Samyang vs Rokinon: Third Party Lenses / Everything You Need to Know

[@acrummey85]

I knew that Rokinon and Samyang were the same but i appreciate the extra details you have supplied. Great video.

[@dbkfrogkaty1]

Me too. Good job.

[@Pozi_Drive]

Walimex is the third name, quite popular in Germany. WALter IMport EXport

[@RideWithRahulOfficial]

Their 35 1.4 and 50 1.4 Autofocus lens are are really budget friendly primes for Sony E mount. They are often on sale at BNH.

[@trippgs]

I was aware prior that the two lens brands are effectively the same glass but I did not know the full story. The Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 is my latest purchase and I use it for landscape astrophotography. What I like most about these lenses, and why I plan to purchase more, are the build quality and very reasonable price point.

[@AllCarsUnited]

Agreed. I use the 14 with my a7r3. Though the quality is not the best it is still dollar for dollar pretty spectacular

[@RaviPatel1]

Was searching for a true comparison before I go with either brand. Finally I am done with my research because of your research. Much appreciated. Thank you

[@hbhavsi]

So which one are you going with/went with?

[@Max-cd8ii]

To make it even more complicated in Germany/maybe Europe we also have Walimex, which is yet again only a re-branded Samyang lens. On Amazon you can find the same lens by 3 different brands and they all have different prices.

[@barmalini]

Walimex is indeed the same thing as Samyang/Rokinon but in many stores can be significantly cheaper than the latter two.

[@ChadWork1]

Don't forget Bower, which is again the same lens. B&H sells them.

[@EposVox]

bout time someone finally tackled this, haha. I knew they were the same but had given up trying to figure out the chicken and the egg nonsense. I have a Rokinon Cine DS 12mm T2.2 that I use as my main a-roll lens and love it. On my webcam-mounted G7 I have the Samyang 12mm F/2.0 which is basically the non Cine DS version of the same lens. It's solid, too. But then I wasted $1000+ on three Cine DS Rokinon primes - 35mm, 50mm, and 85mm. I bought them in the Micro Four Thirds mount, when I should've gone Canon mount, because I did not expect to leave the M43 ecosystem at the time and couldn't also afford a speedbooster. But the minimum focusing distance when native M43 mounted is so far away, I can't really make use of them in my small shooting spaces at all. So now I'm stuck w/ $1000+ worth of lenses that I'd LOVE to use on my EF mount cameras but can't easily re-sell and swap up because understandably no one would actually want these. Been meaning to email Rokinon and see if I could swap up with them or something - these are basically brand new.

[@geraldundone]

Yeah, that's definitely a consideration to make with lenses like these. It's easy to move a standard Canon lens, but niche 3rd-party ones are much harder. Thanks for sharing, mate. Cheers! 😃👍

[@niceprguy2]

How much do you want for the lenses? If the price is right I might take them off of your hands.. And where are you located?

[@viperbite18]

This was the reason I went with EF mount on my sammy 14mm

[@enkisumer]

I didn't know who was who, nor why the difference. I looked into it for 10 min got confused and didn't appreciate the companies obfuscation. This video helped a lot. Thank you, Subscribed.

[@ChristopheCousinOSS117]

Some so-called " journalists " could take a lesson listening and watching you...congrats !

[@geraldundone]

High praise. Thank you very much. 😃

[@sheepheadfilms]

I did not know they were all from the same company. I own 5 Rokinon Cine lenses for my Canon C200: 16mm, 24mm, 50mm & 85mm. I'm very happy with them. Mostly for the image and build quality for the price. I am a Canon man and would prefer Canon Cine lenses, but there is absolutely now way I could afford a nice set of Canon Cine lenses at the moment. For the price of Rokinon, you simply can't beat it. Having the focus ring in the same place is also awesome and it is a time saver to not have to re-adjust the focus wheel on the rail when switching lenses.

[@camlc6513]

Consistent and amazing quality, you’re going to be huge.

[@edrader]

no fro is a huge plus lol

[@jacksonjackson9474]

@@edrader Unnecessary shade towards a delightful Jewish fella from the Philly area. smh.

[@hyungkim9]

Thanks for the video! Very helpful. I would add that Elite Brands is just a distributor for Samyang in the US and they are using the brand Rokinon. So Rokinon is not really a corporation but just a 'brand' owned by Elite Brands. They have a 20 year distribution contract with Samyang. Manufacturing and R&D are all done by Samyang in Korea.

[@atitananda]

You bring great contests. Period. Very informative as always.

[@Kelkschiz]

This was pretty much all new to me. I had heard of Samyang and Rokinon, mostly of Samyang though. I had never heard of Xeen and I knew that Samyang and Rokinon were somehow related but not how. Your explanation was crystal clear and useful, thanks.

[@billmoree-photography]

I looked at the small Rokinon booth at the 2017 Photo Expo show at Javits in NYC. The lenses started to look good, the price looked great, but when the pitch started to get complicated I walked away. But once again, watching eight minutes of one of your videos has explained it better than if I had spent half a day googling and trying to figure out on my own what is going on with these guys. This video is another example of your hyper-informative videos that I don't see anyone else doing, and makes your channel a "can't-miss".

