Joanne Maly: The New Samyang 50mm F/1.2 Prime Lens is Pretty Cheap for a Lens This Fast

Monday, March 5, 2018

The New Samyang 50mm F/1.2 Prime Lens is Pretty Cheap for a Lens This Fast

Canon enthusiasts are about to get another option in terms of lenses with Samyang’s latest announcement.

A new premium lens from Samyang gives Canon shooters the ability to use a f/1.2 aperture without the expensive price tag typically associated with such glass. And, if you’re like most people, this is a price cut that makes all the difference.

Samyang’s newest lens will narrow the gap between the haves and the have-nots when it comes to high-end optics with the company’s new 50mm f/1.2 that is perfectly suited for Canon full-frame DSLR cameras. The XP 50mm F1.2 will retail for around $USD 1100 or £799 according to Digital Rev.

Image via Samyang.

This is approximately half of the retail price of the Canon L-glass. Not only is the Samyang delivering comparable performance, but they're also bringing incredible value with the XP 50mm F1.2.

One explanation behind the lower price point for the new Samyang lens is that it is manual only. This probably isn’t much of a drawback for many photographers given the massive cost savings the Samyang lens provides, but it’s worth noting nonetheless.

But, aside from that one major difference, it is perfect for cameras with 50-megapixels and capable of shooting 8k resolution video. Of particular interest to 50mm photographers is the lens 9-blade aperture design which is ideal for portraiture and produces an awesome bokeh. An added benefit of the lens’ wide aperture is the fast shutter speed which is perfect for low-light photography and reducing shake in the final image.

The new XP 50mm F1.2 is the latest member of Samyang’s Premium Photo Lens family of glass which includes the XP 14mm F2.4 and XP 85mm F1.2.

These lenses include treatments with multi-coating to control flare and ghosting and is based upon a design that has 11 elements in 8 different groups.

The new lens from Samyang is expected to hit retail March 2018.