Samyang XP 14mm f/2.4 review

This premium ultra-wide prime is a terrific buy, whether you want to shoot landscapes, interiors, or even the Milky Way

5 Star Rating
Samyang XP 14mm f/2.4 review
(Image: © Future)

Digital Camera World Verdict

If you're after a top-notch ultra-wide prime capable of delivering stellar image quality, whether it be for landscapes, interiors, or astrophotograpy, this lens won't disappoint. Though it’s manual focus only, it's quality build and tactile handling make it a real pleasure to use, while electronic contacts still allow you to make use of the viewfinder to check and fine-tune your focusing. Maintaining excellent image quality a lens' widest aperture is a real challenge in an ultra-wide-angle optic, but this Samyang does exactly that - an admirable achievement. The only downside is it's only available for Canon and Nikon DSLRs.

Pros

  • +

    Generous viewing angle

  • +

    Superb image quality

  • +

    Good build and handling

Cons

  • -

    Manual focus only

  • -

    Only for Canon and Nikon DSLRs

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Samyang's expanding range of XP (XPert) lenses are all about delivering the best possible image quality. Indeed, Samyang claims this lens has been designed to compliment DSLRs with 50+ megapixel sensors. Inside are 18 lens elements arranged in 14 groups. Fancy glass includes two aspherical elements, a hybrid aspherical element, two extra-low dispersion elements and three high refractive elements, all of which serve to reduce chromatic aberration, distortion and flare.

The high-quality glass is neatly wrapped in a really solid casing. The rubberized manual focus ring gives a very assured grip and has a long rotational travel with a fluid feel, plus there's a focus scale with depth of field markings. All very useful, as the lens is manual focus only. However, this is definitely not a deal-breaker, as wide-angle lenses lend themselves to manual photography, with their relatively deep depth of field even at large lens apertures, and because they're rarely employed to capture fast-moving subjects.

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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.