Samyang 35mm f/1.4 AS UMC
Summary
The Samyang 35mm f/1.4 AS UMC is a solid optical performer — a standard prime (53mm equivalent) with f/1.4 maximum aperture. The lens is priced at approximately ~$750 USD. Please check the official product page for sample images, manuals, and firmware updates.
Genre Suitability
- Excellent for: Landscape, Street
- Adequate for: Nightscape, Architecture, Travel, Portrait, Sport, Wildlife
- Avoid for: Macro
Strengths
- Good flare resistance
Weaknesses
- Noticeable longitudinal CA on high-contrast edges
- Noticeable vignetting wide open
Specifications 19/20
| Optical construction | 12 elements in 10 groups (1 aspherical, 2 HR) |
| Coating | UMC |
| Focal length | 35mm |
| Max aperture | f/1.4 |
| Sweet spot | f/4 |
| Aperture blades | 8 |
| Sunstar points | 8 (sharp — straight blades) |
| Max magnification | 0.2x |
| Min focus distance | 300mm |
| AF motor | Manual focus |
| OIS | No |
| Weather sealed | No |
| Aperture ring | Yes |
| Clickless aperture | No |
| Focus ring | Yes |
| Focus by wire | No |
| Distance scale | Yes |
| Rotating front | No |
| Tripod mount | No |
| Weight | 700g |
| Diameter | 83mm |
| Length | 137.8mm |
| Filter thread | 77mm |
| Year | 2014 |
MTF Charts
| Position | 10S | 10M | 30S | 30M |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Center | 0.91 | 0.91 | 0.71 | 0.71 |
| 5mm | 0.92 | 0.93 | 0.71 | 0.71 |
| 10mm | 0.93 | 0.93 | 0.74 | 0.74 |
| 15mm | 0.92 | 0.91 | 0.71 | 0.71 |
| 20mm | 0.76 | 0.87 | 0.46 | 0.58 |
| Position | 10S | 10M | 30S | 30M |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Center | 0.98 | 0.99 | 0.91 | 0.90 |
| 5mm | 0.99 | 0.98 | 0.92 | 0.85 |
| 10mm | 0.99 | 0.96 | 0.96 | 0.95 |
| 15mm | 0.99 | 0.96 | 0.97 | 0.72 |
| 20mm | 0.99 | 0.94 | 0.92 | 0.71 |
Optical Quality 14/14
| Center (wide open) | 1.0 |
| Corner (wide open) | 1.0 |
| Center (stopped) | 2.0 |
| Corner (stopped) | 1.5 |
| Coma | 1.0 |
| Astigmatism | 2.0 |
| Spherical aberration | 1.5 |
| Longitudinal CA | 0.5 |
| Lateral CA | 2.0 |
| Distortion | 1.0 |
| Vignetting (wide open) | 0.5 |
| Vignetting (stopped) | 1.5 |
| Bokeh | 1.0 |
| Flare resistance | 1.5 |
Sharpness
- Acceptable center sharpness wide open
- Acceptable corner sharpness wide open
- Outstanding center resolution stopped down
- Good corner-to-corner sharpness stopped down
Aberrations
- Noticeable longitudinal CA on high-contrast edges
- Negligible lateral chromatic aberration
- Moderate coma at the extreme corners
- Negligible astigmatism
- Well-corrected spherical aberration
Rendering
- Acceptable bokeh rendering
- Noticeable vignetting wide open
- Vignetting clears well when stopped down
- Good flare resistance
Distortion
- Moderate distortion, handled by camera profiles
All optical scores are based on lab measurements and field tests from trusted review sources. For details on how we score lenses, see our scoring methodology.
Genre Fit
~ Nightscape Photography 3/5
Nightscape Photography prioritizes coma control, astigmatism correction, and a fast aperture for short star exposures.
- Moderate coma at the extreme corners
- Negligible astigmatism
- Fast f/1.4 aperture
- Negligible lateral chromatic aberration
- Acceptable center sharpness wide open
- Acceptable corner sharpness wide open
- Noticeable longitudinal CA on high-contrast edges
- Noticeable vignetting wide open
- Well-corrected spherical aberration
✓ Landscape Photography 4/5
Landscape Photography prioritizes corner-to-corner sharpness at stopped-down apertures and good flare resistance.
- Good corner-to-corner sharpness stopped down
- Outstanding center resolution stopped down
- Moderate distortion, handled by camera profiles
- Negligible lateral chromatic aberration
- Noticeable longitudinal CA on high-contrast edges
- Vignetting clears well when stopped down
- Good flare resistance
- Negligible astigmatism
- Moderate coma at the extreme corners
~ Architecture Photography 3/5
Architecture Photography prioritizes geometric precision with minimal distortion and even corner sharpness.
- Good corner-to-corner sharpness stopped down
- Outstanding center resolution stopped down
- Moderate distortion, handled by camera profiles
- Negligible lateral chromatic aberration
- Vignetting clears well when stopped down
- Good flare resistance
✓ Street Photography 4/5
Street Photography prioritizes sharp stopped-down performance and a fast enough aperture for low light.
- Outstanding center resolution stopped down
- Fast f/1.4 aperture
- Acceptable center sharpness wide open
- Good flare resistance
- Noticeable longitudinal CA on high-contrast edges
- Moderate coma at the extreme corners
~ Travel Photography 3/5
Travel Photography prioritizes balanced image quality in a lightweight package.
- Outstanding center resolution stopped down
- Heavy at 700g
- Fast f/1.4 aperture
- Good flare resistance
- Noticeable longitudinal CA on high-contrast edges
~ Portrait Photography 3/5
Portrait Photography prioritizes smooth bokeh and critical center sharpness wide open for subject isolation.
- Acceptable bokeh rendering
- Acceptable center sharpness wide open
- Noticeable longitudinal CA on high-contrast edges
- Well-corrected spherical aberration
- Noticeable vignetting wide open
~ Sport Photography 3/5
Sport Photography prioritizes sharp wide-open center performance to freeze action at fast shutter speeds.
- Acceptable center sharpness wide open
- Fast f/1.4 aperture
- Noticeable longitudinal CA on high-contrast edges
- Negligible lateral chromatic aberration
~ Wildlife Photography 3/5
Wildlife Photography prioritizes center sharpness across apertures for distant subjects.
- Acceptable center sharpness wide open
- Outstanding center resolution stopped down
- Fast f/1.4 aperture
- Noticeable longitudinal CA on high-contrast edges
- Negligible lateral chromatic aberration
✗ Macro Photography 2/5
Macro Photography prioritizes stopped-down center sharpness and high magnification for close-up detail.
- Outstanding center resolution stopped down
- Low magnification (0.2x)
- Moderate distortion, handled by camera profiles
- Negligible lateral chromatic aberration
- Noticeable longitudinal CA on high-contrast edges
- Well-corrected spherical aberration
- Acceptable bokeh rendering