21mm deathmatch: Kamlan 21mm F/1.8 vs Samyang/Rokinon 21mm F/1.4 (part 1)

andrerav wrote:

Tom Schum wrote:

Beautiful shots, by the way.

Thank you!

I have the Samyang 21mm F1.4, have not felt a need to find anything better. But the KamLan might actually be the better lens.

They are definitely close. The Kamlan seems to be a hair better for landscape detail (in the corners, in particular) but the Samyang seems to be a hair sharper on close subjects.

Which one do you think has better bokeh? My guess would be the KamLan.

I did a quick test at F/1.8 on the Kamlan and F/2 on the Samyang with a subject placed 30cm from the sensor. The focus point is on the rear lens cap. The Samyang has noticeably smoother bokeh in this scenario, but you have to compare them side by side to spot the difference.

Kamlan 21mm @ F/1.8

Samyang 21mm @ F/2.0

As mentioned above the Samyang seems to be just a hair sharper at these apertures and distances.

Keep in mind, the Kamlan can focus much closer than the Samyang though, and in those cases it will naturally have better subject separation and bokeh.

Yes I agree with you: the Samyang bokeh is better!

It is as if the KamLan acts like F2.0 or even F2.4.  Distant details are slightly sharper in the KamLan image, just where you want them to be blurry.  But, the effect is subtle, as you said.

For a lens that is quite a bit less money, the KamLan is doing very well, though.

A couple years ago I bought KamLan from Adorama, but can't find the brand there now.  I had bought my Samyang 21mm F1.4 from B&H a few years ago, and do not see that focal length in the site.  Amazon seems to be carrying them.