I’ve had this lens twice, and sold it twice. It’s OK, but never quite sharp enough in the center. The edges are always hit or miss. I mainly used it for Astro, as for Landscape I use my 16-35 f4 Canon, typically stopped to 9 or 11 with ND filters (which this lens cannot use.).
Sony just released the 14mm 1.8 GM looks great. I've been using the Sony 20mm 1.8 G lens and absolutely love it. I think it's become my favourite focal length.
Most definitely Dave! Sods law = Sony announcing the 14mm GM between me making and releasing this video! 😫😆🤦🏻♂️ I'm thinking I'll be getting both the 20mm and the 14mm from Sony as soon as I can afford them! Thanks for watching 😁👍
I own the Sigma 14-24mm F2.8 EF mount. I use it with my Canon EOS R with the EF to ER mount adapter. I use it for astrophotography as well as daytime landscapes and general ultra wide angel photography. It's the lens I use the most. I also own the EF to RF drop in filter adapter, so I can use my circular polarizer and variable ND filter. There is also a drop in natural night / light pollution filter that you can get for the EOS R mount adapter for those in light polluted skies. Where I live we have 30 days of night Dec 6 - Jan 6, and 7 months of snow above the arctic circle, so during those long winter nights there's plenty of opportunity to take pictures of the night sky when it's clear. However, being at this latitude it can often be obscured by the northern lights, but this lens is a real performer. I've even used really high ISO settings and it did really well, albeit with some de-noising with my favourite DeNoise software. I also have the Canon 24-105mm F4L kit lens and the Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 Sport another fantastic sharp wide aperture lens.
It does look like a fantastic lens...and now the 14mm GM has been announced as well so it'll be interesting to see how that compares. Thanks for watching 😁👍
Great to hear you're liking the results of the 50mm Nikkor. There are so many lenses out there that work for astro, from super wides to telephotos, under the right conditions. Thanks for watching 😁👍
I bought the Sony 20mm f1.8 on Alyn's review. Love it and sold the Canon adapted Sigma 20mm f1.4. I have the Tamron 17-28 and it is fine, just not quite as fast. I have the Irix 15 with adaptor and it is below average. I have (2) a7III's and have been looking at the new Samyang 24 1.8 with "astro" features for the second one. Would love to see some good reviews but so far only a few that weren't very good reviews. Thanks for your video.
Sounds like you're building up quite a collection! 👍 I'm hoping to get my hands on the samyang 24 1.8 to test out... Also the Sony 14mm GM has just been released (between me making and releasing this video😫🤦🏻♂️) so I definitely want to test that one out as well. Thanks for watching 😁👍
I love my Sony 20mm f1.8 and shoot mostly aurora. I had the 24mm GM but sold it because the field of view on the 20 was what I needed. I also use it for daytime landscape on my A7RIII. I had both the Sigma 14mm and 14-24. They both are heavy and wound up staying home instead of coming out on shoots. They eventually got sold as well. The new Sony 14mm is going to be tempting though.
Just looking back at this clip, now I've bought 3 lenses that could be added to this collection. They are the Sony 14mm 1.8 GM, the Laowa 10mm 2.8 Automatic and the very cheap, but outstanding fisheye the TTArtisan 11mm 2.8. I've had the Sony 14 for a while now and use it all the time, but I needed a wider fisheye because my Samyang 12mm has gone to its maker. So I bought the new Laowa 10mm because its the widest fully automatic for the Sony mount and it's rectilinear like my other Laowa lenses, the 12mm and 10-18mm. But I needed something else wider for close up skateboarding and astrophotography, so was very surprised to find quality at the lower end with the TTArtisan 11mm, am waiting on its arrival, but very excited. Also taking the Laowa 10mm out today for the first time to take skateboarding, will be great to have eye/body auto focus at this wide for the first time. Of course when I need to put these two lenses away because of the weather I have the Sony.
Good job, thanks! Respect for crediting others correctly. There is one glaring omission... the Samyang XP 14mm f2.4 which is great wide open apparently!!
Hi Dominic, Unfortunately I only had time for these 10 lenses ... going through the comments, there are lots of others as well that I could have included ... I hear the samyang 14mm XP is a great lens ... Thanks for watching 😁👍
Honestly the only reason I am not going for the Samyang is the lack of consistency in their products. The idea that I might have to deal with customer service and explaining what is wrong with a potentially bad copy it is not something I want to do.
I also heard about the not perfect control quality check about the Tokina Firin 20mm. One of the topic I will really feel to request you is a video talking about how to take some tests of a brand new lens has just been bought, how to check properly about the focus, if it's perfectly centered and if it reachs the best sharpness. Do decide if it's the case to send it back. It's something I couldn't find on youtube yet and you seems the best to make a tutorial like that.
Now that sounds like a great idea for a video...it will take a bit of time to make but I'll definitely add it to my list of videos to do in the future. thanks for the suggestion, I really appreciate it! 😁👍
I have been using Canon 16-35mm f2.8 III for some time. After viewing your video, I think Sigma 14mm f1.8 is my choice for a wider angle and larger aperture. Thanks for your comments !
I use the Samyang 14mm f2.4. This is a sharp lens wide open, even in the corners. Coma is minimal, only in the corners wide open, well handlesd and doesnt have any funky ufo shaped coma. This is a premium lens. The Samyang 14mm f2.4 demolishes the Samyang 14mm f2.8 in every aspect.
Great to hear! It is one of the lenses that people have been saying about a lot to me since making this video. I might have to get myself one. Thanks for watching 😁👍
Personally, for astrophotography I use Sigma 35mm 1.4f DG DN ART and IRIX 15mm 2.4f Dragonfly E-mount. Both are used on Sony A7R mk.5, personally I love the lens from IRIX, I have always preferred wide viewing angles and I think, considering the price and build quality, it is quite a good choice for beginners, despite some disadvantages it has.
