Samyang 24mm f/1.8 FE lens announced: a "masterpiece for astrophotography"

Samyang AF 24mm f/1.8 FE
(Image credit: Howard Burrows / Samyang)

Samyang has announced its latest Tiny Series lens, the Samyang AF 24mm f/1.8 FE – an optic that it describes as a "masterpiece for astrophotography" thanks to a Custom Mode function that's optimized for shooting the stars. The lens will be sold under the Rokinon brand in North America, as usual, as the Rokinon 24mm F1.8 AF Compact.

The Samyang AF 24mm f/1.8 FE's Custom Mode features a dedicated LED indicator for astrophotography, along with a Focus Hold button. This enables you to shift the focus to infinity with a touch of the button, by fine-tuning and saving the precise infinity focus value according to your camera (overcoming the variance in factory defaults between cameras). 

• Read more: Best lenses for astrophotography

The LED will light up red if the focus value does not match, whereupon clicking the Focus Hold button will automatically move to your saved focus value and turn the LED green. "For astrophotography enthusiasts, this is an extremely useful function for those who need to spend long periods in darkness, with confidence that their lens is set at infinity," says Samyang.

Despite such advanced features, the lens is as compact as you'd expect of Samyang's Tiny Series. It weighs in at just 230g and is but 71mm in length (with a 58mm filter thread), making it an ideal companion for Sony's svelte mirrorless bodies. 

The lens is constructed of 11 elements in 8 groups, with 7 special elements (2 Glass Aspherical (ASP), 2 Extra-low Distortion (ED) and 3 High-Refractive (HR)). It boasts 9 aperture blades for smooth circular bokeh when stopped down, with Samyang claiming that it achieves "stunning corner-to-corner resolution" even wide open. The STM motor promises to deliver quick, quiet autofocus. 

While it has been designed with astrophotography in mind, the optic has a close focus distance of just 19cm – making it a versatile performer whether you're shooting street shots, landscapes or interiors. 

The Samyang AF 24mm f/1.8 FE will be available in early May with a price tag of £459.99 (approximately AU$827.71). The Rokinon 24mm F1.8 AF Compact will sell for $549 from June.

Read more: 

Best cameras for astrophotography
Best star trackers for astrophotography
Best lenses for landscapes

Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

James Artaius
Editor

The editor of Digital Camera World, James has 21 years experience as a journalist and started working in the photographic industry in 2014 (as an assistant to Damian McGillicuddy, who succeeded David Bailey as Principal Photographer for Olympus). In this time he shot for clients like Aston Martin Racing, Elinchrom and L'Oréal, in addition to shooting campaigns and product testing for Olympus, and providing training for professionals. This has led him to being a go-to expert for camera and lens reviews, photo and lighting tutorials, as well as industry news, rumors and analysis for publications like Digital Camera MagazinePhotoPlus: The Canon MagazineN-Photo: The Nikon MagazineDigital Photographer and Professional Imagemaker, as well as hosting workshops and talks at The Photography Show. He also serves as a judge for the Red Bull Illume Photo Contest. An Olympus and Canon shooter, he has a wealth of knowledge on cameras of all makes – and a fondness for vintage lenses and instant cameras.