Sigma’s 18-35mm F1.8 that was released ten years ago became a cult favorite, particularly with the video crowd. Even full frame users often used it to help mitigate crop factors and because of the flexibility of having a zoom range AND a fast maximum aperture. Last year Sigma launched the 28-45mm F1.8 DG DN | ART lens, a lens I gave a fairly glowing review to because I felt it captured some of that “specialness” that is rare. That was a full frame lens, however, and as such was bigger, heavier, and more expensive than what APS-C shooters need. But Sigma is back with a true successor to the 16-35mm in the form of the 17-40mm F1.8 DC | ART. This is the first of the APS-C lenses in the current mirrorless era that has received the ART identifier (excepting a few very early primes that were definitely not ART worthy back in 2012 and 2013 when mirrorless was still an experimental oddity!) Has Sigma managed to recreate the magic that made people love the 18-35mm F1.8 so much “back in the day”? Is this lens a bargain at $829 USD ($1249 CDN)? We’ll explore that question in either my video review and text reviews. Or, just enjoy the photos below.
Thanks to Sigma Canada (Gentec) for sending me a review loaner of this lens. As always, this is a completely independent review. *The tests and most of the photos that I share as a part of my review cycle have been done with the APS-C mode of my Sony a7RV.
Some of the key selling features of the 17-40 ART include:
Prime-like optical performance
Full range of video features
Custom (Fn) button
Aperture ring with declick and iris lock options
Internally zooming design
Thorough weather sealing.
This is a slight deviation of the original zoom range, going a little wider (17mm vs 18mm) and a little longer on the telephoto end (40mm vs 35mm).
The APS-C crop factor of either Sony E, Fuji X, or L-mount is 1.5x (Sony is tested here, but I suspect we’ll see this lens on all these and perhaps Canon RF as well), meaning that 17mm has an effective full frame focal length equivalent of 25.5mm, which looks like this:
Meanwhile the 40mm end has a full frame equivalency of 60mm, which looks like this:
*Canon’s RF-S has a crop factor of 1.6x, so the effective focal range shifts to 27.2-64mm.
The advantage of an APS-C specific lens is that Sigma could produce a bigger zoom range (25.5-60mm) than what we saw on the 28-45mm full frame lens from last year. That could obviously be very useful for a lot of reasons.
The 28-45mm was a very large lens – over 153mm in length and weighing 950g – which leads us to the second big advantage of developing for the smaller sensor – the 17-40 ART, which still large, is considerably smaller and lighter than its full frame big brother…and even the DSLR era lens that it is the spiritual successor to.
The idea of a lens like this is that it is a “bag of primes” of focal lengths and optical performance while retaining a maximum aperture that is competitive with many prime lenses. You’ve got 24mm (ish), 35mm, 50mm, and even a slightly more telephoto 60mm equivalency. That’s very useful. And, in what we’ve come to expect from Sigma, the 17-40 ART does really deliver optically, be it from a distance or close up.
This is a not a perfect lens (it has some fringing and isn’t parfocal), but it is a very, very sweet lens.
Keywords: Sigma 17-40mm, DC, ART, Sigma 17-40mm F1.8, Sigma 17-40, F1.8, Sigma 17-40 Review, #SIGMAEmount, #SIGMA #SIGMA1740mmF18Art, #SIGMAArt, #SIGMADC, Full Frame, Review, Sony Alpha 1, Sony a7RV, Review, Hands On, Dustin Abbott, Real World, Comparison, Sharpness, Bokeh, Flare Resistance, Autofocus, Image Quality, Sample Images, Video, Photography, let the light in, weathersealing, #letthelightin, DA
DISCLAIMER: This article and description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Sigma’s 18-35mm F1.8 that was released ten years ago became a cult favorite, particularly with the video crowd. Even full frame users often used it to help mitigate crop factors and because of the flexibility of having a zoom range AND a fast maximum aperture. Last year Sigma launched the 28-45mm F1.8 DG DN | ART lens, a lens I gave a fairly glowing review to because I felt it captured some of that “specialness” that is rare. That was a full frame lens, however, and as such was bigger, heavier, and more expensive than what APS-C shooters need. But Sigma is back with a true successor to the 16-35mm in the form of the 17-40mm F1.8 DC | ART. This is the first of the APS-C lenses in the current mirrorless era that has received the ART identifier (excepting a few very early primes that were definitely not ART worthy back in 2012 and 2013 when mirrorless was still an experimental oddity!) Has Sigma managed to recreate the magic that made people love the 18-35mm F1.8 so much “back in the day”? Is this lens a bargain at $829 USD ($1249 CDN)? We’ll explore that question in either my video review below or in the text review that follows.
Thanks to Sigma Canada (Gentec) for sending me a review loaner of this lens. As always, this is a completely independent review. *The tests and most of the photos that I share as a part of my review cycle have been done with the APS-C mode of my Sony a7RV.
AI SUMMARY: The Sigma 17-40mm F1.8 DC | ART lens is a well-crafted update to the popular 18-35mm F1.8, tailored for APS-C mirrorless cameras, offering a broader zoom range and modern features. It delivers prime-like optical performance with excellent sharpness in the center and mid-frame, though it shows some softness and fringing at the edges, especially in full-frame mode. The lens boasts professional build quality with weather sealing, a smooth focus mechanism, and versatile video features, making it suitable for both photography and videography. Overall, it provides a compelling combination of optical excellence, enhanced functionality, and portability, despite some compromises in extreme corners and aberrations.
Strengths:
Excellent optical quality with prime-like performance.
Professional build, weather sealing, and versatile video features.
Compact, lightweight design compared to full-frame counterparts.
Smooth autofocus with quiet HLA motor, suitable for stills and video.
Weaknesses:
Not parfocal; focus shifts when zooming during video.
Chromatic aberrations and distortion require corrections.
This is a slight deviation of the original zoom range, going a little wider (17mm vs 18mm) and a little longer on the telephoto end (40mm vs 35mm).
The APS-C crop factor of either Sony E, Fuji X, or L-mount is 1.5x (Sony is tested here, but I suspect we’ll see this lens on all these and perhaps Canon RF as well), meaning that 17mm has an effective full frame focal length equivalent of 25.5mm, which looks like this:
Meanwhile the 40mm end has a full frame equivalency of 60mm, which looks like this:
*Canon’s RF-S has a crop factor of 1.6x, so the effective focal range shifts to 27.2-64mm.
The advantage of an APS-C specific lens is that Sigma could produce a bigger zoom range (25.5-60mm) than what we saw on the 28-45mm full frame lens from last year. That could obviously be very useful for a lot of reasons.
The 28-45mm was a very large lens – over 153mm in length and weighing 950g – which leads us to the second big advantage of developing for the smaller sensor – the 17-40 ART, which still large, is considerably smaller and lighter than its full frame big brother…and even the DSLR era lens that it is the spiritual successor to.
The idea of a lens like this is that it is a “bag of primes” of focal lengths and optical performance while retaining a maximum aperture that is competitive with many prime lenses. You’ve got 24mm (ish), 35mm, 50mm, and even a slightly more telephoto 60mm equivalency. That’s very useful. And, in what we’ve come to expect from Sigma, the 17-40 ART does really deliver optically, be it from a distance or close up.
This is a not a perfect lens (it has some fringing and isn’t parfocal), but it is a very, very sweet lens.
Build and Handling
Thus far in the modern Sigma mirrorless era (starting in 2018), we’ve seen a large divide between most of the full frame lenses (ART and Sport) and the APS-C lenses, which have almost exclusively fallen under the Contemporary brand. That has typically meant relatively few features, a cheaper build, and minimal weather sealing (typically just a gasket at the mount), but that’s all different here. This is an ART lens, and, as such, it looks, handles, and feels like many of the full frame lenses from Sigma in recent years. The 17-40 ART has basically all of the features currently available on modern lenses.
That starts with the aperture ring. The aperture ring works great, giving you precise control at 1/3rd stops when in clicked mode, and gliding smoothly through the whole aperture range when declicked.
I understand that the Canon RF version will have a control ring rather than a traditional aperture ring, though the Sony E-mount version I tested had the traditional aperture ring.
By the way, I think that Sigma’s new fonts and logos look great. Very modern and upscale, and it is nice to see that ART badge on this lens.
On the lower left side of the lens is the Click/Declick switch which allows you to choose between those two options.
In declicked mode I could do smooth aperture racks without any visible steps, making this lens more attractive to video shooters.
On the right side of the lens is the iris lock. The iris lock will allow you to either lock into or out of the aperture ring. For those that want to use the aperture ring and not inadvertently switch into camera based aperture control, the lock can be engaged while you are in the aperture ring and keep you there. If you’re not an aperture ring person you can switch the lens into the A position and control it from within the camera. Engaging the iris lock while in A assures that you won’t inadvertently bump into manual aperture control.
The left side of the lens also has an AF/MF switch (always appreciated!) and two custom (Fn) buttons (one of the left side, one on the top so that they are accessible in either portrait or vertical shooting modes). You can assign the function of that button from within the camera.
This is an internally zooming lens, so there is no need for a zoom lock. Internally zooming lenses tend to be larger than externally zooming lenses for obvious reasons, but there are a number of key tradeoffs for that extra size.
The lens length remains constant, making it easier to use on a gimbal (the weight balance doesn’t change)
There is no risk of zoom creep, as there is nothing external to be affected by gravity.
The zoom action is smoother and more precise
There is less risk of getting dust or moisture in the lens because nothing is going in and out.
The handling is better
I really think Sigma’s new fonts and logos have updated an already elegant design. This is a very classy looking lens, with glossier sections broken up by the ribbed textures of the rings. If you view from the back or sides, you’ll actually see an extra ribbed section in the middle that is purely aesthetic. It allows the glossier sections to be more uniform between the rings.3
The zoom ring is the closer of the two rings, with the manual focus ring further out. The manual focus ring is well executed, with wide ribbing and good damping. It makes for a good focus emulation, though as with all mirrorless autofocusing lenses this is focus by wire. Input to the focus ring is routed through the focus motor, and there are no hard stops at minimum focus or infinity.
This flows into the lens hood, which has a lock, a rubberized section for soft touch and a ribbed section for more grip when mounting or removing. Sigma’s lens hoods are nicer than just about any other brand. A padded nylon case is also included.
While I haven’t seen a cutout diagram of the weather sealing points, I do know that Sigma touts a professional grade of weather sealing on it. There is a gasket at the lens mount, a coating on the front element, and internal seals throughout the lens. Having internal zoom and focus doesn’t hurt, either.
The basic dimensions of the lens are 72.9mm (2.87″) in diameter and 115.9mm (4.56″) in length. It weighs in at 528g (18.62oz) on my scale and has an 67mm front filter thread. It’s not quite half the weight of the 28-45mm, but not far off. Sigma also notes that this lens is 30% lighter than the older 16-35mm F1.8.
The aperture iris has 11 blades, which helps keep the aperture iris shape circular even with the lens stopped down. That doesn’t automatically mean round specular highlights all across the frame, but rather than the aperture blades’ shape won’t be easily seen. Here’s a look at F2.8, for example.
The minimum focus distance of the lens is 28cm (11.1″), and the maximum magnification figure is achieved at 40mm and is a useful (nearly) 0.21x (1:4.8).
This combined with that F1.8 aperture allows for very nicely blurred backgrounds, and up close performance is quite good, though a little softer than if you back up another foot.