Hi Mike thank you for the great video. I have been watching you for years now you have really helped me a lot. At the start of my ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY journey I bought the Rokinon 14mm SP f2.4 with my Canon 6D . It's is a amazing lens . I also have the Rokinon 20 f1.8. It's good for stars at f2.8 but seems to be flat in contrast for my 4 grounds. I still love these lens because they where the first lens I bought for Astrophotography 4 years ago. I like to use multiple focal lens over a night of shooting. I decided to by the Sigma 14 to 24 f2.8, this has all the focal length I need and is amazing wide open at f2.8. I also love the colors contrast for my 4 ground light painting. Now I only need 1 lens for the night and I'm good to go. If I need the lens to be faster I just put it on my Move shoot Move star tracker and I'm good to go. But star tracking is a entirely different topic it's self. As a added bonus I put my Rokinon sp 14mm f2.4 on my crop sensor Canon 80D and have a amazing 20mm fast length that provides great Astrophotography images it self. Thank you again and I hope this helps everyone looking to buy a good Astrophotography lens.
Hey Sean, Thanks for sticking around and watching my tutorials, much appreciated! From what I found, the sigma 14-24mm f2.8 does seem the best wide open which was quite surprising. I thought it would be the new sony 12-24mm f2.8, but that looks like it has a few imperfections until you close the aperture down a little. The Sigma is definitely at the top of my shopping list of new lenses to get. Thanks for watching 😁👍
@@mikesphotography yes it does and even though I shoot on a crop sensor. These videos are excellent. This has become one of my go to channels for information. You make it all so easy Mike. Thank you. Its a fantastic channel.
Sounds like a good plan! I loved my samyang as well ... it's a great lens when you get a good one!! I'm still really tempted with the laowa ... I think when I move back to Europe next year I'll treat myself to one. Thanks for watching 😁👍
@@mikesphotography Totally agreed with you, from my experience the most of the samyang manual focus lens are fine. although I had issues with two copies of the auto focus in a row.
@@jmfoty4280 Most definitely. While I like the 14mm, it has noticeable coma in the corners. In addition, the 20mm focal length provides a somewhat tighter framing that I like better.
Great video, Mike. I told my wife that you had suggested that I buy the Sony 12-24GM for $3000 and she said that was great and that I could use it to take a photo of your guest-room in Thailand. I am going to consider some other options for now. I have the Sony 24mm F1.4 and I love it for astro. I know it is a bit tight at 24mm, but I really like it. I hope you and yours are doing well, brother.
Haha!! That lens is soooo expensive isn't it!! Have you seen all of the reviews on the new 14mm GM!? It looks promising... Sods law it was realeased the day before I scheduled this video to go live!! 😆😫🤦🏻♂️
@@mikesphotography I have seen the reviews and it looks like it would be a great option as well. Most of what I have seen it used for is vlogging, but maybe we will start to see some astro shots taken with it soon. I am sure they are already out there if I searched.
Came here to find more info about the Irix 15/2.4... I do have the Samyang 14/2.8 but I'm not too happy with mine. I picked it up used so maybe it's one of those with less tolerance -- who knows. So I'm actually looking for a replacement lens for the Sony house. The Laowa 15/2 seem to be in my price range. But thanks to your video I'll dodge the Irix :) Thank you!
Great roundup. The Tamron 15-30mm G1 & G2 f/2.8 (EF and F mounts) is great for astro as well that can be easily adapted to E-Mount. I got the G1 for real cheap used, but man is it HEAVY! Good choice on the Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8, it is definitely what I would get if selecting as wide astro zoom. That new Sony 14mm GM though has my name on it.... provided it has a massive mark down next black friday sales...lol.
Haha! The 14mm GM does look like a fantastic lens doesn't it! They released it the day before I made this video public!! 😆🤦🏻♂️ I'm saving up for the 14-24mm sigma, it definitely looks like a good allrounder with top image quality! Thanks for watching Dominic 😁👍
I agree Sigma 14-24mm seems to be a solid option, if money wasn't a concern Sony 12-24mm f/2.8 would be the one to go for but it's almost 2x the price for 2mm
so there are the new samyang 24mm f1.8 and off course the new sony 14mm f1.8, both should be excellent astro lenses, would be nice to see a review of those two
Most definitely! I can't wait to get my hands on those. Sods law = making a video on wide angle lenses and the day before I release it, Sony announce a new wide angle fast lens!! 😆😫🤦🏻♂️ Thanks for watching 😁👍
I went out to headlands international darksky park this past Saturday, July 10, 2021, and tested a few lenses to shot my first real astrophotography images. I shot with the Sigma 14-24mm f2.8, Sony 28 f/2, Sony 35mm f/1.4 GM & the Laowa 15mm f/2(rental). I look the images from the Sigma and the Laowa the best. I don’t like the the Laowa doesn’t communicate with the camera but I think I would rent it again for my next Astro adventure.
Great video as always!I suggest you check out also Zeiss Batis 18 f2.8, it is one of the best astro lenses out there with very well controlled coma and astigmatism, on top of excellent zeiss colors.Pretty hefty on the price though
I own the Rokinon 14mm 2.8 lens and a Sigma 20mm 1.8. My go-to lens for lightning and Astro (when i get a chance to shoot it) is the 20mm. And as per the "coma" in the corners of the photos, i would venture to guess that 98% of people looking at a photo would never know the difference. Great comparisons on lenses. I might just have to look into some of those.
You're right Tye, most people will only ever look at your images as a whole, and only other photographers (and only the pixel peeping ones) would zoom in and check out the corners!! 😆 The 20mm f1.8 does look like a great lens! Nice and wide and a lot less distortion than the 14mm super-wide angle! Thanks for watching 😁👍
I own the sigma 14-24mm DG DN art f2.8 and it's super sharp and nice, love the size and the weight. But I have a gap to fill from 24 to 35mm. I am thinking about selling it to get the 16-35m 2.8 G master and get that 14mm f1.8 G master as well for low light situation and astrophotography.
I dropped my a7RIII with 100-400GM destroying them both last week, so I know that gutted feeling you get when you drop your gear. That said, I can vouch for the Sigma 14-24 Art. It's a fantastic lens, but for astro, I find myself shooting with the 24mm GM the most, even though it's not that wide, that 1.4 aperture more than makes up for it.
