# Samyang 35 1.4 adds grain?



## FunkyJam (Jul 14, 2012)

Hey,

I recently acquired the Samyang 35 1.4 and yesterday while I was testing it I found something strange. So, when I use f22 and I look thru the viewfinder I realized it has alot of grain. Is this normal? I have a Canon 50 1.8 and I never noticed something like that. I used a 7D.


Is it a bad copy?

Thanks alot as always


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## Policar (Jul 14, 2012)

That's normal. Put the 50mm f1.8 on, stop down to f22, and press the depth of field preview button--it will look the same.

Most lenses are always wide open through the viewfinder then they stop down briefly before each photo is taken. The Samyang is fully manual and does not do this; it's like the DOF preview button is on all the time. The grain is the texture of the ground glass.


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## FunkyJam (Jul 14, 2012)

Thank you alot


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## ecka (Jul 14, 2012)

Policar said:


> That's normal. Put the 50mm f1.8 on, stop down to f22, and press the depth of field preview button--it will look the same.
> 
> Most lenses are always wide open through the viewfinder then they stop down briefly before each photo is taken. The Samyang is fully manual and does not do this; it's like the DOF preview button is on all the time. The grain is the texture of the ground glass.



+1

I think that the grain comes from 7D's grainy focusing screen, not the lens.


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## infared (Jul 14, 2012)

I think you are BOTH right....The graininess you are seeing is actually a combination of the defraction of the light from the smaller aperture of the lens...hitting the focusing screen. The refracted light causes/allows you to see the fresnel of the focusing screen....


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## Kathode-Ray (Jul 14, 2012)

I noticed this as well. I also see it when I have my 70-200 f/4 fully zoomed-in to 200 on my 60D and there's something bright like blue sky in the frame; even at f/4.0 you can see the texture of the focusing screen. The standard Ef-A screen is quite bright, but also a bit grainy indeed.

I now switched from the Ef-A to the Ef-S screen, and it's much better. This screen gives you a bit darker viewfinder, but in return you get much better contrast and it shows the actual bokeh better. It's more easy to manually focus with this screen, which would be an advantage with the Samyang lens. If you use it with a wide aperture lens like 1.4, the viewfinder still has plenty of light.

Ray


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## KurtStevens (Jul 14, 2012)

What do you think of the lens itself? Easy to focus? I've been wondering if I should pick it up for my 5d3. Thoughts?


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## skitron (Jul 15, 2012)

KurtStevens said:


> What do you think of the lens itself? Easy to focus? I've been wondering if I should pick it up for my 5d3. Thoughts?



I really like mine. I added a programmable autofocus confirm chip and that makes focusing a breeze.


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## KurtStevens (Jul 15, 2012)

Which chip is that?


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## dr croubie (Jul 15, 2012)

skitron said:


> KurtStevens said:
> 
> 
> > What do you think of the lens itself? Easy to focus? I've been wondering if I should pick it up for my 5d3. Thoughts?
> ...



Ditto, I AF-chipped my Samyang, plus I got a Katz-Eye screen (split prism With Opti-Brite and 8x10 etchings, best $200 i ever spent (before the 40mm Pancake, that is)).

The AF chips that I recommend are from ml-gvalt on ebay (the same that Ed Mika puts on his FD adapters).
Look here.


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## sanj (Jul 15, 2012)

I have the Zeiss 35 1.4. If I half depress the shutter and rotate the lens focus, it beeps when it thinks its in focus.

Would this chip work better? I find it very interesting....

Please educate me on this chip... Pls...

thx


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## skitron (Jul 15, 2012)

sanj said:


> I have the Zeiss 35 1.4. If I half depress the shutter and rotate the lens focus, it beeps when it thinks its in focus.
> 
> Would this chip work better? I find it very interesting....
> 
> ...



The programmable chips work the same way as what your Zeiss is doing when focusing. 

But the programmable chips also allow you to set AFMA over a much wider range than the camera body does. For me that was a necessary feature since my Rokinon is actually a Nikon mount and I use an adapter. The thickness of the adapter is too much for the in camera AFMA to adjust so I was able to use the programmable chip to to get it "close to zero" and then us the in camera AFMA to fine tune it. It is in perfect focus now when the camera beeps, even when shooting shallow DOF at f1.4 on my 5D2. And I was also able to use the in camera AFMA on my 50D to get this lens dialed in as well. So I can swap the lens between the two bodies and it will report 35mm focal length and nail focus on both bodies with this programmable chip.

All that said, I don't think you need to change anything with your Zeiss. But remember, you do need to adjust the AFMA since the camera's focus system is working the same as with a regular lens with AF when you use a chipped MF lens. The only difference is there is no motor in the lens to adjust the focus is all. (Plus it also can't open aperture to max for focusing)


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## infared (Jul 15, 2012)

WOAH! can u make a video of installing the chip? LOL! I had no idea that anything like this was even possible? Makes U wonder why Sam Yang is not installing the chip @ the factory....right?


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## ecka (Jul 15, 2012)

The difference between Zeiss and Samyang 35/1.4 is that Zeiss has electronic aperture control. Samyang doesn't, it's all mechanical (good for Nikon  ). IMHO, that chip isn't a must-have for that lens. It works for focus confirmation and adding some EXIF data like lens focal length or focus distance (I'm not sure about the last one), but you won't get any aperture information. I tried the focus confirmation with some lenses and it seems pretty useless for me. I think that MF screen is a better tool for that.


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## sanj (Jul 15, 2012)

skitron said:


> sanj said:
> 
> 
> > I have the Zeiss 35 1.4. If I half depress the shutter and rotate the lens focus, it beeps when it thinks its in focus.
> ...



Thx so much for this explanation. I do not understand much of it currently. I will cut and paste it somewhere and slowly understand it completely...


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## sanj (Jul 15, 2012)

ecka said:


> The difference between Zeiss and Samyang 35/1.4 is that Zeiss has electronic aperture control. Samyang doesn't, it's all mechanical (good for Nikon  ). IMHO, that chip isn't a must-have for that lens. It works for focus confirmation and adding some EXIF data like lens focal length or focus distance (I'm not sure about the last one), but you won't get any aperture information. I tried the focus confirmation with some lenses and it seems pretty useless for me. I think that MF screen is a better tool for that.



Thank you. Unfortunately I have (for the moment) decided not to buy the 1dx and am using the 5d3. Cant change screens on that!!!...


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## ecka (Jul 15, 2012)

sanj said:


> ecka said:
> 
> 
> > The difference between Zeiss and Samyang 35/1.4 is that Zeiss has electronic aperture control. Samyang doesn't, it's all mechanical (good for Nikon  ). IMHO, that chip isn't a must-have for that lens. It works for focus confirmation and adding some EXIF data like lens focal length or focus distance (I'm not sure about the last one), but you won't get any aperture information. I tried the focus confirmation with some lenses and it seems pretty useless for me. I think that MF screen is a better tool for that.
> ...



Well, MF screen seems to work great when shooting through the OVF, but I'm using LiveView for manual focusing. I think it's the most accurate tool for focus and exposure.


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## skitron (Jul 18, 2012)

infared said:


> WOAH! can u make a video of installing the chip? LOL! I had no idea that anything like this was even possible? Makes U wonder why Sam Yang is not installing the chip @ the factory....right?



I think there is a seller on eBay that sells the Canon mount Samyang with a chip already installed.

Yes, I also wonder why Samyang doesn't install chips for their Canon mount lens since their Nikon mount has one. (I actually have a chipped Nikon mount lens and use a chipped adapter)

That said, you can just epoxy it to the chrome ring that fits the lens to the body, just place it so the contacts are the same place as where the contacts are on a Canon lens. Obviously they are small so correct placement is critical.


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## skitron (Jul 18, 2012)

ecka said:


> The difference between Zeiss and Samyang 35/1.4 is that Zeiss has electronic aperture control. Samyang doesn't, it's all mechanical (good for Nikon  ). IMHO, that chip isn't a must-have for that lens. It works for focus confirmation and adding some EXIF data like lens focal length or focus distance (I'm not sure about the last one), but you won't get any aperture information. I tried the focus confirmation with some lenses and it seems pretty useless for me. I think that MF screen is a better tool for that.



Did not know the Zeiss had electronic aperture, but then I'm a low budget kinda guy and don't keep up with Zeiss so much... 

I'm surprise you haven't had much luck focusing with the confirm chip, I've had good success and keeper rate is way up there. Another great focus aid for manual lenses is the Magic Lantern focus peaking in Live View if you have a body that can run ML.


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## Minnesota Nice (Jul 18, 2012)

I have the 8mm and it does this also, it isn't the lens, I'm pretty sure it's the focusing screen or some other element above the mirror.


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## ecka (Jul 18, 2012)

skitron said:


> ecka said:
> 
> 
> > The difference between Zeiss and Samyang 35/1.4 is that Zeiss has electronic aperture control. Samyang doesn't, it's all mechanical (good for Nikon  ). IMHO, that chip isn't a must-have for that lens. It works for focus confirmation and adding some EXIF data like lens focal length or focus distance (I'm not sure about the last one), but you won't get any aperture information. I tried the focus confirmation with some lenses and it seems pretty useless for me. I think that MF screen is a better tool for that.
> ...



Yes, ML is great. The confirm chip works, but it seems like 9 5D2 points are not enough to make the most of it.


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## Ryan708 (Jul 22, 2012)

Kathode-Ray said:


> I noticed this as well. I also see it when I have my 70-200 f/4 fully zoomed-in to 200 on my 60D and there's something bright like blue sky in the frame; even at f/4.0 you can see the texture of the focusing screen. The standard Ef-A screen is quite bright, but also a bit grainy indeed.
> 
> I now switched from the Ef-A to the Ef-S screen, and it's much better. This screen gives you a bit darker viewfinder, but in return you get much better contrast and it shows the actual bokeh better. It's more easy to manually focus with this screen, which would be an advantage with the Samyang lens. If you use it with a wide aperture lens like 1.4, the viewfinder still has plenty of light.
> 
> Ray



How much was the focusing screen and how hard to install/how much was installation. I have thought I might like to add one to my 60d


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