Samyang 50mm f/1.2 AS UMC CS
Summary
The Samyang 50mm f/1.2 AS UMC CS is a solid optical performer — a short telephoto prime (75mm equivalent) with f/1.2 maximum aperture. The lens is priced at approximately ~$500 USD. Please check the official product page for sample images, manuals, and firmware updates.
Genre Suitability
- Excellent for: Landscape, Architecture, Street, Travel
- Adequate for: Nightscape, Portrait, Sport, Wildlife
- Avoid for: Macro
Strengths
- Negligible distortion
Weaknesses
- Below-average flare resistance
- Low macro capability (0.13x magnification)
- No built-in optical stabilization
Specifications 19/20
| Optical construction | 9 elements in 7 groups (2 aspherical) |
| Coating | UMC |
| Focal length | 50mm |
| Max aperture | f/1.2 |
| Sweet spot | f/4 |
| Aperture blades | 9 (circular) |
| Sunstar points | 18 (soft — circular blades) |
| Max magnification | 0.13x |
| Min focus distance | 500mm |
| 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 | 400g |
| Diameter | 67.5mm |
| Length | 74.5mm |
| Filter thread | 62mm |
| Year | 2017 |
MTF Charts
| Position | 10S | 10M | 30S | 30M |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Center | 0.96 | 0.96 | 0.81 | 0.80 |
| 2mm | 0.96 | 0.96 | 0.81 | 0.76 |
| 4mm | 0.96 | 0.95 | 0.80 | 0.75 |
| 6mm | 0.96 | 0.95 | 0.77 | 0.77 |
| 8mm | 0.96 | 0.96 | 0.76 | 0.76 |
| 10mm | 0.96 | 0.96 | 0.80 | 0.81 |
| 12mm | 0.95 | 0.96 | 0.81 | 0.78 |
| 14mm | 0.93 | 0.94 | 0.73 | 0.74 |
| Position | 10S | 10M | 30S | 30M |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Center | 0.98 | 0.99 | 0.97 | 0.96 |
| 2mm | 0.99 | 0.98 | 0.97 | 0.93 |
| 4mm | 0.99 | 0.98 | 0.97 | 0.92 |
| 6mm | 0.98 | 0.98 | 0.97 | 0.93 |
| 8mm | 0.99 | 0.99 | 0.98 | 0.95 |
| 10mm | 0.99 | 0.98 | 0.98 | 0.91 |
| 12mm | 0.99 | 0.99 | 0.97 | 0.85 |
| 14mm | 0.99 | 0.96 | 0.97 | 0.82 |
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 | 1.0 |
| Longitudinal CA | 1.0 |
| Lateral CA | 1.5 |
| Distortion | 2.0 |
| Vignetting (wide open) | 1.5 |
| Vignetting (stopped) | 2.0 |
| Bokeh | 1.0 |
| Flare resistance | 0.5 |
Sharpness
- Acceptable center sharpness wide open
- Acceptable corner sharpness wide open
- Outstanding center resolution stopped down
- Good corner-to-corner sharpness stopped down
Aberrations
- Moderate longitudinal CA, correctable in post
- Well-controlled lateral CA
- Moderate coma at the extreme corners
- Negligible astigmatism
- Moderate spherical aberration
Rendering
- Acceptable bokeh rendering
- Mild vignetting wide open
- Vignetting essentially gone by f/5.6
- Below-average flare resistance
Distortion
- Negligible distortion — straight lines stay straight
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/1.2 aperture
- Well-controlled lateral CA
- Acceptable center sharpness wide open
- Acceptable corner sharpness wide open
- Moderate longitudinal CA, correctable in post
- Mild vignetting wide open
- Moderate 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
- Negligible distortion — straight lines stay straight
- Well-controlled lateral CA
- Moderate longitudinal CA, correctable in post
- Vignetting essentially gone by f/5.6
- Below-average flare resistance
- Negligible astigmatism
- Moderate coma at the extreme corners
✓ Architecture Photography 4/5
Architecture Photography prioritizes geometric precision with minimal distortion and even corner sharpness.
- Good corner-to-corner sharpness stopped down
- Outstanding center resolution stopped down
- Negligible distortion — straight lines stay straight
- Well-controlled lateral CA
- Vignetting essentially gone by f/5.6
- Below-average 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/1.2 aperture
- Acceptable center sharpness wide open
- Below-average flare resistance
- Moderate longitudinal CA, correctable in post
- Moderate coma at the extreme corners
✓ Travel Photography 4/5
Travel Photography prioritizes balanced image quality in a lightweight package.
- Outstanding center resolution stopped down
- Lightweight at 400g
- Fast f/1.2 aperture
- Below-average flare resistance
- Moderate longitudinal CA, correctable in post
~ 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
- Moderate longitudinal CA, correctable in post
- Moderate spherical aberration
- Mild 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/1.2 aperture
- Moderate longitudinal CA, correctable in post
- Well-controlled lateral CA
~ 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/1.2 aperture
- Moderate longitudinal CA, correctable in post
- Well-controlled lateral CA
✗ Macro Photography 1/5
Macro Photography prioritizes stopped-down center sharpness and high magnification for close-up detail.
- Outstanding center resolution stopped down
- Low magnification (0.13x)
- Negligible distortion — straight lines stay straight
- Well-controlled lateral CA
- Moderate longitudinal CA, correctable in post
- Moderate spherical aberration
- Acceptable bokeh rendering