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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Rokinon/Samyang 85mm Cine SOOO SHARP

couldn't agree more Matt, I've got the 14,24,35,85 and love them, as run and gun lenses you cant get anything better when it comes to value for money. A few weeks ago I shot an entire music video just on the 35mm.
I just wish they all had the same front diameter so using screw on filters would be easier when not using a big setup with mattebox. nice shot !
 
Dominik Muench said:
couldn't agree more Matt, I've got the 14,24,35,85 and love them, as run and gun lenses you cant get anything better when it comes to value for money. A few weeks ago I shot an entire music video just on the 35mm.
I just wish they all had the same front diameter so using screw on filters would be easier when not using a big setup with mattebox. nice shot !
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Thanks man, yeah I have the set too and love them all (16mm instead of the 14mm though). To me, these are my top of the line, best lenses for the biggest productions....nothing run and gun about them! (without going into the whole "cine VS still lens debate"). The compromises they have aren't an issue for me so far. The last feature I shot was on a complete G series Nikkor still lenses set...these are a step up from those IMHO. If a client agrees to spend money on glass instead of grip over these bad boys though, I'll be happy either way.
 
If the client isn't on set and wouldn't see photos of the setup, I can guarantee that most people wouldn't be able to tell what this footage was shot on. They actually flare really nicely too.
If rokinon would release those in a sturdy metal housing....sweet baby jesus ^^
 
Dominik Muench said:
If the client isn't on set and wouldn't see photos of the setup, I can guarantee that most people wouldn't be able to tell what this footage was shot on. They actually flare really nicely too.
If rokinon would release those in a sturdy metal housing....sweet baby jesus ^^
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True that....it's sad that people are swayed by brands....but hey, that's changing. And yeah man, I wish they were tougher so I could bash them around a bit....they are well made, but the plastic was a bad choice. Keeps cost down I guess, but I'd pay double for something stronger.
 
Matthew Scott said:
True that....it's sad that people are swayed by brands....but hey, that's changing. And yeah man, I wish they were tougher so I could bash them around a bit....they are well made, but the plastic was a bad choice. Keeps cost down I guess, but I'd pay double for something stronger.
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Im actually tempted to go down to Panavision in Jan and borrow a couple of Zeiss and Cooks and do a little shootout with the rokinons for some side by side comparisons. rokinons against S4's might be a bit extreme but I found a website where someone tested them agains the Cp2's and the canon L series lenses and once they were stopped down a bit to around f4-F5.6.....there was hardly any difference between the rokinons and the higher end glass....absolutely insane.
 
Dominik Muench said:
Im actually tempted to go down to Panavision in Jan and borrow a couple of Zeiss and Cooks and do a little shootout with the rokinons for some side by side comparisons. rokinons against S4's might be a bit extreme but I found a website where someone tested them agains the Cp2's and the canon L series lenses and once they were stopped down a bit to around f4-F5.6.....there was hardly any difference between the rokinons and the higher end glass....absolutely insane.
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Yeah, I saw that review before I purchased them. Are they worth testing against other lenses though? We already know they are awesome right? ;) I'll be shooting two features with them next year...hopefully 3! (with an AiS Nikkor 50, 105 and 180 to fill the gaps). Should be a good test hehe...considering that 90% of my work up until now has been shot with 20yr old nikkors, I'm pretty confident that they will be winners. My AC's are loving them too....although the focus marks are pretty small, it just comes back to "wait....how much were they?" hehe...
 
Joining in as a post whore just to say: +1

I like what they produce, though I only have real hands-on experience with the 35 and the 85. But these are great.
Duclos was comparing these pretty much par to the Zeiss ZE / ZF as well. And if you check it out on DXO the ratings come out pretty similar.
They only need to get the 50 right! And get it out soon ;)

I was wondering how hard and expensive it would be to rehouse these with metal housing. Maybe one day I'll ask Nan from GL.
 
What I haven't found yet is a good comparison between the Samyang 14 and the 16. Since they are so close to each other, it would be nice to know which one performs better.
 
I couldn't agree more. I especially like the 35mm. Really looking forward to the 50mm lens, which they say may be available some time in 2014.

BTW, Matt, as I don't write often in RU, just wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for your great tutorials and input here in RU. Very inspiring stuff and incredibly helpful!!!

Cheers
 
I've been thinking about putting a set of these together for a while now. You guys have pretty much sold me.
I'm going to start with the 35 and 85 and see how I get on.
Thanks for sharing.
 
Chris: you wont regret those at all, I recently shot an entire music video just on the 35mm, the 85 is wonderful for portraits as well. granted the 14mm has some distortion, but still, for a few establishing widescreen vistas its a great lens. if these came with metal housings rokinon could kill it in the independent market.
 
I just shot mine alongside my CP.2s for the first time today, and have to say I'm pretty impressed. The Zeisses clearly win for contrast, and bokeh rendering isn't really a comparison (those 14-blade apertures on ze Germans really do work some magic). But as far as sharpness and chromatic aberration handling go, the Rokinons punch well above their weight. And focus control is much nicer for motion work than most stills lenses I've used before.
 
They are hard to sell to clients who never heard of them, but once I show them some screen grabs or footage. They are sold on the lenses. I like shooting them at a 2/2.8 split. Its not too sharp, and the roll off is nice. Huge fan of them, and always use them as my go to EF mount lens set.

Quick still from yesterday's shoot. 24mm at 2.8
bk bridge.jpg
 
Had the 85 for a while, just invested in 16 and 35 - going for the 24 asap. Not yet having a 50 in the set is maddening, but they really are amazing for the cash. Just wrapped a short using 16/35/85 exclusively (1/4 BPM on these):

4ohqWZv.jpg

DMSKryo.jpg

ToTLaiF.jpg
 
That looks great, Sam! I'm all in on Rokinon/Samyang as well.

The 16mm is designed for APS-C sensors, but I tested it at 5K on MX and it covers the S35 frame as long as you keep it open above a t5.6 - I still can't believe that you can buy this lens for $400 on eBay. A wide angle lens at t2.2 that covers 4K on MX. What's not to love about that?

They could charge double or triple for each of their lenses (85mm is ridiculous) and I'd still buy them. And B&H has a trio (24, 35, 85) for $1300 until December 10. That's a steal.

I'm really anticipating their t1.2 50mm cinema prime to round out the set.

FYI for those needing a place to put them: the lenses fit nicely with Duclos foam inserts in a Pelican 2450
 
Anyone finding that the Rokinons focus mechanism sort of detaches from within. like you focus, then there is slack, then it picks up again in the other direction?
 
Timur, my 35mm does that. It always re-engages, but it definitely sucks. It's the only thing I can say about these lenses that's negative.
 
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