The flawless image quality is only half the story though. You can't really ask them to stand still while you move around. 1. MCovington, my Zeiss 300/4 is the full thickness barrel version, made in West Germany, serial number 5990836. Today I want to talk about another such lens design: The 135mm F2 lens. Unfortunately it is not manufactured in a multicoated version, and produces prominent internal reflection artifacts on very bright stars. The aperture ring is marked with each f-stop, and you need to manually click through F/2 F/22 and watch the blades do their work. IQ will rival any other lens. The sigma 150mm f2.8 tests very well, zeiss 135mm apo sonnar, and leica 180mm f3.5 apo all proven performers on star tests. http://www.idyll.com/laney2014 Valerio, Electronically Assisted Astronomy (No Post-Processing), Community Forum Software by IP.BoardLicensed to: Cloudy Nights, DSLR, Mirrorless & General-Purpose Digital Camera DSO Imaging, This is not recommended for shared computers, Back to DSLR, Mirrorless & General-Purpose Digital Camera DSO Imaging, Buckeyestargazer 2022 in review and New Products. it is crisp, fast, and awsome. I need fast auto-focus, predictable focus lock and natural, vibrant color rendition. If the telescope mount is precisely aligned to the celestial north pole, unguided exposures of one to two minutes are possible. Thanks Gary! As such, it applies most directly here to areas of an image that are out of focus. Many students just wanted to take better snapshots of family, vacation, pets, etc. You might never need another lens in the overlapping range at 135mm there isn't much difference between the separation afforded by f/2 vs f/2.8, and the latest 70-200s are plenty sharp. With weather sealing this would be a 10. I hear great things about the Canon 200/2.8 L but do not have one. Robert. The 50mm f/1.4 and f/1.2 is another story.While the 135mm f/2, in general, is a good lens, there are lots of lenses other than the 135 f/2 that will produce a very smoothly blurred background, including zoom lenses.It sounds like Micael is new to photography.Just my impression from this article. As soon as e.g. The foolproof image seems to be more a case of how a bright fuzzy cluttered moving background can completely detach from the offset dark subject matter and overwhelm it. (purchased for $725), reviewed March 26th, 2013 Great reach for street shots. You may need to stop down to control star bloat, and thats exactly what Ive done with this 135. It's a trade off. however i started to realise how every subject might actually be a cardboard cutout being photographed. So.. its like there is one F stop not being used by the lens..how do you know what click is for what F stop?? Holiday Savings $50 . The 135mm F2 lens design is truly special, and in this article (and the video I made), I want to try to convince you as well. I have just acquired my astrophotography set up thanks to all your videos and doing some research. (purchased for $700), reviewed June 13th, 2009 I know this is a very old article but I was re reading as I mulled over this very point (85/1.4 vs 135/1.8) and I've gotta point out this math is all wrong First off 85->135 is a 1.6x crop and a 1.6x crop will yield 16MP on 42MP bodies (42 / (1.6x1.6) ), ~20MP on the A1, and ~24MP on the A7R IV. This lens is very sharp, corner to corner wide open. Best lens for portraiture I've ever tried. Wonderful image quality, lots of detail, contrasty, subject separation, fast and accurate AF, bright viewfinder, solid construction, unobtrusive in use, No weather sealing, makes all my other lenses look poor (even the 'L' zooms that, when I first got them, imagined could hardly be improved on). Can't argue with your reasoning, Juksu, about the framing of the article, but just stopping by to say I really liked that cat picture, am shopping for a new smartphone, struck that this type of photo is in another league - all newbie observations, of course, which sort of supports your thoughts that an article like this would be better framed as a "Love this new long lens stuff" sort of thing. This leaves you with a buttery bokeh and an object in perfect focus. 