Rokinon FE14M-E 14mm F2.8 Ultra Wide Lens for Sony E-mount and Fixed Lens for Other Cameras

Great lens, super great value at a price you cant beat. Its sharp IF you can get a good copy. However, as many on the web have already said, the lens has a lot of issues with inconsistency and de-centering. Ive heard of this issue before from many people online but figured if it was even reasonably consistent then I wouldnt mind keeping a lens that is sub $300 and is so specialized that I would only use it sparsely anyways. Instead I got a lens that was essentially unusable. From my tests, the lens has good center sharpness and great light gathering ability due to the large aperture. However the entire right side of the lens is UTTER RUBBISH and blurry. It is simply unusable as the right side of the lens is so poor that I wouldnt hope to capture anything on the right side and expect it to be clear. The following photo was taken at f2.8 on an A7rii and not sharpened, only added additional exposure and not cropped. As you can tell, the right side is TERRIBLE. Even when stopped down there is minimal improvement but the comparison between the left and right is palatable. This is due to de-centering, or certain elements in the lens that are off-center, tilted, or uneven. I have some other samples and they all show the same conclusion. LensRentals did a review and Samyang/Rokinon/Bower lenses and they are all the same company sold under different names. LensRentals conclusion is that they are great value but the quality control and materials used are awful. While most lenses use metal, screws, and heavy calibration, Rokinon lenses make extensive use of plastics and GLUE! The result is copy variation is VERY INCONSISTENT and a lot of internal elements that move around, break, or move out of position and alignment. LensRentals says that Rokinon/Samyangs are the most frequently repaired lenses they have. With these lenses, you are essentially getting the luck of the draw with the lens lottery. You might get a superb copy with outstanding sharpness, or you might end up like me with a potato. MAKE SURE YOU TEST EXTENSIVELY before you decide to keep!!!!

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Focus issues, couldnt not get it to focus correctly, tried with my A7RII and A6300 and on both units the focus is way out of order. My infinity is at 3 meters, go figure. my only regret is that I waited to long to test it and find out about the issues. Also looks like it was a refurbished copy, noticed very small scratches on the screws. Willing to try another copy if a get the chance return this copy, I really believe it is a good lens based on the reviews I saw, but i think I got a limon.

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Bought this lens a couple years ago when I first upgraded to a full frame Sony. Upon first inspection, the camera had AWFUL smearing in the corners, nothing was in focus except dead center of the lens. Went back and forth with customer service, who was great and helpful, got the lens replaced over the course of a couple months. When I received a replacement, the lens seemed great. Or at least leaps and bounds better than it was. Now, two years later, I havent used this lens hardly at all since Ive had it, but just recently picked it back up for some real estate photography. BIG mistake. Im not sure if I just didnt realize that the lens was just as bad, or if it has gotten worse since Ive had it, or if my eyes have gotten better since, but the entire image is now soft. Nothing is in focus, awful, awful smearing on the entire left side of the image. As others have said, you either need to deal with the hassle to get a few copies replaced, or you just throw it away. I wouldnt even give this lens to somebody for free. Its that bad. Save your money and put it toward something else.

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