Rokinon 35mm f/1.4 for Canon?

[Synomis192]

Does anyone have this lens? I was looking at possible lenses for my T1i and I found this lens. Is there anyone who can tell me how well this lens performs? I've heard that it's more aimed towards the video users. But I want to use it mainly for photography, but I heard that when using this lens, the viewfinder becomes useless at around f/4 and above. I was looking at pictures and I was amazed at the IQ. Sorry for asking a lot of questions.

[Steve U]

I haven't though a few on the forum have, I would again vote for the Sigma 30mm. You keep your AF which is important for most street shots, Sean on this site is a huge fan of this lens.
By the middle of the year you will be able to buy, hopefully, the new Canon 24 or 28/2.8 IS, that will be a wicked lens. For similar dollars you could get the Zeiss 35/2 and belong to an exclusive MF brotherhood.
With all lenses you get what you pay for. The Rokinon will be definitely worth the money, but not in the same class as the Canon, Zeiss or even the Sigma (if you get a good copy and I think now days you tend to, I love my Sigma 85mm).
Bodies will come and go, but good glass lasts.

[Dr Croubie]

I've got this one, in Rokinon brand, as my 'normal' prime on my 7D.
Firstly, image quality is amazing, use bryan's comparison tool, or search for an old thread of mine where i took samples and compared it to my efs 15-85 (it easily beat the zoom).
Raw image quality (resolution) is practically the same as the Zeiss 35/1.4, they beat the canon L in the corners by a long way, in the centres at smaller apertures all 3 of those lenses beat current sensors.

But the aperture is octagonal (only noticeable above f/5.6, and then it's not that noticeable because everything's in focus). Just don't use it as a macro lens.
And at f/1.4 there's a bit of a loss of contrast, stopped down past f/2 and the lens is perfect.

Build quality is good, better than an ef-s kit zoom, but not up to L or Zeiss standards. It doesn't focus past infinity, sometimes getting just to the exact point of infinity is hard (depends on air temperature and other things). Mine was bought second-hand with a focussing problem, I fixed it but maybe the problem getting to infinity is because of that, not by design. Also, there's a slight delay when you focus in one direction, stop, and focus the other direction (again, could just be my copy).
It's about as big as the canon L, not exactly your small walkaround lens, but I think it's lighter.

I've given up focussing it using the standard viewfinder, I always use live-view for manual-focus lenses (and i've even glued an AF confirm chip on my samyang 35). I just got an email today to say my KatzEye split-prism screen has been shipped, maybe viewfinder focussing is better with that. But if your viewfinder is too dark once you stop down, just try to get used to focussing with open-aperture then stopping down before taking the shot (like in the old film days).
De-clicking the aperture takes all of 5 minutes with one screwdriver, which is what i've done.

I'm sure i've got images floating around the net for examples, but i'm on my work pc on the road so i can find samples later.

But in short: It's $400 or so. The canon L is $1400. The Zeiss is $1800. If they're your options, I'd choose the Samyang every time, I can put up with Manual Focus and non-Tank construction to save a grand or more, and you can't beat the IQ.
For the same price as the Sigma 30/1.4, the sigma gives AF, the samyang gives FF. The sigma is smaller, the samyang gives much better IQ, especially in the corners. The samyang also has half the CA of the sigma. Between these two you'll have to decide which are the more important factors.

[Synomis192]

@ Steve

I have tested the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 twice, one was my friends copy and another one from a photo sore. For some reason both cOpies of the lens showed a lot of CF. I dont know if thats normal in this lens but it really bothered me for some reason. The AF isnt really a problem I have with lenses, because my father has a Canon AE-1 with a 50mm MF lens. Cant remember the model. But I do use MF a lot, but then again I can get lazy and switch to AF. I really did consider getting that lens but the CF scared me a lot. The canon 28 and 24mm f/2.8 are nice options, but both lenses are really expensive (I cant remember the exact price.) Have you tried the Canon 35mm f/2? Is it a lens you'd recommend?

[Synomis192]

@ Dr. Croubie

Glad to see that I finally found a person who has this lens. I've been on other forums, and it seems like no one ever heard of this lens. Thanks for the really helpful information. Anyways, I have read reviews that praised the IQ on this lens especially at f/2 which is what I'm looking for. I don't mind having to use live view to focus, so that's a good thing. For me the more important factor is the IQ, I don't mind not having AF like I said on my previous post. Also, when your Kateyez split-screen prism comes in, do you mind telling me if ordering one helps for MF? I've been looking to order a new focusing screen because mine unfortunately got badly scratched. I bought a 180 split focusing screen (can't remember the brand though) from my local camera store. The owner said that it would help improve MF, but when I installed it the screen was extremely dark when zoomed with my 18-55mm. On my 55-250mm it was worst, I could not see at all.

[Dr Croubie]

when I installed it the screen was extremely dark when zoomed with my 18-55mm. On my 55-250mm it was worst, I could not see at all.

That's what KatzEye's Optibrite is meant to fix, viewfinders getting darker when using slower lenses.
I ordered my screen with Optibrite, so I hope it works as well as they say (not that I've got a non-treated screen to compare it against). I'll only be using my 70-300L and 15-85 at the long ends at f/5.6 on AF anyway, so if it doesn't work i've always got AF, my MF lenses are almost always wider than f/2.8.

Also, I've found one shot online that I took with the Samyang on my 7D:

[Synomis192]

@ Dr Croubie

Well, I hope the focusing screen will truly help you manual focus better. I'd like to hear your results after you've gotten the chance to test the OptiBrite.

Btw, I do like the Image. It looks crisp. If I didn't know better, I would have thought that the picture was taken using an 'L' lens.

Thanks for helping me an making my decision

[FastGass]

Well it's a nice picture but at that resolution (800 pix) it could look like hell the sharpness, not that it is but what I want to point out is you can't judge lens sharpness from a small picture like that, here is a link that explains better than I can http://www.juzaphoto.com/article.php?l=en&article=10.

John.

[Synomis192]

@ FastGass

Hmm, i guess your right. But I looked at other high res pictures on flickr and the Rokinon 35mm still looks really sharp.

[FastGass]

I am not at all dishing the Rokinon 35mm f/1.4, it's a awesome lens at this price and an exceptional value. I just wanted to point that out so you know how to judge a lens.

John.