Samyang AF 24 mm f/1.8 FE review - Distortion

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Samyang AF 24 mm f/1.8 FE

7 September 2021

Maciej Latałło

6. Distortion

Geometric deformations can be noticed already on the smaller APS-C sensor, with the barrel variation of distortion amounting to −1.70%. On full frame this result increases to −2.51%. Taking into account the angle of view of the tested lens the situation wouldn't look bad if only the producers didn't cut corners and reached such a value with the help of moustache distortion. If you limit your measurements to a smaller section of the frame, situated within 1:1 markings, distortion increases to a level of −3.19%. It is definitely nothing to be proud of.

In order to defend the Samyang a bit we have to add that at least its constructors made an attempt to correct distortion, and they didn't follow the easy path of the Sony FE 2.8/24 G and the Tamron 2.8/24, in which cases distortion correction was left completely to the tender care of software of a camera. As a result we got hair-raising values, ranging from -5 to -8%.

On the other hand it is a very interesting fact that the small Samyang AF 24 mm f/2.8 FE was able to fare much better in this category than its newer f/1.8 brother. You also had moustache distortion but even within the area limited by 1:1 markings the lens got a result of -1%, noticeably lower than the result of the lens currently tested. Quite frankly I fail to understand why the newer, more expensive, and optically more complex Samyang fares weaker in this category.

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