2 Dielectric Diagonals. I have the Canon 135 f/2 and loved it from day one. Most small refracting telescopes start in the 300 to 400 mm focal length range, and even these are classed as widefield telescopes. Asahi Optical's Pentax KX was one of the first cameras with this lens mount, acting as a midrange model in the lineup. The original poster is right that it was a compromise though and stopping down was necessary for critical sharpness and a better image. Amazing colours, contrast, bokeh, everything! A Bargain, very competively priced thanks for the write-up.. i just got this lens and have just been trying it out. Some real life images from my photoblog: http://hellabella.de, One of the best and sharpest lens around. A single, 90-second exposure using the Rokinon 135mm F/2.0 ED UMC at F/4. The clip-in Astronomik 12nm Ha is one of their most popular filters ever and for good reason! But for many of us, somewhere in between, are plenty of short to mid-tele lenses that will deliver solid service (in terms of subject separation) without carrying around still another kilo for the sake of more blur. Focus are dead on with my Fullframe or APS system. Pentax seems to have put more emphasis than others on keeping the resolution uniform all over the field. A coupe of stage shows, one very recent, and a random collection using this lens exclusively It is harder work than using a zoom lens, and some shots I just cannot get at all (cannot get close enough, or far enough way) but the shots I do get are so much nicer looking than I get with any other lens that for me and my goals it is a fair trade off. The few occasions I use a 135 FL usually are landscape shots (where I have no use for f2) and childrens playing (where I need zoom and fast af). Some lenses are incurable. (purchased for $890), reviewed July 17th, 2006 Sharp but smooth at the same time. The 135mm f/2.0 ED UMC Lens for Canon EF Mount from Rokinon is a manual focus telephoto prime lens useful for portraiture and all medium telephoto applications. When I was on my way home after purchasing my first 135mm lens (the Samyang/Rokinon one) I took a few quick snapshots just to try out the lens. If anything the argument in favor of even smaller and lighter 85/1.4s (like the 600g Sigma DN) is stronger than ever, and I say that as someone that loves shooting at 135-150mm. That is the story.#7: Leaves.That doesn't work. Valerio, I sold my Canon Lens because in Nikon Lens there is a Defocus control option, very usefull in a daylight photos, as portrait. Well saturated but neutral. It seems they are now quite comparable in quality to prime lenses. Sure, if you scroll through his page there are quite a few lens tests on starshttps://www.flickr.chotos/ytoropin/, Community Forum Software by IP.BoardLicensed to: Cloudy Nights, Article: The Best Telephoto Lenses for Astrophotography, This is not recommended for shared computers, Review of Explore Scientific First Light 8, COUNTING SUNSPOTS WITH A $10 OPTICAL TUBE ASSEMBLY, Hubble Optics 14 inch Dobsonian - Part 2: The SiTech GoTo system, iStar Opticals Phantom FCL 140-6.5 review. What I am trying to avoid is spending another $1,100 on a quality APO, and instead using my existing Nikkor 180mm ED lens with a Baader-modified Canon 450D that I just obtained. But you raise the exact point, that primes should be chosen with a 2x factor. But, since fast 300mm ED lenses are beyond my toy budget, I would appreciate seeing magnified center and corner test images of actual star fields. I find 400gm as the tolerable weight limit for a lens on my panasonic gx85, and I am guessing following telephoto lenses would satisfy the itch to get good bokeh shots, 1. Plus it is harder to attach than other lens hoods. How well do Fujifilm's film simulations match up to their film counterparts? We've selected a group of cameras that are easy to keep with you, and that can adapt to take photos wherever and whenever something memorable happens. The Rokinon 135mm F/2 ED UMC lens. When attached to a DSLR camera with a full frame sensor, the lens offers a massive 15.5 x 10.6 field of view, or 18.8 across the diagonal. There is no doubt that the 135L deserves it excellent reputation for image quality. Available 03/21/23. Focal length: 135mm Maximum aperture: f/2.0 Lens construction: 10 elements in 8 groups Angle of view: 18 degrees Closest focusing distance: 3 feet Focus adjustment: Rear focusing system with USM Mount: Canon Filter size: 72mm Dimensions: 3.2 inches in diameter and 4.4 inches long Weight: 1.7 pounds Warranty: 1 year See more I ordered this lens on Amazon, utilizing my Amazon Prime membership. Sure, not all 135mm lenses are lightweightSigma's new 135mm F1.8 is rather heavy at 1130gbut if you look at the Samyang 135mm F2, which is pretty much flawless optically, it weighs only 830g. (For Nikon users there's the new 105mm too.). Excellent build quality, fast auto focus, and its fast. Lots of older lenses no longer satisfy. Probably you could get a very similar image with a 85mm 1.8. If they could make 135 f2 lighter version with AF for Sony and price is slightly under Sigma 135 /1.8 and obviously Batis 135 2.8 it could sell like hotcakes. But you just know that there is the professionalism that is lacking here -- and the writer's Instagram page confirms that. Its fast f/2.0 maximum aperture is effective in low light and enables shallow depth of field control. In the highest contrast situations there's a hint of both purple and green fringing but both are minor and easy to remove with software. This way you get both lenses with only one! When coupled with my Canon