[@jamesmorgan4020]

Absolutely love the channel! I was aware that Rokinon and samyang were just regional names of the same product. I shoot sony a7riii and a7r with 4 lenses in my bag. Sony 24-70 gm, Rokinon 135f2, rokinon 50f1.4, and rokinon cine 35f1.4 all manual focus of course. The 135mm is literally the sharpest lens I have ever seen I think I have a golden sample. It is sharper than my GM at f8 when wide open at f2. I know that sounds crazy. I had to buy and return 3 lenses to get the 135 I was happy with. The other variants of the same lens we're low contrast or even hazy. My 50mm 1.4 is optically similar to my Canon 501.2L in that they aren't usable until stopped to f2 and since I enjoy manual focus I leave my adapted Canon 50L at home every time. My 35 is another great sample as well but not perfect. It again isn't Sharp until stopped somewhere between t1.5 and t2 and aberration doesn't become minimal until f2 so I shoot at f2 as well on this lens. It isn't the Sharpest but it's perfectly adequate for me. I love this lens because it is a stop brighter than my GM lens wide open and slightly sharper. It does offer greater contrast especially shooting into direct light than my GM as well but at a cost of more distortion and a strangely smaller field of view. I am extremely happy with my purchases and look forward to when my lenses break so that I can play the lottery again for golden samples 😂

[@chryseass.5143]

Exhaustive amount of information- excellent research! I feel much better informed. Yes , I did know that Rokinon and Samyang were the same ( rebranded for different markets); I even knew that there were other brand names for the same product out there but you have certainly added much more to my knowledge. I do not own any of this glass ( have quite enough of other lenses, though - well, for now, at least!)

[@ProfessorBStudios]

I did not know this info coming in... very interesting though. I have been looking at adding some Rokinon glass to my blackmagic kit so i've been trying to take in as much info as possible before spending the monies. In everything I've watched, no one has covered, even mentioned this. Thanks!

[@budabodi4759]

I own the Samyang 35 mm F2.8 and love it. Not only does it allow me to park it a full frame camera but the lens quality is just as good as the $800 Sony Zeiss 35 mm. In fact, on my lens tests the Samyang was clearly sharper, & I picked it up for $250!

[@geraldundone]

$250 is a great price! Nice. 😃

[@NomadicNative]

Very well undone!! Consistently one of the most informative channels of it's type on KZbin, thanks!!

[@geraldundone]

Thanks so much! That's very kind of you to say. Cheers!

[@connorthompson05]

I knew a lot if this, but a some of the information was new as well. I have the 14, 24, 35, 50, & 85mm lenses. I've had several issues over the 7 or 8 years I've been using them. Once my 50mm was left outside in the sun for a few hours and the focus ring became super hard to twist in one spot. I ended up getting a 50% discount from Rokinon (Elite Brands) because I was out of warranty. I dropped the 35mm and one of the elements in side cracked and looked like a spider web, but that wasn't the lenses fault. Also, on my 24mm, I just now noticed last week that the left side of the image isn't sharp like the rest of the image. I think this may be a de-centering issue with one of the glass elements, but that could also happen with any lens that you use to run and gun and throw around. I'm happy with the quality I get for the price I paid.

[@Justinhartig]

New to photography and just bought a Rokinon and had a suspicious that was confirmed when I received the box that says "Rokinon Technology by Samyang Optics" Thanks for the thorough clarification!

[@AlexMinor]

This was a great vid. Very informative. I already knew Samyang, Rokinon, and Xeen were the same company, but i wasnt aware that they were intentionally muddying the waters. I dont own any of these lenses yet, but I'm Hoping they eventually make some ef mount autofocus lenses.

[@microminstrel]

When I very first started 10+ years ago, it was nice to have some budget options (though manual focus) for some professional quality optics (which samyang/rokinon has always thrived at). When they finally began adding af to the mix, it was a no brainer for me as I already was confident in their build quality and image quality alike. I have the 50mm 1.4 and the 135mm 1.8 (one of my fav portrait lenses I’ve ever used). The addition of the ‘tweakability’ with the lens dock is a nice addition and helps for future lens firmware updates. I think I may go ahead and grab the 18mm 1.8 as it’s a small, light addition to the bag.

[@christiansperling9615]

As many here I thought Rokinon is a simple rebranding of the Korean based company Samyang. I bought 2 Samyang lenses: the 12mm F2.8 fisheye for Sony E-mount (full frame) and it is okay, but edges are very soft and smeared wide open and the images come out 2-3 stops underexposed. I rarely use it, however stopped down with edges cropped off you can can nice sharp results. The big revelation for me is the 135mm F2.0 (again for Sony E-mount) which I picked up new for incredible AUD $570 (USD $405). Yepp, it is big, bulky and heavy (around 820g) and although solidly built it doesn't feel premium in the hands, still very robust, though. BUT it has stellar image quality: dreamy, eye-pleasing bokeh, minimal to almost inexisting chromatic aberration, excellent background separation with 3D pop and the sharpness is through the roof even at F2.0. It's on the same sharpness level as my beloved and highly praised Zeiss 55mm F1.8. I regard the 135mm as a killer portrait lens and I seriously can't see why someone would pick up the legendary Zeiss 135mm F/2 Apo Sonnar for over USD $2,000 instead other than for better build quality. The Samyang is definitely not only budget friendly, it exceeds the image quality of every other 135mm out there (only the Zeiss is allegedly on par with it). It's a gem in my lens arsenal. Very interesting video! I liked how you digged deep to lay out the different lens line-up strategies and and how they compare.

