Let me start by admitting I have owned the lens before - and hated it. To explain: I bought it direct before it was available in Europe let alone on Amazon! and at the time I was playing with a Sony A7 original and using an old NEX6 too. I had bought a Sony 34Zeiss34 35/2.8 that worked pretty well but was hardly exceptional in anything but size - and it was very expensive of course - so I returned it. I bought the Samyang as a replacement and although it was optically great it struggled to focus properly on both the A7 and NEX6, a real disappointment, so I disposed of it through that great auction site in the sky...and got back more than I paid for it -Fast forward to now I have abandoned the clunky A7 and NEX6 and settled on APS-C using a A6500. While looking for ... MoreLet me start by admitting I have owned the lens before - and hated it. To explain: I bought it direct before it was available in Europe let alone on Amazon! and at the time I was playing with a Sony A7 original and using an old NEX6 too. I had bought a Sony 34Zeiss34 35/2.8 that worked pretty well but was hardly exceptional in anything but size - and it was very expensive of course - so I returned it. I bought the Samyang as a replacement and although it was optically great it struggled to focus properly on both the A7 and NEX6, a real disappointment, so I disposed of it through that great auction site in the sky...and got back more than I paid for it -Fast forward to now I have abandoned the clunky A7 and NEX6 and settled on APS-C using a A6500. While looking for something else I stumbled across a recent review of the Samyang using a A6500 and it was so overwhelmingly positive I dug deeper and found that all the reviews were positive. When I discovered that Amazon sells it for a good price I knew it I had to go for it... again. Better luck this time, hopefully, I thought.And so it was. Theres no returning this one. Its absolutely brilliant in all regards on the A6500: eye-waveringly sharp at all apertures and corner to corner, lovely colours and general rendering, no hint of CA even wide open... and it focuses fast, silently and seems to be able to use any AF mode and all AF points just like a native Sony lens. Maybe my first, early copy has been updated, or perhaps the design just doesnt get on well with the older, clunkier Sony E-mount cameras who knows? But I can say with certainty that it works perfectly on a more modern camera like the A6500 - and just to prove it Ive attached three samples I shot this morning on my walk to the shops... the first outing for the lens.Is it perfect? Very nearly. The lens is near-perfect but the little 34hood34 is badly designed compared with its expensive Sony counterpart. On the Sony 34Zeiss.

Amazingly good

I got this lens for night sky photography after comparing it to similar lenses, including the Canon 14mm f2.8l, on the Digitalpicture.com website. The side by side resolution charts clearly show that this is the sharpest of the 3 Samyang/Rokinon 14mm lenses (notably sharper than the SP version), and fully on par, if not a bit better than the Canon 14mm L lens, especially wide open. As soon as I received the lens I went out and tested it on my Canon 5Dsr. It is superb. Edge to edge sharpness is great, straight from 2.8, and distortion is remarkably low (simple barrel, not the complex mustache of similar lenses) and easy to correct in Lightroom. Add to this that the kit it's bundled with is quite good (bundled kits are usually not so hot). The cleaning kit and lens ... MoreI got this lens for night sky photography after comparing it to similar lenses, including the Canon 14mm f2.8l, on the Digitalpicture.com website. The side by side resolution charts clearly show that this is the sharpest of the 3 Samyang/Rokinon 14mm lenses (notably sharper than the SP version), and fully on par, if not a bit better than the Canon 14mm L lens, especially wide open. As soon as I received the lens I went out and tested it on my Canon 5Dsr. It is superb. Edge to edge sharpness is great, straight from 2.8, and distortion is remarkably low (simple barrel, not the complex mustache of similar lenses) and easy to correct in Lightroom. Add to this that the kit it's bundled with is quite good (bundled kits are usually not so hot). The cleaning kit and lens pen are top quality, and the pouch and lens wrap are also quite good. The cap-keeper is a trinket I won't use and the software doesn't interest me, but all in all, a great little bundle. Back to the lens: If you're considering a super-wide lens, try this one before spending more - you'll love it.