Ah man...gutted...it really does suck...and time really does slow down as it is falling through the air to its ultimate demise...😫🤦🏻♂️ Thanks for letting me know about the sigma art...that really did come out on top time and time again when looking at the results. It would be nice to have a lens that doesn't need stopping down for better results. 😁👍
Completely agree about the Sigma 14-24 DG DN! I have the 12-24GM as well, and have owned the Sigma 14mm f1.8 previously. If using a tracker to really ensure no trailing and take max light gathering out of the equation, the Sigma 14-24 beats them both at f2.8 & 14mm for star shape/aberrations. The 12-24GM also has an 'issue' with red/magenta rings baked into raw files between 12-14mm. This happens regardless of lens corrections being on or off, but can apparently be stopped by covering the lens contacts... The Sony 20mm G is affected by these rings too.
Some interesting points there Tim...I am leaning more and more towards the 14-24mm sigma. I might just have to try out the new 14mm f1.8 GM though. 🤔 Thanks for watching 😁👍
Thanks Ken, I do recommend that lens to APS-C users in a few of my other videos...I'm also planning this same video format for APS-C cameras only as there are some cheaper alternatives for those types of cameras. 👍
I bought the Samyang/Rokinon 14mm F2.8 a long time ago and have had some great shots with it, unfortunately it's falling apart on my now and can't focus to infinity and since I got into real estate photography I'm looking to buy very soon but the money isn't so easy to part with. I'm looking at the Sigma 14-24mm F2.8, Laowa 15mm F2 and maybe even the Tamron 15-30mm F2.8
The samyang 14mm is a great little lens isn't it. I had mine for about 10 years or so before I dropped it and I definitely miss it! I'd say the 14-24mm sigma seems to be the best allrounder...that is the one I am saving up for. Thanks for watching 😁👍
Another great video. I wish this was around 2 years ago when I picked up a canon 20-35. Have you done a video about the signs of astigmatism and chroma abberation?
I own the Sony 20F1,8G and it surprised me with its total quality. I also own the Laowa 15F2 and agree that it is better above F2, having the declikk then having other stops ahead of F2.8. I have always argued that (in my opinion) it was better than the Sigma 1424F2,8 but I didn't have anyone who could confirm it ... thanks. Now we wait to see the market price of the Sony 14F1,8GM and take a good look at the new Samyang F24F1,8 even if the Sony 20F1,8G is down super. I add some non-trivial things that both the Sony 20F1,8G and the Laowa 15F2 host the circular filters and that used for landscapes avoid many other materials.
Great to hear about your experiences Pier! I am still liking the results from the Laowa...for me, it is between this and the 14-24mm sigma...however I will be trying out the 14mm f1.8 sony as soon as I can. Thanks for watching 😁👍
@@mikesphotography I always follow your videos / experience with interest and also in this case I am also waiting for your evaluation ... see you soon.
Hi Mike. As always very well done video. Personally I like my 20mm like Dave, but I use it more for landscape photography. I own the Laowa 15mm f/2 but until now haven't used it for astrophotography as it was planned for... waiting for the right nightsky! CU
Great to hear you like the 20mm! They're all amazing bits of tech so it was hard to nitpick at them to see which performed better. Astrophotography is very much a waiting game...it's all about waiting for those clear skies and great locations!! 😁👍
Hi Mike, you forgot the Samyang 14mm f2.4 maybe the best option concerning image quality related to costs. Better quality control. The very best is the Sony 14mm f1.8, you forgot to mention that one. oh and sony has a 12-24mm f2.8
Hi Bjorn, I should have included the 14mm f2.4 but I only had so much time and 10 slots to fill. It is a fantastic lens and a great upgrade to the samyang 14mm f2.8. As for the sony 14mm f1.8, they released it the same day I uploaded the video but it looks like a fantastic lens. I did include the sony 12-24mm f2.8 though...it is the rediculously expensive one!! Thanks for watching 😁👍
Yes, I also use the Samyang 14mm f2.4. This is a sharp lens wide open, even in the corners. Coma is minimal, only in the corners wide open, well handlesd and doesnt have any funky ufo shaped coma. This is a premium lens. The Sammy 14mm f2.4 demolishes the Samyang 14mm f2.8 in every aspect.
Why do you question Pentax? The only FF with astrotracer, led lights and self timer in bulb mode. Paired with the heavy 15-30 produces better images than my a7iii with the tamron 17-28 and will stand the elements way better than my a73. The one I will buy is the Sony 20mm 1.8 or the sigma 14-24 which I have tried already.
I always like to poke fun at pentax...but in all seriousness they do have some great functions that I wish some of the other brands would adopt. Thanks for watching 😁👍
I have that Laowa 15mm F2. It looks like new and I am gonna sell it cause the wife wants a Crazy wide lens like 10-11mm. If one of you guys is interested, hit me up
So far the Sony 20G and 24GM have worked the best for how I shoot. Laowa 15 while a beautiful lens in hand, was too challenging for be to focus manually - crappy eyesight, so I really need the focus assist and peaking. The Batis 18 had significant vignetting and while it has electronic contacts its manual focus experience left a lot to be desired. Rokinon 14 - too much distortion and two copies didn’t yield a good copy. The 16-35GM is wonderful, but the brighter Sony lenses win out.
@@mikesphotography Actually just pre-ordered it from my local camera shop - first time I’ve ever pre-ordered camera gear. This is the lens I’ve been waiting for the most.
The best lens I’ve used for Astro is the Sony 14mm f1.8 GM. I rented it and now I feel I have to get none. I currently own the 16-35 F2.8 and use it most of the time.