I love seeing a genuinely upscale APS-C zoom, a category that we’ve seen relatively few of. I can see this lens being a disrupter on all four platforms. I’d be very interested in seeing how it holds up on a 40MP Fuji sensor for example (an alternative to the 16-55mm F2.8 II?). How about on Canon RF, where there are relatively few premium APS-C lenses? There’s enough zoom range to be genuinely useful, and having a constant maximum aperture of F1.8 is genuinely intriguing.
Autofocus for Stills
This is another area where Sigma has made some key strides. Their initial offerings on Sony (and L-mount) featured STM focus motors, but Sigma has since released their more powerful, smoother HLA focus motor (High speed Linear Actuator). The HLA motor has much more torque/thrust than lenses equipped with the stepping motor, and I’ve found every lens equipped with the HLA motor to have excellent autofocus thus far.
The quick thrust of speed makes it effortless to stop action or snap shots on the fly. For example, one of my golfing buddies was walking through some dappled light up a trail between holes, but my camera was in a bag attached to my golf pull cart. I grabbed the camera quickly and snapped up to grab the shot before he walked out of the light.
Just in time!
The 18-35mm F1.8 actually didn’t have great AF back in the day (particularly for focus accuracy), but the 17-40 ART has fantastic accuracy.
Focus sound is basically nonexistent. The HLA motor is essentially silent even if I put my ear next to the lens. It is quiet enough that I literally looked up at the screen to make sure the lens was actually focusing. Focus speed is near instantaneous in most shooting situations, whether indoor or out.
Focus accuracy is good, too. I don’t really recall any shots during my review having been missed due to poor focus, and that was true even when I shot with smaller apertures.
Video AF
I also saw mostly good results for video work. Autofocus pulls were very fast and confident. No hunting or settling. Focus is fast and smooth, with nice damping. You can always slow it down in camera if you want a slower, more cinematic pull. Focus breathing seems well controlled, with only minimal subject size changes.
I had hoped that this lens would be parfocal, as back in the day the 18-35mm seemed to be everyone’s favorite video lens. Unfortunately that doesn’t appear to be in the case. If I focused at 17mm (F5.6) and then zoomed in to 40mm the focus has clearly shifted and focus is no longer accurate.
Faster autofocus from the HLA focus motor can help to mask that a bit, but there will be moments when everything is just slightly out of focus if you zoom while video recording.
My hand test where I alternately blocked the camera’s view of my face with my hand and then remove it went quite well, with nice damped transitions from my eye to the hand and back. The low focus breathing helps make this feel more cinematic.
I also found that in real world shots that focus changes tended to be more abrupt than what I would prefer. There’s a lot of thrust in this focus motor, but it probably would have been better to detune it a bit in video mode…particularly in a lens that will probably be highly desired for video work.
I found the 17-40 ART to be a great lens for filming my YouTube video episodes, as focus was rock solid during those episodes and the great zoom range allowed me some flexibility on framing.
Sigma’s HLA focus motors are great, though they are slightly limited on Sony by the fact that Sony limits bursts to 15FPS with third party lenses, so this one area where the 17-40 ART is less competitive on Sony. No such restriction applies on the other platforms, however.
Image Quality Breakdown
This remains a huge engineering feat, as Sigma has managed to broaden the zoom range from what was previously possible with a maximum aperture of F1.8. And, as per usual, they’ve done it in a fairly impressive fashion. The optical formula is is expectedly complex (17 elements in 11 groups), and that includes 4 SLD elements along with 4 aspherical elements. The MTF at 17mm is interesting; nearly flat through the midframe (and at an extremely high level) but with a surprisingly deep dive from there to the extreme corners. The 40mm MTF is a more typical “Sigma” look, with a fairly consistent performance all across the frame.
How does this compare to the older 18-35mm F1.8 lens? Sigma was kind enough to share.
Interestingly the two lenses have a fairly similar profile, though the new lens is just a little better everywhere.
I felt like the 28-45 DN had the “special sauce” where the colors, contrast, sharpness, and bokeh come together to produce a lens that makes very special images. I feel like the 17-40 ART isn’t quite as special, though that is mostly due to the difference in the sensors. APS-C just doesn’t produce the same kinds of shots at F1.8. At its best, though, this lens can produce pretty special images.
So how about full frame coverage? There’s no secret FF lens hidden here. Coverage is (expectedly) lowest at 17mm.
Coverage is somewhat better at 40mm, but there’s still some mechanical vignette that blocks the edges. Now obviously you can shoot in Super35 on a full frame camera, and a lens like this can be a good way to help mitigate a crop factor, but don’t plan on shooting the lens in full frame mode (particularly for stills).
The 28-45mm had next to no fringing, but that’s not true here. I was surprised by how much fringing I saw in the viewfinder when I shot my chart test.
When I moved over to my real world SLR test, I found the same picture with some fairly obvious blue fringing on shiny bits.
I also saw zero issues with LaCA (lateral chromatic aberrations), which shows up along the edges of the frame. All of the transitions here are very neutral.
Sigma went a little wider, and unsurprisingly that means a fair bit of distortion.
There is strong barrel distortion that required a +22 to correct. The good news is that the distortion is very linear, allowing for a very clean correction without any mustache pattern. I consider that alone a win. Vignette isn’t bad at all, requiring just a +38 to correct.
In the middle of the zoom range (28mm) the distortion has swapped to a pincushion style distortion, though fortunately it corrects in a linear fashion once again.
I needed to use a -6 to correct the distortion and a very mild +29 to correct about a stop of vignette. No big deal.
Unsurprisingly the pincushion distortion intensifies at the 40mm end, requiring a bit more correction (-11) but still correcting easily. Vignette remains impressively low, requiring just a +23 to correct.
I don’t love the longitudinal fringing, but nothing else stands out as being particularly off-putting.
So how about resolution and contrast? My formal tests are done on the APS-C mode of the 61MP Sony a7RV, which, at 26MP, matches the highest resolution currently available for APS-C on Sony. Fuji’s 40MP sensor will be a little more demanding.
The MTF suggests that this is a very sharp lens in the center and mid-frame areas at 17mm, F1.8, with a fairly steep drop-off in the corners. Is that what we see? Here’s a look at the test chart from which the crops come.
My findings are pretty consistent with what the MTF suggests, with a very crisp center and mid-frame, but definitely less sharpness in the corners (though contrast still looks pretty good). These crops are shown at 200%.
Real world shots follow a similar pattern, looking extremely good in the center and mid-frame, but noticeably softer near the edges.
Contrast creeps up a bit at F2, though it largely reinforces where the lens is already good. There’s a bit of improvement at F2.8 in the corners (where it is really needed), but corners never really get pin sharp. By F5.6 they are pretty good, but not on the level of the other areas of the frame.
Here’s a real world image at 17mm, F5.6 that shows amazing detail in the middle and good detail near the edge of the frame.
As per usual, sharpness peaks at F5.6-F8, and at F11 and then F16 (minimum aperture), you will get a bit less detail and contrast due to diffraction.
Moving on to 24mm shows a performance fairly consistent with what we saw at 17mm, though I think the corners show a bit more potential for sharpening. Here’s the center at F1.8 and F2.8:
And here is the upper left corner, which is still soft right at the edge, but you can see at F2.8 it’s looking quite sharp by the middle of the bill.
That last few percentage points never gets pin sharp, but I doubt that will matter much in the real world. This 24mm shot looks fantastic everywhere but that extreme corner, and I doubt anyone is going to be looking critically at that.
35mm seems to be very slightly less sharp than either of the previous positions, at least in the center and mid-frame.
Remember that this is relative, however. This is still a very sharp lens in real world shots at 35mm, F1.8.
This image looks nice and sharp, and has nice looking bokeh.
This second image at 35mm, F2.2, shows good detail and contrast along with a nicely soft background.
40mm looks fairly similar, with good sharpness and contrast which improves when stopped down a bit.
The corners look fairly good, though not exceptional. I would say that far corner sharpness is generally not a strength of this lens.
I found that I was generally very pleased with real world shots at 40mm.
I felt like global contrast even at 40mm, F1.8, looks great.
Shooting at 45mm is also going to give you the most dramatic combination of sharpness and bokeh. This is a lens capable of a very nice ratio between sharpness and softness.
In general I think the bokeh is very nice. There’s a very nice falloff from the plane of focus to defocus, and images have a nice pop to them. This image shows a nice dimensional quality.
Get close to your subject and you can really blur out the background, though up close contrast and detail isn’t fantastic.
Flare resistance also seems very solid. This morning shot has the sun right out of frame, and you can see that contrast has held up well.
In this shot the sun is right out of the frame but you can see there is no glaring into the frame.
There’s a lot to love here optically. It’s not flawless, but it consistently produced images I thought had a great “sparkle” to them.
Sigma has proven to be very successful at pushing the boundary of what’s possible at a particular aperture/focal length. Their engineering remains impressive. If you want to see more images, check out the image gallery for the lens here.
Conclusion
Sigma has done a brilliant job of updating a cult classic for the mirrorless era. The Sigma 17-40mm F1.8 DC | ART is improved in basically every fact over the 18-35mm F1.8 that I reviewed on Canon EF more than a decade ago. It’s smaller, lighter, has a bigger zoom range, has more features, better autofocus, and better optics. Not much to complain about there.
It’s ironic that this demonstrably better lens will very likely be somewhat less of a commercial success (though I’d love to be proven wrong). The market has shrunk and there are vastly more quality options available for different platforms these days. Sigma has shrunk the lens dramatically, and yet there will still be some who complain that it is too big. They’ve grown the zoom range, but invariably I’ll hear complaints that it doesn’t go to 16mm, or to 50mm. In an era where we are spoiled for choice, people tend to be a little less easily wowed than what they once were.
But if you stop and appreciate this lens, you’ll recognize that, while imperfect, this is a completely unique lens that is going to make a lot of sense for a lot of people. It has a big enough zoom range to be useful, and having that F1.8 aperture does dramatically change the look of images relative to a more pedestrian F2.8 aperture (which is 1 1/3rd stop slower). It will allow you to keep the ISO down, and if you happen to be an APS-C wedding or event shooter, the 17-40 ART needs to immediately go on your short list. It really is like having a bag of primes in one lens. And, at a price tag of $829 USD, this is a lot of lens for the money.
