, in Sony mount. Got it from 47th Street Photo on eBay as Opteka with 279 USD in total (incl. shipping). Seems like they only have limited stock though - the last time I checked, the Nikon mount version practically dried out.

Regarding quality, to say that I'm pleased with its performance is a severe understatement. Right now, my walkaround gear consists of this one and the SMC Takumar 50mm f/1.4.

 

[Anthony Lee]

I also have this one, in Sony mount. Got it from 47th Street Photo on eBay as Opteka with 279 USD in total (incl. shipping). Seems like they only have limited stock though - the last time I checked, the Nikon mount version practically dried out.

Regarding quality, to say that I'm pleased with its performance is a severe understatement. Right now, my walkaround gear consists of this one and the SMC Takumar 50mm f/1.4.

Wow, sounds like the Samyang 85f1.4 is super. How do you rate your SMC Tak 50f1.4?

 

[zzz47]

Wow, sounds like the Samyang 85f1.4 is super. How do you rate your SMC Tak 50f1.4?

My SMC Takumar is quite OK, but guess the coating's already show its age. It has a yellowish tint, which according to what I read is due to some radioactive stuff that needs time to decay. Otherwise, optically excellent

Some nighttime street snaps from the 85 f/1.4 wide open (so that's why you'll see that it's OOF here and there, the DOF is just too thin) @ISO400 on my Sony A700, with no PP whatsoever : (I did left Sony's built-in Dynamic Range Optimizer running at max settings though, so forgive me if the colors look a bit unnatural)

 

[sequitur]

you'll need to be really good at manual focusing to get the most out of this lens.

if not, get a split screen + AF confirm.

 

[etegration]

You can purchase from Malaysia. Visit www.fotogears.com, i brought one with price around USD380. Like it very much.

Cheers !

no price not much info too on the site...

 

[chopper]

My SMC Takumar is quite OK, but guess the coating's already show its age. It has a yellowish tint, which according to what I read is due to some radioactive stuff that needs time to decay. Otherwise, optically excellent

Some nighttime street snaps from the 85 f/1.4 wide open (so that's why you'll see that it's OOF here and there, the DOF is just too thin) @ISO400 on my Sony A700, with no PP whatsoever : (I did left Sony's built-in Dynamic Range Optimizer running at max settings though, so forgive me if the colors look a bit unnatural)

Pardon me, but doesn't seems very sharp to me, maybe it's the file downsizing, or my monitor ?

 

[etegration]

Pardon me, but doesn't seems very sharp to me, maybe it's the file downsizing, or my monitor ?

it's not sharp at all. not your monitor.

 

[Anthony Lee]

This lens is sharp wide open. Look at the link which I provide when I started this thread. Those photos were shot mostly wide open on the Canon 5D.

 

[zzz47]

it's not sharp at all. not your monitor.

I totally agree. Manually focusing with wide open aperture at night on a crop sensor viewfinder at 1/60s with no IS/VR isn't a good formula for good sharpness. My Canikon pals (who's got quite a number of L and ED lenses) noticed this immediately but still expressed interest in the lens though.

As for me, there's some obvious quality improvement compared to my old Super Takumar 85mm f/1.9 when it comes to color and bokeh.

Haven't got time to try it extensively at daytime yet (i.e. for serious use rather than snaps). Will try to do it once I get my body back from the service center

A few more wide open @ISO800 shots on the Sony A350 I borrow from my friend :

 

[Anthony Lee]

I totally agree. Manually focusing with wide open aperture at night on a crop sensor viewfinder at 1/60s with no IS/VR isn't a good formula for good sharpness. My Canikon pals (who's got quite a number of L and ED lenses) noticed this immediately but still expressed interest in the lens though.

As for me, there's some obvious quality improvement compared to my old Super Takumar 85mm f/1.9 when it comes to color and bokeh.

Haven't got time to try it extensively at daytime yet (i.e. for serious use rather than snaps). Will try to do it once I get my body back from the service center

A few more wide open @ISO800 shots on the Sony A350 I borrow from my friend :

These are quite sharp. Can post some portrait shots? Something like this shot with a Nikkor 105mmf.25 wide open on a Canon 5D.

 

[zzz47]

These are quite sharp. Can post some portrait shots? Something like this shot with a Nikkor 105mmf.25 wide open on a Canon 5D.

Have to wait till I get my body back from the service center. There's some backfocusing with this lens while using it with the borrowed body (which I didn't encounter while using my own body) so taking portraits is a real pain.

Still, when it is sharp, I can confirm that it's razor sharp

 

[Anthony Lee]

Have to wait till I get my body back from the service center. There's some backfocusing with this lens while using it with the borrowed body (which I didn't encounter while using my own body) so taking portraits is a real pain.

Still, when it is sharp, I can confirm that it's razor sharp

MF lens should not back or front focus unless you are relying on the focus confirmation chip.
I do have confirmation chip on most of my adaptors but I don't rely on them 100%. I prefer to shoot wide open when it comes to portraits as I prefer them not to be razor sharp.

 

[zzz47]

MF lens should not back or front focus unless you are relying on the focus confirmation chip.
I do have confirmation chip on most of my adaptors but I don't rely on them 100%. I prefer to shoot wide open when it comes to portraits as I prefer them not to be razor sharp.

OK, after searching around for a while I guessed the problem should have been with the lower-quality focusing screen available on my friend's entry-level model, which ceases to be effective once the aperture goes bigger than f2.8-4. Guess this is also an important thing to notice for others.

 

[ManWearPants]

MF lens should not back or front focus unless you are relying on the focus confirmation chip.
I do have confirmation chip on most of my adaptors but I don't rely on them 100%. I prefer to shoot wide open when it comes to portraits as I prefer them not to be razor sharp.

Anthony, I think this is the lens for you for taking your grandson. This is a portrait lens so will be soft when wide open. Sharp when stopped down.

I am only curious about its colour and 3D effect when compared to the CY Zeiss 85/1.4. The CY Zeiss is also soft wide open and ultra sharp when stopped down to f2. The colour is really beyond words.