Samyang

Samyang AF 135mm F1.8 FE Review: G Master Sharpness for About Half the Price

The Samyang AF 135mm F1.8 FE is the Korean maker’s best autofocus lens, and a serious rival to Sony’s own 135mm G Master. Samyang launched it in early 2022 for Sony E-mount at just under $1,000, roughly half the Sony’s price. It weighs 772 grams.

135mm is a compression lens. From a few meters back, it pulls the background close and flattens it into a soft wall of color, which makes faces and small groups stand out in a busy place.

Three people seen from behind looking out over a garden, the colorful background melted into blur

Photo: Media Instances

It’s sold only for Sony E-mount. Samyang made a manual-focus 135mm f/2 for years; this is the autofocus successor.

Video review: Dustin Abbott

The optics

It’s excellent wide open. Dustin Abbott, DCW and OpticalLimits all found it sharp at f/1.8, with very low distortion and lateral color fringing. The bokeh is lovely, helped by 11 rounded blades.

Handling has thoughtful touches: a focus-hold button, a custom switch that turns the focus ring into an aperture control, a three-position focus limiter and an astro mode that locks focus at infinity. It’s weather sealed, and it focuses down to 69 centimeters for 0.24x magnification, close enough for flower and detail shots. OpticalLimits gave it full marks for price to performance.

The limitations

Its linear stepping motor is slower than Sony’s GM, so it’s better for portraits than for sport or fast action, according to Abbott and OpticalLimits. Abbott found it prone to flare and ghosting with bright light in the frame. Longitudinal color fringing and vignetting show wide open, and the corners render cat’s-eye highlights. There’s no dedicated aperture ring, and the barrel is plastic.

Who should buy it

Sony portrait, wedding and event photographers who want 135mm f/1.8 quality without paying for the GM. On an A7 IV or A7 V, it’s a superb portrait kit.

For faster autofocus, the Sony FE 135mm F1.8 GM is the step up. For a feature-packed alternative, the Viltrox AF 135mm F1.8 LAB is sharper still but much heavier. Nikon shooters should look at the Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena.