When is the Samyang 14mm f/2.4 coming to Nikon?

[crimbfighter]

I was originally going to buy the Irix 15mm f/2.4, but unfortunately reviews are just not what I was hoping for in the IQ department. So, I was then planning to get the trusty Samyang 14mm f/2.8. THEN Samyang announced their premium lens line, starting with their 85mm f/1.2 and 14mm f/2.4. Soooo, I am seriously looking at their 14mm f/2.4 (as the reviews are really good) and everything their website says, as well as all the people who have reviewed the lens since it's release in December, say it's available for Nikon. However, I can't seem to find it anywhere for Nikon, only Canon. Nor can I find any info online about any delay. Has anyone heard why? Is there a delay in the Nikon mount for some reason?

 

[table1349]

These folks seem to like the Irix

{{header.title || 'DigitalRev - Focus on photography'}}

First Irix 15mm f/2.4 review with test photos.: Nikon SLR Lens Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review

 

[crimbfighter]

These folks seem to like the Irix

{{header.title || 'DigitalRev - Focus on photography'}}

First Irix 15mm f/2.4 review with test photos.: Nikon SLR Lens Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review

Don't get me wrong, it has some very good qualities. The areas where it loses me is sharpness wide open in the corners and flare control. I loved the features you get with the Irix, and the distortion control, but too many reviews show it has poor flare control and sharpness in the corners wide open isn't good. Worse than the less expensive, older Samyang 14mm...

 

[table1349]

Those are two complaints that are common to all ultra wide angle lenses. Just because a lens has a large aperture doesn't mean that one should generally shoot at that aperture. As for flare, that is the nature of the beast when you get that wide.

 

[crimbfighter]

Those are two complaints that are common to all ultra wide angle lenses. Just because a lens has a large aperture doesn't mean that one should generally shoot at that aperture. As for flare, that is the nature of the beast when you get that wide.

Agreed. But other lenses have also proven to handle those two issues better than the Irix is. Particularly the new Samyang. The biggest reason I want the large aperture is for astro photography, and with poor corner performance it causes smearing of the stars. Stopped down to f/2.8, the Irix is still outdone in corner performance by the old Samyang..

Again, I think the Irix is a good lens for several reasons, but I also think there is a better performing lens available, though for some reason not for Nikon yet!

 

[Derrel]

These folks seem to like the Irix

{{header.title || 'DigitalRev - Focus on photography'}}

First Irix 15mm f/2.4 review with test photos.: Nikon SLR Lens Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review

A more thorough review RIPS it, and looking at the actual photos make the Iris look like rubbish...and keep in mind these negatives are from only the LAST few pages of the Irix review. The edge performance of the irix is exceedingly poor at f/2.4, f/4, and f/5.6....just garbage.

yeah...this lens is NOT a good ultra-wide lens.

Irix 15 mm f/2.4 Blackstone review - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh - LensTip.com
Bad coma….worse than the much lower-cost Samyang 14mm f/2.8 lens

Irix 15 mm f/2.4 Blackstone review - Vignetting - LensTip.com
"As a result you get one of the highest vignetting values we’ve seen in our tests so far. At the maximum relative aperture it amounts to as much as 72% (−3.64 EV) and deserves to be called monstrous. The f/2.8 aperture is equally weak, with a result of 66% (−3.10 EV). Even by f/4.0 you still deal with a high level of that aberration as it gets to 48% (−1.87 EV).”


Ummm, yeah….that’s the MOST vignetting Lenstip’s testing lab has **ever** encountered. And closed down to f/4, there is still over one and two-third stops’ worth of light fall-off?


Irix 15 mm f/2.4 Blackstone review - Ghosting and flares - LensTip.com

“According to our expectations the situation is not exactly rosy. The flares are distinct, they appear in different combinations of settings and often they are able to spoil the frame completely.”


Ugggh! Good Lord///LOOK at how dramatic these flares are!!! Would be awesome for that Zoom Lens Flare Shot in a spaghetti western…but wait..this is a prime lens, and it flares like a ba&+$R@! The 23-flare performance on the Canon 50D…OMG…staggeringly AWFUL when shooting toward the light.