Pros:
Improved over the 18-35mm F1.8 in every way
Extremely useful zoom range
Beautifully made
Feature rich
Internal zoom and focus makes for great handling
Thorough weather sealing
Ability to declick aperture
HLA focus motor is extremely quiet and has a lot of thrust
Keywords: Sigma 17-40mm, DC, ART, Sigma 17-40mm F1.8, Sigma 17-40, F1.8, Sigma 17-40 Review, #SIGMAEmount, #SIGMA #SIGMA1740mmF18Art, #SIGMAArt, #SIGMADC, Full Frame, Review, Sony Alpha 1, Sony a7RV, Review, Hands On, Dustin Abbott, Real World, Comparison, Sharpness, Bokeh, Flare Resistance, Autofocus, Image Quality, Sample Images, Video, Photography, let the light in, weathersealing, #letthelightin, DA, #Sigma17-40mmF1.8, #APSCLensReview, #ProfessionalZoomLens, #SigmaMirrorlessLens, #OpticalPerformance, #SigmaARTLens, #VideoAutofocus, #WeatherSealedLens, #Sigma17-40mmVs1835mm, #SonyFujiCanonLens, #CameraGearReview, #FlagshipAPSCLens, #ImageQuality, #BestAPSCLens, #SigmaPerformance
DISCLAIMER: This article and description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
The launch of the APS-C specific Viltrox AF 75mm F1.2 Pro for Fuji’s X-mount platform was the moment I realized that Viltrox was moving to a whole new level of optical design. I gave that lens a glowing review because it was completely next level. It was big and heavy, yes, but it was just optically brilliant and had more features than any of the native Fuji lenses. It was amazingly sharp even at F1.2 (even on Fuji’s ultra-demanding 40MP X-Trans sensor), and it had beautifully soft rendering and bokeh. They followed that up with an equally amazing AF 27mm F1.2 Pro, which I awarded Budget APS-C Lens of the Year in my 2023 DA Awards. Last year we saw the launch of Viltrox’s highest end lineup for full frame, the LAB series, with the AF 135mm F1.8 LAB FE (which I also gave a glowing review), because it accomplished the same kind of thing on full frame. But that lens stands somewhat unique in Viltrox’s lens release roadmap, as they have just the one 135mm lens scheduled. But that’s not true for the major prime focal lengths of 35mm, 50mm, and 85mm. Viltrox’s roadmap has F1.2 LAB lenses at each of those focal lengths…but also Pro series lenses with F1.4 apertures coming at each of those focal lengths. The first of the full frame Pro lenses is here, and they’ve started with the longest focal length of 85mm. Today we will cover in detail if the Viltrox AF 85mm F1.4 Pro FE is the 85mm portrait lens to get. At just $598 USD, it represents a huge value (and if you use code DA85145OFF at checkout at Viltrox, you can get an additional 5% off!). I’ve personally used the Sigma 85mm F1.4 DN ART lens as my 85mm of choice for years. Is there a new sheriff in town? Find out more in either the video review below, by reading on in the text review, or just enjoying the photos in the galleries below.
Thanks to Viltrox for sending me a review copy of this lens. As always, this is a completely independent review. *The tests and most of the photos that I share as a part of my review cycle have been done with the Sony a7RV and the Sony Alpha 1.You can find the listing for the AF 85mm F1.4 Pro FE here.
85mm lenses tend to be the top choice of many portrait photographers for a reason. I personally find images from a 135mm lens slightly more exotic, but the focal length is often too long for a lot of environments. An 85mm lens allows you great subject separation but isn’t so long that you can’t use it in an ordinary room. It still works great for outdoor, environmental portraiture, too.
We see the Pro formula brought forward to this full frame series, though with a few of the most recent Viltrox tweaks. The 27mm and 75mm Pro lenses for APS-C relied on STM focus motor technology, but the Pro 85mm will use their new VCM (voice coil motor) technology for more thrust and smoother focus action. We’ve got a full set of features, including an aperture ring that be clicked or declicked, a custom/function button, an AF | MF switch, weather sealing, and a USB-C port for easy firmware updates. This is a lens with a GM level of build and features.
On paper everything looks great…but does the Pro 85mm deliver the goods in the real world?
Keywords: Viltrox AF 85mm F1.4 Pro FE, Viltrox AF, Pro, Viltrox Pro, #PRO, #PRO85, #explorebeyond, Viltrox 85mm, Normal, Full Frame, F1.4, f/1.4, VCM, Viltrox Pro 85mm F1.4 FE, Viltrox PRO 85mm Review, Viltrox AF 85mm F1.4 FE Review, Sony a7IV, Sony Alpha 1, Sony a7RV, Review, Hands On, Dustin Abbott, Real World, Comparison, Sharpness, Bokeh, Flare Resistance, Autofocus, Image Quality, Sample Images, Video, Photography, let the light in, weathersealing, #letthelightin, DA
DISCLAIMER: This article and description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
The launch of the APS-C specific Viltrox AF 75mm F1.2 Pro for Fuji’s X-mount platform was the moment I realized that Viltrox was moving to a whole new level of optical design. I gave that lens a glowing review because it was completely next level. It was big and heavy, yes, but it was just optically brilliant and had more features than any of the native Fuji lenses. It was amazingly sharp even at F1.2 (even on Fuji’s ultra-demanding 40MP X-Trans sensor), and it had beautifully soft rendering and bokeh. They followed that up with an equally amazing AF 27mm F1.2 Pro, which I awarded Budget APS-C Lens of the Year in my 2023 DA Awards. Last year we saw the launch of Viltrox’s highest end lineup for full frame, the LAB series, with the AF 135mm F1.8 LAB FE (which I also gave a glowing review), because it accomplished the same kind of thing on full frame. But that lens stands somewhat unique in Viltrox’s lens release roadmap, as they have just the one 135mm lens scheduled. But that’s not true for the major prime focal lengths of 35mm, 50mm, and 85mm. Viltrox’s roadmap has F1.2 LAB lenses at each of those focal lengths…but also Pro series lenses with F1.4 apertures coming at each of those focal lengths. The first of the full frame Pro lenses is here, and they’ve started with the longest focal length of 85mm. Today we will cover in detail if the Viltrox AF 85mm F1.4 Pro FE is the 85mm portrait lens to get. At just $598 USD, it represents a huge value (and if you use code DA85145OFF at checkout at Viltrox, you can get an additional 5% off!). I’ve personally used the Sigma 85mm F1.4 DN ART lens as my 85mm of choice for years. Is there a new sheriff in town? Find out more in either the video review below or by reading on in the text review.
Thanks to Viltrox for sending me a review copy of this lens. As always, this is a completely independent review. *The tests and most of the photos that I share as a part of my review cycle have been done with the Sony a7RV and the Sony Alpha 1.You can find the listing for the AF 85mm F1.4 Pro FE here.
85mm lenses tend to be the top choice of many portrait photographers for a reason. I personally find images from a 135mm lens slightly more exotic, but the focal length is often too long for a lot of environments. An 85mm lens allows you great subject separation but isn’t so long that you can’t use it in an ordinary room. It still works great for outdoor, environmental portraiture, too.
We see the Pro formula brought forward to this full frame series, though with a few of the most recent Viltrox tweaks. The 27mm and 75mm Pro lenses for APS-C relied on STM focus motor technology, but the Pro 85mm will use their new VCM (voice coil motor) technology for more thrust and smoother focus action. We’ve got a full set of features, including an aperture ring that be clicked or declicked, a custom/function button, an AF | MF switch, weather sealing, and a USB-C port for easy firmware updates. This is a lens with a GM level of build and features.
On paper everything looks great…but does the Pro 85mm deliver the goods in the real world?
Let’s explore the details…
Viltrox Pro 85mm Build and Handling
The first thing to note is that this is definitely a pro-level build quality, which is interesting considering that this is not their most premium lineup. The more I use the Pro 85mm, the more I appreciate it. It has a clean, streamlined design that is really growing on me.
There are things that I love about Viltrox’s design philosophy on the LAB series, but their integration with the aperture ring is not one of them. The Pro series takes a more traditional approach to controlling aperture, and in this case you can call me a traditionalist!
The aperture ring works perfectly here, with markings at the one third stop positions and light detents at those places if you have the “clicks” on. You also have a declick option where you can smoothly rack from F1.4 to F16. There is a firmer detent between F16 and the A (automatic) option which will allow aperture to be controlled from within the camera. The one aperture feature that is missing is an iris lock which would allow you to either lock into or out of the aperture ring.
I was able to perform aperture racks in the declicked mode without visible steps.
The iris itself has 11 aperture blades, and these make for a nicely rounded aperture even when stopped down a fair bit. Here’s F2, F2.8, and F4.
Sigma dramatically shrunk their newer mirrorless 85mm design as compared to the original 85mm F1.4 ART from DSLR days, and that was one of the most compelling reasons for me to buy it. Viltrox hasn’t quite achieved the same result here, as while this is a moderately sized 85mm lens, it is still fairly large. The Sigma is 82.8mm in diameter and just 96.1mm in length, but the Viltrox is 84.5mm (3.3”) in diameter while being a much longer 108.5mm (4.27”). The effect of being 12mm longer gives the impression that the Viltrox lens is narrower, but, as we’ve seen, that’s not actually the case.
Both lenses sport a 77mm front filter thread.
As one might expect, the Viltrox is the heavier of the two lenses, weighing in at 800g (28oz) compared to the 625g of the Sigma. The new Sony 85mm F1.4 GM II is nearly identical in size but weighs less at 642g.
Viltrox has proven that they can make very competent small lenses in their AIR series, but thus far the Pro and LAB lenses have all been quite large. The body of the Pro 85mm is very robust, utilizing an aviation-grade magnesium-aluminum alloy blend. This is similar to the materials used in camera bodies and ensures that the lens will be tough and durable for years of use. It has a black anodized finish that looks classic and and elegant. The lens is understated but attractive, with no loud accent colors or attempts to demand your attention.
I do kind of miss the LCD screen from the LAB series as central visual element, but I’m glad that the aperture control is more traditional.
Like the LAB lenses, the Pro 85mm sports floating elements in its design. This has a very positive benefit that we’ll detail momentarily, but those unfamiliar with this design element may be thrown by the fact that something seems to move (and clunk) a bit inside the lens when you tip it up and down. Floating element groups do in fact move forward and backward when the lens is powered off, though as soon as the lens is powered on, those elements are energized and no longer move. You can then tip the lens up and down and nothing happens.
The primary reason for employing floating elements is that it allows the lens to function better at close focus distances. The Pro 85mm can focus as closely as 79cm and produces a reasonably high 0.13x magnification. This bests the Sigma (85cm and 0.12x) and the GM II (80cm and 0.11x). The fact that the Sony focuses closer than the Sigma but produces lower magnification is evidence of some focus breathing, and the floating elements on the Viltrox helps alleviate that focus breathing and produce a higher level of magnification, which looks like this:
Despite the mild disparity in stated magnification figures, I don’t actually see any difference between the Viltrox and the Sigma in actual magnification.
Other features on the lens include a custom/function button and an AF | MF switch. This feature set is similar to the Sigma and Sony save the iris lock button.
What’s interesting is that this will technically be the Viltrox mid-level option, as there will be an even more feature rich 85mm F1.2 LAB coming.
Part of the Pro design philosophy is the inclusion of thorough weather sealing. This includes a HD Nano coating on the front element that resists fingerprints and moisture.
This includes a bright red/orange gasket at the lens mount (which I think is very stylish), internal seals at the switches, rings, and near the front element, as you can see in this diagram.
I count ten seal points in addition to the coating on the front element. I always love when companies are confident enough in their weather sealing to share the cutout of the internal design. Very nice.
The manual focus ring is wide, very nicely damped, and provides a great manual focus experience, with good precision, no lag in the focus (as sometimes experienced on mirrorless lenses with their focus-by-wire systems), and a nice amount of focus throw.
Viltrox continues with a trend that other lens makers are now imitating by including a USB-C port in the lens mount that allows you to do firmware updates right to the lens. I’m a fan of this approach, as it eliminates the need for a separate dock or lens station for firmware updates, and I find the process a little more intuitive than even doing firmware updates through the camera. Even better, however, Viltrox now has an app for iOS or Android where firmware updates can be done either through the Bluetooth module in the lens or by connecting a USB-C cord to the lens and connect it to your phone for a quick, stable process.
There is no lens based stabilization, so you will need to rely upon the in-camera stabilization if your camera is so equipped.
Viltrox has redesigned their bigger front lens caps with a bevel along the front that makes it feel slimmer. The lens also comes with the hood and a leather pouch (similar to Canon L-series lenses). There is some cushion on the bottom, but I don’t find these pouches nearly as useful as a good padded nylon case like what Sigma provides. The lens hood itself is fine, with a gripped section for removing it similar to what Sigma provides, but without the rubberized edge seen sometimes on nicer lens hoods.
