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Samyang 8mm vs Samsung 10mm Fisheyes

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viking79

viking79

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The new Samyang 8mm f/2.8 Fisheye Version II (only get version II unless you only use it on old 14.6 MP sensor or really like Corner Fix, because older version 1 is terrible for purple cast in the corners). Easy way to identify is size of rear element. If it has pea sized rear element it is version 1, or quarter sized (22 mm) rear element it is version 2.


This is a quick comparison, just showing a few differences in image quality side by side.

Samsung is great for small size, close focus, and flare, and Samyang for outright image quality.

Eric
 
Thanks so much for this comparison!! I asked that very question here just recently:

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/3785727

The V1 and V2 of the 8mm lens are easy to tell apart by the difference in the focus ring: uniformly ribbed focus ring: V2, notched patterned ring: V1:

Version I, note the notched non-uniform focus ring.

Version I, note the notched non-uniform focus ring.

Version II. V2 is also slightly longer than V1. Note the wider uniformly ribbed focus ring.

Version II. V2 is also slightly longer than V1. Note the wider uniformly ribbed focus ring.
 
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Thanks Eric,

Makes me glad I bought the 10mm as I like to use it for still close-ups rather than landscapes.

Seems the Samsung is the 'Macro' fisheye and the Samyang the 'Infinity' fisheye.

At infinity how close are things 'infocus' out to infinity?

Thanks for the review.
 
Eric,

Thanks for this comparison! I just got an NX1 a couple of days ago. I have the Rokinon for my Panasonic G2 and love it. I've been wondering whether to get another one for my NX1 or get the Samsung 10mm. I was leaning towards another Rokinon and your info helped cement that decision.

I loved version one of that lens and never saw the purple fringing, but maybe that's because of the MFT version I had. If they improved on that lens, all the better.

Also, thanks in general for all your comments being informative rather than opinionated. You're helping educate me (and others too I'm sure)!

Robert
 
ancient alien stylist said:
Eric,

Thanks for this comparison! I just got an NX1 a couple of days ago. I have the Rokinon for my Panasonic G2 and love it. I've been wondering whether to get another one for my NX1 or get the Samsung 10mm. I was leaning towards another Rokinon and your info helped cement that decision.

I loved version one of that lens and never saw the purple fringing, but maybe that's because of the MFT version I had. If they improved on that lens, all the better.

Also, thanks in general for all your comments being informative rather than opinionated.
Click to expand...
Eric's review states:

"So how do these two fisheye lenses perform? Decide for yourself below. My opinion from me is....."

Don't knock a reviewer's opinion because there-in lies some useful information.

Perhaps I should read your word 'opinionated' as 'biased'.

I look forward to Eric's opinions.
ancient alien stylist said:
You're helping educate me (and others too I'm sure)!

Robert
Click to expand...
 
Umm, I didn't knock his opinions, I complemented them. Since it seems unclear I'll elaborate:

I get nothing out of reading a comment like "This lens is no good for video." However, if Eric says something is good or bad, he then goes on to describe why it is so and how he reached that conclusion. That is why I said I appreciated his posts as being informative.

Sorry if the original post was confusing.
 
Eric

Thanks for the comparison, have you ever shot the Nikon 10.5mm DX? How does the Samsung compare?
 
Raw Jaw said:
ancient alien stylist said:
Eric,

Thanks for this comparison! I just got an NX1 a couple of days ago. I have the Rokinon for my Panasonic G2 and love it. I've been wondering whether to get another one for my NX1 or get the Samsung 10mm. I was leaning towards another Rokinon and your info helped cement that decision.

I loved version one of that lens and never saw the purple fringing, but maybe that's because of the MFT version I had. If they improved on that lens, all the better.

Also, thanks in general for all your comments being informative rather than opinionated.
Click to expand...
Eric's review states:

"So how do these two fisheye lenses perform? Decide for yourself below. My opinion from me is....."

Don't knock a reviewer's opinion because there-in lies some useful information.

Perhaps I should read your word 'opinionated' as 'biased'.

I look forward to Eric's opinions.
Raw Jaw said:
You're helping educate me (and others too I'm sure)!

Robert
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
I don't think he was criticizing that review at all--on the contrary it was a complimentary reply.
 
JanMatthys said:
Eric

Thanks for the comparison, have you ever shot the Nikon 10.5mm DX? How does the Samsung compare?
Click to expand...
I'd look for comparisons using keywords in google, as there are quite a few Samyang/Rokinon 8mm lens users across different platforms (APS-C and MFT). However, I'd be careful of comparisons like this:

Loading…

www.dpreview.com

Which references a very different version of Samyang's 8mm fish-eye.

Specifically, there was an 8mm Samyang/Rokinon lens for Nikon (f/3.5), but it's a different construction lens. The lens in question here was made specifically for mirrorless cameras (f/2.8), so it does matter which lens is being referenced in comparisons.
 
Raw Jaw said:
ancient alien stylist said:
Eric,

Thanks for this comparison! I just got an NX1 a couple of days ago. I have the Rokinon for my Panasonic G2 and love it. I've been wondering whether to get another one for my NX1 or get the Samsung 10mm. I was leaning towards another Rokinon and your info helped cement that decision.