Decent compromise

I own three Sony and Tamron lenses for my Sony A7R IV and have been very happy with them--which made me a bit reluctant to go for a brand that, frankly, I had not heard about previously.What persuaded me was the huge price differential between the Samyang and the next candidate I considered, a similar Sigma lens (never mind the way more expensive alternatives).Overall this is a sharp lens and feels well-made.Why the three-star rating, then?Because I am not happy with the way autofocusing works on this lens. It's slow--ok we are talking fractions of a second slower that my other lenses, but still...It's also a bit clunky. When I look through the viewfinder, I first see an out-of-focus field then, after a tick or two, the in-focus version.I know, this lens ... MoreI own three Sony and Tamron lenses for my Sony A7R IV and have been very happy with them--which made me a bit reluctant to go for a brand that, frankly, I had not heard about previously.What persuaded me was the huge price differential between the Samyang and the next candidate I considered, a similar Sigma lens (never mind the way more expensive alternatives).Overall this is a sharp lens and feels well-made.Why the three-star rating, then?Because I am not happy with the way autofocusing works on this lens. It's slow--ok we are talking fractions of a second slower that my other lenses, but still...It's also a bit clunky. When I look through the viewfinder, I first see an out-of-focus field then, after a tick or two, the in-focus version.I know, this lens is not going to be used to photograph horse races or birds in flight. But if you are used to the instant focusing ability of higher-priced lenses, getting used to Samyang's more leisurely way of focusing may take a while.

Excellent Value

I intend to use this lens for night sky photography and wide view landscapes. From my limited testing, center resolution is very good at all apertures and corner sharpness can be made very acceptable when stopped down to f8 or so, as other reviews have reported. The lens is very well made and fully engages autofocus functions. I am using the lens on an a7r ii, so I would expect that even better performance would be seen if using on 3rd or 4th generation Sony alpha bodies. A recommended purchase, if looking for a much lower cost alternative to the Sony 14mm f1.8 GM lens.

Great lens... for the price.

I actually only bought this lens as a fill-in while waiting for my Sony 16-35 GM to be repaired. I do want to say that optically, it's almost on par with GM or L class lenses. Very little distortion and coma, and it definitely feels more durable than any of Samyang's older, manual focus offerings. Great for astro and those extreme wide angle shots.My biggest concern with this lens is the autofocus. My Sony lenses do very well in low light situations, although this just couldn't get it right. Check in the field to make sure the autofocus is working during blue hours shots. I will also say that while the glass is great, the actually durability doesn't seem too strong. I would imagine even a small fall would destroy this lens. It just feels a bit cheap, but let's be ... MoreI actually only bought this lens as a fill-in while waiting for my Sony 16-35 GM to be repaired. I do want to say that optically, it's almost on par with GM or L class lenses. Very little distortion and coma, and it definitely feels more durable than any of Samyang's older, manual focus offerings. Great for astro and those extreme wide angle shots.My biggest concern with this lens is the autofocus. My Sony lenses do very well in low light situations, although this just couldn't get it right. Check in the field to make sure the autofocus is working during blue hours shots. I will also say that while the glass is great, the actually durability doesn't seem too strong. I would imagine even a small fall would destroy this lens. It just feels a bit cheap, but let's be real, that's why you're buying it instead of a top tier lens.Overall a 4/5

Provides new prospective but use with discretion.