The lens hood doesn’t have a lock, but does have a firm bayonet into place that sits securely. I had no issues with it coming loose. It will reverse and fit closely for storage, which is something I have a bit of an issue with on the Sigma lens hood, which flares fairly widely and thus takes up more room for storage.
The Viltrox Pro AF 85mm F1.4 is a beautifully made lens that does weigh a bit more than its primary competitors but compensates nicely by undercutting them in price anywhere from $500 to $1000 while providing a build quality and handling experience that equals those competitors. I am once again very impressed by how Viltrox is able to make beautifully crafted lenses and sell them so much cheaper than competing brands.
Autofocus for Stills
One area where the newer Viltrox lens has an advantage over the older Sigma lens is when it comes to autofocus technology. Sigma was still in their STM era of focus motors (as Viltrox was until recently), whereas Viltrox has now moved to higher end HyperVCM (voice-coil motor) focus in their recent premium lenses. Thus far they seem to be reserving their multiple-motor “hyper-VCM” focus systems to the LAB lenses, but even the single HyperVCM motor powering focus is nice and snappy in the Pro 85mm. I was particularly impressed in the circumstance of this particular shot, as I was out in the pre dawn light in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and decided to shoot this narrow stalk of dried grasses in the dunes. Focus instantly snapped into the right zone and delivered a shot with perfect precision.
What’s more, focus is perfectly silent, without any accompanying noise or drama. I can put the lens right next to my ear and focus and not hear anything.
The Sony 85mm F1.4 GM II is going to win the focus battle, as it is powered by two of Sony’s high thrust XD linear motors, but the Viltrox is going to stand its ground against most other competing lenses. I suspect the LAB lens will be powered by quad VCM motors and will challenge the Sony for focus speed.
On the Pro 85mm, focus changes are not quite instantaneous, but there is only a split second lag, and focus not only moves quickly but arrives with great confidence. It’s a hair quicker to focus than the Sigma 85mm F1.4 DN and its STM focus motor. With the Viltrox, I can focus on a distant subject and then back to a human subject just a meter away and focus is nearly instantly locked on the eye. That eye is accurately in focus, even in profile.
It wasn’t all that long ago that premium lenses like the Canon EF 85mm F1.2L II would seemingly take minutes to make major focus changes, so it’s pretty impressive at how good focus speed is on a lens like this.
I had no problem nabbing seabirds on the wing at the beach, with quick acquisition and accurate focus.
If we zoom in, we will find that focus is perfect even at F1.4:
Thus slower subjects like humans for portrait work were pretty simple, and the Pro 85mm delivered consistently well focused results in my portraits.
This was true even shooting in a very strongly backlit setting.
There isn’t really much to complain about here. Viltrox has levelled up their autofocus systems in their premium lenses, and the end result is improved results across the board.
Video AF
One of the chief advantages of the move to VCM from STM is that VCM moves in a linear fashion as opposed the steps involved with an STM (stepping motor), which means that the likelihood of smooth focus transitions in video is higher. Such proves to be the case here, as focus transitions are nice and smooth.
There is some focus breathing, but it isn’t bad for an 85mm lens. The Sigma’s focus breathing is much, much higher.
My “hand test” where I alternatively block and unblock the camera’s view of my face with my hand went well, with smooth and confident transitions from my hand to my face and back.
Typical clips with either static or moving subjects were all fine. I had no issues with video focus. Outside of the most recent GM II, this is as good of autofocus as I’ve seen on a fast 85mm lens (definitely much better than the first 85mm F1.4 GM). Viltrox has gotten impressively competent in basically every aspect of lens design.
Viltrox Pro AF 85mm F1.4 Image Quality
The Pro 85mm sports an optical design of 15 elements in 11 groups. This includes 3 ED (extra low dispersion) elements, a whopping 9 HR (high refractive index) elements, and one aspherical lens. That leaves only two “normal” elements! The result MTF shows a strong center and midframe and a mild dip in the corners at F1.4, with a little lower center sharpness at F8 but a more consistent performance across the frame.
So, on paper, how does this compare to the Sigma 85mm F1.4 DN? I like putting the MTF charts onto a grid and putting a line through 80% to show what lands above and below that threshold. My experience is that anything at 30 lp/mm that falls above 80% looks pretty fantastic. On paper, the Viltrox should be sharper in the center, very slightly softer in the mid-frame, and very slightly sharper in the corners. We’ll see if that holds up in real world results.
What I found in the real world was very slightly more nuanced. I have found that the Sigma consistently meters a little faster than the Viltrox, but it isn’t really as simple as better light transmission, as the Sigma’s results consistently look a little darker than the Viltrox’s. What I think is actually happening is that the Sigma has in camera corrections right now while the prerelease Viltrox does not. The Sigma’s metering is based on a slightly corrected (brighter) result which goes away if you turn off the corrections.
The Sigma shows a bit more contrast in my tests in the center, while the Viltrox shows slightly more detail (both are splitting hairs). It is the Viltrox that looks slightly sharper in the mid-frame, though the Sigma shows slightly more contrast. The corner results depend on which corner you look at. I typically sample the lower right corner, and I would argue that the Sigma is a little better there, but the Viltrox looks better in all three other corners.
As I said…definitely more nuanced. My bigger takeaway is that you couldn’t call either of these lenses the winner at F1.4. They have a slightly different performance, but the results are highly similar. There’s just a bit of give and take here and there.
If you stop them both down a bit, they are both utterly, even ridiculously sharp by F2.8:
Those are both going to show as much detail as you could ask for, considering that the results above are from a 61MP Sony A7RV and shown at 200% magnification. I don’t think you could tell a difference at 100% magnification.
We’ll come back to resolution in a moment. One area where the Pro 85mm definitely has an advantage over the Sigma is in the area of the Sigma’s biggest weakness – distortion. The Sigma suffers from a really significant amount of pincushion distortion, where as the Viltrox is pretty much distortion free.
The Sigma needs a -9 to correct all that distortion, while the Viltrox needs only a -2 (and you could easily leave that uncorrected, as a little pincushion distortion can be flattering). Neither are extreme on the vignette side of things, but the Viltrox is a bit better (+48 to correct) than the Sigma (+56 to correct). Here’s the before and after of a manual correction, though a correction profile will be available shortly after this review has released.
There is a bit of longitudinal chromatic aberrations (LoCA) visible on my test chart, though that may not be a bad thing.
I find a bit of uncorrected LoCA can have a positive impact on the bokeh, though that is within reason.
I think this shot and the crop shows what I’m talking about.
The larger image shows the beautiful bokeh rendering, but you can see a bit of lost contrast and a tiny bit of fringing at pixel level around some of the transition areas. Not enough to cause a problem, but I suspect the LAB lens will have stronger microcontrast if the trends from the first two LAB lenses continue.
I see only the tiniest amount of fringing around specular highlights, so no big deal here.
There is zero issue with lateral style chromatic aberrations found in the contrast transitions near the edge of the frame.
Overall we have an excellent performance in these metrics.
So let’s return to focus on resolution. These results are shot on a 61MP Sony a7RV and the crops are shown at roughly 200% magnification level. Here’s a look at the test chart that the crops are taken from.
If we zoom in and look at the 200% crops from the center, mid-frame, and lower right, we discover that sharpness and contrast are excellent in the center and mid-frame, with a fade into the corners (though they are far from bad).
A real world shot with a reasonably flat plane of focus (depth of field is still impacting this image a bit) shows that even the corners look quite good at F1.4 in a real world image.
This real world shot of a seagull in the predawn light shows pinpoint accuracy of focus and great detail even at F1.4.
That may help to put the previous results comparing the Sigma and Viltrox Pro in context. Both lenses are incredibly sharp in real world use.
For portraits, for example, you’ll have all of the detail you could want, and I would say this is most important if you are shooting portraits at a bit further of a distance and want to retain detail for cropping. There is plenty of detail to take a full length shot like this:
…and tightly crop it into a very different looking image like this:
Bottom line is that no one is going to complain over sharpness from this lens. The only sharper 85mm I’ve tested on Sony is the GM II.
So what happens when you stop the lens down? At F2 the gains in the center of the frame are minimal because the lens is already so good there, though you can see a bit more contrast and detail in the mid-frame, and, more noticeably, the corners. Here’s the upper left corner, and you can strongly see the improved contrast in particular.
We’ve previously had a look at the F2.8 performance in comparison to the Sigma, but are there any further gains to be had? Not much over most of the frame, but I do note some continued improvement in the corners.
This means that landscape images in the F2.8-F8 zone will be impressively sharp all across the frame.
Diffraction is an unfortunate reality on higher resolution cameras, so you will see a faint softening by F11 and a more obvious softening by the minimum aperture of F16, though frankly results at 100% will still look fine.
There’s no question that the Viltrox Pro AF 85mm F1.4 FE is one of the top performing 85mm lenses on Sony FE, joining the Sigma and GM II as the sharpest 85mm lenses while also coming in as the cheapest of the trio. A pretty enviable place to be!
One area that really sets these full frame 85mm F1.4 lenses apart from, say, 56mm F1.4 lenses on the smaller APS-C sensor (85mm equivalent) is in the quality of the rendering. The bokeh and subject isolation is just so much nicer. I happened to be reviewing the Yongnuo 56mm F1.4 Pro at the same time, and you can see from these shots of the same subject (taken about 90 minutes apart) how much softer and creamier the bokeh is from the Viltrox.
You can see in this shot that the magnification actually favors the 56mm lens (I was a little bit closer), but what is a somewhat busy background on the APS-C lens becomes a creamy sea of color with the 85mm lens. My chief complaint with the GM II lens is that while I absolutely loved its sharpness, contrast, and autofocus speed, I didn’t actually love the rendering from the lens. I preferred the look of images from the Sigma lens.
But I find it very difficult to call a winner when I compare the Viltrox and the Sigma. They are both have incredibly nice bokeh.
I chose the setting above because it was a mixture of easy (the greenery on the left side) and harder edges in the bare branches on the right. If I look at high magnification, I would say that the Viltrox handles the branches very slightly better, but I doubt anyone would notice that in any ordinary setting.
This second setting is almost all pleasing, with a bit of foreground defocus for depth and little in terms of hard edges in the transition zone to defocus. I pored over this image critically and couldn’t pick a winner.
This third setting I chose because it was almost all difficult. It is almost all hard edges. In this case I prefer the look of the Viltrox image, though it has more to do with the native metering and color balance. A bit of tweaking to the white balance and exposure results in a more neutral outcome.
I do still very slightly favor the overall look from the Viltrox, but I think in this case there is very slightly less contrast in the Viltrox image that just happens to work in this setting, while in others the Sigma look would probably be better. This is obviously a subjective taste evaluation.
We’ve already seen that the specular highlights from the Viltrox look fine, so overall I think this lens does a great job of blending sharpness and bokeh into a very nice package. Here’s a great case in point:
I did have a chance to test coma with the Pro 85mm and found that the results were okay, but I did see some coma smear (some wings growing on star points in the corner). It’s not a bad result, but not exceptional, either.
Flare resistance is also solid. Large aperture lenses used to struggle with bright lights in the frame, but coatings have really improved. The lens is very strong at large apertures, with little loss of contrast and only minor ghosting artifacts. I see a bit more ghosting at small apertures, with the pattern more concentrated if it composed in the middle and stretched out if composed in the corners.
But this is obviously an extreme example, as you aren’t very inclined to just take pictures of the midday sun. In more ordinary compositions with the sun rising, for example, I saw zero flare issues.
I likewise say no issues in shooting backlit portraits, which is probably the primary potential corner.
