Samyang AF 24mm F/1.8 FE

The Samyang AF 24mm F/1.8 FE is a wide-angle prime for Sony E mount full-frame cameras. Samyang introduced it in 2021, and it remains in production, so this is a current design rather than an older model. A single fixed view makes framing simple: you step forward or back rather than zooming.

It suits interiors, architecture, street photography and landscapes, where a wide view takes in the whole scene. The f/1.8 aperture also makes it a practical choice for the night sky. The main trade-off is that one focal length covers one view. Photographers who need varied framing from one position may prefer a zoom.

At 8.1 oz (230 g), it is a light full-frame lens. The barrel stays small at 2.56 in (65 mm) across and 2.81 in (71.5 mm) long. Screw-in filters match the 58mm thread directly, a common size that existing filters may already share.

A 24mm prime frames rooms, facades and street corners without stepping back. That wide view matters inside, where walls limit your position, and in tight alleys where a longer lens would cut the scene apart. The optics specification scores 86/100.

The f/1.8 aperture is the main strength. It passes more light than a typical wide zoom, so indoor shots keep usable shutter speeds without heavy ISO lifting. At night it lets you photograph lit streets handheld and record stars with short exposures on a tripod.

Close focusing reaches 0.6 ft (19 cm). A doorway edge, a rock or a window frame can sit close to the camera while the background stays in view. Its maximum magnification reaches 0.21x, so close subjects record with useful size. Nine aperture blades keep the opening round when stopped down, smoothing point lights behind the subject.

Subject isolation remains a wide-angle challenge. The 24mm view pulls surrounding detail into the frame. Separation therefore comes from the near focusing distance and the f/1.8 opening rather than from the focal length alone.

Weather sealing guards the moving joints against damp and dust. Light rain or sea air need not send you indoors, which suits landscape work on exposed ground.

The features specification scores 52/100. The lens provides no image stabilisation of its own, so slow handheld exposures have no lens-based help. The wide aperture lowers the need for slow shutter speeds in dim light, which limits the practical cost.

There is no fluorine coating on the front glass. Fingerprints and rain spots need a deliberate wipe rather than sliding away on their own.

The build holds 11 elements in 8 groups. Among them are aspherical elements, whose shaped surfaces help correct distortion, the effect that curves straight building edges. Low-dispersion glass also helps reduce chromatic aberration, the coloured fringes that can trace high-contrast edges such as rooflines against a bright sky. Both faults stand out in architecture and night street frames, which these design choices target.