DSLR camera, the entire system weighs just over 3 pounds. I loved the Nikon 80-400G for a year, or so, and then found everything with it wrong, and got rid of it. How good this lens overall and how sharp and color-free? But If you want the "look" you get with a medium telephoto at f/2, hen all those negatives become irrelevant. Bokeh == Visual character of the lens optics to render light and color mixing together. Back in 1999, Sony released the F505, their first digital camera with a Carl Zeiss lens. The lens arrived next day, less than 24 hours after I hit the order button. This article was originally published on Micael's blog, and is being republished in full with express permission. Sharp without being harsh. If you have a more appropriate portrait lens like an 85, 90 or 100, the 135 does not bring you very much. Jordan has a simple fix camera manufacturers could implement to improve their video autofocus. Manually focusing a lens for astrophotography is nothing new, but the manual aperture ring adjustments may feel a little strange at first. You will get perfectly round star images if you use an aperture stop in front of the lens made of a series of filter thread step-down rings. I love this lens, The Sharpest Lens available for Eos cameras IMO Nothing just makes sense about the review -- the writer does not really understand the lens he is reviewing, very basic concepts are wrong. He has quite a breadth photos many of which are quite good. (purchased for $900). So I feel I'm being cheated. To me it is a dead spot between 85 and 200. Not rude at all, a fair comment. (purchased for $650), reviewed June 6th, 2008 Colour and contrast is great. Great post; thanks for the detailed information. It improves slightly stopped down. Also type the lens you are interested in into the search window on Astrobin to see examples shot with that lens. I've owned nice SLR gear since 1976, and am normally a wide angle shooter this is my favorite lens, of all time. If you own an EOS Camera - It's a no Brainer, Buy one I read and bought it. Because of chromatic aberration, no telephoto lens can be used at full aperture. Preaching to the choir! (purchased for $800), reviewed March 15th, 2010 @juksu - you're such a hypocrite. It has no chromatic aberration, and no hint of star deformities in the corners. I see that many commenters did not get what this lens can do. (Dpreview), Use the 500 Rule to find the Perfect Exposure Length for Astrophotography, Use a DSLR Ha Filter for Astrophotography, AstroBackyard | Astrophotography Tips and Tutorials2023, Optical Construction: 11 Glass elements in 7 Groups. Beautiful portrait lens. http://www.adstateagent.com | http://www.printradiant.com | http://www.hitsticker.com, I love this lens. Latter looks quite professional.. You can go lower, but you have to watch your technique. Sure, that would be swellbut it doesn't matter with regard to how it performs. It turns out that this. In this configuration, the lens is still a very fast F3.4. Yes the Samyang is good and yes there are lenses with bad bokeh. The size (3.2 x 4.4"/82.5 x 112mm) and weight (1.7 lb/750g) (and color) of this lens are not imposing - you probably won't get much attent Of course headline central sharpness is great, that is what grabs headlines, always shot at f2: any 135mm lens is going to give similar results. This allows for less aggressive camera settings for night photography such as using a lower ISO setting and shorter exposure. The images were collected using a Canon EOS Rebel T3i camera riding on a Fornax Mounts LighTrack II. The 5D's larger pixels also make chromatic aberration somewhat lower at most apertures. Perhaps I missed it, but did you use a clip-in light pollution filter with your 60D and this lens? For that I would investigate alternatives just to make sure. Hi Trevor, A con is that it really makes you rethink the use of your zoom lenses. What next, an article extolling the virtues of 43mm, or 70mm? (purchased for $900), reviewed November 2nd, 2015 The OP admits he limited experience with lenses other than what he has. Aside from being much more affordable, telephoto lenses are easier to transport, easier to mount and easier to guide, and are much more likely to produce encouraging results to a beginner. Have you ever come across this phenomena? Proper composition, light and retouching are much prefferable to crazy gooey bokeh. (cont. This lens is available on Amazon for most camera bodies. Super Sharp.Super Fast AF. One of them is simplicity: A clear, simple subject that constitutes a shape, standing out and contrasting against a calm and simple background. Heh, it's amazing how far Samyang has come since this article (I'm loving their 45 & 75 f1.8), and kinda amusing that they ended up delivering exactly what you asked for Kinda reminds me of that article by Roger Cicala about how long lens development