PRODUCT REVIEW

XP 35mm F1.2

It is time for another Review of SAMYANGS great manual focus XP lens series! Stephan Forstmann 2018-12-17
Review: Samyang XP 35mm F1.2



 

 

 

It is time for another Review of SAMYANG’S great manual focus XP lens series! Let’s have a closer look at the new SAMYANG XP 35mm F1.2 lens for Canon DSLR-Cameras.
I’ve taken photos for 2 years now with a 35mm lens at weddings and I can tell you that this focal length is one of the most versatile ones when compared to other primes. Portraits, landscape, documentary, street or even astrophotography are perfect to do with a 35mm lens. Also, 35mm lenses are excellent if you want to get a cinematic and more dramatic look in your photos.
I was very thrilled when SAMYANG told me that a 35mm F1.2 lens was added to the XP series!
As always: I don’t take any pictures of test charts nor do I become crazy about vignetting (as it is easily corrected in post production and natural vignetting can even improve a photograph). I use lenses in real life and I fill my camera bag with lenses that have proven themselves worthy in practice and deliver uncompromisingly. I put special value on sharpness at wide apertures and especially look at beautiful bokeh.



Look and feel

 
It's  no surprise that the Samyang XP 35mm F1.2 comes in the same cool design of the XP lens series. As on the other XP lenses, you can feel how much craftsmanship Samyang has put into the lens. This premium lens comes with premium haptics – a nice aluminium-body is wrapped around all the high-end glass components of that lens. All this is accompanied by a very smooth running focus ring, so you can focus easily and very precisely.
 




 
As with the other XP lenses, this lens is manual focus only, so you’ll need good eyes, and maybe a high precision focus screen or liveview to achieve critical focus at F1.2 on a DSLR. If you adapt the SAMYANG XP 35mm F1.2 on a Sony MILC, I'd say that you will literally have an easy mode on focussing. Focus peaking helps a lot and will improve your focussing speed by a huge amount!
The SAMYANG XP 35mm F1.2 has an inbuilt autofocus confirmation chip, which helps focussing with Canon DSLRs. The aperture is also controlled electronically. EXIF Data is  available on your photographs too when shooting with the XP 35mm lens.
 

At approximately 1200 g, the XP 35mm F1.2 is quite big and heavy. That’s good and bad at the same time because carrying a lot of weight is always harder, but on the other hand, weight stabilizes your posture when you are taking photos.
Compared to other 35mm lenses with wide apertures (1.4 or 1.8.) there is quite a difference in weight (approx.  50-60%). 



Optical performance

Sharpness and bokeh. This is what the XP series is all about. I own quite a collection of extremely sharp and wide open lenses. Of the lot, the Samyang XP 50mm F1.2 is currently the sharpest lens I own. So I was wondering if the 35mm XP can beat the 50mm XP in terms of sharpness.


 

 

 Sharpness and detail visible on the globe showing Australia

After a lot of photos taken with the 35mm XP, I must say that the 50mm XP still remains the king of sharpness in my collection. But sharpness is on a excellent level at F1.2 and improves to extreme sharpness when stopped down just a bit. Just see my aperture series I shot with the lens further down in my review.
 




A portrait of myself made with the Samyang XP 35mm @ F2.2 using a 5D Mark II and window lighting only.





 
Sadly, I missed focus slightly in this photo. But it still is a great image, thanks to the cool look the 35mm lens produces!

What about corners? I am really impressed with corner sharpness on the 35mm XP! Yep, it’s awesome. It beats the Sigma 35mm 1.4 Art’s corners entirely.  You can create awesome photographs at F1.2 with a unique look!


 

 

 The Samyang XP 35mm is an extremely sharp lens – even at F1.2
ISO 100, 1/8000, F1.2 on a Canon 5D Mark II


The lens is so tack sharp, that you can see details of the vineyards when zoomed in. You can also see how sharp the birds are at the image above taken at F1.2 when zoomed in to 100%. I shot the above image without a tripod on the 5D Mark II at 1/8000 of a second.
 


F1.2
 





F1.2
 





F5.6




 
F1.2




 
F1.2




 
F8



What about colors? The colors this lens produces are so easy to fall in love with. No greenish nor purple-ish tint. Everything looks very real.


 


A leaf in the vineyards – showing the awesome colors and bokeh the Samyang XP 35mm 1.2 provides
 



The background blur ist great, while colors remain very crisp!