Lol...if I was rich, I'd have a camera from each brand with all of the lenses to test side by side...sounds like that combo works really well for you Peter. 😁👍
Doing Astro MW since 2015 (hobby) with the Sony A7S (12MP) that is brighter than any!! With that I have used f/4's the most and a Sony sensor makes an f/4 a f/2.8 and you can save $ with 1224 f/4 and 1635 f/4. Note: lenses f/1.4 and f/1.8 normally used at f/2.8 anyway and more MP cameras require faster SS (less time for light gathering unless using star tracker). In 2015 Rokinon's had pincushion and mustache distortion and only Lr had Lens correction as well as other lenses. I just did some captures with the 1224 f/2.8 and A7Siii and images are beyond belief and yes just 12MP but super sharp with unseen clarity for a MW path from horizon to horizon in landscape and able to stitch portrait view @ 15 deg in Ps/Lr/ ON1 RAW and PTGui with minimum points the stars are that sharp. Also the 20mm f/1.8 has unbelievable clarity in the corners at 1.8 and a review I saw of the 14mm f/1.8 is the same (on preorder). For ultra wides pincushion distortion can be a problem due to trying to keep things straight up and down but Capture One has a correction but lower parts change and have to blend in PS. For a 12mm a portrait view set of panos will allow one level of shots where 20 or 24mm may require two levels. To help some, do lens correction and edit then sync images first in Lr/PS RAW before stitching or exporting to PTGui (it does the best job). If you can get the older A7s orA7sii Topaz Denoise AI and Gigapixel can make a 300 MP room wallpaper image all clean and sharp ( a friend wanted one), I make poster size and hang. As far as 3rd party I say stay Sony, lenses and Cameras marry very well and yes I could not wait and got the Sigma too heavy and have to use at 2.8 anyway. Learn from others mistakes in $ spending. I learned a lot from Alyn videos and his travels. His MoveShootMove and V and Z platforms are easy to use also. The Sony 1224 and 1635 f/4's are also great landscape and sunrise/set and blue hour lenses so play in the sunlight with bracketing of 5 frames at +/- 2 ev for a small sun but super wide scapes with clarity on the dark side of things. Used in the beginning the 1018 f/4 in Full Frame @12mm pin point sharp for a 2012 lens before the Sony "A's" still in my bag for that small camera lens moment!!! The Voigtlander 10mm f/5.8 is sharp (near and far) at 50s SS and the normal 30s awesome and sooo small and chipped for a pano looking 3:2 image in one shot but get close to ground subject and as always keep the camera level.
Mike, you forgot to mention the TTartisans 21mm f1.5...It's a fast all metal construction aspherical manual focus lens for full frame and it's available in Sony E mount as well as a couple of others. Looks to be pretty sharp and contrasty wide open, but I don't know how good the corners are...At only £185 (on aliexpress) it would be worth buying one just to find out.
There are so many more lenses I could have included, but this vide would probably have been about 20 hours long if I did...that is an interesting sounding lens though ... might have to pick one up to try it out under the stars. Thanks for letting me know about it. 😁👍
Thanks Erich. They are all fantastic lenses and it was hard to pick faults in what are amazing bits of technology. The laowa has been on my radar for a while and is still a contender for my new wide angle lens. Thanks for watching 😁👍
Christians, Your are correct on that. I bought that Sony 34mm GMASTER 18 months ago or so. Bloody hell it’s sharp. And you don’t think twice about shooting wide open. Damn that’s a dream of a lens. My wife has laid claims to it now, and she is a “anti-gear nerd “ unlike myself,
That is a great lens! I could have gone on for hours with this video with all of the lenses out there, but had to narrow it down to 10 to keep it from turning into a movie length feature!! 😆 The older samyang 14mm is a great lens and I've heard great things with the 14mm SP as well. Thanks for watching 😁👍
I must have one of the better Rokinon 14mm 2.8 lenses because mine is fantastically sharp and allows for single image relatively low noise images. Now that I have a star tracker and an understanding of image stacking for noise reduction, I can hardly wait for dark clear skies to see how these techniques can enhance my already good images.
Great to hear you got a good one! 👍 Mine was in that category as well...I was gutted when I dropped it and it broke...😫🤦🏻♂️ When I first got it, I was confused when people started bashing it as the quality was really good. Thanks for watching 😁👍
I have tried two irix firefly lenses for Nikon, both had some focus decentering though one was quite severe and the other just enough to tell if pixel peeping. for me rather disappointing.
Yeah, good to know that f2.8 is still okay for Astro! Since I plan to get the S5 + Sigma 24-70 to have a versatile and good quality allrounder lens :) Otherwise I would have to opt for a combo, like 24mm f1.4 prime + 28-70 f2.8...
@@mikesphotography you're welcome, no I'm trying to make a decision between that one and the irix 15mm f2.4, I'll be using a canon 90d and canon M50 both aps-c, I believe the irix it's sharper but I like how much of the milky way I can capture with the 10mm, quite a big difference according to Stellarium
I have the 14mm manual focus Rokinon. I am confused as how to focus a super wide angle lens perfectly at infinity. Stars, and even the moon are to tiny even using the cameras digital zoom. Was using the Tamron 15-30mm auto focus, which by the way is excellent. Just wanted a light lens for backpacking and easier on a tracker.
Hi Mike, the best way to focus is to set it up in the day, use the magnify tool on something on the horizon and then just move the focus wheel back and forth until you find the sweet spot., and like Nikos said, mark that point so you know exactly where it is. That's what I used to do with my samyang 14mm manual lens. 👍
i have it to, and super easy to peak focus 10x on a bright star or planet , jupiter with us for a few weeks . peak focus is programmed on my c3 button. i take one shot, double check image quality , adjust if required. usually done in less them 2 min
Most definitely!! Sods law = Sony releasing their 14mm GM the day before I released this video!! 😆🤦🏻♂️ It looks like it's going to be a great lens for astrophotography...👍
Great info Mike..... do you have a similar list for crop sensor cameras? I have an a6500 and would love to know what lenses i should be getting. Thank you.
note for anybody thinking about the sigma 14mm; the new sony GM 14mm f1.8 is like a third of the weight, smaller, sharper, better stars wide open in the corners, and the same price! very jealous of sony users lol
Great video, as always. Nearly convinced me to trade in my Sony 16-35mm f4 for the Sigma 14-24mm f2.8. Then I spotted that it doesn't play nicely with filters (I had a Olympus lens with the same problem before came to Sony). So now on the look out for other fast ultra-wide angle zooms that I can use for astro, landscapes, and tight spaces... and won't require trading in body parts too. Any advice welcome :-)
Still thinking between used Sigma 14mm F1.8 in good condition & new Smayang XP 14mm F2.4 new at same price....Jsut can't decide as both of them are excellent.
