With its fine range of second-generation AF optics, Korean lens manufacturer Samyang has certainly come of age, pursuing ever higher standards whilst still retaining an affordable pricing level.

The latest offering is the hefty-looking Samyang AF 35-150mm f/2-2.8 FE lens, intended for full-frame Sony FE mount cameras. It can of course also be used on the APS-C crop frame cameras, in which case the “35mm format” field of view becomes 52.5-225mm.

These are useful wide standard to medium telephoto (FF) or standard to telephoto (APS-C) ranges, and coupled with the fast (bright) maximum aperture, look to have plenty of potential. Let’s couple the new lens up to the 42MP full-frame Sony A7R III body and see how it all works out in practice.

 

Samyang AF 35-150mm f/2-2.8 FE Handling and Features

The overall impression is of a fairly bulky and moderately heavy lens, inevitably so given the fast maximum aperture. It measures 92.8mm x 157.4mm at 35mm and 92.8mm x 197.9mm at 150mm. It weighs in at 1233g without the hood and 1285g with the hood.

 

 

The hood is supplied and bayonets smoothly and positively into position. The click stop is firm enough to ensure it does not become dislodged in use. Within the bayonet fit for the hood is a standard 82mm filter thread. The lens is sealed against dust and moisture, although it is not waterproof and normal care should be followed. 

During the review period, moving into the very warm fernery shown in the sample images from a very cold exterior, the usual condensation formed on the front element, and the best way forward can be to wait for it to equalise naturally. The moisture sealing prevented any internal condensation, which is encouraging.

Starting our tour of the lens controls, first up is the smooth, electronic control ring. There are a few options when using this, set using the camera menus and also by the convenient Custom switch on the lens barrel.

 

 

When set to MF, Mode 1 adjusts focus according to the rotation speed of the control ring. Mode 2 offers constant focus control according to the amount of rotation of the ring. Mode 3 is a Dolly shot function for maintaining the size of a subject whilst the background magnification is altered as we zoom in and out, one for videographers in particular. 

When set to AF, Mode 2 adjusts the aperture by default. Sony’s DMF (Direct Manual Focus) is also supported when set in the camera menu. Further settings of these controls can be accessed via Samyang’s Lens Manager program, and future updates may be delivered in due course.

There are also two focus hold buttons that can perform extra functions. When set to AF, both are simple focus hold buttons, although this function can be re-assigned using the camera menu. If set to MF then, having focused on a point, pressing the button for three seconds will save that focus position. A beep confirms this.

 

 

Using both buttons, two focus points can be saved. When required, pressing the appropriate button will move the focus to the saved point, a neat idea indeed.

Focusing at 35mm is down to 0.33m, or 1.08 feet, for a maximum magnification of 0.175x. At 150mm it is down to 0.85m, or 2.79 feet, for a maximum magnification of 0.18x. This is pretty much what might be expected, close but not in the realm of macro photography. Focusing is driven by a Linear STM motor, fast, accurate and almost entirely silent.

Further around the barrel, there is also a lock button that will hold the lens in position at 35mm to prevent lens creep whilst carrying. Lens creep is unfortunately evident when the lens is in use, but only significantly when trying to shoot vertically, for example, document copying. 

The weight of the elements allows the lens to slowly slip downwards, making document copying not the best use for the optic. A clamp would be a solution to this, but alas one is not fitted.

 

 

Optical construction is 21 elements in 18 groups, including 2 Aspherical, 1 Hybrid Aspherical, 3 HR (High Refractive Index) and 6 ED (Extra Low Dispersion). Samyang apply their always efficient UMC multi-layer coatings. The diaphragm comprises 9 blades, for improved bokeh.

The focal length range does not extend into the wide-angle arena but does offer a very useful range of standard to medium telephoto lengths, with the added bonus of very fast open aperture settings.  

On the full-frame Sony A7R III we have a wide standard 35mm f/2, the same specification as many traditional 35mm designs, to a 150mm f/2.8, which is faster than traditional 150mm prime lenses have been. Not that there have been many 150mm prime lenses, but those that were offered tended to be around f/3.5 or f/4 designs. 

Looking at it in another way, it improves upon the traditional 135mm f/2.8 lens by being faster and extending the focal length range. The only negative to all this is the tendency of the lens to creep downwards under its own weight when used vertically for copying, and in this respect, it cries out for a focus clamp mechanism. Otherwise, an excellent user experience throughout.

