Samyang lenses any good?

[ryanee182]

Hello, I just purchased my 1st DSLR 2 weeks ago. I've already got the urge to buy new lenses. Based on the research I've done, the Minolta 50mm f1.7 is a good lens to start with. I found a deal on eBay that included this lens, and also a Samyang 70-210mm Macro Zoom Lens f/4-5.6. My next lens on my wishlist is the "Beercan", which has similar specs to this Samyang lens. Does anyone here have experience with this Samyang lens, or Samyang lenses in general? If so, how does it compare to the beercan?

Another side note: The eBay auction also included a Sigma Auto Focus 35-135mm Zoom Lens f/4-5.6, with a "fine scratch across it". Would it be possible (and worth the money) to have it repaired?

Thank you in advance!

[logbiter]

I'm not familiar with samyang. You might find a review at the awesome dyxum website, which is a great resource. Generally, the offbrand lenses aren't very good, especially wide open.

Hello, I just purchased my 1st DSLR 2 weeks ago. I've already got the urge to buy new lenses. Based on the research I've done, the Minolta 50mm f1.7 is a good lens to start with. I found a deal on eBay that included this lens, and also a Samyang 70-210mm Macro Zoom Lens f/4-5.6. My next lens on my wishlist is the "Beercan", which has similar specs to this Samyang lens. Does anyone here have experience with this Samyang lens, or Samyang lenses in general? If so, how does it compare to the beercan?

Another side note: The eBay auction also included a Sigma Auto Focus 35-135mm Zoom Lens f/4-5.6, with a "fine scratch across it". Would it be possible (and worth the money) to have it repaired?

Thank you in advance!

[Anbesol]

Once you've got the beercan that Samyang would be an expensive paper weight, its the exact same focal range as the beercan, but its slower. Considering the obscurity of the name I'm guessing its some re-badged base OEM model Tokina or something (like the 'Quantaray' brand lens).

I'd also scoop up a beercan before they get more expensive, the demand for that lens is rising!

The 50 f1.7 IS a terrific one to start with.

You may also want to look at the variety of Minolta vintage 35mm film lens - their are a huge variety of them. I would recomend something with a solid f-stop all the way through, they are always much more pleasant to work with and offer usually improved performance.

[NoKnees]

Not much more to add beyond what Anbesol said.... Grab the beercan, and forget all else in that range until you decide you need and can afford one of the few f2.8 speed lenses offered in that range...

Regarding the Tamron with the scratch... Not worth repairing, very few lenses ever are... However, you may notice that the scratch doesn't affect photos much, if at all. Most likely it'll be more likely to flare in bright light, but you'd be surprised with what you can get away with regarding front element damage...

[cutnorth]

When you are ready to go wide, the Samyang 14mm f/2.8 is optically excellent. Had my Canon-compatible for a week, tested it at various apertures, peered at the results at 100% enlargement and am very, very pleased. Surprisingly good at 2.8 and getting better up to 5.6. Sharp right into the corners, no purple fringing and vignetting hasn't worried me at all; in fact, I like my blue skies a little dark in the corners and if the lens doesn't do it for me, I usually burn them in later. Colour and contrast are just fine, like my other Canon lenses.

Down side is that it is manual focus which is not so easy with a wide angle, but I have worked around it through testing. I now use the focus ring rather than squinting through the viewfinder, having worked out what, for example, 7feet on the ring really means - 4feet in real life. Do this for the most common focal lengths, work out your hyperfocal distances and focusing is no longer a problem. And for $400, as opposed to $2000 for a Canon 14mm!