Samyang AF 35mm f/1.8 FE review

Small and lightweight, the Rokinon / Samyang AF 35mm f/1.8 FE still packs a punch for Sony cameras

Samyang AF 35mm f/1.8 FE
(Image: © Future)

Digital Camera World Verdict

Occupying the middle ground in Samyang’s line-up of 35mm autofocus prime lenses for Sony full-frame E-mount mirrorless cameras, the f/1.8 is the third lens in the trilogy. It’s refreshingly small and lightweight, not as tiny as its f/2.8 sibling but certainly not as bulky as the faster f/1.4 lens. All in all, it’s a smart all-rounder that works really well for street photography and much more besides, at an affordable price.

Pros

  • +

    Good-quality yet lightweight construction

  • +

    Impressive image quality

  • +

    Pleasant bokeh at wide apertures

Cons

  • -

    Corner-sharpness at wide apertures could be better

  • -

    Minimum focus distance is fairly modest

  • -

    As usual, no focus distance scale

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The new Samyang AF 35mm f/1.8 FE represents a middle ground between Samyang’s 35mm f/2.8 autofocus lens for Sony cameras which is of practically pancake proportions, and its f/1.4 lens is relatively hefty at 645g. Also sold as the Rokinon AF 35/1.8, this f/1.8 35mm is still small and lightweight, at just 65x64mm and 210g respectively, making it a diminutive and stealthy optic for candid street photography and general shooting, while its f/1.8 aperture rating enables fast shutter speeds under low lighting conditions, and a fairly tight depth of field at close focus distances.

Specifications

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Matthew Richards

Matthew Richards is a photographer and journalist who has spent years using and reviewing all manner of photo gear. He is Digital Camera World's principal lens reviewer – and has tested more primes and zooms than most people have had hot dinners! 

His expertise with equipment doesn’t end there, though. He is also an encyclopedia  when it comes to all manner of cameras, camera holsters and bags, flashguns, tripods and heads, printers, papers and inks, and just about anything imaging-related. 

In an earlier life he was a broadcast engineer at the BBC, as well as a former editor of PC Guide.