Samyang 35mm F1.4 'P': Brillliant Lens, Not Marketing

In this video I check out the new Samyang 35mm F1.4 P (for Prima) autofocus lens. EDIT: final price from Samyang is $649 US, and should be available for purchase beginning in January 2025. If I find a link to this lens before then, I'll put it HERE:

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[MarkBennettCameraCrisis]

You’re right - Jason Vong can do so much more. I’m good though

[VLAD-rign]

It feels like I'm back at 2017 era (my photography era) when I visited your channel again. Good ol days :D

[DustinAbbottTWI]

It's a good review of the lens, Arthur. I don't understand Samyang's strategy right now. I haven't hardly heard anything from Samyang for over a year, and I used to review everything of theirs. As you mentioned, there are very few reviews out there.

[AlainKapture]

I really like the new design of the Samyang lenses, way sleeker than the old ones

[Ben-AP]

Have been waiting for more videos on this lens! Very interesting at this price point

[kylinblue]

Hi Arthur. Review of the product aside, there’s something special you’ve done to this particular video. It is full of contrast. To the point that I had to check if this was a HDR video. It isn’t. Can you share what kind of secret sauce if there’s any?

[justinveenema]

Hey! I made one of those two camera reviews that you mentioned at the beginning.

Super cool to see my thumbnail make a small cameo in your video haha, big fan of your work.

I still don’t understand why there aren’t more videos about this lens. It’s unbelievably good for the price, and will happily use it in place of my 35mm 1.4 GM for travel and EDC.

Great shots btw!

[davidgates]

I have the Rokinon/Samyang f1.4 50mm and its a terrific lens for the price so I’m not surprised that you found the 35mm to be good for the price. Thanks for reviewing a lens that most of us can actually afford

[kingweddingmedia]

I'll probably pick this up. I love their 24mm and 85mm (second generation). I was disappointed when they made their last 35mm as it didn't have the same physical look as their newer 50/85/135, it seemed a bit of a carbon copy of the original. I feel like this is what that 35mm should have been when it was released.

[aratafreecs]

If you want a 35mm f/1.4 lens on a budget, this is a good pick, but in no way is it a G-Master competitor.

First of all, if you have G-Master money, this wouldn't even be a consideration. But if you're just trying to figure out how much you need to spend to get the performance you want, the best budget option would be the Sigma equivalent, which costs about the same as the Samyang, if you get it used.

Compared to the GM, the Samyang is slightly lighter and much cheaper. It is also taller, lacks in corner sharpness, CA-correction and is severely lacking AF tracking performance and lens features.

For AF tracking in photo mode, the linear stepping motor Samyang uses is far behind the stepping motor Sigma uses and does not compete with linear motors in Sony or Sigma lenses whatsoever.
Even the Sigma hypersonic motors from the adapted EF-Mount DSLR lenses outdid the native Samyang E-Mount stepping motor in my non-scientific test for PHOTO tracking AF.

I did this test with a mix of 85mm and 135mm lenses, which is already apples to oranges, so I at least tried to match the depth of field by slowing down the 135mm, which even gives it a slight advantage (deeper DOF). All tests done in bright daylight. Comparatively, the Samyang of course fares way worse the less light you have available.

Wider angle lenses (such as 35mm) are WAY more forgiving for two main reasons: At the distances you use them, the DOF is FAR deeper, so it's much easier to achieve acceptable focus and there is much less glass that needs to be moved around, so the motor doesn't have to work nearly as hard.

To not over-complicate this and because I can't seem to find my spreadsheet with all the data right now, here are my findings only comparing the Samyang AF 135mm f/1.8 with the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN.

58% of the pictures taken on the Samyang were at least acceptably in focus. Of those, 33% were perfectly in focus.
78% on the Sigma were at least acceptably in focus. Of those. 58% were perfectly in focus.

From memory: the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art was slightly better than the Samyang in some tests and worse in others, overall, the amount of pictures at least acceptably in focus was marginally better (3-4%, which I would consider to be in the margin of error in a non-scientific test [tracking my cats running and walking around in the garden]), but the ratio of perfectly in focus to acceptable was better in the Sigma's favor, about ~10%.

I didn't have a lens with a linear motor like Sony and Sigma use nowadays on hand when I did those test, but speaking from subjective experience, those tend to do a lot better than even the Sigma stepper motors.

Also on a subjective note, I have had the experience that Samyang has significant sample variation regarding optical quality. My 135mm for example is significantly softer than the one Dustin Abbott tested. I have had no such experience with Sigma or Sony lenses.

Still, I think this is a good lens for the price, just beware that it is not close to the GM in performance.

[couch]

Samyang has an infinity focus memory button on a 24mm for use on astro photography. Any other lenses with that feature?

[S_G_]

According to holdan uk website suggested retail price is 440 pounds which should be around 500-550 USD

[ItsMidasProductions]

You can’t even find it on their website lol

[DarkAvenger]

Honestly, the most impressive things is the colors look so nice.

[Shot_Geek]

The same thing happened with their 24-70mm f2.8 when that got released. No one knew anything about it and only a couple of people reviewed it.

[marcbeebe]

I've stopped trying to understand the 'reasoning' behind any product design and marketing. That seems to be a job for psychologists these days.

[nicolaussuryadharma]

Agree with ur opinion on this video. But the chromatic aberration totally messes up when shot with wide-open lenses.

[enjoygary]

would you ever consider reviewing the lumix s5iix?

[nickscott]

Is a busy landscape for this focal length. Meiki and Youngno have 35mm 1.4 now and are very good optically.

[KevinR]

Various camera shops are listing a preorder P at £528, no timeline. The mk II is showing £499, which is less than a month ago but not as cheap as 2 months ago.

Someone mentioned £440, but that would likely be wholesale excl 20% VAT (ie. sales tax). The maths works.