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Author Topic: Samyang/Rokinon 12mm f2.0 for Fuji X-mount a first look  (Read 9809 times)

Alan Smallbone

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Samyang/Rokinon 12mm f2.0 for Fuji X-mount a first look
« on: April 15, 2014, 12:17:19 pm »

Hi all,

A few days ago I received my copy of the Rokinon 12mm f2.0 for the Fuji x-mount. I spent some time over the weekend taking a look at it, so here is my take at a first look.

Overall distortion is low, easily corrected if need be, probably won't notice it in a lot of shots.
distortion is pretty well controlled for an ultra wide in the price range.
Soft at f2 but get better at f2.8 and beyond. Corners much better at f5.6
Vignetting at f2, like I expected and it cleans up well at f4 and mostly gone by f5.6
Smooth focusing and half stop detents from f2 to f22
Slightly smaller the Fuji 14mm f2.8
My copy seems to have a yellowish cast in part of the image in the center area, not visible in all circumstances. I am thinking this may be a coating issue but still investigating. It is not a raw conversion artifact, it was visible in the viewfinder. I will probably return it and try another copy after I run some more tests.
It looks like a nice lens, especially for the price, but I would not replace my Fuji 14mm f2.8 or 10-24mm with it.


Some more details and samples can be found here:
http://www.aps-photo.com/2014/04/rokinon-12mm-f2-0-for-x-mount-a-first-look/

Thanks and hope you find this useful.
Alan
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Alan Smallbone
Orange County, CA

Paul2660

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Re: Samyang/Rokinon 12mm f2.0 for Fuji X-mount a first look
« Reply #1 on: April 15, 2014, 04:34:12 pm »

Alan

What are your thoughts on the 10-24?  Especially at 10mm and f4 to f6.3?

Thanks
Paul
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Paul Caldwell
Little Rock, Arkansas U.S.
www.photosofarkansas.com

Alan Smallbone

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Re: Samyang/Rokinon 12mm f2.0 for Fuji X-mount a first look
« Reply #2 on: April 15, 2014, 05:11:03 pm »

Paul,

The 10-24mm is a great lens, it is not small but well corrected and quite sharp at f5.6 and above, it is pretty good at f4. For general purpose I would use the 10-24mm or the 14mm Fuji lenses, they are the best so far. I was interested in the 12mm because of the size and the speed and maybe using it for some astrophotography and star trails and time lapse. Having the manual aperture is nice. I think I just got a bum copy.

That being said my first choice would the Fuji lenses, the 10-24mm is pretty wide at 10mm, so up close you will get some "stretching" when corrected to a rectilinear image. Can't beat the Fuji for the price and performance. I did not do a review of the Fuji 10-24mm since there are so many other reviews out there, I am glad I got it. Had it on order for a long time...

Alan
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Alan Smallbone
Orange County, CA

Paul2660

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Re: Samyang/Rokinon 12mm f2.0 for Fuji X-mount a first look
« Reply #3 on: April 15, 2014, 05:21:39 pm »

I was also interested in the 12mm for night work. Curious on coma aberration on the 12mm wide open or close.  The Rokinon 24mm 1.4 is amazingly free of coma much more so than the Nikon 24mm 1.4.

Paul

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Paul Caldwell
Little Rock, Arkansas U.S.
www.photosofarkansas.com

Alan Smallbone

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Re: Samyang/Rokinon 12mm f2.0 for Fuji X-mount a first look
« Reply #4 on: April 15, 2014, 11:09:15 pm »

Paul,

Hopefully I will have an answer after this coming weekend, planning on heading out and doing some startrails etc. there may be a chance I won't go but we will see.

Alan
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Alan Smallbone
Orange County, CA
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