Hi Mike. I use the Sigma 16mm Prime at 2.8 mostly on my Sony a7III. Never tried printing any large prints to see if it’s working well. But I’m still learning so not sure if it’s any good. Nice small lens. Awesome video thanks.
Thanks John! Great to hear the sigma is working well for you. There are so many great lenses that it was hard to nitpick at them to try to find a winner...it was an interesting test to do though. Thanks for watching 😁👍
I'm not a pro photographer, so I own Sony 28/2.0. It's not a perfect lens, but it's absolute bargain. The issue is high vingheting wide open (2 EV), may be some coma. But I love my astro photos )) In addition I can shoot realy nice wide angle portraits. I also owned Samyang 14/2.8, but get rid of it - just because the result at focal ranges 24-28 mm suits me quite well. If not I can just stick panorama from 3-4 images. If I had plenty of money, I think I'd buy Sony 24/1.4 instead or get Sony 20/1.8 in addition to my my 28/2.0. I also think that nifty-fifty lens is must have for astro - I love when the Milky Way is so huge, it's astonishing! Some of my best photos I got sticking panoramas with Zeiss 55/1.8. Canon 50/1.8 should work well as well
Great to hear your thoughts! I bet the 28mm f2 would be a fantastic lens for astro...there are so many out there but I only had the time to cover 10. Thanks for watching 😁👍
Thought I posted this comment before but must have blown it. Try again. 1) I have the Irix 15mm f/2.4 and have had it out on one Milky Way shoot. Looked good with the exception of star deformation on one side of the frame which I think was more a result of perspective correction on the building in the foreground as opposed to coma or astigmatism. Similar results out there? 2) Would like to have a 14-24mm f/2.8 zoom and like the Sigma reviews but had a Sigma 24-105 that burned me bad on when it didn't communicate focus info properly with my DSLR in live view. Any comments, help on that? Thanks, all.
What about tokina 11-16 mm f 2.8? It's fairly sharp with wide aperture. Distortion is present but not much. But it is available for apsc camera only. And most important, it's not much costly
Happy owner of an Irix 15mm 2.4 firefly on Canon DSLR which i bought used for 200 € it is lightweight well designed and image quality is good I was hesitating with Samyang/Rokinon 14mm 2.8 and SP 14mm 2.4 models I'm surprised your are not mentioning sigma 20mm 1.4 art lenses the ordre dg and newer dg dn
That's great to hear. I'm nitpicking here to find differences between the lenses, but they all have some nice offerings. The 20mm wasn't released when I did this review ... Which is almost the perfect lens for astro. 👍
Hi Mike , thank you for this informative video. I am getting into astrophotography and taking my baby steps off late. I am currently planning to upgrade my canera to sony a7iv and pairing with either Tamron 17-28 or sigma 14 24 art. I am looking at versatile lens for landscape aswell as good with astro. Between these two which one do you suggest ?
That's great to hear, and the A7iv will be fantastic for astro. Between those two, it depends on what you you need. They both will take great astro photos. If you need a light lens for lots of hiking or are on a budget, go with the 17-28mm. If you have more of a budget and you don't mind heavier lenses, go with the sigma 14-24mm f2.8. I hope that helps. 😀👍
Dear Mike, are you sure that the images found as representative ones for each lens, are 'straight out if the camera' and not cropped in post processing?
That is a good question...I am not 100% sure but I did have a good look at them ... normally if it is cropped, you'd get a bigger noise pattern so it is quite easy to spot, especially with astrophotography when we use high iso levels.
I purchased an adapter for my Nikon Nikkor series, and I got an error message, "No lens present". My stock Nikon lens has little metal pins that apparently need to be connected to the body in order for the body software to detect the lens. None of these TH-cam videos discuss this issue.
Awsome video as always top information, regrading the Samyang MF 14mm f2.8 that's well known as a great lens and my next buy.. but what about the MK2 Manual version its smaller/newer is it any better anyone please?
That's a good question...I don't know anyone who has tried it yet, but I'm guessing it will be a really good lens as well. The best bet would be to buy it off a store where you can return it if you don't like it... Thanks for watching 😁👍
Hey Tim, I bet it would be really good for wide-field astrophotography ... a super wide focal range and a big aperture! It might be worth searching on Flickr to see if you can check out any examples from that lens. Thanks for watching 😁👍
I used a Samyang 14mm 2.8 to get me started in astrophotography, now I'm getting images that are split focused. Like you said in your video, it's a common problem. I'm looking for a replacement lens without breaking the bank and I'm leaning towards the IRIX 15mm f2.4 firefly especially having the lock feature. Which one did you end up getting?
Yep, the samyang does have a few issues in some of their units. I've got the tamron 17-28mm but I think I'm going to go for the 14-24mm sigma as I'm missing that wider end...and this would also be great for landscapes and closeup sports. 👍
After lots of tests, I've stopped my choice on the Zeiss 18/2.8. Not a super wide, but pin sharp and quite no coma in corners at 2.8. The angle is enough for lots of situations. For more widening, the Samyang 12mm 2.8 fish eye is also a good choice with also quality over the entire image (but it's a Fish eys and oblige to place the horizon preferably in the middle to get less distorsions)
Thanks for your thoughts Patrick! The Zeiss is another great lens. I have the 25mm f2 and it produces some great quality images. Thanks for watching 😁👍
I`m planning to get for Astrophotography ( Deep sky) a Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G OR Sigma 50-500 mm Lens 1:4-6.3 APO DG HSM. What do you think? Thank you.