[@fak1tGaming]

All manual focus right? i was wondering if i could used to those lens for photography

[@nickbabian7319]

I just got my first hybrid camera last year and was looking into lenses. Did not have the budget for G Masters so I was searching 3rd party, leaning between Sigma or Tamron. Then I saw the whole Rokinon/Samyang in my suggested products and that lead me to Reddit and here. Thank you for the video; really broke it down succinctly.

[@Audrey7648]

I have a limited budget, so have two Rokinon lens. 85mm says right on the lens "Technology by Samyang Optics" Thank you for this video. I would recommend this brand to anyone wanting to buy at a reasonable price and good quality.

[@tbeiber09]

I only ever heard that it was a branding thing for pretty much the same product. I first got the manual Rokinon 100mm macro lens for wedding details and product photography and was really happy with it for what I needed. Then I just got the 35mm f1.8 af and have been happy with that too and also just ordered the 135mm f2 manual lens for weddings and portraits and I've really seen a lot of race reviews about it so I'm optimistic

[@kjvisual7]

I am just looking into these lenses now, so this video is still relevant. Thanks. Ya, so once I saw a Rokinon glass on the Samyang Amazon page, I guessed they were the same. But I didn't know anything about the Samyang company. Now I do. I don't have any of those lines yet, but I will try to remember to check back here when I do.

[@roaldeuller]

I had known for some time that Rokinon and Samyang were essentially the same products under different names, but I did not know all the details you provided about the different naming schemes, how the models overlapped, etc. Personally I own the Rokinon 12mm f2 and 21mm f1.4, both for Sony e-mount and I love them for their size and image quality. I would love it if they were AF but I am willing to sacrifice that for the form factor, which is the primary reason I have gone mirrorless.

[@davidsmolik1642]

I shoot exclusively on Samyang primes on my Fuji cameras. To me, the precise and good-feeling manual focus combined with unique optical characteristics made me fall in love with these lenses. I tried some of the premium Fuji glass but after working with Samyang, the Fuji glass is just hidiously overcorrected and "cheap" feeling in terms of the "look". I just wish they would put a bit more focus to the APS-C mirrorless line, perhaps creating a XEEN equivalent lenses from them.

[@totorofusion]

Definitely knew the brands were the same, but the overlaps and distinctions between lines and XEEN were pretty interesting. The glass is nice and consistent but definitely makes sense between the different build quality levels of the other materials for each line.

[@7thStoneMedia]

I knew they were the same lenses. My first love lens was the 85 f1.4, so dangerous and so much fun, that focus pulling is very satisfying!

[@OMNIFICPICTURES]

7thStoneMedia yup 85mm us smokin. I dropped mine and bought another.

[@saratoledo8665]

Which one did you get? The rokinon or the samyang?

[@some_one_2_3]

I've just started looking for lenses so this was really valuable information. Thanks a lot Gerald! Forget about undone, you've outdone yourself!

[@simon_patterson]

I knew they were the same lenses but didn't know they branded some of their lenses with different model names. I don't own any. Great explanation vid as always!

[@brettnfk]

Pretty new to photography. Just been doing a little research for an affordable 35mm lens for E Mount, and was prompted to search for a video just like this by noticing that in a comparison video of 35mm lenses a Rokinon kept appearing in Lightroom as a Samyang, which prompted me to check Amazon and see that both Samyang's 35mm and Rokinon's look identical, which ultimately brought me here to try to understand the whole mess. I have a much clearer idea of it all now, so thanks for the video!

[@ph33lix]

I've also always thought that Samyang and Rokinon lenses their line up are 1:1. This has been eye-opening and I'm saving this in a "future-reference" Playlist for sure!

[@jackgilliat5863]

I have the 135, 85mm and 35mm T1.5 Cine DS. I adore them, use them daily for indie film, and are the best investment I've made so far. Color reproduction is lesser compared to the Xeens but I'm shooting in S-Log3 100% of the time anyway. As a debut DP when I first invested in them, having access to sub-2.0 apertures to learn about extreme depths field has been invaluable. I find the Xeens a touch sharper across the board but once you add some ND and some pro-mist they align and are pretty indistinguishable, especially after color-correction/color grading. Buy the 85mm now and start training :)

[@RoosLaurore]

Thx for the video Are these lenses only for full frame camera’s

[@edshotsdotcodotuk]

Thanks for clearing up the model differences. I had assumed all the mkII lenses would be improved layouts. Guess I'll have to always double check should I be thinking of buying one.

[@geraldundone]

Cheers! 👍 Yeah it caught me by surprise too.

[@PetersonBlanc]

great video. The only thing I guess wasn't made clear in the video is if I had the option of buying a Samyang vs Rokinon, which of the two should I purchase if the price was no deciding factor? Thanks

[@50450720]

Great video, I learnt something new. I have the samyang 85 T1.5 i have it rigged on my gh5 where it becomes a 170mm telephoto, it’s great for tight head and shoulder interviews where I use a 6stop ND filter so I can open up the iris and blow the background out of focus. On a m4/3 sensor it stays sharp right into the corners.

