Rokinon 12mm/2.0: have you used such a lens?

[raid]

I want a wide angle lens for my EP2 and EPL1 cameras. It looks as if this lens has been reviewed as being a very good lens. Has anyone here used such a lens? What about the Rokimon 14mm/2.8? Is it a very good lens?

Today, Amazon has a special on the 12/2.0.

Thanks.

 

[raid]

Would it be more efficient to get such a lens in Nikon or Canon mount, and then use an adapter for M4/3 so that I could use the lens with multiple camera systems?

I have also my eyes on the 85/1.4 by Rokinon. It is on sale for $299 today.
My Zeiss 85/1.4 has a broken aperture mechanism, and I xan use it only wide open. I could get another Zeiss lens for $750-$1200 on ebay.

 

[raid]

Does it make make more sense to buy an AF lens that is made for M4/3, and are duch lenses sharper than the Rokimon wide sngle lenses? My Qolympus 17mm lens lacks sharpness. Many seem tp prefer the Panasonic 20mm lens. Then we have the new breed of expensive lenses for M4/3 cameras.

 

[Darshan]

Hi Raid, have you considered the Panasonic 14 2.5? It's smaller than the 20 1.7, has faster AF and is very good. I recently got it from a RFF member and use it on my GF1 (yes, I still use my GF1 🙄). Here are a few recent photos (some photos have been posted in another thread).

 

[yossarian123]

The 14mm lenses for SLRs are huge and would be kind of awkward on a pen. The olympus 12mm is smaller than the rokinon 12mm and has near instantaneous AF. It's also extremely sharp. My vote would be to pay the premium for the Olympus.

 

[yossarian123]

And the panny 14mm is a very good lens and cheap.

 

[jajong]

Raid,
Please be aware of "banding" issues of MFT Panasonic wide lenses ( apparently especially the 20mm) on Olympus bodies. It doesn't happen very often it is said, but I saw some examples of it on the net.

Cheers,
Jan

 

[raid]

Raid,
Please be aware of "banding" issues of MFT Panasonic wide lenses ( apparently especially the 20mm) on Olympus bodies. It doesn't happen very often it is said, but I saw some examples of it on the net.

Cheers,
Jan

Thank you for the warning, Jan.

 

[raid]

Thanks for the images. I wonder if there is "banding" on EP bodies. See Jan's cautioning above.

Raid

Hi Raid, have you considered the Panasonic 14 2.5? It's smaller than the 20 1.7, has faster AF and is very good. I recently got it from a RFF member and use it on my GF1 (yes, I still use my GF1 🙄). Here are a few recent photos (some photos have been posted in another thread).

 

[raid]

The 14mm lenses for SLRs are huge and would be kind of awkward on a pen. The olympus 12mm is smaller than the rokinon 12mm and has near instantaneous AF. It's also extremely sharp. My vote would be to pay the premium for the Olympus.

I will give it more thought. My main cameras are Leica M8 and M9. The Micro 4\3 cameras sre there as once in a while alternatives. I avoid making them another source of high cost investments. I always thought of my M4/3 cameras as cameras for my SLR lenses that just sit on shelves.

 

[raid]

I am about to buy the Rokinon 12mm 2.0 for $299.

 

[raid]

I decided to pass this deal. The loss of so much coverage by the M4/3 system is too much fir wide angle lenses.

 

[monocles]

I also have the Panasonic 14/2.5 and am quite pleased with it. I use my 20/1.7 much more, but because of the 2x crop factor they're really not in the same league.

For wide angle use I've also got a Samyang 7.5mm/3.5. It's a fisheye, but pretty easy to straighten out. I usually print small so I can crop the picture if I want a narrower fov.

 

[raid]

I gave it all more thought, and I concluded that my M 4/3 set-up is meant for portraits while My M8/M9 set-up was for all settings. A 12mm that is only used for M 4/3 means a 24mm lens that I cannot use with my M cameras. It is not what I really want now.

 

[kzphoto]

Raid,

I would recommend staying away from Bower / Samyang / Rokinon lenses. They are built rather poorly and if they break, they will sell you a service replacement at 50% of the retail cost.

IMO, you're better off buying a lens which can be repaired / serviced.

 

[raid]

I was not eager to buy a Rokon lens, but when you want/have to save money, it is a good option to have. I realized that since I already have some excellent lenses, I would not be satisfied with a Rokinon lens not everybody is praising.