Hi Mike, great video and I am now a new follower because of it. I have had a few lenses (used for astrophotography) over the time, like you starting with the goto classic Samyang MF 14mm f2.8 and it was a great copy. However made the mistake in selling it and couldn't find another one a few years later that was good enough lol. I have had the older Canon 14mm L-series which was terrible especially for the cost. Since then I have used and owned a Samyang AF 14mm f2.8 (bit soft and the free rotation Focus ring was tricky to nail focus). Samyang XP 10mm F3.5 was a fun lens but pushed the foreground back too far. Another solid lens (only if stopped down) was the Sigma 20mm f1.4 Art lens but it only started to play ball at f2.4/f2.8 with the corners being pretty poor. The Samyang XP 14mm was one that I almost went for after being pretty impressed by borrowing one but I have just gone for a Zeiss Batis 18mm f2.8 as I hear is a cracking lens especially for the Sony a7 bodies after watching and reading a few reviews especially from the likes of Ian Norman (Lonely Speck). So we shall see and watch this space lol (excuse the pun). Cheers Simon
Great to hear your experiences with a whole host of different wide angle lenses Simon. I have the zeiss batis 25mm and it is fantastic, so I'm guessing the 18mm will be similar. I love the look from the batis lenses! I'm testing an interesting one at the moment, the nisi 15mm, however it's only an f4 ... which is such a shame. It's great for landscape photography but for astro, I have to stack shots to get a decent image. Thanks for liking, commenting and subscribing, much appreciated! 😁👍
Samyang 14mm fan here. Had it for a few years now, never disappoints. Thanks for the video!
Great to hear!! The samyang is a fantastic lens isn't it!!
Thanks for watching 😁👍
I’ve had this lens twice, and sold it twice. It’s OK, but never quite sharp enough in the center. The edges are always hit or miss. I mainly used it for Astro, as for Landscape I use my 16-35 f4 Canon, typically stopped to 9 or 11 with ND filters (which this lens cannot use.).
Sony just released the 14mm 1.8 GM looks great. I've been using the Sony 20mm 1.8 G lens and absolutely love it. I think it's become my favourite focal length.
Most definitely Dave!
Sods law = Sony announcing the 14mm GM between me making and releasing this video! 😫😆🤦🏻♂️
I'm thinking I'll be getting both the 20mm and the 14mm from Sony as soon as I can afford them!
Thanks for watching 😁👍
@@mikesphotography GREAT CHOICES!!!!!!!!
I own the Sigma 14-24mm F2.8 EF mount. I use it with my Canon EOS R with the EF to ER mount adapter. I use it for astrophotography as well as daytime landscapes and general ultra wide angel photography. It's the lens I use the most. I also own the EF to RF drop in filter adapter, so I can use my circular polarizer and variable ND filter. There is also a drop in natural night / light pollution filter that you can get for the EOS R mount adapter for those in light polluted skies. Where I live we have 30 days of night Dec 6 - Jan 6, and 7 months of snow above the arctic circle, so during those long winter nights there's plenty of opportunity to take pictures of the night sky when it's clear. However, being at this latitude it can often be obscured by the northern lights, but this lens is a real performer. I've even used really high ISO settings and it did really well, albeit with some de-noising with my favourite DeNoise software. I also have the Canon 24-105mm F4L kit lens and the Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 Sport another fantastic sharp wide aperture lens.
Great to hear you are enjoying the 14-24mm sigma. It does seem like a great lens.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
My 20mm 1.8 is my pride and joy. Incredible bit of kit
It does look like a fantastic lens...and now the 14mm GM has been announced as well so it'll be interesting to see how that compares.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
was. now the 14mm lens means no more astro panoramas?
I have been using the Viltrox 13mm
I got Tokina 11-16 f2.8 for my Nikon d5300... Great Lens !
If looking for lovely star color and galactic core skies with a foreground, I love my Nikkor 50mm 1.8 lens.
Great to hear you're liking the results of the 50mm Nikkor. There are so many lenses out there that work for astro, from super wides to telephotos, under the right conditions.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
I bought the Sony 20mm f1.8 on Alyn's review. Love it and sold the Canon adapted Sigma 20mm f1.4. I have the Tamron 17-28 and it is fine, just not quite as fast. I have the Irix 15 with adaptor and it is below average. I have (2) a7III's and have been looking at the new Samyang 24 1.8 with "astro" features for the second one. Would love to see some good reviews but so far only a few that weren't very good reviews. Thanks for your video.
Sounds like you're building up quite a collection! 👍
I'm hoping to get my hands on the samyang 24 1.8 to test out...
Also the Sony 14mm GM has just been released (between me making and releasing this video😫🤦🏻♂️) so I definitely want to test that one out as well.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
I love my Sony 20mm f1.8 and shoot mostly aurora. I had the 24mm GM but sold it because the field of view on the 20 was what I needed. I also use it for daytime landscape on my A7RIII. I had both the Sigma 14mm and 14-24. They both are heavy and wound up staying home instead of coming out on shoots. They eventually got sold as well. The new Sony 14mm is going to be tempting though.
Great to hear. The 20mm is a really compact lens isn't it. I'm looking forward to trying the 14mm 1.8 as well...😁👍
Just looking back at this clip, now I've bought 3 lenses that could be added to this collection. They are the Sony 14mm 1.8 GM, the Laowa 10mm 2.8 Automatic and the very cheap, but outstanding fisheye the TTArtisan 11mm 2.8. I've had the Sony 14 for a while now and use it all the time, but I needed a wider fisheye because my Samyang 12mm has gone to its maker. So I bought the new Laowa 10mm because its the widest fully automatic for the Sony mount and it's rectilinear like my other Laowa lenses, the 12mm and 10-18mm. But I needed something else wider for close up skateboarding and astrophotography, so was very surprised to find quality at the lower end with the TTArtisan 11mm, am waiting on its arrival, but very excited. Also taking the Laowa 10mm out today for the first time to take skateboarding, will be great to have eye/body auto focus at this wide for the first time. Of course when I need to put these two lenses away because of the weather I have the Sony.
Good job, thanks! Respect for crediting others correctly. There is one glaring omission... the Samyang XP 14mm f2.4 which is great wide open apparently!!
Hi Dominic,
Unfortunately I only had time for these 10 lenses ... going through the comments, there are lots of others as well that I could have included ... I hear the samyang 14mm XP is a great lens ...
Thanks for watching 😁👍
The samyang 18mm f/2.8 is solid too, that way you won’t need to get quite as close to foreground subjects as the 14mm
THat's one I really want to have a look at. I'm going to try to get a hold of that one and the new 14mm GM to test out soon...