 

[fmw]

It is really hard to design a great, rectilinear ultra wide for an SLR. The retrofocus requirement makes it a serious challenge. I've owned both the 18mm f2.8 and 14mm f2.8 Nikkors back in the day. The 18 was an incrediby good lens. The 14 was passable. Both of them were painfully expensive. If you want an ultra wide for a few hundred dollars I think you just need to accept some compromise. I doubt one will be much better than another.

 

[crimbfighter]

It is really hard to design a great, rectilinear ultra wide for an SLR. The retrofocus requirement makes it a serious challenge. I've owned both the 18mm f2.8 and 14mm f2.8 Nikkors back in the day. The 18 was an incrediby good lens. The 14 was passable. Both of them were painfully expensive. If you want an ultra wide for a few hundred dollars I think you just need to accept some compromise. I doubt one will be much better than another.

This is specifically why I'm now looking at the new Samyang instead of the Irix.. It is much better optically for a couple hundred more. The reviews have clearly placed it well above many of its competitors. I understand it's hard to design a wide rectilinear lens, and I'm now looking more in the $900-$1000 range, which is where the new Samyang lens is, because I don't want to compromise on some of those things. I figured the Irix would be a compromise lens to begin with, it just compromised too much in those areas that are important to me, which took it off the table.

So back to my original point, anyone know why the new Samyang might not be available for Nikon yet?

 

[Derrel]

I just plugged in Samyang 14mm f/2.8 for NIKON and hit the search command, and B&H Photo says order now for shipment in three days, on 2/20.

Samyang 14mm Ultra Wide-Angle f/2.8 IF ED UMC Lens SY14MAE-N B&H

 

[goooner]

That is the 2.8 lens Derrel. I think the OP is interested in the 2.4 premium...

 

[crimbfighter]

I just plugged in Samyang 14mm f/2.8 for NIKON and hit the search command, and B&H Photo says order now for shipment in three days, on 2/20.

Samyang 14mm Ultra Wide-Angle f/2.8 IF ED UMC Lens SY14MAE-N B&H

That is the 2.8 lens Derrel. I think the OP is interested in the 2.4 premium...

goooner is correct, I'm looking at the new 14mm f/2.4 premium lens.

 

[Derrel]

Oh, my bad! I thought he wanted the 2.8 Samyang. I was confusing it with the f/2.4 Irix...which really looks great on-paper or to the casual lens review sites, but does not seem to hold up in several metrics. I wonder if the off-the-main-path dealers might have some f/2.4 models? Not the Big Five dealers, but maybe like Roberts Imaging, in Texas, perhaps? If Samyang annoucned December availablility for their premium f/2.4 model 14mm lens, they're not too far behind the curve as far as delivery/availability. My experience on new lenses has been that the Big Five stores sell out immediately, but that smaller-market dealers often have samples of new lenses to sell.

 

[nerwin]

Still though, $329 for a 14mm 2.8?! Don't tempt me!

 

[crimbfighter]

Oh, my bad! I thought he wanted the 2.8 Samyang. I was confusing it with the f/2.4 Irix...which really looks great on-paper or to the casual lens review sites, but does not seem to hold up in several metrics. I wonder if the off-the-main-path dealers might have some f/2.4 models? Not the Big Five dealers, but maybe like Roberts Imaging, in Texas, perhaps? If Samyang annoucned December availablility for their premium f/2.4 model 14mm lens, they're not too far behind the curve as far as delivery/availability. My experience on new lenses has been that the Big Five stores sell out immediately, but that smaller-market dealers often have samples of new lenses to sell.

The problem is that the Canon mount version is already available for purchase and is in stock with most retailers. Has been for a month. However, the Nikon mount, and Sony mount for that matter, which Samyang says they make, aren't even available as a preorder option anywhere

I dunno, there must be some delay that Samyang isn't disclosing...

 

[crimbfighter]

Still though, $329 for a 14mm 2.8?! Don't tempt me!

I'm quite tempted, but since I don't anticipate using it much until this summer, I can hold out...