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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
Rokinon Lenses? Really?
Christian Hafer, Photographer, Assistant
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Wayne | Pa | USA | Posted: 1:29 PM on 07.26.11 |
->> So I was looking at the Rokinon line up and for the price you cant really get anything close. YES I know that Nikon glass would be far superior but for sub $300.00 I can 8mm ultra wide or an 85mm f/1.4 to play with.
I just wonder if anyone has used them before? I overheard some guy going on about how sharp their 85mm is and again sub $300....
Oh and first post and glad to be apart of the community. |
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Daniel Berman, Student/Intern, Photographer
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Seattle | WA | US | Posted: 3:09 PM on 07.26.11 |
->> Hi Christian,
I have had good luck with the 8mm ultrawide!
Daniel |
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Brad Mangin, Photographer
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Pleasanton | CA | USA | Posted: 3:19 PM on 07.26.11 |
->> I sold Rokinon, Makinon and other "Famous Maker" lenses at Brooks Cameras in the San Francisco Bay Area while I was going to college back in 1986. Our cost on them was like 30 bucks and we got a nice spiff if we sold one. They came out in big ads in the papers. They were not so good back then.
No idea if they have improved in the 25 years since. Jeez I am old. |
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Christian Hafer, Photographer, Assistant
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Wayne | Pa | USA | Posted: 3:39 PM on 07.26.11 |
->> Thanks Daniel! I may have to pick one up.
Brad the "scariest" thing is I was 1 at the time you were selling them....My Brother in law is a huge Giants fan so I got him a copy of your book and he FREAKED out. Well done. |
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Clark Brooks, Photo Editor, Photographer
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Urbana | IL | USA | Posted: 4:48 PM on 07.26.11 |
->> Brad,
You're are just a youngster!!! I sold Osawa (my favorite at the time), Kiron, Tamron and Vivitar lenses way, way back in the day ... more than a half a decade earlier while in high school ;-) Guess that makes me ancient... |
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Chuck Liddy, Photographer
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Durham | NC | USA | Posted: 8:18 PM on 07.26.11 |
| ->> I sold Matthew Brady his first camera. |
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Gary Cosby, Jr, Photographer
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Decatur | AL | USA | Posted: 10:39 PM on 07.26.11 |
| ->> Chuck, on the bright side, at least it wasn't Daguerre you sold it to. |
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Paul Alesse, Photographer
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Centereach | NY | USA | Posted: 10:58 PM on 07.26.11 |
| ->> You guys had cameras? Hell, when I was a kid, we had to look at something we liked for a real real long time and memorize it. |
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Michael Fischer, Photographer
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Spencer | Ia | USA | Posted: 11:24 PM on 07.26.11 |
->> Christian,
They are a coke bottle.Mechanically, they won't hold up.
Optically, this stuff isn't very good. Mechanically, they don't last as long.
They are, in other words, the most expensive lens you can buy.
What good is a f1.4 lens if the image isn't any good wide open?
I'll bet you'll ignore this and buy one anyway.
Have fun learning the lesson.....
Michael |
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Michael Fischer, Photographer
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Spencer | Ia | USA | Posted: 11:25 PM on 07.26.11 |
->> Brad, I sold cameras back in 69-75.
Ya wanna talk old? :)
Michael |
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Christian Hafer, Photographer, Assistant
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Wayne | Pa | USA | Posted: 8:34 AM on 07.27.11 |
->> Michael - Thanks for the input but most likely I wont buy one. Have had some people swear by them and others that would rather poke themselves in the eye.
Usually when there is such a large range of opinion on gear that's a sign to stay away (to me atleast). |
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Jim Colburn, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Omaha | NE | USA | Posted: 9:49 AM on 07.27.11 |
->> "What good is a f1.4 lens if the image isn't any good wide open?"
A soft focus portrait lens? |
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Bill Danielewski, Photographer
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Boston | MA | USA | Posted: 4:53 PM on 07.27.11 |
| ->> Actually, I just received my 8mm in the post today. For the price I had to try it (Nikon mount). It's DX format so only really good on my D300. I bought it to have some fun with and get the one full-stadium shot that I need. I'll play around with it but for what I've seen so far from it and for what I need - it was worth the $280 vs the cost of a similar Nikkor. Its not going to win me any awards but - it'll be a fun one to have in the bag. |
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Scott Miller, Photographer
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Sorrento | FL | | Posted: 8:22 AM on 07.28.11 |
->> I borrowed the 8mm for the Daytona 500 from a friend who is the team photographer for the Orlando Magic. His was a Bower. Same lens and manufacturer is the Rokinon, which also goes by Pro-Optic and Samyang.
I was more than happy with the results. Close up or as an over from top of the pressbox.
Stuff is sharp.
Fernando uses his under the basket - mounted upside down at times and gets great results.
And for the record he owns and I have used the Nikon 10mm and a few other fisheye lenses and I would and will most likely buy either the Rokinon. |
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Christian Hafer, Photographer, Assistant
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Wayne | Pa | USA | Posted: 11:06 AM on 07.28.11 |
| ->> Awesome Scott! Hopefully I can get my dirty little mitts on a 8mm soon to try it out. |
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Kurt Rivers, Photographer
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Ormond Beach | FL | USA | Posted: 11:30 PM on 07.28.11 |
->> I think it is a decent lens. Don't try it on a 1.3x crop or full frame because the corners will be cut off from the built in lens hood. Some cut the hood off and to get more of the frame in but you will still get some of the corners off.
On a 7D, I can have my nose touching the front element and I can see my whole face and more in the frame... crazy.
I added an image to my SS page that I used with it. It's the lightning one. My profile pic is also with it.
I would not consider a Rokinon for a primary lens... but for a fun and cool different secondary shot. |
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Christian Hafer, Photographer, Assistant
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Wayne | Pa | USA | Posted: 1:41 PM on 07.29.11 |
| ->> Thanks Kurt for the sample shots and info. |
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Patrick Murphy-Racey, Photographer
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Powell | TN | USA | Posted: 8:42 AM on 07.31.11 |
->> I have shot some portraits wide open with the 85 1.4:
The good
1 very sharp wide open
2 great feel because it's got a real helacoid inside
3 internal focus so when you use filters they don't spin
4 killer for video!
5 I paid 200 for mine used including shippng
6 color balance was a little different than canon but good!
The bad
It's not really 1.4... More like between 1.6 and 1.8
I compared it to the 85 1.2L II and the canon 85 1.8
Doesn't focus very close
Obviously no af as it's a manual focus lens
In my opinion, it's a great lens for shooting video and it worked pretty well odor a portrait series I used mine o but I had to use the 12 mm ext tube.
Overall, a great lens for the cash.... Never tried any of the other lenses...
Last note: Rokinon is a Korean company. The same exact lens is made under many different names like vivitar, samyang, and b&h even has it under a house brand name of bowers. It's all the same lens (at least the 85 is). |
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