In other words, the Viltrox Pro AF 85mm F1.4 FE is an excellent performer that can compete on merit with the best in the platform optically…and it doesn’t hurt that it has a much cheaper price tag! This is a lens that is going to make a lot of people very happy.
You can see more images by checking out the image gallery page here.
Conclusion
Reviewing a fast 85mm prime is a lot of fun. It’s so easy to produce beautiful images with it, and the 85mm focal length is short enough that it doesn’t take a inordinate amount of skill to use it well. For a long time there were surprisingly few autofocusing 85mm F1.4 lenses on Sony FE, though that is starting to change. In the past few years we’ve seen the Samyang AF 85mm F1.4 II, the Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM II, the Sirui Aurora 85mm F1.4, and now this Viltrox. The Aurora remains the cheapest option (about $100 less), but I’d take the Viltrox Pro AF 85mm F1.4 every day of the week. It goes head to head with the Sigma and comes out looking pretty solid, which is amazing considering that I’ve put the Sigma up against all of these other contenders and have upheld that it represents the best value for a premium 85mm on the platform. This will almost certainly be an equally strong contender on Nikon Z mount when it arrives there, too.
The biggest shortcoming for the Viltrox Pro AF 85mm F1.4 is its weight, though I didn’t find it particularly onerous in real world use. If you want to travel light, however, there are some decent alternatives, with the Samyang AF 85mm F1.4 II being the most compelling. The Viltrox has a build quality that is more akin to the Sigma and GM, however, and has the second fastest autofocus that falls only behind the GM II.
This is a lovely portrait lens along with being an excellent general purpose 85mm lens. I find that it strikes a great balance between sharpness and rendering, with images that seem to have that “special sauce” that photographers like myself are looking for. I’ll be very intrigued to compare it to the LAB 85mm F1.2 once it arrives. But I think that many people will find this Pro 85mm a good compromise – smaller, lighter, less expensive, but still excellent. This is a LOT of lens for under $600 USD. Viltrox is on one of the most impressive streaks of great lenses that I’ve ever seen from any brand. I’m now ready for them to get a little more creative in the focal lengths and shake up even more spaces. In the meantime, however, lenses like the Pro AF 85mm F1.4 will only further cement Viltrox’s place as one of the premium third party brands.
Pros:
Beautiful built lens
Feature rich
Very good weather sealing
USB port for firmware updates along with Bluetooth for wireless access
Clean and elegant design
VCM motor delivers fast, quiet, and accurate autofocus
Focus pulls are nicely damped
Comparatively low focus breathing.
Exceptionally sharp lens that competes with the very best in the center and mid-frame
Extremely sharp across the frame by F2.8
Little distortion
Solid control of fringing
Colors look great
Amazing contrast
Gorgeous bokeh
Great flare resistance
Amazing price to performance ratio
Cons:
Bigger and heavier than most competing 85mm F1.4 lenses
Some might be put off from the “clunk” of the floating elements
Keywords: Viltrox AF 85mm F1.4 Pro FE, Viltrox AF, Pro, Viltrox Pro, #PRO, #PRO85, #explorebeyond, Viltrox 85mm, Normal, Full Frame, F1.4, f/1.4, VCM, Viltrox Pro 85mm F1.4 FE, Viltrox PRO 85mm Review, Viltrox AF 85mm F1.4 FE Review, Sony a7IV, Sony Alpha 1, Sony a7RV, Review, Hands On, Dustin Abbott, Real World, Comparison, Sharpness, Bokeh, Flare Resistance, Autofocus, Image Quality, Sample Images, Video, Photography, let the light in, weathersealing, #letthelightin, DA
DISCLAIMER: This article and description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
I’ve praised Yongnuo over the past few years for being innovative rather than derivative. My first exposure to Yongnuo is when they started making cheap versions of Canon optical designs (very derivative), but more recently they’ve found their footing in making their own lenses with some of their own innovations. That leaves me a little disappointed in their most recent naming convention (not the lens itself). Their new lens is the Yongnuo 35mm F1.8S DA ART, which is very derivative of Sigma’s branding using the ART moniker that debuted in 2012. Sigma’s ART series really revolutionized its brand perception in the world, not because of the name, but because of the optical quality, and I’m not a fan of Yongnuo essentially trying to borrow that brand success. Perhaps the argument will be that the ART designation (for Sigma) has been reserved for full frame lenses, while Yongnuo will use them for APS-C. Still, it doesn’t sit well with me, so I’ll have to try to separate that negative impression from the actual performance of the lens, as this is a lot of lens for $129 USD! You can find out my full thoughts by watching the video review below, by reading the text review, or just enjoy the photos in the galleries.
Thanks to Yongnuo for sending me a review sample of this lens. As always, this is a completely independent review. *The tests and most of the photos that I share as a part of my review cycle have been done with the APS-C mode (26MP) of my Sony a7RVcamera. You can find the product listing page here.
The new “ART” series is all about the image quality (hmmm, where have I heard that before?) Rather than focusing on features, Yongnuo will be emphasizing the optical performance of the YN 35ART that we’re reviewing today. Yongnuo has confirmed to me that the 35mm is the first in a new series for APS-C that they are releasing, all of which will bear the ART designation. The lens is definitely capable of producing sharp photos even at F1.8.
The challenge, of course, is a very saturated market. I’m reviewing this lens on Sony E-mount (it will also come to Fuji X and Nikon Z), and there are a lot of options available in and around this focal length. The most obvious competitor on price and performance will be the Viltrox AF 35mm F1.7 AIR, a very good (and very affordable) lens that I reviewed here (on X-mount, but I got in an E-mount version to use for comparison in this review.) It’s an interesting turn of events that there are now enough of the Chinese brands on the market that they are directly competing with each other. The question will be how the YN 35ART will manage to distinguish itself from the crowd.
One answer may be in build quality, as the Yongnuo has a simple but more upscale build, including a metal body and even a weather sealing gasket at the lens mount.
But it can take very nice photos for minimal investment, so it is worth looking at.
Keywords: Yongnuo, YN, 35mm, F1.8, Yongnuo 35mm F1.8, DSM, WL, F1.8, ART, Yongnuo 35mm F1.8 ART, APS-C, Review, Sony a6700, a6000, a6400, Sony a7RV, 23mm, 33mm, Wireless, Review, Hands On, Dustin Abbott, Real World, Comparison, Sharpness, Bokeh, Flare Resistance, Autofocus, Image Quality, Sample Images, Video, Photography, let the light in, weathersealing, #letthelightin, DA
DISCLAIMER: This article and description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
I’ve praised Yongnuo over the past few years for being innovative rather than derivative. My first exposure to Yongnuo is when they started making cheap versions of Canon optical designs (very derivative), but more recently they’ve found their footing in making their own lenses with some of their own innovations. That leaves me a little disappointed in their most recent naming convention (not the lens itself). Their new lens is the Yongnuo 35mm F1.8S DA ART, which is very derivative of Sigma’s branding using the ART moniker that debuted in 2012. Sigma’s ART series really revolutionized its brand perception in the world, not because of the name, but because of the optical quality, and I’m not a fan of Yongnuo essentially trying to borrow that brand success. Perhaps the argument will be that the ART designation (for Sigma) has been reserved for full frame lenses, while Yongnuo will use them for APS-C. Still, it doesn’t sit well with me, so I’ll have to try to separate that negative impression from the actual performance of the lens, as this is a lot of lens for $129 USD! You can find out my full thoughts by watching the video review below…or reading on in the text review.
Thanks to Yongnuo for sending me a review sample of this lens. As always, this is a completely independent review. *The tests and most of the photos that I share as a part of my review cycle have been done with the APS-C mode (26MP) of my Sony a7RVcamera. You can find the product listing page here.
The new “ART” series is all about the image quality (hmmm, where have I heard that before?) Rather than focusing on features, Yongnuo will be emphasizing the optical performance of the YN 35ART that we’re reviewing today. Yongnuo has confirmed to me that the 35mm is the first in a new series for APS-C that they are releasing, all of which will bear the ART designation. The lens is definitely capable of producing sharp photos even at F1.8.
The challenge, of course, is a very saturated market. I’m reviewing this lens on Sony E-mount (it will also come to Fuji X and Nikon Z), and there are a lot of options available in and around this focal length. The most obvious competitor on price and performance will be the Viltrox AF 35mm F1.7 AIR, a very good (and very affordable) lens that I reviewed here (on X-mount, but I got in an E-mount version to use for comparison in this review.) It’s an interesting turn of events that there are now enough of the Chinese brands on the market that they are directly competing with each other. The question will be how the YN 35ART will manage to distinguish itself from the crowd.
One answer may be in build quality, as the Yongnuo has a simple but more upscale build, including a metal body and even a weather sealing gasket at the lens mount.
It will probably take more than that, however, so let’s see if this Yongnuo lens lives up to the “ART” name.
Build and Handling
If you don’t speak Yongnuo, let me break down what those letters mean in the 35mm F1.8S DA ART lens designation. In many ways this follows the Fuji naming convention which puts a list of features right in the name.
S = Sony, or Sony E-mount
DA = APS-C
ART = Higher level of optical performance
35mm (along with 33mm) are popular focal lengths on APS-C cameras because the APS-C crop factor (1.5x on these cameras) causes the focal length to behave like a “normal” lens on full frame. The effective focal length is 52.5mm (33mm is closer to 49.5mm), which makes for a field of view considered “normal” because it is close to what the human eye sees. That makes for images that are easily relatable.
You may have noticed that the shape of the new Yongnuo lens is quite different from the Viltrox. The Viltrox lens has a more squat shape. The diameter (64mm) is bigger than the length (54.3mm). The script is flipped with the YN 35ART, which is 63.5mm (2.53″) in diameter (almost as wide as the Viltrox), but considerably longer at 79.9mm (3.14″). That makes the Yongnuo a full 25mm longer, which is very significant.
The weight is also a fair bit heavier, at 265g (9.34oz) to just 170g for the Viltrox. Part of that is due to the extra size, but part is also due to the more robust build quality, which is more metals than plastics.
The greatest point of similarity is from the front of the lenses, where both look similar in diameter and share a 52mm front filter size.
I don’t often discuss minimum focus distance this early in a review, but this is the first lens that I can recall giving not only the minimum focus distance (35cm) but also the maximum magnification information (0.12x) right on the lens facade.
It’s an interesting inclusion, and I guess it makes my job easier! Here’s what that maximum magnification looks like:
The Viltrox can focus 2cm closer (33cm), and achieves a very slightly higher 0.13x magnification for reference. Not enough to look significantly different, as you can see below.
Whereas Yongnuo’s previous lens series (the Commander series) had an above average amount of features for the class, Yongnuo has a much more stripped down aesthetic here. There are no features outside of the manual focus ring on the barrel.
I’m not sure why we didn’t even get an AF | MF switch, and the Fuji crowd, in particular, will clamor over the lack of an aperture ring.
Unfortunately the one thing there (the manual focus ring) isn’t particularly well executed. I found the focus action fairly rough. The focus ring feels like it rubs a bit, and the focus action is distinctly non-linear. I found it to be extremely speed sensitive, with even minor changes to rotation speed dramatically impacting the focus throw. That made it very difficult to achieve consistent pulls from one object to another.
As has been the case with recent Yongnuo lenses, there is a USB-C port on the barrel of the lens near the lens mount. It is covered by a small rubber gasket that keeps moisture and dust out of the port. You’ll want to be careful with this gasket, as it comes completely out and will be easy to lose if you aren’t careful.
