The following chart presents a comparison between basic parameters of the Samyang, tested here, and other lenses of this class designed for full frame mirrorless cameras. The Samyang AF 24 mm f/1.8 FE is undoubtedly the smallest and the lightest in this group. Additionally, it features the shortest minimum focusing distance.
In the photo below the Samyang 1.8/24 is positioned between the Voigtlander Apo Lanthar 2/65 Macro and the Sigma A 35 mm f/1.4 DG HSM, designed for reflex cameras.
The mount of the tested lens is made of metal; around it you can find contacts and a rear element, 25 mm in diameter. That element is put inside a slightly accented frame that doesn't interfere with the field of the lens. The small frame is surrounded by black, well-matted plastic with an inscription 'MADE IN KOREA'. You can't find any slits close to the rear element so it is impossible to glimpse electronic parts inside. From this side, the instrument seems to be completely sealed.
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An immobile, black, smooth, plastic ring is the first part of the proper barrel. On the ring you can find the parameters of the lens (AF 24/1.8 FE), the name of the producer, another piece of info about the lens being produced in Korea, and a white dot, making an alignment with a camera easier.
On the left side of the inscription with parameters, looking from the top, you can also locate a CUSTOM M1 and M2 switch. It allows you to change the manual focus ring function - the ring can also be used to control aperture values and producers point out the fact that new software versions might add other functions to that switch in the future. Right next to it you find another fuction button, round this time.
Further on, you see a manual focus ring, 17 mm wide, completely covered by fine ribbing. It's a focus-by-wire construction that allows you very precise settings; even if you turn it quite quickly, its focus throw still amounts to an angle of about 180 degrees. As the lens is equipped with contacts, it communicates with a camera body so you might profit from the focus peaking function on an automatically enlarged image. Still, the ring doesn't have any distance scale (even though you can find it on the camera display when you are working in the MF mode) or a DOF scale.
Next, you see a narrow, shiny ring, metallic red, and the lens ends with another narrow, plastic ring and a hood mount. The immobile front element is slightly convex, 37 mm in diameter, and surrounded by a non-rotating filter thread, 58 mm in diameter, along with an inscription stating the parameters of the lens.
When it comes to optical construction you deal here with 11 elements positioned in 8 groups and the producers weren't skimpy with special elements. The construction features two elements made of low dispersion ED glass, two aspherical elements, and three HR elements made of glass with high refraction index. Inside, you can also find a round aperture with nine diaphragm blades that can be closed down to a value of f/22 at the maximum.
Buyers get in the box with the lens: both caps, a petal-type hood, and a stylish, solid hard case. Taking into account the price of the Samyang lens its accessory kit can be called quite rich; we especially appreciate the hard case which is very shapely and sturdy. Currently many producers don't bother with adding any case at all to even much more expensive lenses; they offer you a cheap, soft pouch which is more like a handkerchief and is not able to protect the instrument at all e.g. during transport. In this area Samyang definitely sticks out in a positive way among its rivals – even though the company doesn't price their lenses very high they still add a case that can actually protect the instrument and is also pleasing to the eye.
