Samyang’s first zoom lens is 24-70mm f/2.8 for Sony cameras

The South Korean lens manufacturer Samyang will release its first zoom lens at the end of October. It is a 24-70 mm f/2.8 lens for the mirrorless system cameras from Sony. The lens has a suggested retail price of 899 euros.

The optical design of Samyang’s first zoom consists of 17 elements in 14 groups. The manufacturer claims that the sharpness and contrast are high in the corners of the image when used on a full-frame camera. The housing is sealed against dust and moisture and the minimum focusing distance is 35 centimeters.

Samyang’s 24-70mm f/2.8 can be used on Sony cameras with the FE mount. The lens is parfocal, which means that the focus does not change during zooming in or out. This is especially useful when making videos. The zoom lens also has a large, heavy-duty focusing ring, which should allow smooth manual focusing.

Samyang Optics AF 24-70mm F2.8

The focus ring ring can also be used to set the aperture when using autofocus. The function of the ring can be changed with the optional Samyang Lens Station. An accessory that connects the lens to a computer. The manufacturer promises to add more features through firmware updates in the future.

Sony itself has a 24-70 mm f/2.8 GM in its range, which currently costs about 1900 euros. With the 24-70 mm f/2.8 DG DN Art, Sigma has a cheaper alternative for about 1200 euros. Tamron makes a 28-75 mm f/2.8 and it costs about 750 euros. Samyang positions itself in between with a suggested retail price of 899 euros.

Samyang Optics was founded in 1972, but only started selling consumer lenses under its own name in 2008. Initially, these were lenses with a fixed focal length and manual focus. In 2016, Samyang released its first lenses with autofocus, but so far it has stuck with primes. The manufacturer focuses on both photographers and video makers.