Samyang's budget cine lens range gets its widest prime yet; available for Canon, Sony, Nikon, Fuji, and MFT cameras
(Image credit: Samyang)
Samyang has added its widest lens yet to its range budget-priced cine lenses. The Samyang 14mm T3.1 VDSLR Mk2 will be available in practically any DSLR or mirrorless camera you can name, with options available for Canon EF, Canon RF, Canon EF-M, Sony E, Nikon F, Fujifilm X, and Micro Four Thirds lens mounts. The lens will also be sold, as usual, under the Rokinon name in the USA, Canada, and elsewhere, as the Rokinon DSX Cine 14mm T3.1.
Samyang's VDSLR Mk2 range was introduced in August last year, and currently comprises of 24mm T1.5, 35mm T1.5, 50mm T1.5 and 85mm T1.5 lenses – making the 14mm T3.1 the fifth prime in the range. The manual-focus full-frame primes are design are designed to give a more affordable range for filmmakers to Samyang's more professional Xeen series of cine optics.
The compact size of Samyang's VDSLR lenses makes them ideal for hand-held and gimbal shooting. The new 14mm T3.1 VDSLR MK2 is 9.6mm long and weighs just 650g.
With a heritage of making great super-wide primes, the new lens uses four types of special lens elements. An aspherical element is designed to reduce spherical and optical aberration, producing clear and vibrant images. Furthermore, three high refractive elements - one Hybrid Aspherical and two Extra-low Dispersion elements -work together to deliver high-quality images. Overall, the lens has 14 elements in ten groups.
With weather sealing, the lens offers nine aperture blades for circular bokeh. It has a minimum focus distance of 0.28m. The Canon RF version of the lens will also benefit from a rear filter holder.
As you'd expect from a cine lens, there is a de-clicked aperture control for stepless expsosure adjustment, and industry standard 0.8 MOD gearing for use with follow focus rigs.
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The price of the Samyang 14mm T3.1 has yet to be confirmed - but to give you a ball park figure the current range of lenses cost between $449–$749 / £399–£639 each. The full range is due to be available globally from February. The Rokinon Cine DSX 14mm T3.1 will due to go on sale in April.
Chris George has worked on Digital Camera World since its launch in 2017. He has been writing about photography, mobile phones, video making and technology for over 30 years – and has edited numerous magazines including PhotoPlus, N-Photo, Digital Camera, Video Camera, and Professional Photography.
His first serious camera was the iconic Olympus OM10, with which he won the title of Young Photographer of the Year - long before the advent of autofocus and memory cards. Today he uses a Nikon D800, a Fujifilm X-T1, a Sony A7, and his iPhone 15 Pro Max.
He has written about technology for countless publications and websites including The Sunday Times Magazine, The Daily Telegraph, Dorling Kindersley, What Cellphone, T3 and Techradar.