Thanks for watching 😁👍
Thanks for informstion appreciate it, it helped me know more about lenses which I should consider
No worries, I'm glad I could help!
Thanks for watching 😁👍
Honestly the only reason I am not going for the Samyang is the lack of consistency in their products. The idea that I might have to deal with customer service and explaining what is wrong with a potentially bad copy it is not something I want to do.
I use Sony 14mm 1.8 GM and Sony 24mm 1.4 GM on Sony A7RIV, a set of gear that I highly can recommend.
I also heard about the not perfect control quality check about the Tokina Firin 20mm. One of the topic I will really feel to request you is a video talking about how to take some tests of a brand new lens has just been bought, how to check properly about the focus, if it's perfectly centered and if it reachs the best sharpness. Do decide if it's the case to send it back. It's something I couldn't find on youtube yet and you seems the best to make a tutorial like that.
Now that sounds like a great idea for a video...it will take a bit of time to make but I'll definitely add it to my list of videos to do in the future.
thanks for the suggestion, I really appreciate it! 😁👍
I use a 12mm Samsung ultra wide I believe I got the recommendation from you! it works great for a newbie like me! Thanks for the videos and sharing!
Great to hear! Sounds like you are shooting on a crop sensor? If so, 12mm is great for that format. 😁👍
@@mikesphotography sorry, Samyang!!! Not Samsung! And yes Sony A6000! Lot to learn!
Lol, no worries, I figured it was a typo. 👍
My wife has the a6000...it's a great little camera which packs a punch. 😁👍
My favourite is Pentax 15-30
I have been using Canon 16-35mm f2.8 III for some time. After viewing your video, I think Sigma 14mm f1.8 is my choice for a wider angle and larger aperture. Thanks for your comments !
No worries Ken, it does look like s great lens doesn't it. 😁👍
I hear the Tokina Ax-I 11-20mm is quite handy on a budget, would appreciate your thoughts
I use the Samyang 14mm f2.4. This is a sharp lens wide open, even in the corners. Coma is minimal, only in the corners wide open, well handlesd and doesnt have any funky ufo shaped coma. This is a premium lens.
The Samyang 14mm f2.4 demolishes the Samyang 14mm f2.8 in every aspect.
Great to hear! It is one of the lenses that people have been saying about a lot to me since making this video. I might have to get myself one.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
Personally, for astrophotography I use Sigma 35mm 1.4f DG DN ART and IRIX 15mm 2.4f Dragonfly E-mount. Both are used on Sony A7R mk.5, personally I love the lens from IRIX, I have always preferred wide viewing angles and I think, considering the price and build quality, it is quite a good choice for beginners, despite some disadvantages it has.
i got the samyang 18mm f2.8 and its the best vfm lens for astrophotography and also the cheapest!
Great to hear. That is another lens I really want to try out. 😁👍
Today I bought the Sony 20mm 1.8 for my a7c. Still waiting the shipping, wish me luck and clear skies!
Hi Franco,
From the images I've seen, you're going to love that lens!! And that paired with the a7c will be a great little combo. 😁👍
@@mikesphotography yea, Im so exited !
I'm a nikon shooter and I picked up a used tokina atx pro 16-28 2.8 so far so good, lens gets mixed reviews but my copy is great
I've been using the Sony 14mm 1.8 GM and it's amazing!!
That's great to hear Sergio! It was released the day I finished editing this video so I just missed out on including that one!!
Thanks for watching 😁👍
Hi Mike thank you for the great video. I have been watching you for years now you have really helped me a lot. At the start of my ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY journey I bought the Rokinon 14mm SP f2.4 with my Canon 6D . It's is a amazing lens . I also have the Rokinon 20 f1.8. It's good for stars at f2.8 but seems to be flat in contrast for my 4 grounds. I still love these lens because they where the first lens I bought for Astrophotography 4 years ago. I like to use multiple focal lens over a night of shooting. I decided to by the Sigma 14 to 24 f2.8, this has all the focal length I need and is amazing wide open at f2.8. I also love the colors contrast for my 4 ground light painting. Now I only need 1 lens for the night and I'm good to go. If I need the lens to be faster I just put it on my Move shoot Move star tracker and I'm good to go. But star tracking is a entirely different topic it's self. As a added bonus I put my Rokinon sp 14mm f2.4 on my crop sensor Canon 80D and have a amazing 20mm fast length that provides great Astrophotography images it self. Thank you again and I hope this helps everyone looking to buy a good Astrophotography lens.
Hey Sean,
Thanks for sticking around and watching my tutorials, much appreciated!
From what I found, the sigma 14-24mm f2.8 does seem the best wide open which was quite surprising. I thought it would be the new sony 12-24mm f2.8, but that looks like it has a few imperfections until you close the aperture down a little.
The Sigma is definitely at the top of my shopping list of new lenses to get.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
@@mikesphotography look forward to see what you buy
I'm an Olympus shooter. I use the 8mm 1.8 fish eye and the 7-14 mm 2.8. Both are excellent. The 8mm brings in so much more light.
The aperture of 1.8 really does make a difference doesn't it. 😁👍
@@mikesphotography yes it does and even though I shoot on a crop sensor. These videos are excellent. This has become one of my go to channels for information. You make it all so easy Mike. Thank you. Its a fantastic channel.
Great mate! Was waiting for your tutorial.
Thanks very much!! 😁👍
I've got the samyang and I loved it. Since I'm looking at upgrading I would go for the laowa 15mm. One big benefit, filters friendly for landscape.
Sounds like a good plan! I loved my samyang as well ... it's a great lens when you get a good one!!
I'm still really tempted with the laowa ... I think when I move back to Europe next year I'll treat myself to one.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
@@mikesphotography Totally agreed with you, from my experience the most of the samyang manual focus lens are fine. although I had issues with two copies of the auto focus in a row.
I first bought the Rokinon 14mm and get some really good shots on my D750. Then I bought the 20mm 1.8 Nikon and have loved it ever since.
