Review - Samyang (Rokinon) 50mm f/1.2 AS UMC

[Canon Rumors]

Discuss our review of the Samyang (Rokinon) 50mm f/1.2 AS UMC here.

 

[TAF]

It is nice to see a 3rd party manufacturer making an effort to provide for the EF-M folks...although for the price, I expect that many users will find an old 50mm f1.2 FD lens with an adapter a more affordable and equally excellent solution (albeit somewhat larger).

 

[surapon]

Dear Great Teachers and Friends.
Yes, I just get the Illness " G.A.S." again to see this awesome Rokinon 50 MM. F/ 1.2. But I need to ask you some question Sir/ Madame.
I have EOS-M MK I and With me on my Fanny Pack 95% of the times, with Canon EF-M 22MM. F/ 2.0, EF-M 18-55 IS, F/ 3.5-5.6, Rokinon 12 mm. F/ 2.0 CS. M. + Canon EF to EF-M Mount Adapter.
The Question = I can use Canon Mounted EF to EF-M with Sigma 50 mm F/ 1.4 TOO. DO I NEED TO GET this new baby Rokinon 50 mm. F/ 1.2 AS USM for another $500 US Dollars ?
Thank you, Sir/ Madame.
Surapon

 

[grainier]

I don't mind manual focus. I very much mind stop-down metering.

 

[AJ]

very nice bokeh!

 

[TWI by Dustin Abbott]

I don't mind manual focus. I very much mind stop-down metering.

I had no need for stop down metering. I set the aperture and the camera meters the amount of light reaching the sensor - end of story. It works great in AV mode, for example, with no need to manually meter.

 

[TWI by Dustin Abbott]

Dear Great Teachers and Friends.
Yes, I just get the Illness " G.A.S." again to see this awesome Rokinon 50 MM. F/ 1.2. But I need to ask you some question Sir/ Madame.
I have EOS-M MK I and With me on my Fanny Pack 95% of the times, with Canon EF-M 22MM. F/ 2.0, EF-M 18-55 IS, F/ 3.5-5.6, Rokinon 12 mm. F/ 2.0 CS. M. + Canon EF to EF-M Mount Adapter.
The Question = I can use Canon Mounted EF to EF-M with Sigma 50 mm F/ 1.4 TOO. DO I NEED TO GET this new baby Rokinon 50 mm. F/ 1.2 AS USM for another $500 US Dollars ?
Thank you, Sir/ Madame.
Surapon

You can definitely use your Sigma via adapter. It may not balance well or focus as quickly, but it will function just fine.

 

[surapon]

Dear Great Teachers and Friends.
Yes, I just get the Illness " G.A.S." again to see this awesome Rokinon 50 MM. F/ 1.2. But I need to ask you some question Sir/ Madame.
I have EOS-M MK I and With me on my Fanny Pack 95% of the times, with Canon EF-M 22MM. F/ 2.0, EF-M 18-55 IS, F/ 3.5-5.6, Rokinon 12 mm. F/ 2.0 CS. M. + Canon EF to EF-M Mount Adapter.
The Question = I can use Canon Mounted EF to EF-M with Sigma 50 mm F/ 1.4 TOO. DO I NEED TO GET this new baby Rokinon 50 mm. F/ 1.2 AS USM for another $500 US Dollars ?
Thank you, Sir/ Madame.
Surapon

You can definitely use your Sigma via adapter. It may not balance well or focus as quickly, but it will function just fine.

Thank you, Sir, dear great Teacher Mr. Dustin.
You save money for me. Yes, The Rokinon is Manual Focus too.
Have a great day , Sir.
Surapon

 

[Luds34]

Dear Great Teachers and Friends.
Yes, I just get the Illness " G.A.S." again to see this awesome Rokinon 50 MM. F/ 1.2. But I need to ask you some question Sir/ Madame.
I have EOS-M MK I and With me on my Fanny Pack 95% of the times, with Canon EF-M 22MM. F/ 2.0, EF-M 18-55 IS, F/ 3.5-5.6, Rokinon 12 mm. F/ 2.0 CS. M. + Canon EF to EF-M Mount Adapter.
The Question = I can use Canon Mounted EF to EF-M with Sigma 50 mm F/ 1.4 TOO. DO I NEED TO GET this new baby Rokinon 50 mm. F/ 1.2 AS USM for another $500 US Dollars ?
Thank you, Sir/ Madame.
Surapon

You can definitely use your Sigma via adapter. It may not balance well or focus as quickly, but it will function just fine.

