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Real World Weddings with Samyang Tiny F1.8 Lenses

Tom Halliday

Photographer from England

zoom
LENSES AF 75mm
F1.8 FE
CAMERA Sony
DIAPHRAGM F1.8
SPEED 1/320sec
ISO 160
EXPOSURE -
PHOTOMETRY -
BRIGHTNESS -
PHOTOMETRY -

The good folks over at Samyang have been kind enough to send me the AF 35mm F1.8 FE and the AF 75mm F1.8 FE

I have been using them for a while now, making sample images for them - but decided to put them through their paces at a real world wedding. This has been tricky due to lockdown, however I had a double wedding weekend coming up, one in Devon, on a beach in October, the other in Cambridge so traveling light was a must.

The Combo + The Size

For the past 7 years I have mainly been shooting my weddings on the superb combo of 35mm on one hip and 85mm on the other. I love prime lenses and the look they give. I really love shooting at 1.4 to get that creamy bokeh. The one downside is that they are pretty big and I moved to mirrorless to get compact and light. So when Samyang brought out the 35 1.8 tiny but All-Around and the 75 1.8 tiny but Absolute I was very excited. The first thing you notice is the size, they are so compact, light too! I love this as it makes me even more discrete when shooting. If like me when you see stats etc it washes over you I have included a photo of them next to each other on my hand. Thats how small they are!

zoom

The Build

With lenses this small and with the price they are, you would expect there to be some compromise on build quality. However this isn’t the case, they are built to last. The one downside is the lack of weather sealing on the 75. However they both stood up well with 70mph gusts of wind, sea spray and rain - so It’s not too much of an issue. The 35 is weather sealed and performs beautifully. Each have a custom mode switch on the side. The control ring is electronic and is as smooth as butter. The mode switch selects the function of the ring and Mode 1 makes it function as a focusing ring, but only when the camera is set on DMF (Direct Manual Focus, for MF tweaks whilst in AF) or M (Manual Focus). Mode 2 makes it an aperture ring and it is always useful to have this option for those who prefer to shoot like this. For me I’m stuck in my ways and use the dial on my camera. The aperture and focus is so very quiet, perfect for the wedding ceremony, combine this with the silent shooting on the a7iii and you’re basically in full ninja wedding photographer mode.

zoom
LENSES AF 35mm F1.8 FE
CAMERA Sony
DIAPHRAGM F1.8
SPEED 1/800sec
ISO 320
EXPOSURE -
PHOTOMETRY -
BRIGHTNESS -
PHOTOMETRY -

Performance

As I mentioned before, this awesome wedding was in Devon, October 31st with crazy wind and rain on the beach and very little light. It was a pretty dark day which made for some great moody skies. Both the 75 and the 35 had no issues what so ever with focusing in such low light. I shot at f1.8 most of the day as this was an elopement, so no family formals. The focus was bang on never really missing a beat. The only times I tweaked it was when I was going for those big wide shots. But even then the 35 was hitting the sweet spot most of the time.

zoom
LENSES AF 35mm
F1.8 FE
CAMERA Sony
DIAPHRAGM F1.8
SPEED 1/250sec
ISO 100
EXPOSURE -
PHOTOMETRY -
BRIGHTNESS -
PHOTOMETRY -
zoom
LENSES AF 35mm
F1.8 FE
CAMERA Sony
DIAPHRAGM F2.8
SPEED 1/400sec
ISO 100
EXPOSURE -
PHOTOMETRY -
BRIGHTNESS -
PHOTOMETRY -
zoom
LENSES AF 35mm F1.8 FE
CAMERA Sony
DIAPHRAGM F1.8
SPEED 1/200sec
ISO 100
EXPOSURE -
PHOTOMETRY -
BRIGHTNESS -
PHOTOMETRY -

Conclusion

These lenses are great. They are a welcome addition to my bag and now come with me to every wedding. I still mainly shoot with the AF 35mm F1.4 FE and AF 85mm F1.4 FE as being a wedding photographer in the UK you need all the light you can get. But for days when I need to move quickly and pack light the AF 35mm F1.8 FE fe and the 75 f.18 fe are perfect. If you travel a lot, or just want to make your bag lighter but still get that great quality to your images, these lenses will not let you down!

zoom
LENSES AF 35mm F1.8 FE
CAMERA Sony
DIAPHRAGM F1.8
SPEED 1/50sec
ISO 2500
EXPOSURE -
PHOTOMETRY -
BRIGHTNESS -
PHOTOMETRY -
zoom
LENSES AF 35mm
F1.8 FE
CAMERA Sony
DIAPHRAGM F1.8
SPEED 1/1000sec
ISO 160
EXPOSURE -
PHOTOMETRY -
BRIGHTNESS -
PHOTOMETRY -
zoom
LENSES AF 75mm
F1.8 FE
CAMERA Sony
DIAPHRAGM F1.8
SPEED 1/320sec
ISO 320
EXPOSURE -
PHOTOMETRY -
BRIGHTNESS -
PHOTOMETRY -

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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.

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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
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M6
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DSLR / APS-S
7D Mark Ⅱ
7D
80D
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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)
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D300
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Z6
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* Cameras released within 5 years from 2019 are tested.

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