Samyang 135mm f/2 ED UMC on Nikon

Killerbob

Hi,

Does anyone have any experience with the Samyang 135mm f/2 ED UMC on a Nikon D800/D810/D850? I really want the Nikon 135mm f/2 DC, but it is too expensive, and I will not use it enough. The Samyang is half the price, if not even cheaper, and I see good reviews of it on Canon cameras.

TIA

Pistnbroke

Only had the 14mm and 85mm and they were brilliant

Killerbob

I am not saying I am a pixelpeeper, but I am, so it is important for me that the lens lives up the sensors of my D8xx cameras.

Pistnbroke

Not sure what country you are in but if in the UK go to SRS microsystems and try it in the shop ...must somewhere in the states you can try it ..list of dealers maybe.
All the ones I have had have had the chip fitted and worked great.

Killerbob

I am in Greenland, and there are no gear shops up here, and I am having to buy it from a dealer in Denmark. Hence no option of checking it out in advance.

What do you mean by "the chip fitted"?

Pistnbroke

The lens has a chip which relays data to the camera ...I know its on the 14mm and 85mm....find a picture and you will see the pins on the mount.

Killerbob

OK - thx for the info.

Nikoniser

Personally I would stay away from a Manual focus 135/f2 unless you are using it on a tripod for a static subject. I used to use a manual 100mm f2.8 for portraiture and it was a nightmare, the depth of field is so shallow even the gentle swaying of your body back and forth would put the eye in and out of focus ! - I used to shoot a focus stacked burst to get 1 usable shot. Swapping to the Nikon Macro 105mm f.28 with auto focus was a huge improvement.

Killerbob

Thanks for the tip. I have a 200mm f/2, and I often use it manually. I am not adverse to that, but actually think that it improves pictures in some situations...

VisualUniverse

Yes, it worked great with my D810A. However, I really wanted autofocus, so I sold it within a year of owning it and purchased the Sigma 135mm f/1.8.

Killerbob

Well... I give up on the Samyang. What I really want, the "distortion control" on a 135mm lens, it doesn't have. It seems the only way to get that is with the Nikon lens.

So, seeing as I don't want to have to pay USD1K for another lens I rarely use, I am OK with buying it used. Unfortunately here in Greenland I do not have that option available to me, and I am not really interested in picking it up from eBay, so y'all know anywhere I would be able to find it used?