I can confirm that it does work. However Dustin is correct, is does not balance well at all and the focus speed is reduced.

 

[-1]

I bought an EOS-M adaptor for my FD 50/1.8...

Simular to these:

http://m.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=fd+ef-m+adaptor&isNewKw=1&isRefine=true&mfs=GOCLK&acimp=0&_trksid=p2056088.m2428.l1313.TR0.TRC0.Xfd+ef-m+adaptor&sqp=fd+ef-m+adaptor

That lense can be had for next to nothing and is a good match for the EF-M 22/2.0.

 

[surapon]

Dear Great Teachers and Friends.
Yes, I just get the Illness " G.A.S." again to see this awesome Rokinon 50 MM. F/ 1.2. But I need to ask you some question Sir/ Madame.
I have EOS-M MK I and With me on my Fanny Pack 95% of the times, with Canon EF-M 22MM. F/ 2.0, EF-M 18-55 IS, F/ 3.5-5.6, Rokinon 12 mm. F/ 2.0 CS. M. + Canon EF to EF-M Mount Adapter.
The Question = I can use Canon Mounted EF to EF-M with Sigma 50 mm F/ 1.4 TOO. DO I NEED TO GET this new baby Rokinon 50 mm. F/ 1.2 AS USM for another $500 US Dollars ?
Thank you, Sir/ Madame.
Surapon

You can definitely use your Sigma via adapter. It may not balance well or focus as quickly, but it will function just fine.

I can confirm that it does work. However Dustin is correct, is does not balance well at all and the focus speed is reduced.

Thank you, Sir, dear friend Mr. Luds34
Have a great day, Sir.
Surapon

 

[Etienne]

Autofocus has advanced so far with DPAF, which is likely to be in almost every future camera, that I'm very reluctant to buy manual focus lenses.

 

[grainier]

I don't mind manual focus. I very much mind stop-down metering.

I had no need for stop down metering. I set the aperture and the camera meters the amount of light reaching the sensor - end of story. It works great in AV mode, for example, with no need to manually meter.

And it has no effect on focusing?

 

[sdsr]

Yes, these little APS-C Samyang lenses are awfully appealing (their 12mm f2 and 8mm 2.8 fisheye are marvelous, though the far-from little FF 135mm is perhaps even better), and your review (as usual) makes me want to buy one (though not to use on a Canon body). Sigh....

 

[TWI by Dustin Abbott]

I don't mind manual focus. I very much mind stop-down metering.

I had no need for stop down metering. I set the aperture and the camera meters the amount of light reaching the sensor - end of story. It works great in AV mode, for example, with no need to manually meter.

And it has no effect on focusing?

None. On a M3 these lenses are actually quite easy to focus - particularly with the EV-F

 

[TWI by Dustin Abbott]

Yes, these little APS-C Samyang lenses are awfully appealing (their 12mm f2 and 8mm 2.8 fisheye are marvelous, though the far-from little FF 135mm is perhaps even better), and your review (as usual) makes me want to buy one (though not to use on a Canon body). Sigh....

I'm in the process of reviewing the 80D right now, and it makes me realize again how much better the M3 could (should) be. Why no DPAF I'll never know

 

[Haydn1971]

Hi Dustin, enjoying your EOS-M coverage - could I suggest a further article mini project, one pulling together the EOS-M Eco-system, the cameras, canons lenses, third party EF-M lenses, good options for using non EF-M lenses on the M cameras, either via the canon adapter or via other third party adaptors, stuff like what works well, what possibly likely options that didn't work out so well, battery options, third party bits... Almost an evolving mini portal of EOS-M fun

 

[Zv]

Dear Great Teachers and Friends.
Yes, I just get the Illness " G.A.S." again to see this awesome Rokinon 50 MM. F/ 1.2. But I need to ask you some question Sir/ Madame.
I have EOS-M MK I and With me on my Fanny Pack 95% of the times, with Canon EF-M 22MM. F/ 2.0, EF-M 18-55 IS, F/ 3.5-5.6, Rokinon 12 mm. F/ 2.0 CS. M. + Canon EF to EF-M Mount Adapter.
The Question = I can use Canon Mounted EF to EF-M with Sigma 50 mm F/ 1.4 TOO. DO I NEED TO GET this new baby Rokinon 50 mm. F/ 1.2 AS USM for another $500 US Dollars ?
Thank you, Sir/ Madame.
Surapon

You can definitely use your Sigma via adapter. It may not balance well or focus as quickly, but it will function just fine.