I loved version one of that lens and never saw the purple fringing, but maybe that's because of the MFT version I had. If they improved on that lens, all the better.

Also, thanks in general for all your comments being informative rather than opinionated.
Click to expand...
Eric's review states:

"So how do these two fisheye lenses perform? Decide for yourself below. My opinion from me is....."

Don't knock a reviewer's opinion because there-in lies some useful information.

Perhaps I should read your word 'opinionated' as 'biased'.

I look forward to Eric's opinions.
Raw Jaw said:
You're helping educate me (and others too I'm sure)!

Robert
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
He's wasn't knocking anything. 'Opinionated' doesn't mean 'having an opinion'. Check the dictionary first.
 
ancient alien stylist said:
Umm, I didn't knock his opinions, I complemented them. Since it seems unclear I'll elaborate:

I get nothing out of reading a comment like "This lens is no good for video." However, if Eric says something is good or bad, he then goes on to describe why it is so and how he reached that conclusion. That is why I said I appreciated his posts as being informative.

Sorry if the original post was confusing.
Click to expand...
You knocked other reviewers that give their opinion.

Biased reviewers are who you have to watch out for, not an opinionated reviewer.
 
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Excellent comparison Eric. If I make the switch to Samsung I was thinking of getting one of these two and leaning towards the Samyang. Now that I see how poor it is at close focusing, I'm definitely reconsidering as this would be my primary usage. Of course my secondary usage would be astrophotography where the Samyang would likely be the better performer. Never any easy choices!
 
bpjod said:
Excellent comparison Eric. If I make the switch to Samsung I was thinking of getting one of these two and leaning towards the Samyang. Now that I see how poor it is at close focusing, I'm definitely reconsidering as this would be my primary usage. Of course my secondary usage would be astrophotography where the Samyang would likely be the better performer. Never any easy choices!
Click to expand...
That is what I have come to realize too, can't have everything :)

It is unfortunate about the minimum focus, and I the 10mm extension tube rings are much too long for such a wide lens. It actually can't focus outside the front element with the Fotga extension tube (10mm), making it unusable. Would need a very short extension ring to use it that way, maybe a 1 or 2 mm thick ring, which would not be an easy design.

Decisions, decisions...

Eric
 
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Thanks everyone!

Eric
 
viking79 said:
bpjod said:
Excellent comparison Eric. If I make the switch to Samsung I was thinking of getting one of these two and leaning towards the Samyang. Now that I see how poor it is at close focusing, I'm definitely reconsidering as this would be my primary usage. Of course my secondary usage would be astrophotography where the Samyang would likely be the better performer. Never any easy choices!
Click to expand...
That is what I have come to realize too, can't have everything :)

It is unfortunate about the minimum focus, and I the 10mm extension tube rings are much too long for such a wide lens. It actually can't focus outside the front element with the Fotga extension tube (10mm), making it unusable. Would need a very short extension ring to use it that way, maybe a 1 or 2 mm thick ring, which would not be an easy design.

Decisions, decisions...

Eric
Click to expand...
Well there you go again, answering a question before I even get to pose it. I was wondering if extension tubes would solve the problem, but apparently not. Hmm.

In one respect it's good news. A fisheye would only ever be a fun lens for me, not a primary lens. The small size and insignificant weight (1/3 the volume and less than 1/3 the weight) of the Samsung fisheye would mean I'd be considerably more likely to toss it in the bag on a whim. The Samyang would require more of a concious effort to decide whether to bring it along or leave it at home.
 
viking79 said:
Thanks everyone!

Eric
Click to expand...
Hi Eric,

Guess you missed my question above which might lead me to buy the Samyang 8mm:

"Thanks Eric,

Makes me glad I bought the 10mm as I like to use it for still close-ups rather than landscapes.

Seems the Samsung is the 'Macro' fisheye and the Samyang the 'Infinity' fisheye.

At infinity how close are things 'infocus' out to infinity?

Thanks for the review."

Thank you.
 
Raw Jaw said:
viking79 said:
Thanks everyone!

Eric
Click to expand...
Hi Eric,

Guess you missed my question above which might lead me to buy the Samyang 8mm:

"Thanks Eric,

Makes me glad I bought the 10mm as I like to use it for still close-ups rather than landscapes.

Seems the Samsung is the 'Macro' fisheye and the Samyang the 'Infinity' fisheye.

At infinity how close are things 'infocus' out to infinity?

Thanks for the review."

Thank you.
Click to expand...
I did miss the question, sorry about that. I would agree with that the Samsung is the better closeup and Samyang the better infinity focus lens. I would guess DOF is about 1.5 to 2 feet to infinity when shooting at f/6.7 at infinity and maybe a little less wide open, but it is hard to judge since the corners are a bit worse wide open.

So with Samyang you will be able to get most close subjects in focus, but a subject at 2 feet is very small to a fisheye, so can't do as dramatic of close subjects, it is actually a little difficult to put the background out of focus with this lens. I will probably just leave it at infinity and use it that way.

Eric
 
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