There is a tulip-shaped lens hood included. It is plastic, but nice plastics, and it feels tough and durable. It bayonets on with good precision and clicks definitely into place.
The aperture iris itself has 9 rounded blades to help ensure circular specular highlights when stopped down. This works okay, though the specular highlights have a bit of an odd signature to them, with a little scoop out of the bottom side. Here’s a look at F1.8, F2, and F2.8:
The lens barrel is made of metal, and it has a nice, anodized black satin finish. The materials are good, but I do feel like the longer length of the lens makes the section before the manual focus ring feel a little empty and unfinished – almost like an extension tube is attached to the lens. Even some branding in that section would have helped fill in the space.
There is a metal lens mount with a weather sealing gasket attached. Yongnuo also claims a fluorine coating on the front element to resist fingerprints and moisture.
The build quality is nice enough here, though I wouldn’t say that Yognuo has really done much to separate itself from the competition in this area.
Autofocus for Stills
Interestingly Yongnuo has not included the DSM in the lens name that I’ve seen with a number of their other lenses. DSM stands for “Digital Stepping Motor”. I had to go searching in the included user manual for any information about the focus motor, and found that it is an STM (Stepping Motor). As per usual, my question regarding what is different between a “DSM” and an “STM” goes unanswered. Focus works pretty well for stills, however, though with some caveats.
You can see the precision of focus in this shot.
Initially I had some hesitations about focus because I saw some unexpected hesitations during the focus process. After reporting those to Yongnuo, however, I received a firmware update that seems to have ironed out the quirks and gave more expected focus results.
I found that real world precision was good regardless of what subject I was working with. Here Nala was moving a bit, and focus still nailed her with precision.
Likewise here she was walking towards me and her face was in shadow, and yet focus is nailed on the eye.
Eye tracking worked fine for human or animal subjects, so overall I think it did fine even if focus speed isn’t top tier.
As with most third party lenses, if your goal is tracking fast action, you might want to go with a Sony lens, but for most people in most situations, autofocus for stills was pretty great.
Video AF
As with stills, the firmware update dramatically improved autofocus performance for stills. Focus became smooth and confident, giving me the kind of results during focus pulls that I expect on Sony.
There is a mild amount of focus breathing, but nothing extreme.
My hand test where I alternately block the camera’s view of my face and then remove it went fine. Focus moved with good confidence from my hand and back to my face.
A clip of Nala rolling around on the ground also went fine, with focus adjusting as she rolled and writhed in the sun.
Focus in general was fine post firmware update on the lens.
Yongnuo 35mm F1.8 (ART) Image Quality Breakdown
The YN 35ART has an optical design of 10 elements in 9 groups. I haven’t yet seen a breakdown of the optical design, though the box does have “ASPH” on it, indicating there is one or more aspherical elements. There is some risk in using the “ART” moniker, however, as while there is a marketing benefit, it also opens up the lens to additional scrutiny. Sigma made the word “ART” synonymous with extremely high optical performance and invited comparison with the top lenses in the class that the ART lenses would go up against. If Yongnuo wants to borrow that reputation, it is going to have to (at the least) back it up with excellent optical performance. The MTF chart does look very strong.
Yongnuo gets a good positive start when it comes to vignette and distortion.
Distortion is negligible, with just a +1 needed to correct the smallest amount of barrel distortion. Vignette isn’t bad, either, with a +55 (about two stops) of shading correction needed at F1.8 to get the result above.
The biggest weakness of the Commander series was fringing, but that is much better here, with only the tinies amount visible Longitudinal Chromatic Aberrations (LoCA) visible:
To put that in context, look at how bad the fringing was on the 33mm F1.4 compared to the newer 35mm F1.8:
That’s a pretty huge difference.
Lateral chromatic aberrations (LaCA) are a little more of an issue, with a bit of fringing on either side of transition areas in the edges of the frame.
Often people are interested in the amount of coverage APS-C lenses provide on full frame cameras. This is not some kind of “stealth full frame lens”, as most of the additional full frame image circle is obscured by the “mechanical vignette” of the lens not covering the full frame portion of the lens.
There’s not enough additional coverage available to warrant using it on full frame and cropping. You can probably get a few extra millimeters of coverage with some tweaking, but not enough to be genuinely useful. This is an APS-C lens, period. As is almost always the case, you would be better served by buying a full frame lens if you want full frame coverage.
So how about resolution and contrast? My tests have been done on a 26MP APS-C mode of my Sony a7RV. Here’s the test chart:
Here are F1.8 crops at roughly 200% from across the frame (center, mid-frame, and lower right corner).
That’s good sharpness, though not exceptional. The Viltrox is about the same in the middle, slightly better in the mid-frame, and better in the corners.
The Viltrox manages this while being slightly brighter (F1.7 vs F1.8, thus a slightly faster shutter speed of 1/500th vs 1/400th), smaller, lighter, and cheaper.
That’s less of an indictment of the YN 35ART and more of a praise for the Viltrox, however, as in real world shooting the Yongnuo is actually quite impressive. Even at F1.8 results are crisp and detailed, with good contrast and no “blooming” on fine textures.
And, unlike some other Yongnuo lenses, I thought that sharpness and contrast held up pretty well in either high contrast situations or when shooting at a distance. This F1.8 landscape shoot isn’t losing details in a deep crop or showing any fringing in this very bright image.
Here’s another closer shot in extremely bright conditions, and with the high contrast addition of snow on the moss. This is a shot that could have looked terrible, but the YN 35ART does a surprisingly good job of holding contrast and detail.
At F2 I don’t see much of a difference in sharpness and contrast anywhere but the corners, which have a little more pop.
You’ll see a bit more improvement as you stop down into the prime landscape apertures like F5.6-F8:
If you shoot between F4 and F8, you’ll find a very nice landscape lens, with good contrast and detail.
Diffraction will start to soften the image after that, with a mild amount at F11 but a more obvious amount by F22. Diffraction isn’t as obvious at the 26MP level on Sony, but expect this to be more pronounced if you are using a Fuji 40MP sensor.
Bokeh is a subjective measure, but I do think that the bokeh quality in many situations is fairly good.
In reasonably advantageous situations, the bokeh quality looks fairly soft. That’s true here, as well.
Where a lens like this stumbles, however, is with more complex backgrounds.
There’s a lot of hard edges in the transition zone here, and you can see that the lens shows a lot of busyness and jitteryness in those areas.
When I compared it head to head with the Viltrox, I found that there really wasn’t much to distinguish the two with an ordinary scene. The rendering looked equally soft, and the two lenses even metered the same despite one being F1.7 and the other being F1.8:
In other situations I did find that the Viltrox metered very slightly brighter. What also stood out here is that despite having a near identical white balance (temperature + tint), the Yongnuo produced a much warmer image.
Flare resistance was a pretty mixed bag. Directly on I saw minimal veiling (loss of contrast) and just a bit of ghosting, but there are certain points near the corners or right out of frame where you can get some flashing and much stronger flare damage.
You can avoid flare through careful composition, but it isn’t a flawless performance, to be sure.
I do feel like the optical glass is better in the YN 35ART than in the Commander series. The combination of color/contrast produces nicer results than what I’ve seen from previous Yongnuo lenses, so that’s a step in the right direction.
So overall I would conclude that this is an optically strong budget lens…though not really more so than a lens like the Viltrox. If you’d like to see more image samples, check out the image gallery here.
Conclusion
I’m not thrilled with Yongnuo’s choice to use the “ART” moniker. It feels far too much like a return to the time when they were selling rebranded Canon optical designs. I feel like the company is capable of much more at this point. While I applaud the decision to produce a lineup of lenses focused on optical performance, I feel like they could have (should have) come up with a unique way to market that lineup rather than depend on stolen valor from Sigma.
The YN 35ART comes to market at a difficult season. If it had arrived a few years ago, it would have made a splash as an optically excellent, well priced prime. But the past few years have seen the market saturated with options in and around this focal length, most of them from other Chinese lensmakers.
So, the question will remain if the Yongnuo 35mm F1.8S DA ART does enough to set itself apart from the competition. Ultimately you’ll have to decide that for yourself. This is a sharp lens with good autofocus and a nice (if simple) build…but is that enough in 2025?
Pros:
Nice looking lens with nice build
USB-C port for firmware updates
Has a weather sealing gasket
Autofocus motor is quiet
Excellent sharpness across the frame
Low distortion and vignette
Good control of longitudinal chromatic aberrations
Good contrast
Fairly good bokeh
Better optical glass than previous Yongnuo lenses
Great price to performance ratio
Cons:
Appropriates Sigma’s “ART” label
Some lateral fringing issues
Gasket for USB-C is hard to remove and easy to lose
Keywords: Yongnuo, YN, 35mm, F1.8, Yongnuo 35mm F1.8, DSM, WL, F1.8, ART, Yongnuo 35mm F1.8 ART, APS-C, Review, Sony a6700, a6000, a6400, Sony a7RV, 23mm, 33mm, Wireless, Review, Hands On, Dustin Abbott, Real World, Comparison, Sharpness, Bokeh, Flare Resistance, Autofocus, Image Quality, Sample Images, Video, Photography, let the light in, weathersealing, #letthelightin, DA
DISCLAIMER: This article and description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Schneider-KREUZNACH x LK Samyang 14-24mm F2.8 Gallery
Dustin Abbott
June 9th, 2025
It has a been a long time since I’ve reviewed a Samyang lens (two years, to be exact). Samyang seems to have gone through a bit of a restructuring during that time, rebranding as LK Samyang. The LK Group is a South Korean conglomerate involved in various industries, including manufacturing, electronics, and engineering. It is known for its activities in producing a range of products such as electronic components, industrial equipment, and system solutions. In other words, they seem to be the financial backers for Samyang’s next chapter of optical development. Part of that next chapter includes a strategic partnership with fabled German optical company Schneider-Kreusnach, with the first lens from that partnership being the Schneider-Kreuznach x LK Samyang 14-24mm F2.8 FE that I am reviewing today. Now obviously “Schneider-Kreuznach x LK Samyang 14-24mm F2.8 FE” doesn’t exactly just roll off the tongue, so I will be referring to the lens more simply as the LK Samyang 14-24 in this review. It’s a very intriguing lens for a lot of reasons. You can find my full thoughts in the video review linked below or by reading the text review here. If you just want to see some photos, check out the galleries below.
*This product provided by LK Samyang under license from Jos. Schneider Optische Werke GmbH. As always, this is a completely independent review. *The tests and most of the photos that I share as a part of my review cycle have been done with the Sony a7RV along with the Sony Alpha 1 that serve as my benchmark cameras for Sony lenses. You can visit the product listing for the LK Samyang 14-24mm here.
Sigma released their first 14-24mm F2.8 zoom for DSLR mounts right as that chapter was closing in 2018. It was one of my favorite Sigma zooms of their “ART” era on DSLRs, so I was delighted when Sigma released a new version for Sony mirrorless in 2019. I had a blast with that lens, as Sigma did a good job shrinking it to be a better match for smaller mirrorless cameras. It had a few significant shortcomings, however, including the fact that a bulbous front element meant that you couldn’t use screw on filters. It was also still pretty big, a full 131mm long and weighing in at nearly 800g. It’s also expensive with an MSRP north of $1500 at the moment due to shifting market pressures.
LK Samyang has aggressively designed a lens that addresses all of those shortcomings. The LK Samyang 14-24 is compact and lightweight (445g), can use traditional filters (77mm), and is considerably less expensive at $1200 USD. That last point might still be a sticking point, however, as while Sigma has carved out a market position where they can demand a little higher price, Samyang has traditional occupied a more budget tier. This collaboration with Schneider is clearly a push upmarket, and it is too soon to see if consumers can mentally adjust.
