Samyang / Rokinon 50mm F1.2 ED AS UMC CS

Fujifilm X

Review

The Samyang / Rokinon 50mm F1.2 ED AS UMC CS is a fast prime lens designed specifically for Fujifilm X-mount cameras. This lens is particularly appealing for photographers who appreciate shallow depth of field and excellent low-light performance. The 50mm focal length translates to a 75mm equivalent on Fujifilm’s APS-C sensor, making it a great choice for portrait photography and general use.

One of the standout features of the Samyang 50mm F1.2 is its impressive maximum aperture of F1.2. This allows for beautiful bokeh and excellent subject isolation, making it an ideal option for portraits where you want to emphasize the subject against a softly blurred background. Additionally, this lens performs admirably in low-light situations, allowing you to capture sharp, clean images without raising your ISO too much.

The build quality of the lens feels robust and solid, with a metal housing that gives it a premium feel. The focus ring is smooth and well-damped, making manual focusing a pleasure, although it's worth noting that this lens lacks autofocus, which can be a drawback for some users. Since this lens is primarily geared towards enthusiasts and professionals who are comfortable with manual focus, it encourages a more deliberate approach to composition and is especially rewarding when nailing that perfectly focused shot.

Optically, the lens is very competent. It exhibits sharpness throughout much of the frame, especially when stopped down to around F2.8 or F4.0. There’s some visible chromatic aberration and slight vignetting at wider apertures, but this can be managed in post-processing, and the added artistic qualities often outweigh these minor flaws for many photographers.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Extremely fast F1.2 aperture for excellent low-light performance.
• Beautiful bokeh and subject isolation, ideal for portrait photography.
• Solid build quality with a premium feel.
• Smooth manual focus operation encourages thoughtful composition.
• Good sharpness, especially in the center of the frame when stopped down.

Cons

• No autofocus feature, which could be a hindrance for some users.
• Some chromatic aberration and vignetting at wide apertures.
• A relatively heavy lens compared to other 50mm options available for the X-mount.

Verdict

The Samyang / Rokinon 50mm F1.2 ED AS UMC CS is a fantastic lens for Fujifilm X users who are looking to expand their photographic horizons with a reliable, fast prime lens. It's best suited for those comfortable with manual focusing and who know how to take advantage of the wide aperture for stunning portraits. While it has its quirks, such as the absence of autofocus and slight optical imperfections, the rewarding image quality and lovely rendering make it a worthy investment for the serious photographer.