[@unithom]

I just got a used Rokinon 85 T1.5 with EF and want to use it in the same way on a crop sensor camera. Thanks for this!

[@specificoh]

I mostly knew about the relation ship between rokinon and samyang but i had no clue they were korean. I thought it was a chinese brand. I also was still very confused on what each range/level of the lenses had to offer and what was different. This vid was a huge help. thanks for fleshing out the deets bauss.

[@springfieldFlute]

I was confused when I was surfing around to look for Samyang lenses and found your video for the explanation. You're right, it gets even more complicated the more I look into it, but your video pretty much answered my question. I'm using my friend's Samyang SY12M-E-SIL 12mm F2.0 and I love the lens. I never knew the difference between Rokinon and Samyang, I thought they were just cheap copycats out there. Loving the lens so far and will continue to use the lens, might even buy it off from my buddy if he switches off to Canon cameras.

[@geraldundone]

Glad I could help! Thanks for sharing your experience.

[@TheJudge064]

Some one else recommended me the lens too and I'm considering buying it too. Could you tell me how do you feel about it.

[@KevinKeeganPro]

I knew they were the same, but did not know about the specific difference between the Rokinon Cine and Cine DS lines. I own three of their non-uniform Cine based on this info. Regardless of whether I have to move my follow focus around, I’m still very pleased with the build quality and optical quality of these lens.

[@darrylsmith3102]

Ya Know?, if those companies would start making Stabilized lenses for Pansonic and Canon with ONLY a $100 Dollar increase, They would sell so well and be in such demand they wouldn't be able to manufacture them fast enough. Guaranteed...

[@geraldundone]

You're probably right. I definitely know quite a few people who'd buy 'em.

[@PhillipRPeck]

You're so authoritative. Man, did you go to school for this shit? I have the Rokinon Cine DS line from 24 to 85mm for Canon EF. I've used the 14mm as well. I've also used the XEEN lenses and done a comparison video between the XEEN 35mm and Rokinon Cine DS 35mm. I think what you said about price correction is spot on. For the money, I can't complain about the Rokinon lenses. They aren't very sharp at 1.5, but acceptably so for video I guess and there's really nothing else which comes close price to performance. I can't imagine paying the premium for the XEEN lenses, which are essentially the same optically. I did know that Samyang is the mother of all these offshoots, but not to the level of detail that you outline in your video. Thanks!

[@terryanderson7036]

Another good informative video. Appreciate the time you spend making these! I decided to try the Samyang 18mm f2.8, slower than I wanted, but the price ($260.00 open box through Amazon) was too good to pass up trying. My results have been far better than I expected. I still haven't used it for video on either the A9 or the A7R2. If it does well there. I feel that I have gotten a excellent value. As a single image lens, it is decently sharp in the middle wide open, and by f4 to f5.6 it really is nicely sharp. It has me considering the 35mm f1.4 verses the Zeiss 35 f1.4 and its inconsistent image quality. Rather miss on a lesser costing lens than missing on a $1,600 lens.

[@uzielhernandez8653]

This was great information very well produced video. I had fallen into their marketing and all their confusing labeling but this cleared it up. Thank you!

[@affordabletechsolutions6917]

I have several lenses from Samyang and Rokinon (12mm f2[Rok], 14mm f2.8[Sam], 85mm f1.4[Sam], 135mm f2[Sam] ). I kind on suspected they were the same thing so I never cared which one I was going after...I went for the cheaper one on whatever deal was going on, and got some really good deals. All lenses have been great quality. I think my least favorite is the 14mm (I just never seem to need or gravitate toward it due to the fact that sharpness does not seem to match the other models at wide aperture). The 12mm is a goto for vlogging (crazy sharp at f2), and the 85mm is a goto for portraits...that 85mm is amazing.

[@JoshuaKoerner]

Another small creator in the space here-you're killing it. Some of your stuff has already make me feel inadequate ;) haha liked and subscribed. Looking forward to watching more of your content.

[@geraldundone]

How very kind of you! Thank you, good sir. 😃 Checked out your channel. Looks like you're well on your way. Nice to meet ya. Cheers! 👊

[@KyleClements]

I've got the F-mount version of the Samyang 14mm 2.8, and it's among my favourite lenses. That and my 50mm 1.8D are my default travel lenses. Crazy sharp. Terrible distortion. Fairly small and light weight on my D600. So much fun to use. Very easy to manually focus. The chip does not play nice with my Z6, so I have to stick electrical tape over the electrical contacts to make it a dumb lens to get it to work properly. I knew Samyang and Rokinon were the same products, but I didn't know who owned who.

[@stephanweiskorn6760]

Excellent video 😊!

[@naturalismundi4359]

Its you and Camera Conspiracies.. Its like having a Good paper with Funnies. Solid information and humor is what makes for great teaching.

[@kensonnoel1963]

This info was so valuable. It’s exactly what I was looking for as I shop for vine lenses.

[@StudioBonn]

Well... I'm using a Wallimex Pro 16 T2.2 and I'm very satisfied with it...with a 0.8 ring for my follow focus, it's sharp and bright and all I need for filming. It works on my Canon and GH5...