The bokeh is very dreamy and soft. However if you boost contrast and clarity to maximum in post, you’ll see some “onion-rings” in it.
The 35mm XP lens has some barrel distortion when shot at F1.2. It is visible if you take a picture of tiles or textures with lines. But it isn’t as bad as on other wide angle lenses.




Aperture series
On the next images I went through the whole range of apertures with this lens, so you can see sharpness and vignetting by yourself.
 




F1.2



 

F1.4
 




F2
 




F2.8
 




F4
 





F5.6




 
F8
 




F11
 





F16


As you see in the images at  F2.8, vignetting disappears completely . You will find some  chromatic aberrations at F1.2 in extremely bright areas. But that’s something that can be removed with just a few clicks in post production in Lightroom.
Sharpness gets a boost at F1.4 but even F1.2 is so sharp, that I really can’t complain. Minimum focus distance is 34 cm which doesn’t give the lens any macro use, but it isn’t made for that purpose anyway.



Manual focus

As on the other XP series lenses you will notice that this is a manual focus lens only. So this lens is used best in controlled situations. That means it is for steady subjects. I wouldn’t recommend it for sports – except if you shoot a chess duel – well then it’s okay for sports too. =)
But for portraits, landscapes, steady couple shots and even astrophotography, I wouldn’t matter about the manual focus as the inbuilt AF confirmation helps a lot.
I’ve taken some great photos with all of my XP lenses at F1.2. It may take some practice on Canon DSLRs – but is totally doable! I recommend using a manual-focus matte-screen, 10 times magnification in liveview, and maybe a display-loupe. Or use focus peaking on a Sony A7 III or A9 MILC to get the focus faster, a feature I really miss on my Canon gear. =/


Conclusion

The SAMYANG XP 35mm is an awesome, fast lens with great sharpness and bokeh. You should be aware that this lens will give the best results in in a controlled environment in terms of achieving critical focus. Also, there is some slight barrel distortion when used wide open which may be a letdown for architecture-photographers.
It may be best used in portrait, studio, landscape, astro, and food-photography. Used with high precision and good eyes, this lens will definitely deliver great images. I especially love the colors this lens renders!

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Samyang’s Guide to Achieving the Optimal Angle of View

The perfect spacing and distance are always necessary when shooting all kinds of subjects, including people, to give them a proper relationship with the beautiful space around them. So, what’s the exact distance that helps you best appreciate a work of art, or a photo?

The correct answer is the diagonal length of the full frame of a subject.

표준화각 자료 이미지
표준화각 자료 이미지

The best standpoint from which to appreciate the full view of a subject is the distance of the diagonal length of the subject frame. This wider angle is superior to standing closer at a 50 degree angle to get a more detailed view. This notion of an ideal distance or view point is also applicable in the world of photography.

For still images, keeping a distance equal to the diagonal length of the full image surface is recommended. The full frame sensor of a digital camera is 36 x 24mm and the diagonal length is 43.26mm so any distance close to this number is nearer to the ideal than the currently accepted industry standard of 50mm.

Back when film cameras were common, 45mm was the industry standard and this continued as reflex cameras needed extra space to fit a mirror. However, as mirrorless cameras become more popular again, there has been a need to return to this industry standard…which is the impetus for the Samyang AF 45mm F1.8 FE. With less distortion than a 35mm lens and wider angles than a 55mm lens, the Samyang AF 45mm F1.8 FE is a perfect lens for portraits, landscapes, architecture photography, and pictures of pets.

What is Preset Aperture Control Function?

On the Preset Aperture Control function, the aperture blade operates smoothly like a "De-clicked lens", which is advantageous for video recording.
Fujifilm cameras are engineered to control the aperture according to the minimum exposure value(F-stop), so when the camera controls the aperture, it blinks momentarily to set the proper exposure.

AF 75mm F1.8 X intentionally disconnects the communication with the camera body and the lens itself on the Preset Aperture Control function, so it is possible to smoothly adjust the exposure without flickering. ISO and shutter speed are adjusted according to the changed exposure by controlling the aperture, so the exposure value can be changed even with the 1/2 F-stop.

What is Preset Aperture Control Function?

On the Preset Aperture Control function, the aperture blade operates smoothly like a "De-clicked lens", which is advantageous for video recording.
Fujifilm cameras are engineered to control the aperture according to the minimum exposure value(F-stop), so when the camera controls the aperture, it blinks momentarily to set the proper exposure.

