Samyang 8mm f/3.5 UMC Fish-eye CS II Lens Review

Samyang 8mm f/3.5 UMC Fish-eye CS II Handling and Features

The build quality of this 8mm fisheye lens from Samyang is very good indeed. High quality plastics have been used for much of the lens barrel and the lens mount is metal. It balances well on the Nikon D300 used for testing.

Focusing is manual, and the action of the focus ring is smooth and precise. Focus distances are marked on focusing ring, although there is no hyperfocal scale, which is a shame. 

Taking images of anything over two to three metres away is simple, as the lens can simply be left set on or close to infinity. For closer distances it is recommended to use the electronic focus confirmation feature of your DSLR, or a dedicated focusing screen for manual focus lenses if taking still images using the viewfinder. If recording video, viewing a magnified section of the frame will ensure accurate focusing.

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