[@johnoshaughnessy6878]

I just bought a set of Cine DS lenses and I did not know they were the same glass as Xeen. Now I'm even happier. Lenses have come a long way. I used to shoot with Zeiss super speeds back in the '80s and '90s. I've gotten tired of cheap zooms. Now I have cheap primes. :)

[@dw.in.michigan]

Don't know if you're even being alerted to new comments after 3 years. If so, in answer to your question, I currently have and have had several Samyang/Rokinon lenses (under both names). I viewed this video before, probably a year after it was released. Thank you, because you answered the question I had at the time - what's the difference between the two companies. I then went on to read other articles that supported and verified what you've said. I've also read several articles that gave the wrong information. Anyway, I'm not a cinematographer. I do primarily astrophotography. I have Nikon mount cine versions of the 8mm, 24mm, 35mm and 85mm. I have Nikon mount regular versions of the 14mm, 85mm and 135mm. I have had Canon mount of the 14mm and 50mm, and Pentax mount of the 85mm. The reason for the different mounts is because my first camera was a Canon APS-C - still have one, but a different model. The advantage of Canon EF is that it easily accepts lenses of other brands that are smaller mount, such as Nikon F and Pentax K. Since I do primarily nighttime photography, manual mode is a fact of life, so I had no problem buying lenses of other mounts on the cheap and being limited to manual operation. Because Canon EF lenses do not easily adapt to Nikon F cameras (cheaply with good results), I sold most of my Canon lenses once I bought a Nikon full frame, so that I could buy Nikon lenses that can be used on both my Nikon and Canon cameras. I first bought cine lenses for Nikon (even though I didn't have a Nikon yet) because incredible deals were offered for brand new lenses - $215 for 24mm and $180 of 35mm. I loved the results I got. I started seeing reviews here and there that claimed the cine lenses are sharper than their regular counterparts, in spite of the two iterations having the same design and engineering. Having read and seen a few videos about the cine lenses, I learned about the long focus throw, as compared to a regular lens. My working theory is that a longer focus throw gives you a more generous "sweet spot" for focus. ...a shorter focus throw means in-focus more quickly becomes out-of-focus as the focus ring is turned. But because I'm an uninformed amateur, my supposition may be and probably is wrong. Your take...? Have you experienced sharper still images with cine lenses than with their exact counterpart? Would you be willing to do a rigorous comparison video to determine if the Samyang/Rokinon cine lenses deliver sharper images than their non-cine lenses? Because I've seen so many claims that the Samyang/Rokinon cine lenses are sharper, I bet many still image photographers that like the Samyang brand would like to know. I just recently got my 85mm cine lens, so I haven't had the opportunity yet to compare it to my regular 85mm lens. I will be doing so just for my own edification. I'm not a professional, nor do I know anything about creating a KZbin video that anyone would care to watch, or else I would create a comparison video myself. Oh, a couple of things to clarify, if you do make a video. 1) Newer Rokinon lenses now say built with Samyang technology. 2) Many reviewers complain that the lens hoods come off easily. Perhaps Samyang has altered their design, but I have NEVER had an issue. The hood can attach at multiple points, but only one allows it to click into position where it won't come off easily, and that position is indicated with a couple of dots that you align. ...pretty simple.

[@haroldriverofilms]

Great video Gerld. I was getting confused as well about Samyang and Rokinon.

[@mattstout804]

Just purchased the Rokinon 85mm AF 1.4 F to use on my Nikon Z6. Trying to find any comparison and similarities to the FE and EF versions. It appears that the FE is a different optical setup for mirrorless, but trying to find any reviews or comparisons has been frustrating. Going to keep this at least for a bit until I can get some clarity/do some testing to see if it’s a comparable product to the Sony in regards to quality.

[@brettturner5299]

Honestly just thought they were both coming out of the same factory with different branding for different markets. Also didn't realise that some of the lenses (including the 14mm I own!) are actually intended for photography! Great video about a complicated subject, thank you.

[@JaredHoyman]

I just reviewed the Samyang 14mm RF mount. I've owned the 8mm and 12mm fishey for the last 8yrs and I have to say they have come a long way in optic quality.

[@EXPLOREMOREFILMS]

I had zero clue about all of this until your video. Thanks!

[@qaiszureikat7146]

i had the 135mm lens and i loooved it.. its magic! very sharp an bokeh is one of the best ive seen ever now i have the 8mm fisheye for fuji...and that one is great too i look forward to try the 12mm version

[@movinginthesestreetswithou9670]

Which lens I should purchase for music videos?

[@bhaz]

This is brilliant and also hysterical b/c of all the commentary like "it's this but also not this." Great job and loads of research.

[@geraldundone]

Ha! Thanks, Bradley! Glad you liked it. Cheers!

[@LawrenceMorey]

Yeah, and my 35mm is a Bower, yet another rebranding of the same lens. I have a full kit of the Cine and Cine DS Rokinon / Samyang lenses in Canon mount (24, 35, 60, 85, 135 and now the Samyang 12mm m4/3) - they have been great. I watched for them to go on sale, which they often do on B&H, and picked up what I needed most one at a time. I highly recommend these lenses. Nice to hear reviews from a fellow Canadian. And to hear "about" and "house" and so on pronounced correctly.

