Samyang AF 35mm f/2.8 FE – Tiny but Mighty

The 35mm focal length has always been a hugely popular focal length especially with street, travel, food, and film/video work. Many say that this focal length is the closest focal length to what the human eye sees. For those that shoot crop sensor (APS-C) cameras, this focal range will equate to around 52.5mm which is as close as you will get to the popular ‘nifty fifty’ focal range. Most lens manufacturers have this focal length in their arsenal, in fact, some have several iterations of the focal length. Just to give you an idea, here are just a few –

Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM
Tamron SP 35mm F/1.4 Di USD
Tamron 35mm F/2.8 Di III OSD M1:2
Sigma AF 35mm f/1.2 DG DN Art Lens F/L-Mount
Samyang AF 35mm F2.8 FE
Samyang 35mm F1.4 AS UMC

As Travel Photographers we tend to favour zoom lenses for their flexibility, and generally, we are happy to use the f/4 versions to save on weight, size, and cost. The 35mm focal length is represented in several of our lenses such as the Sony FE 16-35mm f/4 zoom lens and the Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 lens. We also have a Sony FE 24-70mm f/4 lens but this is purely used as a backup lens these days. So when we came to the decision to purchase a 35mm prime lens with a faster aperture for low-light shots, there were a lot of choices, however, in our opinion there really was only one contender. Most of the lenses produced by lens manufacturers were either too large, too heavy or too expensive. We didn’t need a fast aperture such as f/1.4 and we really wanted something compact, lightweight, and inexpensive, that would easily fit into our Peak Design Everyday Sling 10L camera bag.

Enter, stage right, the Samyang AF 35mm f2.8 FE, also known as the “Tiny but Mighty” in their lineup of tiny lenses designed for Sony E-Mount cameras only. We had already owned the Samyang 8mm Fisheye lens from our crop sensor (APS-C) days and subsequently the Samyang 12mm f2.8 Fisheye  lens after moving to Full Frame so we knew that the results from Samyang lenses were exceptional. We also own the Samyang AF 18mm f/2.8 FE lens.

The Lens

The lens comes with a small case which gives it some added protection although we do not use it in the field as space in our camera bags is at a premium. It also comes with a plastic lens hood although it barely extends beyond the front of the lens so not sure why they bothered. The hood does, however, change the thread size of the lens. With the hood attached it fits 40.5mm filters* but without, it will take 49mm filters*. Unfortunately, this was the first thing that we lost on the lens and as a result, you have a lens that needs a different size filter and also a lens cap. Someone in Shanghai has probably found an alternative use for it!

* We recommend the use of Urth filters. Click on the banner below and use the discount code for a further 15% discount on all their products.

Above: The Sony A7Riii with the Samyang AF 35mm f2.8 FE

The lens is a minute 33mm in length, a bit longer than a pancake lens (but not much), weighing in at just over 85.6g/3.02oz (without lens cap). Like all the lenses in their “Tiny” series, the weight of these lenses make it so easy to handhold slow shutter speeds making them ideal for low light. The size is also a key factor for street and travel photographers as the lens is not too “in your face” and as a result allows you to discretely capture more shots. The lens has an aperture range of f/2.8 up to f/22. Not as fast as some other lenses which offer you f/1.4 but as mentioned above these lenses come with a price – size, weight, and cost.

The lens performs admirably from f/2.8 all the way up to f/11. Beyond f/11 the lens starts softening from the effects of diffraction. At f/2.8, this lens is amazingly sharp in the centre and the edges of the frame are pretty good as well. It does, however, suffer from considerable vignetting at f/2.8 which is correctable in post-processing. It improves as you stop down to f/4 and beyond.

This lens’s firmware has been updated several times since its release so make sure when purchasing that it has the latest version installed. If not, take it back to the retailer and ask for it to be updated. The latest version at the time of writing is Version 5 which has improved the AF-C (Auto Focus Continuous) function. If you are buying secondhand or another update is introduced in the future you will need to purchase the Samyang Lens Station to update the firmware (these cost around AUD$90)

Below is a great video from Christopher Frost –

Specifications

Here are some of the key specifications of the lens. Other specs can be found on the Samyang website.

Aperture Range: f/2.8 – f/22
Min. Focus Distance: 0.35m (1.14ft)
Filter Size: 40.5mm (with hood), 49mm (without hood)
Mount: Sony FE
Angle of View: Full Frame – 63.1º, APS-C – 42.9º
Length: 33mm/1.3in
Weight: 108.1g/3.8oz (with lens cap)

Verdict

The lens has been to Japan a couple of times as well as Hong Kong, Macau, and Shanghai and has been an invaluable addition to our bag. It has been used on both the Sony A7Rii and Sony A7Riii cameras. Our Sony FE 24-105 f/4 does most of the heavy-lifting in our photography but when we shoot in limited lighting the Samyang AF 35mm FE lens is our go-to lens.

