Samyang 24mm 1.4 - internal quality and durability?

kawasakiguy37 · Joined: 13 Jul 2010 Posts: 132

Heard great things about all the new samyang primes - I do mostly video and astro photo / timelapse so this lens looks ideal with the low coma

Can anyone confirm who has actually opened up this lens? Ive seen great reviews and also reviews that say most of the interior is held together by glue as opposed to screws and after awhile vibration / temperature change can really soften this lens. Is there any truth to this?

Other lenses im considering (500 dollar budget):
yashica 28mm 2.8 ML
nikon 24 / 28 2.8 AIS
nikon 24-50 f/4
canon FD 24-35
canon fd 20-35

ForenSeil · Joined: 15 Apr 2011 Posts: 2726 Location: Kiel, Germany.

Durabitlity of Samyang lenses is said to be lower than most other manual lenses in general and of course not comparable with Leica etc.
But that doesn't mean you can't use the lens for many years or even many decades depending on usage and storage, they are buildwise better than most AF lenses.
I already had a few Samyang lenses partialy in very heavy usage for years and never go any failure so far.

If you have no problem to mount FD lenses you could also look for the Canon FD 24/1.4, similar IQ I guess but better build quality for sure.

The Samyang 35/1.4 is often said to be optically better than the 24/1.4 btw., so if it doesn't need to be 24mm go for the 35mm.

kawasakiguy37 · Joined: 13 Jul 2010 Posts: 132

I like the FD lense line a lot but the price has gone up like crazy in the past few years - its now about on par with EF lenses!

Dont get me wrong - I love all metal lens construction and I dont care for AF - but if an FD 24 1.4 L is about the same price as a much more recently made EF 24 1.4 L ...... it just doesnt seem logical to buy one (and this is not even including the cost of converting the FD lens mount)

ckrook · Joined: 02 Oct 2012 Posts: 79 Location: Oslo, Norway

I really have no idea what I'm talking about, but go for the Samyang! They have been making lenses for a couple of decades now.

I use my manual lenses for video 90% of the time and if I were to get a 24mm today, I would definitely go for the Samyang/Rokinon.

tao · Expire: 2015-03-12

Are you sure that the Samyang is within you budget?

I have never used the lens in question. However I really like the two Samyangs I have. I think they are great for personal used.

Of the lenses you listed, I have the Nik 28/2.8 AIS which is very good. Reasonably priced and still available new. I like it.

If you want to try something cheap for fun, I recommend Sigma super wide II 24/2.8. Cost next to nothing but as good as any branded lenses.

ZoneV · Expire: 2011-12-02

I have only a Samyang 14mm/2.8.
I need to open it several times. But at the moment it is unusabel - could not recalibrate it.
It has about the worst build quality I know - some old ISCO partly plastic lenses are about the same.
Iris is primitive, likely this is the reason why a stuck iris is a common defect on the older 85/1.4.
There are lenses inside plastic barrels. Those are screwed sometimes in metal. The fine threads wear out fast when the lens is opened and reopened some times.

Here you see in red the plastic parts:

The old Samyang lenses where metal constructions, as far as I know.

Typical problems in Samyang lenses

ckrook · Joined: 02 Oct 2012 Posts: 79 Location: Oslo, Norway

The samyang compares really good to its canon/nikon counterparts:

http://nikonrumors.com/2014/03/26/best-performing-24mm-lenses-for-the-nikon-d800-camera.aspx/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NikonRumors+%28NikonRumors.com%29

beomagi · Joined: 14 May 2010 Posts: 46

I've opened up and modified a Samyang 85mm F1.4 and 8mm F3.5 FE.

The 85 was a used pentax mount so I ground down the pin since it blocked my 5d mirror, and aperture was sticking, so I opened it up, bent some stuff, stretched some springs in ways they should not, and got aperture working again. Frankly quite similar to other lenses I've opened.

The 8mm I rethreaded, because it wasn't focusing well on my MFT+focal reducer. Again, pretty good build. Tough to put back together though. Screwing the base back on was hard keeping the aperture mechanism aligned. ended up bending stuff to slide in easier and stay that way...
Only weak build part was the graduated focus distance being held in place by tape under the rubber ring. Not a big deal IMO. Makes it easy to fix, and get at the insides.

I haven't had a need to open up my 24mm, but I'm sure it's at least as good as the 85 and 8mm lenses. I didn't see any glue, so I don't think I'd see any here. I take these lenses with me to work (not all at once) but regularly.