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Samyang Experience with the XP 85mm F1.2

Roberto Savio

Photographer from Italy

So, Roberto,
how was the shooting
experience with the
Samyang XP 85mm F1.2?

I was totally surprised! Actually, the Samyang XP series was developed entirely for Canon EF mount and some XP lenses for Nikon F mount, so XP 85mm lens is optimal for Canon EF mount camera body. But XP 85mm's performance was amazing even though I was using this lens mounted on a Panasonic Lumix S1R camera body with 47.3 Megapixels with the Canon MC21 adapter.

The S1R, having the sensor stabilized on 5 axes, helped me a lot in the use of this optic entirely manual focus and without internal stabilization, especially when I shot handheld.

The Samyang XP 85mm F1.2 is very robust indeed. The build quality is very high and it has a minimal modern design. The lens itself is not very light, but the focus ring has a very long stroke and this allowed me to be very precise in choosing the focus point.

Mi ha sorpreso. Ma facciamo un passo indietro, ricordiamo che sto usando l’obiettivo montato su un corpo macchina Panasonic Lumix S1R con 47,3 Megapixel e un adattatore Canon MC21. La serie XP è stata sviluppata interamente per Canon e qualche ottica per Nikon.

La S1R, avendo il sensore stabilizzato su 5 assi, mi ha aiutato molto nell'uso di questa ottica interamente manual focus e priva di stabilizzazione interna, soprattutto quando ho scattato a mano libera.

Il Samyang 85mm f1.2 XP è davvero molto robusto. La qualità di costruzione è davvero altissima e ha un design minimal. L’ottica in sé non è leggerissima, ma la ghiera di messa a fuoco ha una corsa molto lunga e questo mi ha permesso di essere molto preciso nello scegliere il punto di messa a fuoco.

zoom
LENSES XP 85mm
F1.2
CAMERA Panasonic
Lumix S1R
DIAPHRAGM F1.2
SPEED -
ISO -
EXPOSURE -
PHOTOMETRY 85mm
BRIGHTNESS -
PHOTOMETRY -

It's a f1.2: have you had
the opportunity to test it at
a wide-open aperture?

Maybe It's not easy for you to get well-focused shots at the beginning, since this lens is a manual focus lens. But, this lens is a blast once you understand how it works and how to adjust the focus ring.
With close-up subjects, you can really focus minutely.

In portraits, you can see how the hair and part of the eyebrow are well focused, but the eye is blurred. I found that the XP 85mm F1.2 can effectively express the depth of field.

Bisogna prenderci la mano, come abbiamo detto è un Manual focus e prima di centrare esattamente il punto di messa a fuoco ci sono voluti un po' di scatti e non è stato semplicissimo. Una volta capito come funziona e di come l’anello della messa a fuoco reagisce agli incrementi, è una bomba!

Con i soggetti ravvicinati riesci davvero a mettere a fuoco al millimetro. In questo ritratto si vede benissimo come i capelli e parte del sopracciglio siano a fuoco, ma l'occhio sia già sfocato. Ho trovato che con l’85mm Samyang si ha un’estrema discrezione nel definire la profondità di campo.

Samyang says that the bokeh
and the blurred background
it gives is of a very high level,
do you agree?

It's fantastic! For real! Comparing it to much more expensive lenses,
I struggle to find big differences in yield. The bokeh of the XP 85mm is really great!

The blur is always very soft. I have to be honest, it thrilled me.
Few lenses I've tried have this feature. In the shots I took, behind the subject, the blur is very progressive, it nicely defines the depth of field requested by the photographer and highlights the subject in focus.

È spaziale! Davvero. Paragonandolo a obiettivi ben più blasonati, faccio fatica a trovare grosse differenze di resa, se paragonati anche l'enorme differenza di prezzo.

