Samyang 45mm F1.8 AF FE E-mount lens review by QuietOC
 QuietOC#44390 date: Oct-19-2019 | |
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| sharpness: 4.5 color: 4 build: 4 distortion: 4 flare control: 4 overall: 4.1 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | Minolta 40 F1.7 Konica AR 40 F1.8 Sony FE 40 F2.5 G Canon EF 40 F2.8 STM Pentax-M 40 F2.8 Pentax-DA 40 F2.8 XS Pentax-FA 43 F1.8 Limited Tamron SP 45 F1.8 USD (VC & non VC) Minolta MD 45 F2 Sigma 45 F2.8 DG DN C Rokinon 50 F1.2 Yongnuo 50 F1.4 Zeiss C/Y 50 F1.4 Planar Canon EF 50 F1.4 USM Sigma 50 F1.4 EX DG HSM Minolta MD 50 F1.4 & AF & Sony (D) Minolta MD 50 F1.7 & AF & RS Sony FE 50 F1.8 Canon EF 50 F1.8 STM Fotasy 50 F1.8 Konica AR 50 F1.8 Vivitar 50 F1.8 Sony DT 50 F1.8 SAM Sony E 50 F1.8 OSS Minolta MD 50 F2 Neewer/Meike/Vivitar 50 F2 Konica AR 52 F1.8 Minolta MC 55 F1.7 Sony FE 55 F1.8 Sonnar Minolta SR 55 F2 Lensbaby 56 F1.6 Konica AR 57 F1.4 Minolta MC 58 F1.4 |
| price paid: | 328 USD (new) |
| positive: | Light Well-aligned Quiet, fast, internal AF Lens Compensation 49 mm filter size |
| negative: | Dark corners Lateral CA Occasionally crunchy out-of-focus No sealing Tiny circular hood Firmware updates require dock |
| comment: | This was the most expensive new lens that I had purchased--about three times the cost of the Canon 50mm F1.8 STM. It is currently $100 cheaper than the large Tamron SP 45mm F1.8 VC USD and the smaller Sigma 45mm F2.8. "MADE IN KOREA" I've enjoyed this focal length since purchasing a Minolta MD 45mm F2 back in 2016. I haven't been using the large Tamron SP 45mm F1.8 VC USD much. The Samyang is sharper than either copy of the FE 50mm F1.8 I've tried. It is sharp wide-open to the corners even sharper than the Sony FE 55mm F1.8, but the rendering is not quite as nice. It focuses very quickly and quietly. It is comically small next the Tamron SP, but a bit larger than the Sigma Contemporary. Unlike the simple planar FE 50mm F1.8, the lens elements take up the entire length. The body feels solid unlike those of the Sony FE 50mm F1.8 and the Tamron OSD primes. I prefer a softer focus grip. The lens caps are nicer than Sony's but also bulkier. The 49 mm filter thread diameter is shared with the Samyang 24/2.8 and 35/2.8 primes and many Minolta and Sony lenses. The hood bayonet is shared with the 24/2.8. The included circular hood is only slightly larger than the 24/2.8 hood. Wide-open this lens has outlined background bokeh--like it is over corrected for spherical aberration similar to many old planar 50mm primes. Backgrounds wide-open are not as busy as most of those, but they are not as smooth as the Sony FE 1.8/50 or 1.8/55 Sonnar. The lens is quite sharp wide-open, but it has more lateral CA than the old Planars in the extreme corners. |
; 20MPrating summary
- total reviews: 5
- sharpness: 4.80
- color: 4.60
- build: 4.20
- distortion: 4.60
- flare control: 4.40
- overall: 4.52