Samyang is known for its wide, bright, name brand alternative lenses — but most of the lineup is manual focus. That’s quickly changing as Samyang launches its first Nikon autofocus lens (and eighth autofocus lens overall). On Monday, August 20, Samyang unveiled the Samyang 14mm f/2.8 for Nikon F mounts. (The lens will also be sold as a Rokinon 14mm f/2.8).
The new lens carries a similar design and spec list as the company’s 14mm with a Canon mount, but continues Samyang’s foray into autofocus lenses. The company now has autofocus lenses for Sony, Canon, and Nikon.
The 14mm captures a wide 116.6-degree view on a Nikon FX mount camera, or a 21mm view on a DX crop sensor camera like the D7500. While Samyang is new to autofocus lenses, the company says the lens offers fast, quiet, and accurate autofocus. The autofocus works on objects as close as roughly eight inches from the front of the lens. A switch on the side of the lens lets you select either autofocus or the manual focus mode.
Samyang’s lens lineup leans more toward the wide-angle options the South Korean company is known for. The company says that the new Nikon-mount 14mm offers high resolution in the center as well as the corners. The lens is constructed from 15 elements in 10 different groups and uses a seven-blade aperture.
The lens’ exterior is sealed for resistance to dust and moisture. The wide-angle prime weighs just a touch over a pound at around 17 ounces.
The lens joins brings the company’s total number of autofocus lenses to eight, covering a focal length range from 14mm to 85mm. All prime lenses, the lenses also all use a bright aperture — either an f/1.4 or an f/2.8 aperture. The company’s first Nikon autofocus joins existing options for Sony and Canon mounts.
The autofocus lenses join the manual focus optics along with a cinema line. Samyang lenses are also sold under brands like Rokinon, and the Rokinon brand will also launch a 14mm f/2.8 in a Nikon mount.
The Nikon mount Samyang 14mm f/2.8 is slated for a September release, with its retail cost sitting around $800.