I had a chance to check this lens out briefly at its public introduction at Japan’s CP+ convention back in late February, and I was immediately intrigued by this new direction for LK Samyang and the unique partnership with Schneider. I loved the compact size, the quick autofocus, and even the close focus capabilities of the lens, though it was hard to really evaluate the optics in a few shots at the LK Samyang booth.
But now I’ve had a chance to evaluate the lens more thoroughly, so enjoy some of the photos I took during my review period.
Keywords: Schneider-Kreuznach x LK Samyang 14-24mm F2.8 FE Review, Schneider-Kreuznach, LK Samyang, Scheider, Samyang 14-24mm, 14-24mm, F2.8, FE, Ultra Wide Angle, 77mm, Schneider 14-24, LK Samyang 14-24, Full Frame, Review, Sony Alpha 1, Sony a7RV, Review, Hands On, Dustin Abbott, Real World, Comparison, Sharpness, Bokeh, Flare Resistance, Autofocus, Image Quality, Sample Images, Video, Photography, let the light in, weathersealing, #letthelightin, DA
DISCLAIMER: This article and description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Schneider-Kreuznach x LK Samyang 14-24mm F2.8 FE Review
Dustin Abbott
June 9th, 2025
It has a been a long time since I’ve reviewed a Samyang lens (two years, to be exact). Samyang seems to have gone through a bit of a restructuring during that time, rebranding as LK Samyang. The LK Group is a South Korean conglomerate involved in various industries, including manufacturing, electronics, and engineering. It is known for its activities in producing a range of products such as electronic components, industrial equipment, and system solutions. In other words, they seem to be the financial backers for Samyang’s next chapter of optical development. Part of that next chapter includes a strategic partnership with fabled German optical company Schneider-Kreusnach, with the first lens from that partnership being the Schneider-Kreuznach x LK Samyang 14-24mm F2.8 FE that I am reviewing today. Now obviously “Schneider-Kreuznach x LK Samyang 14-24mm F2.8 FE” doesn’t exactly just roll off the tongue, so I will be referring to the lens more simply as the LK Samyang 14-24 in this review. It’s a very intriguing lens for a lot of reasons. You can find my full thoughts in the video review linked below or by reading on.
*This product provided by LK Samyang under license from Jos. Schneider Optische Werke GmbH. As always, this is a completely independent review. *The tests and most of the photos that I share as a part of my review cycle have been done with the Sony a7RV along with the Sony Alpha 1 that serve as my benchmark cameras for Sony lenses. You can visit the product listing for the LK Samyang 14-24mm here.
Sigma released their first 14-24mm F2.8 zoom for DSLR mounts right as that chapter was closing in 2018. It was one of my favorite Sigma zooms of their “ART” era on DSLRs, so I was delighted when Sigma released a new version for Sony mirrorless in 2019. I had a blast with that lens, as Sigma did a good job shrinking it to be a better match for smaller mirrorless cameras. It had a few significant shortcomings, however, including the fact that a bulbous front element meant that you couldn’t use screw on filters. It was also still pretty big, a full 131mm long and weighing in at nearly 800g. It’s also expensive with an MSRP north of $1500 at the moment due to shifting market pressures.
LK Samyang has aggressively designed a lens that addresses all of those shortcomings. The LK Samyang 14-24 is compact and lightweight (445g), can use traditional filters (77mm), and is considerably less expensive at $1200 USD. That last point might still be a sticking point, however, as while Sigma has carved out a market position where they can demand a little higher price, Samyang has traditional occupied a more budget tier. This collaboration with Schneider is clearly a push upmarket, and it is too soon to see if consumers can mentally adjust.
I had a chance to check this lens out briefly at its public introduction at Japan’s CP+ convention back in late February, and I was immediately intrigued by this new direction for LK Samyang and the unique partnership with Schneider. I loved the compact size, the quick autofocus, and even the close focus capabilities of the lens, though it was hard to really evaluate the optics in a few shots at the LK Samyang booth.
But now I’ve had a chance to evaluate the lens more thoroughly, so let’s dive in!
Build and Handling
In many ways I feel like I’ve come full circle, as my very first Samyang lens review was actually of their original 14mm F2.8 manual focus prime, which I reviewed all the way back in 2013. At that point the number of wide angle primes available for Canon EF mount were pretty limited, and I gave that lens a positive review (and even ended up buying one) because it did give pretty good image quality for the price…even though it did have some flaws. What’s extraordinary is that that single 14mm F2.8 prime, with only manual focus and no features, weighed 552g. How extraordinary that we have a 14-24mm F2.8 zoom with autofocus and features that weighs just 445g…more than 100g less!
That prime lens was very, very wide, covering 115.7°. None of the 14-24mm zooms have been quite that wide, and the LK Samyang 14-24 is the exact same as the Sigma 14-24 DN, spanning from 114.2° at 14mm:
to 84.1° at 24mm.
That’s still extremely wide, and gives you a lot of options for framing scenes, for this:
to this:
That’s pretty sweet, and I’ve found lenses like this a blast in cities as a walkaround lens.
It’s that later point that is perhaps the biggest vote in favor of what LK Samyang has done here. The Schneider-Samyang 14-24mm is lightweight and portable in a way other lenses in the class only dream of. The Sigma DN is the only other 14-24mm F2.8 zoom on FE, and it is 131mm in length compared to 98.6mm for the LK Samyang (+32%) and weighs 795g compared to the 445g of the LK Samyang (+78%)/
That is two very different size and weight propositions! The LK Samyang is 84mm (3.3″) in diameter and 98.6mm (3.9″) in length. It weighs 445g or 15.7oz.
If I hop over to the Nikon Z space, I find the Nikkon Z 14-24mm F2.8 S at 124.5mm in length and a weight of 650g. I’m not quite sure how they’ve done it, but LK Samyang has done a great job of giving us the smallest, lightest lens in this class, and it isn’t really close.
What’s more, the Nikkor has a MSRP well north of $2000, which makes the Sigma look like a value at right over $1500 and the Schneider-Samyang a true steal at $1200. Nice!
So how have they achieved this? It is just a plastic fantastic?
Not really. The build quality feels similar to other “Series II” lenses (like the 50mm F1.4 II or 85mm F1.4 II). It is based on a metal mount though does largely employ quality engineered plastics in the outer shell. Tapping these gives a feedback more like metal than plastic. There is a thorough weather sealing inside, with at least seven seal points by my count.
What’s more, they’ve made an important move that should help. Older Samyang lenses used a “Lens Station” whereby you could update firmware and make custom tweaks to the lens using their free “Lens Manager” software. Finding that Lens Station was initially difficult, and just the idea of having to purchase a separate accessory (usually around $50) meant that most users just didn’t bother. LK Samyang has incorporated a weather sealed USB-C port right in the barrel of the lens (like Tamron), allowing you to just connect the lens via USB-C and do the firmware updates or tweaks.
In the software I could not only do firmware updates, but also tweak the behavior of the lens, including changing the speed of the manual focus ring (I liked the slow setting better for more precision) and even the ability to set the AF position on the switch to allow the manual focus ring to function as clickless aperture ring. Aperture racks in video will still show minor steps, but if you move slowly the effect is minimalized.
Other features include an AF | MF switch and Fn (Custom) buttons.
There is no aperture ring, but neither is there an aperture ring on the Sigma 14-24mm or the Sony 12-24mm F2.8 GM. The Nikkor lens does have a customizable control ring that can be used for aperture control.
The AF | MF switch is mounted transversely and works with good precision. The custom button (which you assign the value to from within the camera’s menus) has nice action with a definitive click when pressed.
The zoom ring has a unique texture to its rubberized ring and moves smoothly with right under 30° of rotation between 14mm and 24mm. The damping is consistent between 14-20mm, but feels a little lighter from 21-24mm. I would have preferred the zoom feel to stay consistent, though it is a minor difference. The probable reason for this can be seen above. The inner barrel extends slightly (right under 10mm) over the course of the zoom range. It is at its longest (98.63mm or 3.9″) at 14mm and actually retracts around 21mm to a shorter length of 88.8mm (3.5″). I suspect the zoom feel changes a bit once the inner barrel has finished retracting.
What’s interesting is that LK Samyang seems to be listing the longer (zoomed) length of this lens, which is the opposite of what I typically encounter. Typically a lens maker would be touting the shortest possible length of the lens, though, to be fair, other lenses in this class are often internally zooming. The front element in the Sigma, for example, does move back and forth, but that is within the confines of the fixed lens hood, so it is technically an internally zooming lens.
The manual focus ring has a texture that reminds of me of DSLR era Canon lenses. There’s only a tiny bit of barrel separating the two lenses, so LK Samyang used very different textures to distinguish them. The rubberized texture of the manual focus ring is thicker, causing it to stand out an additional millimeter to help you distinguish between the rings by touch. I don’t love that they are so close together, but that’s part of the compromise involved with make a lens so compact. I also feel like the texture pattern of the manual focus ring has the potential of dating the lens, so I don’t love that design choice.
The weight of the manual focus ring is smooth but light. Focusing with precision involves very careful movements, as it isn’t difficult to focus beyond your desired spot. I was able to adjust fine, however, and I liked the action better once I slowed down the speed in the software.
A shallow lens hood is included. Unlike the competing lenses, this is not a fixed hood but a removable one. It bayonets on with precision and can be reversed for storage. This is yet another win for portability.
Other than the compact size, the other biggest design win here is the flat front element and the ability to use traditional filters. There are common 77mm filter threads here, and I found that so long as I used slim filters, I had no problem with additional vignette when shooting long exposures.
Being able to use simple, common, inexpensive filters is fantastic and certainly adds to the value of this lens.
Standard rear caps and front pinch caps are included. The front pinch cap feels like it is thicker than it needs to be, but that’s a minor quibble with competing lenses will have the big cap that has to fit over a fixed lens hood and that doesn’t really fit in a pocket.
No pouch or case is included, unfortunately, but the new packaging that the lens came in definitely feels upscale from previous Samyang products.
The minimum focus distance is 18cm, and while that does get you very close to your subject, it has the potential to give you a class leading level of magnification. Most lenses in this class offer just a 0.14x magnification, but the LK Samyang 14-24 jumps all the way up to 0.26x.
This is incredibly useful, as it allows you to add some unique perspectives to your work. And, as you can see from this F2.8 shot of a dandelion up close, the lens delivers surprisingly good detail as well.
Being able to get close to your subject also means that you can create a little more bokeh with this lens than is typical. The aperture iris has 9 blades, which is a little lower than the 11 blades found in the Sigma but matches those found in the Sony GM or Nikon S lenses. Stopped down to F4, I found the specular highlights to be “roundish”.
Stop it down to smaller apertures and that same aperture iris will produce decent but not exceptional 18 pointed sunstars.
The barrel material has a fine flocked finish to it, with a chrome accent ring in the middle of the lens and a “hidden” blue ring near the front. Previously they have used red, so perhaps this is the German touch? (Zeiss always seems to like blue!)
A lot of the fonts and the overall design feels like a Samyang, though the Schneider-Kreuznach badging adds a different flavor. I don’t love every design or ergonomic decision here, but I love the using the lens in general. That compact size and ability to easily filter the lens is a game changer in this class.
Not perfect…but pretty fantastic!
Autofocus for Stills
LK Samyang states that there is a Linear STM motor in this lens, and the focus motor actually feels great. It is utterly silent in operation, even if I put my ear next to it. In my focus test benchmarks focus speed proved pretty much instantaneous either indoors or out. No problems with speed or noise here.