Lo sfocato risulta sempre morbidissimo. Devo essere sincero, mi ha entusiasmato. Pochi obiettivi che ho provato hanno questa caratteristica. Negli scatti che ho fatto, dietro al soggetto, lo sfocato è molto progressivo, definisce piacevolmente la profondità di campo richiesta dal fotografo ed evidenzia il soggetto a fuoco.

zoom
LENSES XP 85mm
F1.2
CAMERA Panasonic
Lumix S1R
DIAPHRAGM F1.2
SPEED -
ISO -
EXPOSURE -
PHOTOMETRY 85mm
BRIGHTNESS -
PHOTOMETRY -
zoom
LENSES XP 85mm
F1.2
CAMERA Panasonic
Lumix S1R
DIAPHRAGM -
SPEED -
ISO -
EXPOSURE -
PHOTOMETRY 85mm
BRIGHTNESS -
PHOTOMETRY -
zoom
LENSES XP 85mm
F1.2
CAMERA Panasonic
Lumix S1R
DIAPHRAGM -
SPEED -
ISO -
EXPOSURE -
PHOTOMETRY 85mm
BRIGHTNESS -
PHOTOMETRY -

In your photographic genre, the importance of colors is fundamental.
How was the XP 85mm F1.2?

With the Lumix S1R with which I shot, it has quite warm shades by default, the Samyang XP 85mm F1.2 still maintained full-color fidelity.

Especially in food photography, where colors are very important, the result obtained by shooting with this lens is surprising. Contrast is high and it is extremely sharp even at wide open.

Con la Lumix S1R con la quale ho scattato, ha tonalità abbastanza calde di default, il Samyang XP 85mm f1.2 ha mantenuto comunque la fedeltà dei colori appieno.

Specialmente nella food photography, dove i colori sono importantissimi, il risultato che si ottiene scattando con questo obiettivo è sorprendente. Il contrasto è elevato ed è estremamente nitido, anche a tutta apertura.

Do you see food photography as a form of artistic expression?
What are the differences between this type of photography and that of food intended for books and/or cookbooks?

Mainly, in terms of language, the big difference is that editorial photography is mainly descriptive, while fine art photography generally aims to excite and represent the artist's artistic style.

The purpose of editorial photography is to support a text, in the case of food with a mise en place and specific styling. In theory, the image is valid - as in the case of advertising photography - when it could even be substituted for text.

The goal of my "fine art" projects for the food sector, although the subjects are almost always real dishes served at the table, is to make food photography recognized as a photographic genre that is an expression of contemporary art and not just production activities of commercial images accompanying a recipe.

In my fine art shots, I aim to combine aesthetics, ethics, and narration, with an essential and evocative composition of the chef's gastronomic vision and, more generally, of the food design developed upstream of the shooting.

Principalmente, a livello di linguaggio la grande differenza è che la fotografia editoriale è prevalentemente descrittiva, mentre la fotografia fine art in genere punta a emozionare e a rappresentare lo stile artistico dell’autore.

Lo scopo della fotografia editoriale è quello di supportare un testo, nel caso del food con una mise en place e uno styling specifico. In teoria, l’immagine è valida - come nel caso della fotografia pubblicitaria - quando potrebbe addirittura essere sostituita al testo.

L’obiettivo dei miei progetti “fine art” per il settore food, benché i soggetti siano quasi sempre veri piatti serviti al tavolo, è quello far riconoscere la food photography in quanto genere fotografico espressione dell’arte contemporanea e non solo attività per la produzione di immagini commerciali a corredo di una ricetta.

Nei mie scatti fine art punto ad unire estetica, etica e narrazione, con una composizione essenziale ed evocativa della vision gastronomica dello chef e, più in generale, del food design sviluppato a monte dello shooting.

zoom
LENSES XP 85mm
F1.2
CAMERA Panasonic
Lumix S1R
DIAPHRAGM -
SPEED -
ISO -
EXPOSURE -
PHOTOMETRY 85mm
BRIGHTNESS -
PHOTOMETRY -
zoom
LENSES XP 85mm
F1.2
CAMERA Panasonic
Lumix S1R
DIAPHRAGM F1.2
SPEED -
ISO -
EXPOSURE -
PHOTOMETRY 85mm
BRIGHTNESS -
PHOTOMETRY -

I understand
that you have experienced
the Samyang XP 85mm
very well, so…
and not just in the studio!

