If you’re looking for a reasonably-priced but high-performing lens or two, then you’re in luck.
Samyang/Rokinon has now announced an update for two of its most popular pieces of glass:
The 14mm f/2.8 and the 85mm f/1.4.
The Samyang 14mm f/2.8 and the 85mm f/1.4 are already highly-regarded among photographers looking to get strong images while keeping prices low (and who don’t mind full-time manual focus). The ultra-wide focal length of the 14mm is perfect for astrophotography, especially when combined with an f/2.8 maximum aperture. And the f/1.4 aperture on the 85mm is a great way to produce that gorgeous, creamy bokeh that portrait photographers want.
All for under $650 USD.
But now, with the announcement of the 14mm f/2.8 Series II and the 85mm f/1.4 Series II, Samyang/Rokinon has taken their product lineup a step further.
The 14mm f/2.8 Series II offers the same optics of the original Samyang 14mm, but now sports a focus lock; this allows you to set your point of focus and hold it in place, which is great for maintaining perfect focus in astrophotography, time-lapse, or other difficult-to-focus situations.
The Samyang 14mm Series II also features a “de-click” option, so that you can manually change the aperture along a near-infinite spectrum (rather than being forced to work in increments, which is the standard for most lenses). This is a great way to fine-tune your apertures in the field, and it also benefits video shooters who want to subtly alter exposure throughout a recording.
As for the 85mm f/1.4 Series II:
You still get the same excellent sharpness and bokeh, but Samyang has added a “de-click” feature to match the 14mm f/2.8 Series II.
And both lenses now offer weather sealing, which will be appreciated by astrophotographers, landscape photographers, and other outdoor shooters, and will make both lenses an easier sell for photographers that work in adverse conditions.
But perhaps the most enticing thing about the new Samyang lenses is the price:
You’ll be able to grab the 85mm f/1.4 Series II for just $400 USD, while the 14mm f/2.8 Series II will come in at $500 USD.
Sure, constantly using manual focus may come as a bit of a shock, especially if you’ve never used it before. But you’ll become an expert before long and, at such impressively low prices, these two lenses are hard to pass up.
You can currently preorder both the 85mm f/1.4 Series II and the 14mm f/2.8 Series II for Canon EF, Nikon F, Fujifilm X, MFT, and Canon M mounts.
Now over to you:
Do you have any experience with the original Samyang 85mm and 14mm lenses? What do you think of them? And for those of you who are interested in the new lenses: What do you plan to use them for?
