LensTip.com

Lens review

Samyang AF 35 mm f/2.8 FE

6 December 2017
Arkadiusz Olech

7. Coma, astigmatism and bokeh

As long as you stick to the dimensions of the APS-C sensor there will be no coma problems; still if you glance at corners of full frame you might say the coma is a distinct issue there. On stopping down the aperture by 1 EV the situation improves a lot but the aberration remains visible even by f/4.0.

It’s been so far the only category where the Zeiss Sonnar 2.8/35 fared noticeably better than the cheaper Samyang.

Center, f/2.8 Corner APS-C, f/2.8 Corner FF, f/2.8
Samyang AF 35 mm f/2.8 FE - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh Samyang AF 35 mm f/2.8 FE - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh Samyang AF 35 mm f/2.8 FE - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh
Center, f/4.0 Corner APS-C, f/4.0 Corner FF, f/4.0
Samyang AF 35 mm f/2.8 FE - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh Samyang AF 35 mm f/2.8 FE - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh Samyang AF 35 mm f/2.8 FE - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh


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In the case of the astigmatism the situation is reversed and the Samyang once again prevails. That aberration level, understood as an average difference between vertical and horizontal MTF50 function values, we assessed as 5.7 % and we consider it a very good result, especially when compared to almost 14% of the Sonnar.

The out-of-focus areas don’t impress us, however. The light spread in circles is characterized by concentric rings and a noticeably lighter rim which appears on stopping down. In the frame corner that ring is especially asymmetric when it comes to its brightness.

You also have to mention mechanical vignetting, unavoidable in such a small lens attached to quite a big sensor. The circle in the frame corner is significantly truncated. That truncation remains visible even by f/5.6 although it seemed to be a bit less pronounced than in the case of the Sonnar.

Center, f/2.8 Corner APS-C, f/2.8 Corner FF, f/2.8
Samyang AF 35 mm f/2.8 FE - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh Samyang AF 35 mm f/2.8 FE - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh Samyang AF 35 mm f/2.8 FE - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh
Center, f/4.0 Corner APS-C, f/4.0 Corner FF, f/4.0
Samyang AF 35 mm f/2.8 FE - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh Samyang AF 35 mm f/2.8 FE - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh Samyang AF 35 mm f/2.8 FE - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh
Center, f/5.6 Corner APS-C, f/5.6 Corner FF, f/5.6
Samyang AF 35 mm f/2.8 FE - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh Samyang AF 35 mm f/2.8 FE - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh Samyang AF 35 mm f/2.8 FE - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh