Samyang 8mm f/2.8 ED AS IF UMC Fisheye
Summary
The Samyang 8mm f/2.8 ED AS IF UMC Fisheye is a solid optical performer — a ultra-wide prime (12mm equivalent) with f/2.8 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, Travel, Sport, Wildlife
- Adequate for: Nightscape, Street
- Avoid for: Architecture
Strengths
- Good overall sharpness
Weaknesses
- Heavy distortion requiring software correction
- Noticeable vignetting wide open
Specifications 17/20
| Optical construction | 11 elements in 8 groups (2 aspherical, 3 ED) |
| Coating | UMC |
| Focal length | 8mm |
| Max aperture | f/2.8 |
| Sweet spot | f/4 |
| Aperture blades | 6 |
| Sunstar points | 6 (sharp — straight blades) |
| Max magnification | — |
| 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 | 200g |
| Diameter | 60mm |
| Length | 64.8mm |
| Filter thread | — |
| Year | 2012 |
MTF Charts
| Position | 10S | 10M | 30S | 30M |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Center | 0.98 | 0.98 | 0.93 | 0.93 |
| 2mm | 0.98 | 0.99 | 0.95 | 0.92 |
| 4mm | 0.98 | 0.98 | 0.94 | 0.90 |
| 6mm | 0.97 | 0.98 | 0.89 | 0.90 |
| 8mm | 0.96 | 0.97 | 0.81 | 0.84 |
| 10mm | 0.95 | 0.96 | 0.73 | 0.79 |
| 12mm | 0.93 | 0.95 | 0.65 | 0.73 |
| 14mm | 0.91 | 0.94 | 0.61 | 0.66 |
| Position | 10S | 10M | 30S | 30M |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Center | 0.98 | 0.98 | 0.99 | 0.98 |
| 2mm | 0.99 | 0.98 | 0.99 | 0.96 |
| 4mm | 0.99 | 0.98 | 0.99 | 0.94 |
| 6mm | 0.99 | 0.98 | 0.99 | 0.91 |
| 8mm | 0.99 | 0.97 | 0.98 | 0.87 |
| 10mm | 0.99 | 0.97 | 0.98 | 0.82 |
| 12mm | 0.99 | 0.96 | 0.98 | 0.77 |
| 14mm | 1.00 | 0.95 | 0.97 | 0.69 |
Optical Quality 12/14
| Center (wide open) | 2.0 |
| Corner (wide open) | 1.5 |
| Center (stopped) | 2.0 |
| Corner (stopped) | 1.5 |
| Coma | 1.0 |
| Astigmatism | 2.0 |
| Spherical aberration | 1.5 |
| Longitudinal CA | 1.0 |
| Lateral CA | 1.0 |
| Distortion | 0.0 |
| Vignetting (wide open) | 0.5 |
| Flare resistance | 1.0 |
Sharpness
- Excellent center sharpness wide open
- Good corner performance wide open
- Outstanding center resolution stopped down
- Good corner-to-corner sharpness stopped down
Aberrations
- Moderate longitudinal CA, correctable in post
- Moderate lateral CA, auto-corrected by most software
- Moderate coma at the extreme corners
- Negligible astigmatism
- Well-corrected spherical aberration
Rendering
- Noticeable vignetting wide open
- Acceptable flare resistance with modern coatings
Distortion
- Heavy distortion requiring software correction
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
- Slow f/2.8 aperture
- Moderate lateral CA, auto-corrected by most software
- Excellent center sharpness wide open
- Good corner performance wide open
- Moderate longitudinal CA, correctable in post
- 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
- Heavy distortion requiring software correction
- Moderate lateral CA, auto-corrected by most software
- Moderate longitudinal CA, correctable in post
- Acceptable flare resistance with modern coatings
- Negligible astigmatism
- Moderate coma at the extreme corners
✗ Architecture Photography 1/5
Architecture Photography prioritizes geometric precision with minimal distortion and even corner sharpness.
- Good corner-to-corner sharpness stopped down
- Outstanding center resolution stopped down
- Heavy distortion requiring software correction
- Moderate lateral CA, auto-corrected by most software
- Acceptable flare resistance with modern coatings
~ Street Photography 3/5
Street Photography prioritizes sharp stopped-down performance and a fast enough aperture for low light.
- Outstanding center resolution stopped down
- Slow f/2.8 aperture
- Excellent center sharpness wide open
- Acceptable flare resistance with modern coatings
- 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 200g
- Slow f/2.8 aperture
- Acceptable flare resistance with modern coatings
- Moderate longitudinal CA, correctable in post
✓ Sport Photography 4/5
Sport Photography prioritizes sharp wide-open center performance to freeze action at fast shutter speeds.
- Excellent center sharpness wide open
- Slow f/2.8 aperture
- Moderate longitudinal CA, correctable in post
- Moderate lateral CA, auto-corrected by most software
✓ Wildlife Photography 4.5/5
Wildlife Photography prioritizes center sharpness across apertures for distant subjects.
- Excellent center sharpness wide open
- Outstanding center resolution stopped down
- Slow f/2.8 aperture
- Moderate longitudinal CA, correctable in post
- Moderate lateral CA, auto-corrected by most software