Precision proved good, too, with good focus results in a wide variety of situations…including up close.
I was able to nail focus with extremely shallow depth of field, like here:
But I also had no problem with pulsing or misses when shooting landscapes, whether filtered or not.
Tracking is a little hard with a wide angle lens, as the subject doesn’t really get picked up until they get closer. There’s just so much in the frame that the subject occupies a very small portion of it otherwise.
The shutter speed on these was a little low, as I wasn’t anticipating this opportunity, but Nala had followed me out to shoot, and her trotting through these lily-of-the-valleys was interesting.
Bottom line is that this is as good of focus as I’ve even seen from a Samyang lens, so I’m happy.
Video AF
Great news on the video AF front, too. Focus pulls are smooth and confident, with no visible steps, no pulsing, and confident focus lock. Focus breathing is very low as well, so focus changes are nice and subtle.
The lens doesn’t seem to be parfocal, however, so it will have to readjust focus as you zoom in and out.
My hand test went fine, though sometimes with a wide angle lens like this it is hard to block the camera’s view of my face!
One final positive is that natural focus changes (like when you are moving along from one subject to another) are very nicely damped and cinematic. I can see this being an excellent gimbal or vlogging option. It’s small and light enough to work one a wide variety of gimbals and short enough that you can do “Inception mode”.
Color me impressed. This is a well executed autofocus package.
Image Quality Breakdown
So far there has been a lot to appreciate, but can this lens hold up optically? This is a hugely demanding zoom range, and the choice to shrink the size to such a compact package brings additional engineering challenges. Has Schneider and LK Samyang managed to pull it off?
This is the place where we would expect the partnership with Schneider-Kreuznach to bear dividends, as, while that that company has not previously developed optics for photography lenses, they have a sterling reputation for their work in cine and industrial lenses, and the B+W filter brand is one of the highest regarded in the industry. Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich, CEO of Schneider-Kreuznach, had this to say about the collaboration, “We are pleased to extend our presence in the still photography market with our expertise in optics. This initiative is an important step for our company, and we are proud to collaborate with LK Samyang.” My LK Samyang contact told me that this was an “extensive collaboration”, but I’m still not completely where Schneider’s specific collaboration comes into play. I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the optical glass comes from them, however, as this is something that they are renowned for.
The optical design is 15 elements in 11 groups, including 5 HR (High Refractive), 3 Aspherical Elements, and 3 ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements. That leaves only 4 non-exotic elements in the design. You can see from the diagram that some of those elements are extremely curved, which takes some serious expertise to grind.
Here’s a look at the MTF charts from the wide (14mm) and tele (24mm) ends.
The MTF chart at 14mm shows incredibly high center performance at F2.8, with a bit of dipping up and down on the Sagittal plane. A shocking amount of the frame is above 80%, however, with even the extreme corners averaging to about 70%. Impressive! This wide open (F2.8) shot at 14mm has plenty of pop!
The 24mm end is even sharper in the center of the frame and shows a more linear drop to the corners, which are weaker at roughly a 55% average. In both cases the “rule of thirds” zone from the center to the outer mid-frame is all extremely sharp.
I considered the Sigma 14-24mm to be an excellent optical performance when I tested it, and it is considerably larger, heavier, and compromised filter use by using the curved front element for optical performance. How does the MTF compare?
First at 14mm.
I’ve lined up the two MTF charts and put a line through 80%. Anything above the 80% threshold looks amazing even on a high resolution body. What I see is that the LK Samyang is sharper in the center, but the Sigma gives a more even performance across the frame. It should also have a bit better contrast because the Meridional axis is more closely aligned with the Sagittal. The differences in real world shooting will be minimal, as both of them are excellent at 14mm even at F2.8.
At 24mm the Samyang is noticeably sharper in the center of the frame but will be weaker after the midframe. The Sigma is more consistent across the frame.
Still, the MTF suggests that the LK Samyang is very close in performance despite being so much more compact. That sounds like a win in terms of sharpness…but were there other compromises made?
Well, there’s definitely some issues with distortion and vignette on the wide end.
There is both a lot of distortion (a +29 to correct) and it also fairly complex with a mustache type pattern that doesn’t allow for a simple, linear correction. Vignette is also heavy, requiring a +91 to correct.
Unfortunately, the Sigma review came before I had modernized my test process to make it more scientific. It also has heavy distortion, but I can’t evaluate how these compare with precision. In the fortunate column is the reality that the very close focus distance at 14mm tends to exaggerate distortion somewhat, so real world distortion isn’t as bad. Also fortunate is that LK Samyang seems to have negotiated good camera profile correction support, as in camera corrections seem to be doing a great job of correcting vignette and distortion for JPEGs and video files. There is a lens profile available to download for Lightroom/ACR as well.
Real world images come out well corrected, like here:
By the middle of the zoom range most of the distortion is gone, and at 24mm I used only a -1 to correct a tiny amount of pincushion distortion, and vignette only needed a +43 to correct.
No problems there.
While you can focus closely enough to create a shallow depth of field at 24mm, F2.8, I didn’t see any issue with longitudinal style chromatic aberrations (LoCA). Everything looked nice and clean.
A far more common problem for wide angle lenses is lateral style chromatic aberrations (LaCA) which show up along the edges of the frame in the transitions from black to white. Fortunately the LK Samyang 14-24 is very well corrected for LaCA.
So, other than the heavy vignette and distortion at 14mm, the Schneider-Kreuznach x LK Samyang lens passed the tests with flying colors.
How about sharpness?
I’m using the 61MP Sony a7RV for these tests, which represents the highest resolution currently available on any full frame platform. I show the results at 200% magnification to really highlight any flaws.
At 14mm, there aren’t many to see.
The center is pin-sharp even at F2.8, while the mid-frame is very sharp (though with slightly lower contrast), and the corners actually look very good for a wide angle lens.
How about some perspective. I wish that I could show you apples to apples with the Sigma, but I can’t for the reasons mentioned before. But how about the $2300 Sony 16-35mm F2.8 GM II?
Here’s the center:
Wow! The LK Samyang definitely looks sharper and higher contrast. How about the corners?
The Sony looks a little brighter, but the sharpness and contrast at best is a wash. That’s pretty amazing, as it means that the LK Samyang is competitive with a first party lens that costs twice as much…and at a more difficult focal length. And, what’s more, this autofocusing zoom is sharper (according to MTFs) than LK Samyang’s own 14mm F2.8 II PRIME lens.
Stopping down to F4 makes little difference in the center, though there’s a bit more contrast in the mid-frame and the corners are noticeably brighter and exhibit a bit more contrast.
By F5.6 the corners are looking bright and fairly crisp.
At landscape apertures you’ll see good details all across the frame in real world images even when using high resolution cameras.
F8 looks largely similar to F5.6, but you’ll start to see softening from diffraction by F11. F22 is minimum aperture, and it looks fairly soft.
Moving on to the 17/18mm range shows even more consistent performance. Vignette isn’t as strong, and it feels like the sharpness and contrast is more even across the range.
Stopping down shows minor improvements, but not big enough to note at lower levels of magnification.
Real world shots in this range look fantastic, with consistently good details across the frame.
20mm looks very similar. I see a pattern emerging where peak center sharpness actually arrives wide open, and when you stop down, the center gets a bit less sharp while the midframe and corners improve. By F4, the corners are as sharp as I’ve seen.
Real world shots are full of detail.
At 24mm sharpness remains impeccable in the center of the frame, though with a touch less contrast. Stopping down to F4 kicks the contrast back up, however.
Real world images (even up close) are surprisingly good even at 24mm, F2.8:
Real world landscapes at 24mm and at landscape apertures look great.
Typically it wouldn’t be worth talking about the bokeh with a wide angle lens like this, but the close focus abilities of the LK Samyang 14-24mm allow it to defocus backgrounds reasonably well, as we can see from the lock photo above.
The background looks fairly soft in this image, as well.
This is certainly an area of strength relative to many other similar zooms, many of which just don’t have the close focus abilities that allow you to blur out the background like this.
Color also look good, with nice saturation levels. We had some hazy days during my review period because of the smoke from wildfires being blown our way, but even without peak conditions I was able to get great looking images.
I look forward to shooting with the lens in more optimal conditions.
Samyang has long been one of the better companies when it comes to controlling coma, and that remains a strength for the lens. Even without optimal conditions I found star points were crisp across the frame and there was minimal coma smear. This will be a great astro lens.
Flare resistance is mostly good, though there is potentially one issue to watch out for. If you compose in just the right way at 14mm, you can get a bit of a rainbow light leak.
Zooming in a bit in the identical conditions eliminates that altogether.
Generally I found that any flare artifacts were more noticeable if the lens was deeply stopped down. More moderate apertures like F5.6 were generally better.
I would say this latter category isn’t quite in Sony GM territory. Sony’s coatings are pretty fantastic, and I don’t feel that the LK Samyang 14-24 is quite there.
But my ultimate takeaway is one of being generally impressed. It’s rare that a company can shrink a zoom lens this much and simultaneously get such a good optical performance out it. I’m not sure if LK Samyang or Schneider-Kreuznach gets the credit, but this lens is good enough that I would be excited to see future collaborations (and it looks like at least one more zoom lens is coming!).
Samyang is definitely back, even if name has changed. I was very intrigued when I first saw this lens the day that it debuted at CP+, and now that I’ve spent more time with it, I remain impressed by what emerged from unexpected partnership between South Korean and German optical companies. The Schneider-Kreuznach x Samyang 14-24mm F2.8 FE is a genuine improvement on this challenging zoom range for anyone who values portability.
This is a dramatically smaller lens than anything we’ve seen with this focal length, and I can attest to the fact that it fits mounted on a camera in all of my smallest bags, making it an easy choice to bring along when traveling. The ability to use traditional filters is another huge addition, making getting long exposures like the one above a piece of cake.
That fact that we also get great autofocus and close focus capabilities makes this lens a winner in my books. I could see it being great for travel, great on gimbals, and a fantastic companion for shooting landscapes, city, and astro. Yes, at $1200 it is expensive “for a Samyang”, but it is considerably cheaper than any competing lens in this space, and remember that this is also a Schneider lens. No one is getting German optics for cheap, so I think that as long as LK Samyang can overcome the perception challenge (and improve their distribution), they’ve got a potential hit on their hands.
Pros:
Love the compact package!
The partnership with Schneider was completely unexpected
Smaller and lighter than any other lens in this class
Amazing close focus abilities
Can use screw on filters
Nice build quality with thorough weather sealing
Some customizable capabilities
Fast, silent autofocus
Good focus precision
Low focus breathing
Cinematic focus changes
Very consistent sharpness across the zoom range
Contends even with GM lenses for sharpness
No issues with fringing
Bokeh looks pretty nice
Cheaper than competitors in this class
Cons:
Heavy vignette and distortion at 14mm
More expensive than people are accustomed to paying for Samyang
Keywords: Schneider-Kreuznach x LK Samyang 14-24mm F2.8 FE Review, Schneider-Kreuznach, LK Samyang, Scheider, Samyang 14-24mm, 14-24mm, F2.8, FE, Ultra Wide Angle, 77mm, Schneider 14-24, LK Samyang 14-24, Full Frame, Review, Sony Alpha 1, Sony a7RV, Review, Hands On, Dustin Abbott, Real World, Comparison, Sharpness, Bokeh, Flare Resistance, Autofocus, Image Quality, Sample Images, Video, Photography, let the light in, weathersealing, #letthelightin, DA
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