Samyang / Rokinon 16mm F2 ED AS UMC CS

Canon EF

Review

The Samyang / Rokinon 16mm F2 ED AS UMC CS is a wide-angle lens designed for Canon EF mount cameras, making it an appealing option for photographers seeking to capture expansive landscapes, architectural shots, or interior photos. With its fast F2 aperture and compact design, this lens presents a multitude of creative opportunities.

Design and Build Quality

This lens sports a robust build that feels solid in hand, offering a sense of durability that can handle the rigors of professional use. The metal body gives it a premium feel, and the large focus ring is smooth and well-damped, allowing precise manual adjustments. Weighing around 500 grams, it's lightweight enough for on-the-go shooting. However, due to its construction, it can feel a bit bulky when combined with smaller camera bodies.

Optical Performance

The optical performance of the Samyang 16mm F2 is impressive, especially considering its price point. The lens features a good number of elements (13 elements in 11 groups), including extra-low dispersion and aspherical lenses that help minimize chromatic aberrations and distortions. Images produced are sharp, even wide open at F2, with good contrast and color rendition. When shooting landscapes or architecture, the lens provides a significant depth of field, which makes it a fantastic choice for sweeping vistas.

However, it’s worth noting that while the sharpness is commendable, there are some signs of distortion in the extreme corners, particularly at wider apertures, but this is common in ultra-wide-angle lenses. Stopping down helps to improve corner sharpness and reduce distortion, so it’s something to keep in mind when shooting critical scenes.

Usability

One of the distinguishing characteristics of this lens is the lack of autofocus, which may dissuade some users, particularly those who rely heavily on AF. However, for seasoned photographers, this manual focus lens provides a chance to hone their focusing skills, and the focus peaking feature present in most Canon cameras helps to achieve accurate focus easily.

Another positive aspect is the lens's versatility in various lighting conditions due to its fast F2 aperture, allowing for low-light performance and beautiful bokeh quality, albeit limited due to the wide-angle nature.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Solid build quality with a premium feel.
• Excellent optical performance, sharp images with good contrast.
• Fast F2 maximum aperture for low-light shooting.
• Lightweight and compact for a wide-angle lens.
• Great color rendition and minimal chromatic aberration.

Cons

• Lack of autofocus can be a drawback for some users.
• Distortion noticeable in the corners at wide apertures.
• Manual focus might require some getting used to.
• Some vignetting at wider apertures, although it is manageable.

Verdict

In conclusion, the Samyang / Rokinon 16mm F2 ED AS UMC CS for Canon EF mount cameras offers great value for money with its solid build, sharp image quality, and versatility in low light. While the lack of autofocus may deter some photographers, those who enjoy manual focusing and are looking for an affordable wide-angle lens will find this offering to be a worthy addition to their kit. Whether you're shooting landscapes, architecture, or just creative images during your travels, this lens is sure to deliver impressive results.