[@just_eirik]

1. Ye I knew they were the same company 2. I own the 12mm for Fuji and have ordered the 18 and 85mm for Sony. In the past I owned the old (pre red ring) 14mm for Nikon. The lenses I’ve tried so far are excellent. Not AS good as 1st party lenses, but more than good enough for me. They have never made me feel like I’m making a compromise by using them.

[@reluarsierra6681]

I have the impression that DS on Rokinan cine lenses designates that two, left and right, distance scales are present so that the focus puller can stand on either side of the lenses.

[@davidvelasquez6965]

Super helpful man thank you! I've been researching their cine lenses and its been a headache, their websites are uninformative. Wish they had more X-mount options, using a canon adapter for my X-H1.

[@mjejce]

I did know that Rokinon and Samyang were the same company (but I found the video very helpful regardless) mostly because I own the Samyang 35mm f2.8 AF lens for the Sony E mount. I had some issues with the lens (slow focus in low light), but recently got the Samyang USB dock, installed the newest firmware update, and calibrated the focus. Liked the lens before; love it now. Great video!

[@bartabz2199]

Amazing job explains all of this. I bought a 14mm AF lens for Sony and please believe they are horrible with customer service and warranty issues. Blurry images is what it is with Rokinon.

[@fritz9880]

Another great video!I know that the two companies, along with Bower, are the same entity. I owned the 12mm and 8mm Fisheye Rokinon Fuji mount and liked them, especially the 12mm. I currently own the Samyang 35mm f/2.8 for Sony - a very sharp lens. I going to get the Rokinon 24mm for Sony for travel.

[@kamomeintl]

Hello Gerald, congrats on the interesting and informative video. I did know the two brands were one and the same, but I really appreciated the extra info and perspective. I just finished my first feature film, for which I purchased a C300II and C-NE 35mm. I knew this would be my main lens, which is why I purchased that particular one, but I didn't have the money to complete my kit with other C-NEs, so I bought the Samyang 16mm and 85mm T 1.5. My DP and I were very happy with the way the cheaper lenses performed, and they mixed seamlessly in the edit. Great little lenses for filmmakers on a budget!

[@tombu4484]

When I first got my Sony a7, I had been looking into Samyang's AF offerings. In China they are offered as Samyang, but in the US there are both Samyang and Rokinon. Judging the specs and exterior of these lenses quickly gave away the fact that Rokinon is the "official" importer of Samyang glass (though I have seen some Samyang branded as Vivitar too). It was easy for me to figure out because I also use old cameras, and have known that Asahi Pentax was at one point branded as Honywell Pentax by the importer Honywell, Ricoh and Chinon lenses were once branded as Sears, and some Sigma lenses were once branded as ProMaster Spectrum7 and Quanary.

[@Mauadtube]

Help please, i have a Sony a7iii and a Rokinon 35mm 1.5 Canon mount.. so i attache it trough the metabones adapter.. it works great but my question is: do i need the Rokinon e-mount or is it the same quality as i have it?

[@maxq8652]

I did not know any of this. Thank you. but at the end have you use any of the Xeen lenses??? how good are they???

[@myplanetphotography8114]

Knew of the relationship, ended up buying the Samyang 14mm for my astrophotography lens, was fortune to get a good copy. I know a number of folks reported getting decentered lenses a couple years ago, and it seemed very hit or miss. I haven’t heard of as much complaints the last 12 months, so it appears to have been addressed, although I would check a lens if I bought it under either label. Very sharp optics, if you don’t mind manual focus, great alternative.

[@guyrab]

Hi Gerald top notch as always nice research work I enjoy my Samyang 35mm f1.4 af fe mount super Lense :) thinking on. Getting the 50mm also

[@volaticusfilms6185]

Apologies if I'm highjacking the space. I'm looking to buy a used 85mm T1.5. One is Rokinon Cine DS (good condition). The other is Samyang AS UMC II Cine at about 25% more (like new). It sounds like these are the same product, is this correct? Is the difference just the price and condition in this case? I'm leaning towards the Samyang because it's in original package and sounds much less used, plus maybe newer? Any thoughts appreciated with thanks

[@TheMaroosh]

Researching Samyang lenses at the moment. Found out they are the same before this video, but still you provided a lot of information I didn't know. I just ordered my first Samyang lense - 12mm which is quite rare focal range designed for cropped sensors.

[@markoconnor6761]

I did not know that Rokinon and Samyang were the same manufacturer. I really liked the clear description of the companies and their lens offerings. I am going to seriously look into getting a lens from one of the companies.

[@marksieving7925]

I thought that it was pretty well known that Samyang and Rokinon were the same. I usually see them listed in reviews as Samyang/Rokinon. Some of the lenses are also marketed under the Bower name.

[@MelodeusForever]

Very informative.... I had no idea but in having an understanding about marketing, I can see how it all makes sense. I upgraded from Nikon D200 because it does not shoot video and I have a decent photography kit so I have some idea about lens. I upgraded to a GH5 and started investing time in researching prime lens and have come across both brands but without knowing anything in comparisons between the two , I'm curious of the differences in quality and functionality. But my point is I have a 50mm Rokinon T1.5 and am excited to use it. It has a clean shot. Something made me go with ROkinon. Id have to try the other brand to make some comparison.