Thank you, Sir, dear great Teacher Mr. Dustin.
You save money for me. Yes, The Rokinon is Manual Focus too.
Have a great day , Sir.
Surapon

The 50 STM works really well on the EOS M via adaptor. It's a good cheap option and it's much smaller than the Sigma. Focus is more accurate and consistent than the Sigma too.

For even better results try it on the newer M bodies. Focus speed with the 50 STM on my EOS M2 is comparable to using it on a Rebel body. For general purpose it's a great combo.

 

[dcm]

Dear Great Teachers and Friends.
Yes, I just get the Illness " G.A.S." again to see this awesome Rokinon 50 MM. F/ 1.2. But I need to ask you some question Sir/ Madame.
I have EOS-M MK I and With me on my Fanny Pack 95% of the times, with Canon EF-M 22MM. F/ 2.0, EF-M 18-55 IS, F/ 3.5-5.6, Rokinon 12 mm. F/ 2.0 CS. M. + Canon EF to EF-M Mount Adapter.
The Question = I can use Canon Mounted EF to EF-M with Sigma 50 mm F/ 1.4 TOO. DO I NEED TO GET this new baby Rokinon 50 mm. F/ 1.2 AS USM for another $500 US Dollars ?
Thank you, Sir/ Madame.
Surapon

You can definitely use your Sigma via adapter. It may not balance well or focus as quickly, but it will function just fine.

Thank you, Sir, dear great Teacher Mr. Dustin.
You save money for me. Yes, The Rokinon is Manual Focus too.
Have a great day , Sir.
Surapon

The 50 STM works really well on the EOS M via adaptor. It's a good cheap option and it's much smaller than the Sigma. Focus is more accurate and consistent than the Sigma too.

For even better results try it on the newer M bodies. Focus speed with the 50 STM on my EOS M2 is comparable to using it on a Rebel body. For general purpose it's a great combo.

I am happy with the EF50/1.8STM and a manual FD50/1.8 via adapters on my M/M3EVF so I'm in no rush for the Samyang 50. It gives me a chance to wait and see what Canon is up to down the road. If I didn't have the other options it might be a consideration.

 

[Luds34]

Dear Great Teachers and Friends.
Yes, I just get the Illness " G.A.S." again to see this awesome Rokinon 50 MM. F/ 1.2. But I need to ask you some question Sir/ Madame.
I have EOS-M MK I and With me on my Fanny Pack 95% of the times, with Canon EF-M 22MM. F/ 2.0, EF-M 18-55 IS, F/ 3.5-5.6, Rokinon 12 mm. F/ 2.0 CS. M. + Canon EF to EF-M Mount Adapter.
The Question = I can use Canon Mounted EF to EF-M with Sigma 50 mm F/ 1.4 TOO. DO I NEED TO GET this new baby Rokinon 50 mm. F/ 1.2 AS USM for another $500 US Dollars ?
Thank you, Sir/ Madame.
Surapon

You can definitely use your Sigma via adapter. It may not balance well or focus as quickly, but it will function just fine.

I can confirm that it does work. However Dustin is correct, is does not balance well at all and the focus speed is reduced.

Thank you, Sir, dear friend Mr. Luds34
Have a great day, Sir.
Surapon

Not a problem, glad I could help. I no longer have the Sigma 50mm, but I remember it the few times (just for fun) that I mounted it on original M. I'm actually going to go on lightroom tonight and try to find that handful of shots I took with the combo, see if I came up with anything good.

It appears others have beat me to it, so I'll just echo that the new 50mm STM is suppose to work quite nicely on the M with adapter. I personally have not tried it but have heard it is a good match. Also it is a better fit size/weight/balance-wise.

Good luck!