AF 75mm F1.8 X intentionally disconnects the communication with the camera body and the lens itself on the Preset Aperture Control function, so it is possible to smoothly adjust the exposure without flickering. ISO and shutter speed are adjusted according to the changed exposure by controlling the aperture, so the exposure value can be changed even with the 1/2 F-stop.

What is Recommended Settings for Preset Aperture Control Function?

The Preset Aperture Control function operates only when shooting video(Movie mode) and the focusing mode of the camera is set to AF mode. Please set the aperture at f/1.8 before switching the "Custom Switch" to "Mode 2. It is recommended to set the "Exposure mode" as A mode (Aperture Priority AE) or M mode (Manual Exposure).

* How to use the “Preset Aperture Control” function?

1) Camera Body Setting
      AF Mode → Video Mode ('A' or 'M' mode) → Set the Aperture @F1.8
(2) Lens Setting
      Switch your "Custom Switch” to “Mode 2(M2)"
(3) Now, you're ready to use the Preset Aperture Control function with your focus ring

What is Recommended Settings for Preset Aperture Control Function?

The Preset Aperture Control function operates only when shooting video(Movie mode) and the focusing mode of the camera is set to AF mode. Please set the aperture at f/1.8 before switching the "Custom Switch" to "Mode 2. It is recommended to set the "Exposure mode" as A mode (Aperture Priority AE) or M mode (Manual Exposure).

* How to use the “Preset Aperture Control” function?

1) Camera Body Setting
      AF Mode → Video Mode ('A' or 'M' mode) → Set the Aperture @F1.8
(2) Lens Setting
      Switch your "Custom Switch” to “Mode 2(M2)"
(3) Now, you're ready to use the Preset Aperture Control function with your focus ring

[What is Dolly Shot? How to shoot easily]

[What is Dolly shot?]

A dolly shot, also referred to as a tracking shot or trucking shot, is a camera movement technique used by cinematographers to track and follow a subject in motion. To achieve this, the camera is mounted on a device called a "dolly," which facilitates smooth tracking movement. The dolly can move in front of, behind, or alongside the subject, which can be a person, a location, a product, or any other object of focus in the frame. Through this, you can control the emotional distance between the subject and the viewer by highlighting the audiovisual and dramatic effects.

[How to take a Dolly Shot simply by handheld]

Tip. If the moving distance is long, the camera may shake, so please shoot at a focal length between 35 and 100mm.
1. Stand at a distance of about 1.5 to 2 meters away from the subject.
2. Set the custom switch to MF and Mode 3 and adjust the focal length to about 100mm.
3. After focusing on the subject, set the aperture to F8~16.
4. Slowly turn the zoom ring to the left (towards the wide-angle end) while using your upper body and arms to move the camera toward your subject.
5. Dolly Shot complete!
※ When shooting from a farther distance from the subject, use a cart or gimbal for more stable shooting.

DSLR / Full Frame
1D X Mark Ⅱ
1D X
1Ds Mark Ⅲ
1Ds
5DsR
5Ds
5D Mark Ⅳ
5D Mark Ⅲ
6D Mark Ⅱ
6D
DSLR / APS-H
1D Mark Ⅲ
1D
Mirrorless / APS-C
M6
M5
M10
M3
M2
DSLR / APS-S
7D Mark Ⅱ
7D
80D
70D
60D
30D
D60
D30
77D (9000D)
760D (8000D / Rebel T6s)
1300D (Kiss X80 / Rebel T6)
1200D (Kiss X70 / Rebel T5)
200D (Kiss X9 / Rebel SL2)
800D (Kiss X9i / Rebel T7i)
700D (Kiss X9i / Rebel T7i)
100D (Kiss X7 / Rebel SL1)
650D (Kiss X6i / Rebel T4i)
600D (Kiss X5 / Rebel T3i)
550D (Kiss X4 / Rebel T2i)
500D (Kiss X3 / Rebel T1i)
1000D (Kiss F / Rebel XS)
450D (Kiss X2 / Rebel X냐)
DSLR / Full Frame
D850
D5
D810A
D4S
D810
D750
Df
D610
D4
D800
D800E
D600
D3s
D3x
D700
D3
DSLR / APS-C
D7500
D3400
D500
D5600
D7200
D5500
D3300
D7100
D5300
D5200
D7000
D300s
D300
DSLR / Full Frame
Z6
Z7
D810A
D4S
D750
D810A
DSLR / APS-C
D7200
D500
D3300
D5500
D5600
D3400
D7500

* Cameras released within 5 years from 2019 are tested.

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