samyang 85mm

markp60d

hi

i am a fairly new user, with a 60d canon, I was wondering if anyone had any experience of the samyang 85mm lens, I am looking for a lens suitable for portrait and full length shots with a low cost.

thanks

ziggy53

No experience with that lens but the reviews regarding optical performance are generally favorable:

http://www.photozone.de/canon-eos/610-samyang8514apsc

Since this is a manual focus and manual aperture lens, it will probably not be a pleasant experience shooting portraits. Finding accurate focus will be challenging, unless you purchase the Nikon mount and then use a Nikon/Eos adapter with focus confirmation chip.

I believe that you would be much better off using a Canon EF 85mm, f1.8 USM, which has both AF and auto-exposure, and costs similar money (especially if you purchase used from KEH.)

While 85mm on a crop camera can yield extremely nice head shots and head-and-shoulders shots, 3/4 length and full length are going to be a problem indoors. For those I recommend a 50mm lens, or even 35mm in a smaller space. (35 mm is not optimal and may cause some slight perspective distortion of the subject, for some subjects and some poses.)

markp60d

thanks for the info, do you have a link for the nikon / eos adapter?

it is for outdoors full length, so it sounds like 85mm will be OK

thanks

ziggy53

Your best bet for a Nikon F lens mount to Canon EOS body adapter:

http://fotodioxpro.com/index.php/nikon-f-lens-to-canon-eos-with-dandelion-focus-confirmation-chip-fotodiox-pro-lens-mount-adapter.html

Again, I highly recommend the Canon EF 85mm, f1.8 USM instead. It allows you to use autofocus and auto-exposure, and it allows the high-precision center AF dot to activate. (The above adapter may also activate the high-precision dot to activate, but I can't be sure that it does.) Importantly, the lens' aperture stays open during focus operations.

Our Andy made good use of the Canon 85mm even under concert conditions:

http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=11413

markp60d

hi

i have compared two reviews and the samyang seems to offer better quality over the canon and a lot of canon lens seem overpriced for the name canon being printed on them, thats why I am seriously considering the samyang.

thanks

cmason

markp60d wrote: »

hi

i have compared two reviews and the samyang seems to offer better quality over the canon and a lot of canon lens seem overpriced for the name canon being printed on them, thats why I am seriously considering the samyang.

thanks

Note that the Samyang is a completely manual lens: you will have to adjust aperture and focus yourself. If you are new to dSLRs, I would recommend you NOT purchase this lens. Understanding the principles of ISO/Aperture/shutter speed take significant practice. If you are a seasoned SLR shooter, but new to digital SLRs, I would recommend you NOT purchase this lens. Adjusting aperture and shutter speed on these dSLRs is no where near as simple as it was on film bodies.

Frankly, I would only consider this lens as perhaps my 3rd or 4th lens, one that I use for a particular purpose, where it excels over anything else in my bag. As a primary lens for portraits, no I would not do that.

angevin1

markp60d wrote: »

hi

i have compared two reviews and the samyang seems to offer better quality over the canon and a lot of canon lens seem overpriced for the name canon being printed on them, thats why I am seriously considering the samyang.

thanks

I totally get what you read. But for me, and Manual Focus this: http://www.keh.com/camera/Nikon-Manual-Focus-Fixed-Focal-Length-Lenses/1/sku-NK06010200606N?r=FE Is a better buy and better lens. These older MF Nikkor's are smooth as butter to turn focus and give stellar results. You can get an adapter from Fotodiox to make these work with your Canon.

or just check out the price on this used Canon f/1.8 from KEH also: http://www.keh.com/camera/Canon-EOS-Fixed-Focal-Length-Lenses/1/sku-CE06009039167N?r=FE

ziggy53

markp60d wrote: »

hi

i have compared two reviews and the samyang seems to offer better quality over the canon and a lot of canon lens seem overpriced for the name canon being printed on them, thats why I am seriously considering the samyang.

thanks

http://www.photozone.de/canon-eos/421-canon_85_18_50d?start=1
http://www.photozone.de/canon-eos/610-samyang8514apsc?start=1

These tests are from a Canon 50D body, and they reveal that the Canon 85mm, f1.8 tested better than the Samyang 85mm, f1.4 in most respects. Both lenses are good optically, but the AF and auto-aperture are extremely valuable in a portrait shoot, and only available on the Canon model.

jwngreen

I'd definitely agree with the Canon 85 1.8 recommendation. It is a great lens, my go-to for portrait sessions. If you want to play with manual focus turn off AF on your lenses and practice to see how you do but for most portrait sessions I've found it is much better to have AF, especially when working with kids.