In fact, the initial idea was to use the Samyang XP 85mm exclusively in the studio, but I could not miss the chance to have the outdoor shootings with this lens, so I took the XP 85mm F1.2 lens with me around for a couple of weeks, without ever missing an outdoor shooting opportunity. The experience was very satisfied all the time, which only the "right" photographic tool can give you.

When I then tested it in some still life shots, having cleared all possible weight and size limits, I was able to appreciate its performance even with flashlights, as well as the excellent performance in defining the depth of field I mentioned before.

In fact, to me, the "P" of the acronym XP stands for "Premium"!

In effetti l’idea iniziale era quella di usare il Samyang XP 85mm esclusivamente in studio, ma non ho resistito e l’ho portato con me in giro per un paio di settimane, senza mai mancare un’occasione di scatto outdoor, traendone sempre la medesima sensazione di appagamento che solo il “giusto” attrezzo fotografico ti sa dare.

Quando poi l’ho testato in alcuni scatti still life, azzerati tutti i possibili limiti di peso e dimensioni, ho potuto apprezzarne la resa anche con luci flash, oltre che la già citata estrema discrezionalità nel definire la profondità di campo.

La “P” della sigla XP, sta per “Premium”… in effetti per me lo è stato! ;)

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Samyang’s Guide to Achieving the Optimal Angle of View

The perfect spacing and distance are always necessary when shooting all kinds of subjects, including people, to give them a proper relationship with the beautiful space around them. So, what’s the exact distance that helps you best appreciate a work of art, or a photo?

The correct answer is the diagonal length of the full frame of a subject.

표준화각 자료 이미지
표준화각 자료 이미지

The best standpoint from which to appreciate the full view of a subject is the distance of the diagonal length of the subject frame. This wider angle is superior to standing closer at a 50 degree angle to get a more detailed view. This notion of an ideal distance or view point is also applicable in the world of photography.

For still images, keeping a distance equal to the diagonal length of the full image surface is recommended. The full frame sensor of a digital camera is 36 x 24mm and the diagonal length is 43.26mm so any distance close to this number is nearer to the ideal than the currently accepted industry standard of 50mm.

Back when film cameras were common, 45mm was the industry standard and this continued as reflex cameras needed extra space to fit a mirror. However, as mirrorless cameras become more popular again, there has been a need to return to this industry standard…which is the impetus for the Samyang AF 45mm F1.8 FE. With less distortion than a 35mm lens and wider angles than a 55mm lens, the Samyang AF 45mm F1.8 FE is a perfect lens for portraits, landscapes, architecture photography, and pictures of pets.

What is Preset Aperture Control Function?

On the Preset Aperture Control function, the aperture blade operates smoothly like a "De-clicked lens", which is advantageous for video recording.
Fujifilm cameras are engineered to control the aperture according to the minimum exposure value(F-stop), so when the camera controls the aperture, it blinks momentarily to set the proper exposure.

AF 75mm F1.8 X intentionally disconnects the communication with the camera body and the lens itself on the Preset Aperture Control function, so it is possible to smoothly adjust the exposure without flickering. ISO and shutter speed are adjusted according to the changed exposure by controlling the aperture, so the exposure value can be changed even with the 1/2 F-stop.

What is Preset Aperture Control Function?

On the Preset Aperture Control function, the aperture blade operates smoothly like a "De-clicked lens", which is advantageous for video recording.
Fujifilm cameras are engineered to control the aperture according to the minimum exposure value(F-stop), so when the camera controls the aperture, it blinks momentarily to set the proper exposure.

AF 75mm F1.8 X intentionally disconnects the communication with the camera body and the lens itself on the Preset Aperture Control function, so it is possible to smoothly adjust the exposure without flickering. ISO and shutter speed are adjusted according to the changed exposure by controlling the aperture, so the exposure value can be changed even with the 1/2 F-stop.

What is Recommended Settings for Preset Aperture Control Function?