I bought this primarily to cover dancing at wedding receptions and maybe some creative environmental portraits of couples. For me it was worth the sub $700 cost compared to the Canon at significantly more. It's sharp enough for the purpose I wanted it for. Like any really wide lens, there's a ton of stretch at the corners. Sometimes that's even helpful but you have to be careful. You need to be REALLY close to make good use of this lens. In the dirt bike photo below, the lens was probably less than 2 feet from her left hand. In the couples' photo, I think I was about 6 feet from them. This lens has let me add a new look to the variety of images I can deliver and I'm very happy with this purchase. I'm using it on a Canon R5 that has IBIS and I just recently realized ... MoreI bought this primarily to cover dancing at wedding receptions and maybe some creative environmental portraits of couples. For me it was worth the sub $700 cost compared to the Canon at significantly more. It's sharp enough for the purpose I wanted it for. Like any really wide lens, there's a ton of stretch at the corners. Sometimes that's even helpful but you have to be careful. You need to be REALLY close to make good use of this lens. In the dirt bike photo below, the lens was probably less than 2 feet from her left hand. In the couples' photo, I think I was about 6 feet from them. This lens has let me add a new look to the variety of images I can deliver and I'm very happy with this purchase. I'm using it on a Canon R5 that has IBIS and I just recently realized that the R5 turns off the IBIS when this lens is mounted for some reason.

Sharp, Lightweight, and Nice AF

I'm a big fan of this lens and focal length. I like the dramatic potential and way it makes me think creatively. I like that it's sharp, lightweight, and has AF. I tried to shoot it at f8 mostly, but also felt it did a nice job at F2.8 when I was shooting star points. It is focus by wire so there was a little back and forth getting it to manual focus on star points but it didn't bother me. The old version of Lightroom 6 that I use doesn't have a specific lens profile for this lens but it suggested my photos with the lens had a lens correction embedded from the camera (Sony A7r IV). Overall, I'd buy it again. In fact, I liked this Samyang Lens Series so much that I also bought the Samyang 35mm, 45mm, and 75mm, including the Docking Station, all for Sony. I connected ... MoreI'm a big fan of this lens and focal length. I like the dramatic potential and way it makes me think creatively. I like that it's sharp, lightweight, and has AF. I tried to shoot it at f8 mostly, but also felt it did a nice job at F2.8 when I was shooting star points. It is focus by wire so there was a little back and forth getting it to manual focus on star points but it didn't bother me. The old version of Lightroom 6 that I use doesn't have a specific lens profile for this lens but it suggested my photos with the lens had a lens correction embedded from the camera (Sony A7r IV). Overall, I'd buy it again. In fact, I liked this Samyang Lens Series so much that I also bought the Samyang 35mm, 45mm, and 75mm, including the Docking Station, all for Sony. I connected my copy of the 14mm to the Docking Station and it didn't need any firmware updates or adjustments.

Surprisingly good.

Remarkably good lens for night sky photography. Some slight issues in the corners, but barely noticeable. For a specialty lens to be this good and this inexpensive is almost unheard, but this lens is one of them. My one nit is that QC at Samyang is still lacking and I had to try 3 before getting one that was sharp across the frame (the others had soft corners across one diagonal indicating misalignment of optics). Still, recommended.

Terrific Value

Except for two lenses, I have only owned Canon lenses. These two non-Canon lenses were pretty so-so and I rarely used them. I currently have the Canon 16-35mm and the Canon 8-15 fisheye. I use these for real estate photography. I need something wider than the 16mm without distortion. I considered the Canon 11-24, but it was $3k. So, I took a chance on this lens. After using it a bit, I would say that it is well built, has little to no distortion, focuses quickly and takes sharp pictures with good color. I am very impressed. For the price it sent me over the moon. This will fill my interior real estate shooting need perfectly.

Very good lens, best value by

The Samyang 14mm 2.8 FE is actually a very good lens, with very good central sharpness, small lightweight build with a good quality metal construction. The AF works flawlessly.It is definitely the best value in an ultra wide available, but it has a couple of weaker points; lens flare is the biggest weakness. It also has a complex difficult to correct distortion. The somewhat strong blue chromatic aberration makes high contrast details look unappealing. Finally, it also exhibits quite a variance in PoF, with the edges focusing much closer than the center of the frame.These characteristics really keep it from being a 5-star lens at any price. If the flare and distortion were better controlled though, it could be a compelling option even at a higher price.