Samyang Samyang 35mm f/1.4 AS UMC Lens for Canon EF Review

If you're a Canon shooter looking for a fast, classic 35mm prime lens without breaking the bank, the Samyang 35mm f/1.4 is a solid contender. This manual focus lens gives you that wide f/1.4 aperture for creamy background blur and low-light shooting, and it's built to cover a full-frame sensor, so it works great on both your full-frame and APS-C DSLRs. On a crop-sensor body, it gives you a roughly 56mm equivalent field of view, which is perfect for portraits. It's a bit of a chunky lens at over 700 grams, so it's not exactly a lightweight travel option, but for the price, you're getting access to a lot of creative control.

In terms of pure optical performance, this lens lands in the 76th percentile. That means it's sharper than a lot of other budget primes, especially when you stop it down a bit from f/1.4. The bokeh, or background blur quality, is also pretty good, sitting in the 73rd percentile. It's not the absolute smoothest you can get, but for portraits and street photography, it gets the job done nicely. The f/1.4 aperture itself is a huge advantage, putting it in the 88th percentile for light gathering. That's the main reason you'd buy this lens: to shoot in dim light or get that super shallow depth of field. Just keep in mind, the autofocus performance is manual only, which is a dealbreaker for some, and it scores in the lower 47th percentile for that category.

Priced around $337, this lens sits in an interesting spot. You're paying for the f/1.4 aperture and full-frame coverage, which is a lot of capability for the money. The trade-off is the manual focus and the lack of any extra features like stabilization. If autofocus is a must-have, you'll need to look elsewhere and spend more. But if you're comfortable with manual focus, or you shoot mostly static subjects like portraits or landscapes, this lens delivers a lot of performance per dollar.

The most direct competitor is often the Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 for Z-mount or similar lenses from Meike. Those lenses often have autofocus, which is a massive advantage for many shooters, but they might be for different camera mounts. For Canon EF specifically, you might compare it to used first-party lenses like the Canon 35mm f/2, which has autofocus and IS but a slower aperture, or the older Canon 35mm f/1.4 L, which is optically superior and has AF but costs significantly more. The Samyang's value proposition is clear: you get the f/1.4 speed for a fraction of the cost of an L-series lens, accepting manual focus as the compromise. Against something like a Yongnuo 35mm for Sony E, the Samyang likely has better build and optics, but again, the Yongnuo has autofocus.

So, should you buy the Samyang 35mm f/1.4? It's a great buy if you're on a tight budget, you really want that f/1.4 look, and you don't mind manual focus. It's perfect for deliberate photographers doing portraits, street, or still life work where you have time to focus. I wouldn't recommend it for sports, wildlife, or run-and-gun video. If you need autofocus, save up for a used first-party lens or look at third-party options with AF for your specific mount. But if your answer to 'is manual focus okay?' is yes, then this lens offers a lot of bang for your buck.