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Lens review

Samyang AF 35-150 mm f/2-2.8 FE

23 January 2025
Maciej Lata³³o

5. Distortion and field of view

Field of view

In its official specification the Samyang's range of angles of view changes from 61.8 at 35 m to 16.4 at 150 mm. This first value is suspiciously low, suggesting that the real focal length of the Samyang at the shorter end is closer to 36 mm than to 35 mm.

We decided to check these declarations with the help of photos of a starry sky. Then we transformed the pixel layout (X,Y) from the photo into the equatorial coordinate system (right ascension and declination), which locates a star on a celestial sphere.

For the 35 mm focal length the transformation was based on the location of 101 stars spread evenly across the frame and the average mesh-fitting error amounted to 29 seconds of arc. We got a result of 62.5 deg with an error that doesn't exceed 0.2 of a degree. As you see, our result is slightly higher than official declarations but still narrower than 63.4 deg an appropriate value for a rectalinear 35 mm lens.


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In case of the 150 mm focal length the transformation was based on the location of 76 stars spread evenly across the frame and the average mesh-fitting error amounted to only 6 seconds of arc. We got a result of 16.59 deg with an error that doesn't exceed 0.05 of a degree. Here the field is also a tad wider than in official specifications, although we have to admit at the longer end of the focal spectrum such a difference doesn't matter almost at all.

Distortion

In case of the smaller APS-C sensor distortion doesn't provide you any reasons to complain as the lens never exceeds 1%. At the widest angle of view you deal with negligible barrel deformations of -0.22%. With the increase of the focal lengths they become zero in no time and then they turn into pincushion distortion. At 50 mm it reaches still a low value of +0.58%, at 70 mm it increases to +0.74%, then it starts to decrease so at 105 mm you get a level of +0.69% and at 150 mm that of +0.62%.

Sony A7R IIIa, APS-C, JPEG, 35 mm
Samyang AF 35-150 mm f/2-2.8 FE - Distortion and field of view
Sony A7R IIIa, APS-C, JPEG, 50 mm
Samyang AF 35-150 mm f/2-2.8 FE - Distortion and field of view
Sony A7R IIIa, APS-C, JPEG, 70 mm
Samyang AF 35-150 mm f/2-2.8 FE - Distortion and field of view
Sony A7R IIIa, APS-C, JPEG, 105 mm
Samyang AF 35-150 mm f/2-2.8 FE - Distortion and field of view
Sony A7R IIIa, APS-C, JPEG, 150 mm
Samyang AF 35-150 mm f/2-2.8 FE - Distortion and field of view

The situation changes a bit when you pass to full frame. Here at 35 mm distortion amounts to -0.38%, still an imperceptible level.

After applying higher focal lengths once again we observe a very quick zeroing of deformations and progressing to their 'pincushion' side. At 50 mm we got a result of +1.23%, at 70 mm it increased to +1.45% but at 105 mm it dropped to +1.34% and at 150 mm – to 1.31%.

Contrary to the rival Tamron that had results reaching even over 3% here distortion is really kept in check. It seems Samyang did a great job in this area and it's really good to know that in the era of mirrorless devices some optics producers still do their best to correct distortion, not dumping it all on software of a camera.

Sony A7R IIIa, FF, JPEG, 35 mm
Samyang AF 35-150 mm f/2-2.8 FE - Distortion and field of view
Sony A7R IIIa, FF, JPEG, 50 mm
Samyang AF 35-150 mm f/2-2.8 FE - Distortion and field of view
Sony A7R IIIa, FF, JPEG, 70 mm
Samyang AF 35-150 mm f/2-2.8 FE - Distortion and field of view
Sony A7R IIIa, FF, JPEG, 105 mm
Samyang AF 35-150 mm f/2-2.8 FE - Distortion and field of view
Sony A7R IIIa, FF, JPEG, 150 mm
Samyang AF 35-150 mm f/2-2.8 FE - Distortion and field of view