Samyang vs Canon
Image: This scene was captured with the Samyang 24mm lens and the equivalent Canon 24mm lens, with exposure settings of f/11, 1/125sec and ISO 800
With a street price one-third that of a Nikon and Canon version, I was keen to compare the optical quality of the Samyang 24mm f/1.4 lens with one of these own-brand models. Looking over identical landscape images taken with the Samyang lens and the Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM at f/11 (with images processed using Canon’s Digital Photo Professional raw software), the Canon has a slight edge on image sharpness that is only noticeable under close scrutiny. What is more obvious is that the Canon lens is ‘brighter’, with images showing greater contrast and punch.
The lens distortions mentioned in the optical quality section of the review, such as fringing, are consistent in both lenses. Overall, optically there really is little to choose between the two lenses. Even on a wideangle lens, though, general-purpose use benefits enormously from autofocus, which is where the Canon model has its clear advantage.
