Samyang AF 35-150 mm f/2-2.8 FE
10. Summary
Pros:
- unique parameters,
- very good image quality in the frame centre across the whole focal range,
- good image quality on the edge of the APS-C sensor,
- negligible longitudinal chromatic aberration,
- sensible control of lateral chromatic aberration,
- moderate distortion not only on the APS-C sensor but also on full frame,
- low astigmatism,
- silent and quite fast autofocus,
- slight vignetting on the APS-C sensor,
- negligible focus breathing.
Cons:
- too weak image quality on the edge of the frame at the longest focal lengths,
- distinct vignetting on full frame,
- a bit of problems with spherical aberration,
- performance against bright light could have been better,
- whimsical autofocus performance,
- low resistance on the zoom ring that makes it easy to change accidentally the focal length by just moving the lens or just under the influence of gravity.
The situation of the Samyang was of course better – its constructors knew very well how the Tamron looked, what kind of performance can be offered and for what price. Here we should remind that this price is not low, reaching currently $1700.
Samyang decided to make the optical construction a tad more complex, and, in theory, it was supposed to make the performance of their lens a tad better than the performance of the Tamron. At the same time they offered the new lens with a more affordable price tag, currently amounting to about $1400. This difference is significant.
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What's important, there are many categories where the cheaper Samyang is able to compete on even terms or even defeat the more expensive Tamron, including resolution, one of major aspects of any lens's performance. We could observe a very close match there – sometimes the Samyang was better, sometimes the Tamron, and the final result is close to a draw with just a slight indication toward the Tamron as a winner. In case of distortion and vignetting the Samyang is definitely the better one but it lost the duel in case of the coma, performance against bright light, focus breathing, and build quality. Still, the Samyang, contrary to the Tamron, was able to construct an aperture that can be closed down properly well.
I think the biggest difference concerns the focusing mechanism. In case of the Tamron you have an impression that you deal with a truly professional instrument and, compared to that, the Samyang with its impredictable focus, presents itself like a toy for amateur photographers.
To sum up, for $300 less Samyang offers you a lens that in many aspects is able to compete with the Tamron on equal terms. Overall the fact that the Samyang loses its duel with the Tamron shouldn't be a big surprise but still it gives you a lot, among other things a very sensible price/performance ratio.
At the very end we should mention the fact that both lenses managed to divide the market a bit between themselves. They are competing directly when it comes to the Sony FE mount but the Tamron lately have been elbowing their way among Nikon Z lenses and the Samyang is offered also as an L-Mount version.