[@coloritstudiola]

Hi Gerald, and everyone, I have a question, I got my 12mm rokinon t2.2 and notice that move the focus ring waaaay more harder than T ring, Is that suppose to move harder ?

[@betrion7]

Welp, your output is rather amazing :) On the sidenote, I'm thinking between Samyang 24mm and 35mm 2.8 for a7 Considering the APS-C mode + zoom I'm thinking I may get more from 24mm. Any insights on how do they perform optically? All I know is 24 has three aspherical elements which is one more than 35mm. As for your question - I knew Samyang and Rokinon were the same lenses under the different brand but never cared to check the details and I still kinda don't.

[@SpiderSpeedster]

yup, go with the 24, you´ll save a lot of time of cropping in post or changing lenses at location

[@betrion7]

Spider Speedster welp, I got 35 in the meantime. For whatever reason it seemed to have better reviews and I like it for it's compactness and weight.

[@fotomats8651]

I have both and the 24mm is very underrated Lens. It is on pair, if not sharper than my 35mm!

[@pascalbeckmann7292]

Really really helpful! Thanks for this clear and structured representation of your findings!

[@AriusNowak]

I've bought lately used 500/8 for Olympus 4'3 and will test it soon.

[@nimmira]

I have Rokinon 8mm f/3.5 fisheye lens, and shortly after getting that I did realize that they are the same company but some different names for some legal or marketing purposes or whatever (already used to that with Canon changing the names of their models in N.A. so nothing weird to me). The lens is OK. Completely manual. It was a nice experience to work in completely manual lens; It's not that bad as some talked about it. The chromatic aberration is, well, naturally apparent in hard light conditions and I guess it's natural for such lenses with high distortion. The thing that really vexed me though is not being able to put any type of filters either in front (with a special cap like some wide angle lenses do) nor do they have a gel filter pocket at the back of the lens (like the Canon 15mm fisheye lens for example). So, I had to innovate a bit when it comes to sticking an infrared gel filter or ND filters at the back and it's not always nice. It can be a waste of time, and quality as well because of the smudges you might cause on the gel while trying to fix it or scratches caused along the way. Yet, still one of my favorite lenses to work with whenever possible.

[@avarmadillo]

Thanks for the reply on my question. You asked about our experience with the Rokinon/Samyang lenses. My own experience is nothing but positive. Shooting hand held most all of the time and using only fast primes these lenses are a godsend. I began using them years ago after seeing an extensive image comparison between them and some VERY expensive cinema lenses. That convinced me that the Samyang lenses were a tremendous value for most shooters doing youtube videos and other kinds of shooting. Their biggest negative as i recall was the focus breathing---a feature I try to turn into a positive in the shooting I do. I love seeing the image not only slowly melt into sharp focus but melt into proper proportion as well. It's a cool effect. The other advantage of the Samyangs is that they are light by comparison with the new electronic lenses----you know, the ones that come with the disclaimer "fork lift not included?!?" I use them on the Panasonic S1, GH5 and Nikon Z6 with two adapters: a standard adapter for each, and a Fotodiox ND throttle adapter, IMO a fantastic, well-made product--well worth reviewing. So, I never carry individual ND variables for each lens. I have ONE ADAPTER TO RULE THEM ALL, AND ON THE CAMERA TO MOUNT THEM..., so to speak. My standard hand held combination is the Z6 with a 24mm Rokinon, which also gives me 35mm angle of view with the aps-c setting, 50mm/70mm, 85mm/120, and 135/200mm. Four lenses, eight angles of view. Nicht Schlecht. I have an analogous combination using Canon FD lenses---with the addition of 17mm F4, and 20mm 2.8, and 200mm 2.8. Yes, Fotodiox makes the throttle adapter for FD in both L mount and Z mount. Amazing combinations that get the job done, don't break your back, and don't break the bank. Hard to beat---but I'm open to something better.

[@geraldundone]

Haha. Enjoyed the Lord of the Rings reference. Thanks for sharing your experience, William!

[@avarmadillo]

@@geraldundone I hope you could get it. Variable ND throttle filter: my Precioussssss.

[@hbhavsi]

Informative, but it still leaves me a little confused: 1. Are Samyang and Rokinon glasses essentially the same, except for the terminology differences? 2. What's the difference between Cine DS and Autofocus line of Rokinon? Does the Cine DS also do autofocus while taking videos on the new full-frame Sony mirrorless cameras FE mount?

[@JeffCreates]

To be honest i just thought they were exact rebrands in different territories. Wasn't aware of the slight naming crossover/confusion with the Cine lines. I have the Samyang (I'm in the UK) 14mm F.2.8. I don't use it much but i really enjoy the visual quality it gives when i do. And to be honest i've only ever used it for stills, never video. Maybe i'm missing a trick there. I even seem to have managed to get one where the focus works properly - i saw a number of videos complaining that infinity isn't infinity.

[@Travel_With_Monsoon]

Does samyang 14mm 1.8 af has image stabilization ? I see this lens made for canon and Nikon has auto focus switch on the lens bt the one for Sony doesn’t have the switch . Can you explain that ?

[@i_am_pasha_shin]

Great research!Thanks! But "14mm T3.1 VDSLR ED AS IF UMC II - (Cine / Cine DS)" I'm not sure that this statement is true. DS in Rokinon Cine DS name refers to "Double Scale" which means the aperture and focus scale are duplicated ("the Rokinon Cine DS line was introduced which added a scale to the “dumb side” of the lens giving the Rokinon primes a Dual Scale (hence DS)". Yesterday I've purchased Samyang 14mm T3.1 VDSLR ED AS IF UMC II and it does NOT have that double scales... Perhaps these lenses are optically identical but at least body design (scales) is different. Hope that helps.

[@geraldundone]

I think there might be two versions of the 14mm. Did you get this one? bhpho.to/2WM4ZWF

[@janprochazka4901]

I have known about the relationship between Samyang and Rokinon since I was looking for reviews of one lens I wanted to buy, because I came across reviews for both Samyang and Rokinon lenses. I have bought that particular lens and it is the only lens I have from Samyang, their 24mm tilt-shift. I bought it mainly because I wanted a tilt-shift lens, furthermore, I was looking for a wide-angle lens I could use. From my point of view, this lens is excellent given its price being less than half the price of traditional (Canon/Nikon) tilt-shift lenses. I would recommend this lens for everybody seeking tilt-shift yet not having quite the budget for the Canon or Nikon lenses.

[@julieseiler1252]

I am starting to get into Astrophotography and shoot with a Nikon D800 , with my widest lens being the Nikkor 16-35mm f/4 lens. I have been looking into the Rokinon 14mm f2.8 for full frame for a full-frame camera but after watching your video I'm wondering if I should be leaning towards the Samyang. I also have the Nikon D500, any suggest on the best wide angle lens for this camera ( I like it because of the flip screen). Any help would be much appreciated.

[@gclnetinho]

i want to buy rokinon cine ds 85mm t.15 AS IF UMC in portugal but i only find it in amazon america. The samyang cine 85mm 1.5 its the same lens?

[@avarmadillo]

Yes, I knew of the brand relationship. Yes, I have several Rokinon/Samyang lenses. They make beautiful images and render color very well. Price/quality is outstanding. But, alas, in focusing you will see some focus breathing in these lenses. It's not bad IMO--and often I think focus breathing is a nice visual effect. I most often shoot hand held, using these lenses on the Z6 and the X-H1. Very solid, and I always come back with good footage. They make. cinema quality images affordable in an otherwise overpriced market.

[@geraldundone]

Nice little review, William. Thanks for taking the time. 👍

[@avarmadillo]

Mon plaisir! @@geraldundone

[@davidvelasquez6965]

I also have an XH1, I'm curious which Rokinon/Samyang lenses do you use for video? I'm looking to get 1 more lens, I currently have the 16mm 2.2 (Canon mount)

[@avarmadillo]

The 16mm gives you about a 24mm full frame angle of view. The Rokinon's are a bit heavy. If you don't mind the weight the Rokinons are a good way to go. You'll need to get a Vizelex EF to FX Throttle ND filter mount. It works fantastically well. This is an EF to FX mount that has a variable ND filter built into the adapter, between the lens and the sensor. For outdoor shooting you'll never need to buy ND filters for each lens. Look it up on eBay. You may want to get a 35mm 1.4 (don't get the 1.5 Cinema lens--it's too easy to bump and change the aperture. The 35 will give a 50mm full frame angle of view. You can also get a speed booster (focal reducer) Ef to FX mount and it will come close to giving you a FF 35mm angle of view from the 35mm lens, and a 16mm angle of view from the 16mm. You can find that on eBay and the product page will explain what you need to know. Here is what I do personally. I have a 16mm, 24mm, 35, 50mm, 85mm, and a 100mm. I mount them all with the EF to FX variable ND throttle adapter. If I can't carry all the lenses I will take three lenses in my bag and one on the camera. Usually the 24, 50, 85, and 100. It depends on what kind of shooting I'm doing. My favorite lens of the bunch is the 85mm. I also love to use old Nikon F mount lenses. You can find them fairly cheap on eBay. You can mount them with a Nikon F to Fuji FX mount with a throttle adapter. These give you fantastic results, and are much lighter than the Rokinon. Canon FD lenses with an FD to FX throttle adapter mount--those are great too, and much lighter than Rokinons. The possibilities are almost endless, but the Canon FD and Nikon F mount fully manual lenses are the best and most practical. @@davidvelasquez6965

[@brentthomasaustin]

Excellent guide. You know exactly the ins and outs, especially the experience/subtlety that comes along with knowing this just really saturated market. Thank you!

[@geraldundone]

Thanks for this comment. Appreciate it. Glad you liked the video, mate. 😃

[@perlmunger]

1) Figured they were probably the same since trying to find info for one led to sites/videos about the other. 2) Tried a Rokinon 85mm f1.4 (on Canon) that worked great as long as you could get your manual-focus-fu on. I couldn't, so I sent it back. In focus photos I got while trying it were sharp, though.

[@bat2348]

I knew about samyang and Rokinon being the same, but not all these other details. I owned the 50mm 1.4 but returned it, it was good but not good enough. I just purchased the 35mm 2.8 which I’m looking forward to using. Thanks for the informative video!

[@geraldundone]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing. Let me know what you think of the 35mm f/2.8. I'm curious. Cheers! 😃