 

Samyang AF 35-150mm f/2-2.8 FE Performance

At 35mm, central sharpness is good at f/2, very good at f/2.8 and f/4, excellent from f/5.6 to f/11 and very good at f/16. The edges are good at f/2, very good at f/2.8 and f/4, excellent at f/5.6 and very good from f/8 to f/18.

At 70mm, central sharpness is excellent from f/2.5 right through to f/11 and very good at f/16 and f/20. The edges are excellent from f/2.5 to f/11 and very good at f/16 and f/20.

At 100mm, central sharpness is excellent from f/2.8 to f/11 and very good at f/16 and f/22. The edges are very good at f/2.8 and f/4, excellent from f/5.6 to f/11, very good at f/16 and good at f/22.

At 150mm, central sharpness is very good at f/2.8 and f/4, excellent from f/5.6 to f/11, very good at f/16 and good at f/22. The edges are very good from f/2.8 to f/5.6, excellent at f/8, very good at f/11 and f/18 and good at f/22.

A very high standard of sharpness is impressively maintained throughout the focal length range.

 

Samyang AF 35-150mm f/2-2.8 FE MTF Charts

 

CA (Chromatic Aberration) is very well controlled centrally. The edges do show some slight colour fringing, but it is slight and will realistically only be noticed with demanding subjects, such as bare tree branches against bright sky. Generally it is not an issue, but software can always be used for further correction if deemed necessary.

Distortion is incredibly low, leading to the conclusion that camera and lens are no doubt in cahoots to reduce it. The end result is what matters, and very small amounts of barrel distortion are present throughout the range. This can be measured at -0.22% at 35mm, -0.27% at 70mm, -0.23% at 100mm and -0.20% at 150mm. This is virtually rectilinear, outperforming many macro lenses.

 

Samyang AF 35-150mm f/2-2.8 FE Chromatic Aberration Charts

 

Bokeh, the smoothness and gradation of out of focus backgrounds, is smooth and really easy on the eye, making the lens an excellent choice for portraiture and flower studies.

Samyang lenses do not suffer from flare and it takes quite a bit of effort to generate any circumstances where it is noticed at all.

Vignetting is not totally banished but the results are very impressive for a zoom lens. It is unlikely any further correction would be needed, but there are always software solutions if required.

Aperture	35mm	70mm	100mm	150mm
f/2	-1.3
f/2.5		-0.8
f/2.8	-1.3	-0.6	-1.3	-0.9
f/4	-1.2	-0.5	-1.3	-0.9
f/5.6	-1	-0.4	-1.2	-0.9
f/8	-0.9	-0.4	-1.2	-0.9
f/11	-0.9	-0.3	-1.2	-0.8
f/16	-0.9	-0.3	-1.2	-0.8
f/20		-0.3
f/22			-1.2	-0.8

 

Samyang AF 35-150mm f/2-2.8 FE Sample Photos

 

Samyang AF 35-150mm f/2-2.8 FE Aperture range

You can view additional images in the Equipment Database, where you can add your own reviews, photos and product ratings.

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Value For Money

The Samyang AF 35-150mm f/2-2.8 FE is priced at £1319

There is a direct competitor for this:

[AMUK]Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD|Tamron+lens[/AMUK], £1799

That seems very fair pricing and the new Samyang lens looks like a very tempting choice.

 

 

Samyang AF 35-150mm f/2-2.8 FE

Samyang have done it again and produced a very fine lens indeed for a very competitive price. The lens is a joy to use, with superb handling and superb quality of results. The less definable parameters are also met, so the bokeh and the “look” of the images are as successful as the bald figures of the technical tests. 

There is just one slight weakness, and that is the tendency of the lens to creep downwards under the weight of all that glass. This renders it less useful for studio document copying, but all that suggests is that for such purposes there will be better options.

For general purpose shooting, landscape, travel, portraiture, architecture, street and event photography the new lens is hard to beat and is duly awarded an Editor’s Choice.

[REVIEW_FOOTER]R_features=4.5|R_handling=5|R_performance=5|R_value=5|R_overall=5|A_level=5|A_text=Editor’s Choice – An excellent standard to medium telephoto lens that performs and handles impeccably |E_id=8027[/REVIEW_FOOTER]