The Preset Aperture Control function operates only when shooting video(Movie mode) and the focusing mode of the camera is set to AF mode. Please set the aperture at f/1.8 before switching the "Custom Switch" to "Mode 2. It is recommended to set the "Exposure mode" as A mode (Aperture Priority AE) or M mode (Manual Exposure).

* How to use the “Preset Aperture Control” function?

1) Camera Body Setting
      AF Mode → Video Mode ('A' or 'M' mode) → Set the Aperture @F1.8
(2) Lens Setting
      Switch your "Custom Switch” to “Mode 2(M2)"
(3) Now, you're ready to use the Preset Aperture Control function with your focus ring

What is Recommended Settings for Preset Aperture Control Function?

The Preset Aperture Control function operates only when shooting video(Movie mode) and the focusing mode of the camera is set to AF mode. Please set the aperture at f/1.8 before switching the "Custom Switch" to "Mode 2. It is recommended to set the "Exposure mode" as A mode (Aperture Priority AE) or M mode (Manual Exposure).

* How to use the “Preset Aperture Control” function?

1) Camera Body Setting
      AF Mode → Video Mode ('A' or 'M' mode) → Set the Aperture @F1.8
(2) Lens Setting
      Switch your "Custom Switch” to “Mode 2(M2)"
(3) Now, you're ready to use the Preset Aperture Control function with your focus ring

[What is Dolly Shot? How to Shoot Easily]

[What is Dolly shot?]

A dolly shot, also referred to as a tracking shot or trucking shot, is a camera movement technique used by cinematographers to track and follow a subject in motion. To achieve this, the camera is mounted on a device called a "dolly," which facilitates smooth tracking movement. The dolly can move in front of, behind, or alongside the subject, which can be a person, a location, a product, or any other object of focus in the frame. Through this, you can control the emotional distance between the subject and the viewer by highlighting the audiovisual and dramatic effects.

[How to take a Dolly Shot simply by handheld]

Tip. If the moving distance is long, the camera may shake, so please shoot at a focal length between 35 and 100mm.
1. Stand at a distance of about 1.5 to 2 meters away from the subject.
2. Set the custom switch to MF and Mode 3 and adjust the focal length to about 100mm.
3. After focusing on the subject, set the aperture to F8~16.
4. Slowly turn the zoom ring to the left (towards the wide-angle end) while using your upper body and arms to move the camera toward your subject.
5. Dolly Shot complete!
※ When shooting from a farther distance from the subject, use a cart or gimbal for more stable shooting.

DSLR / Full Frame
1D X Mark Ⅱ
1D X
1Ds Mark Ⅲ
1Ds
5DsR
5Ds
5D Mark Ⅳ
5D Mark Ⅲ
6D Mark Ⅱ
6D
DSLR / APS-H
1D Mark Ⅲ
1D
Mirrorless / APS-C
M6
M5
M10
M3
M2
DSLR / APS-S
7D Mark Ⅱ
7D
80D
70D
60D
30D
D60
D30
77D (9000D)
760D (8000D / Rebel T6s)
1300D (Kiss X80 / Rebel T6)
1200D (Kiss X70 / Rebel T5)
200D (Kiss X9 / Rebel SL2)
800D (Kiss X9i / Rebel T7i)
700D (Kiss X9i / Rebel T7i)
100D (Kiss X7 / Rebel SL1)
650D (Kiss X6i / Rebel T4i)
600D (Kiss X5 / Rebel T3i)
550D (Kiss X4 / Rebel T2i)
500D (Kiss X3 / Rebel T1i)
1000D (Kiss F / Rebel XS)
450D (Kiss X2 / Rebel X냐)
DSLR / Full Frame
D850
D5
D810A
D4S
D810
D750
Df
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D4
D800
D800E
D600
D3s
D3x
D700
D3
DSLR / APS-C
D7500
D3400
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D5600
D7200
D5500
D3300
D7100
D5300
D5200
D7000
D300s
D300
DSLR / Full Frame
Z6
Z7
D810A
D4S
D750
D810A
DSLR / APS-C
D7200
D500
D3300
D5500
D5600
D3400
D7500

* Cameras released within 5 years from 2019 are tested.

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