takes. The full name of this lens is the Rokinon 135mm F/2 ED UMC, with "ED" standing for extra-low dispersion, and UMC referring to the "ultra multi-coated" optics. One way to combat potential soft images and chasing perfect focus all night is to stop the lens down to F/2.8 or even F/4. The full extent of the relationship between Rokinon and Samyang is unknown to me, but the packaging on my lens says Technology by Samyang Optics. D8XX cameras, subject isolation and quality of bokeh.Zoom lenses can not hold a candle to such primes. All of them are extremely sharp and produce mouth-watering bokeh, and all of them are reasonably priced for what you get. We were surprised by just how much difference there was between these AI-powered image enlargers. I am telling them - don't! If this was used to shoot video you would think that the first image was using a green screen. It can isolate subject while being tack sharp with beautiful creamy bokeh when used at f2. It focuses within a blink of an eye, instantly. Will this ever get old? There are, of course, outlierssuch as the legendary unicorn lens Canon EF 200mm F2but that one isn't a great alternative unless you are cool with spending $5,700 and carrying around something about as wieldy as a fire hydrant. It requires the Contax-EOS adapter for attachment to the camera. Jordan's twin brother Gordon is back to review the cinema-focused Canon EOS R5 C! Hi Thomas As far as I know, the Nikon D500 is not modified for astrophotography out of the box (it includes a built in IR cut filter that blocks much of the 656nm wavelength). Were those taken with the Canon telephotos you spoke of, and the full spectrum modified camera and the clip in filter? The image below was captured using a DSLR and 135mm lens on the Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer mount. I'm not a fan of the large hood. It is sharp but somehow not that analytic way as a macro lens. Selecting between it and the 200mm Takumar was not an easy choice but, in the end, I chose the Takumar because it seemed to have slightly better contrast. Zeiss Jena or Oberkochen? The Canon 135mm f/2 is no less impressive on a full-frame camera. With this lens you don't need to do much if any post processing. For some objects a reflection can take away from the photo because it covers interesting details of the object (Think Alnitak in the Horsehead Nebula). (purchased for $1,000), reviewed January 1st, 2007 Did anybody use this lens for DSLR astrophoto? Great for portraits. Please re-enable javascript to access full functionality. It's sharp, has very low aberrations, no real distortion and the bokeh is very nice. sigh, overdone bokeh and centre sharpness bear little relevance to the art of this hobby. You just panned the subject for his photos and then turn around and needle thematic for looking into Ericsson. Or is there a use case for fitting the Samyang 135mm to a Panasonic gx85 (or Panasonic gh5) ?? I already did some trials with the Samyang 12mm lens. This is the EF-M series version. Canon's 700-200 zooms have IS and are weather sealed two features that the 135 f/2 lacks. If you can afford it buy this lens, you will love it. It is the lens I use as a reference point to compare all new lens acquisitions to after purchase to determine if they need to be returned for repair or replacement. Really like the large focusing ring. Part of it might be that they were designed for film photography and modern digital sensor are far more demanding in terms of optical quality. Moreover if we have a serendipitous moment regarding a new (or used) lens, that's a good thing. Testing on an EOS-5D, we see that it's sharpness is almost as good wide open in the corners as on the EOS-20D with its smaller sensor. 21P Giacobini Zinner NGC1499 California Barnard 8 Cr399 Coathanger North America and Pelican Veil nebula HORGB M11 cluster area One of my very best lenses! The California Nebula. Excellent color and saturation, a virtually perfect lens. Focal length is great. The Rokinon 135mm F/2.0 ED UMC is one of the most affordable and practical lenses for astrophotography on the market. Other times, like the Witch Head Nebula, I love seeing the star responsible for the object in all its glaring glory! 85 Is a different story, my 85 gets used a lot. F2 allows higher shutter speeds in lower light without raising the ISO. But the Rokinon f/2 version fits into a different market. Photography is art and technology, the latter serving the first.Photography is not something arty with a lot of gadgetry. Overall, the lens feels very solid and well constructed. Thanks.. or.. Clear Skies! This creates an effective focal length of roughly 200mm, a useful magnification for a wide variety of astro-imaging scenarios. If you want to preview the image field you can expect with a particular camera sensor and lens combination, Stellarium features a useful tool.