The only thing we do not like about the lens is its lack of weather sealing. This seems to be a frustrating feature for most Samyang lenses but certainly is not a dealbreaker for us and should not deter you from purchasing this lens (if this is a deal-breaker for you then we would suggest you invest in the slightly more expensive Samyang AF 35mm f/1.8 FE lens that does have weather sealing). There is also no built-in IBIS (Image Stabilization), but that is to be expected in such a small lens and you can easily turn it on in-camera. Lastly, DO NOT LOSE THE LENS HOOD!, as you will need to buy a new one so you can still use the 40.5mm lens cap or alternatively you will need to buy a 49mm lens cap (this will also apply for any filters for this lens).

Once again, Samyang has produced a fantastic lens. It may not be as sharp as the Sony equivalent, however, for the price, it is a fantastic alternative. To sum it up in one word would have to be OUTSTANDING.

Below are some of the images we have taken with the Samyang AF 35mm f/2.8 FE.

Above: Kanazawa, Japan – Sony A7Riii + Samyang AF 35mm f2.8 FE – Shot at f2.8 – 1/200th – ISO 400

Above: Chinatown in Yokohama, Japan – Sony A7Riii + Samyang AF 35mm f2.8 FE
Shot at f5 – 1/500th – ISO 100

Above: Kanazawa, Japan – Sony A7Riii + Samyang AF 35mm f2.8 FE – Shot at f2.8 – 1/40th – ISO 1600

Above: Kanazawa, Japan – Sony A7Riii + Samyang AF 35mm f2.8 FE – Shot at f2.8 – 1/40th – ISO 10,000

Above: Kyoto, Japan – Sony A7Rii + Samyang AF 35mm f2.8 FE – Shot at f2.8 – 1/30th – ISO 320

Above: Kyoto, Japan – Sony A7Rii + Samyang AF 35mm f2.8 FE – Shot at f2.8 – 1/30th – ISO 2500

Conclusion

This is a fantastic lens and worth every penny. If you love the 35mm viewpoint and want a lens that is light, sharp and inexpensive then this lens really is worth considering. For us, the real benefit of this lens is its size. It is such a low-profile lens that it doesn’t attract much attention when shooting candid subjects. If you want a slightly sharper but less compact lens then you may want to consider the Samyang AF 35mm f1.8 FE lens which is another lens in the ‘Tiny’ series. This is a fantastic lens as well, however, it’s a trade-off between having a faster lens that is longer in size with only a minimal increase in sharpness.

The Samyang AF 35mm f2.8 FE currently costs between AUD$500-$600 in Australia but with the link below, it is currently priced at USD$229 at the time of writing this post. In comparison, purchasing the Sony Zeiss 35mm F2.8 will currently cost in excess of AUD$700.

RATED: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Where to buy?

If you are interested in purchasing this lens or any of the other 'Tiny' lenses then click on one of the links below.

Samyang AF 18mm f/2.8 FE - Tiny but Super Wide -  Adorama / Buy in Australia (use coupon code below)
Samyang AF 24mm f/2.8 FE - Tiny but Wide -  Adorama / Buy in Australia
Samyang AF 24mm f/1.8 FE - Masterpiece for Astrophotography -  Adorama / Buy in Australia
Samyang AF 35mm f/1.8 FE - Tiny but All-Around -  Adorama / Buy in Australia 
Samyang AF 35mm f/2.8 FE - Tiny but Mighty -  Adorama / Buy in Australia 
Samyang AF 45mm f/1.8 FE - Tiny but Premium -  Adorama / Buy in Australia
Samyang AF 75mm f/1.8 FE - Tiny but Absolute -  Adorama / Buy in Australia

If you liked this post you may also like to read our reviews of the Samyang AF 18mm F2.8 FE – Tiny but Super Wide, Samyang AF 24mm f2.8 FE, Samyang AF 35mm f1.8 FE – Tiny but All-Around, Samyang AF 45mm F1.8 FE – Tiny but Premium, Samyang AF 75mm f1.8 FE – Tiny but Absolute, and Samyang 12mm F2.8 ED AS NCS Fisheye lenses. To read any of our other reviews click here

Other equipment mentioned in this post can be purchased at the following links –

Sony A7Riii Mirrorless Camera – Buy here at Adorama / Buy in Australia
Sony A7Rii Mirrorless Camera – Buy here at Adorama / Buy in Australia
Sony FE 16-35 f/4 – Buy here at Adorama / Buy in Australia
Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 – Buy here at Adorama / Buy in Australia
Sony FE 24-70mm f/4 – Buy here at Adorama / Buy in Australia
Samyang 8mm f/3.5 Fisheye – Buy here at Adorama  /  Buy in Australia
Samyang 12mm f/2.8 Fisheye – Buy here at Adorama  / Buy in Australia (use WSP10 for 10% discount)

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