That's great to hear! 20mm is a great focal length for astro, not too wide, not too narrow. 😁👍
So you produce better quality images with your Nikkor 20mm 1.8 than your Rokinon 14mm 2.8 on your D750?
@@jmfoty4280 Most definitely. While I like the 14mm, it has noticeable coma in the corners. In addition, the 20mm focal length provides a somewhat tighter framing that I like better.
Great video, Mike. I told my wife that you had suggested that I buy the Sony 12-24GM for $3000 and she said that was great and that I could use it to take a photo of your guest-room in Thailand. I am going to consider some other options for now. I have the Sony 24mm F1.4 and I love it for astro. I know it is a bit tight at 24mm, but I really like it. I hope you and yours are doing well, brother.
Haha!! That lens is soooo expensive isn't it!!
Have you seen all of the reviews on the new 14mm GM!? It looks promising... Sods law it was realeased the day before I scheduled this video to go live!! 😆😫🤦🏻♂️
@@mikesphotography I have seen the reviews and it looks like it would be a great option as well. Most of what I have seen it used for is vlogging, but maybe we will start to see some astro shots taken with it soon. I am sure they are already out there if I searched.
I use the Tamron 15-30mm f2.8
That'll do the job! 😁👍
Came here to find more info about the Irix 15/2.4... I do have the Samyang 14/2.8 but I'm not too happy with mine. I picked it up used so maybe it's one of those with less tolerance -- who knows. So I'm actually looking for a replacement lens for the Sony house. The Laowa 15/2 seem to be in my price range. But thanks to your video I'll dodge the Irix :) Thank you!
Great roundup. The Tamron 15-30mm G1 & G2 f/2.8 (EF and F mounts) is great for astro as well that can be easily adapted to E-Mount. I got the G1 for real cheap used, but man is it HEAVY! Good choice on the Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8, it is definitely what I would get if selecting as wide astro zoom. That new Sony 14mm GM though has my name on it.... provided it has a massive mark down next black friday sales...lol.
Haha! The 14mm GM does look like a fantastic lens doesn't it! They released it the day before I made this video public!! 😆🤦🏻♂️
I'm saving up for the 14-24mm sigma, it definitely looks like a good allrounder with top image quality!
Thanks for watching Dominic 😁👍
Hi, I was hoping that someone would mention the Tamron 15-30 G2, because that is what I have, planning to use it on my R8 😊
Bought the samyang 14mm f2.8 MK2 for northern lights, nice review!
Great to hear!
Thanks for watching 😁👍
I agree Sigma 14-24mm seems to be a solid option, if money wasn't a concern Sony 12-24mm f/2.8 would be the one to go for but it's almost 2x the price for 2mm
Exactly! The Sony is such an expensive lens!
Thanks for watching 😁👍
@@mikesphotography I'm interested in Sigma, but I'm going with the tamron 17-28 f/2.8 for the lightweight, pretty good AF and price.
so there are the new samyang 24mm f1.8 and off course the new sony 14mm f1.8, both should be excellent astro lenses, would be nice to see a review of those two
Most definitely! I can't wait to get my hands on those. Sods law = making a video on wide angle lenses and the day before I release it, Sony announce a new wide angle fast lens!! 😆😫🤦🏻♂️
Thanks for watching 😁👍
I went out to headlands international darksky park this past Saturday, July 10, 2021, and tested a few lenses to shot my first real astrophotography images. I shot with the Sigma 14-24mm f2.8, Sony 28 f/2, Sony 35mm f/1.4 GM & the Laowa 15mm f/2(rental). I look the images from the Sigma and the Laowa the best. I don’t like the the Laowa doesn’t communicate with the camera but I think I would rent it again for my next Astro adventure.
Great video as always!I suggest you check out also Zeiss Batis 18 f2.8, it is one of the best astro lenses out there with very well controlled coma and astigmatism, on top of excellent zeiss colors.Pretty hefty on the price though
Thanks Thodoris! Yes, I've also heard great things about the 18mm Batis. I have the 25mm f2 and love it.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
I own the Rokinon 14mm 2.8 lens and a Sigma 20mm 1.8. My go-to lens for lightning and Astro (when i get a chance to shoot it) is the 20mm. And as per the "coma" in the corners of the photos, i would venture to guess that 98% of people looking at a photo would never know the difference. Great comparisons on lenses. I might just have to look into some of those.
You're right Tye, most people will only ever look at your images as a whole, and only other photographers (and only the pixel peeping ones) would zoom in and check out the corners!! 😆
The 20mm f1.8 does look like a great lens! Nice and wide and a lot less distortion than the 14mm super-wide angle!
Thanks for watching 😁👍
I own the sigma 14-24mm DG DN art f2.8 and it's super sharp and nice, love the size and the weight. But I have a gap to fill from 24 to 35mm. I am thinking about selling it to get the 16-35m 2.8 G master and get that 14mm f1.8 G master as well for low light situation and astrophotography.
I dropped my a7RIII with 100-400GM destroying them both last week, so I know that gutted feeling you get when you drop your gear. That said, I can vouch for the Sigma 14-24 Art. It's a fantastic lens, but for astro, I find myself shooting with the 24mm GM the most, even though it's not that wide, that 1.4 aperture more than makes up for it.
Ah man...gutted...it really does suck...and time really does slow down as it is falling through the air to its ultimate demise...😫🤦🏻♂️
Thanks for letting me know about the sigma art...that really did come out on top time and time again when looking at the results. It would be nice to have a lens that doesn't need stopping down for better results. 😁👍
Completely agree about the Sigma 14-24 DG DN! I have the 12-24GM as well, and have owned the Sigma 14mm f1.8 previously. If using a tracker to really ensure no trailing and take max light gathering out of the equation, the Sigma 14-24 beats them both at f2.8 & 14mm for star shape/aberrations. The 12-24GM also has an 'issue' with red/magenta rings baked into raw files between 12-14mm. This happens regardless of lens corrections being on or off, but can apparently be stopped by covering the lens contacts... The Sony 20mm G is affected by these rings too.
Some interesting points there Tim...I am leaning more and more towards the 14-24mm sigma. I might just have to try out the new 14mm f1.8 GM though. 🤔
Thanks for watching 😁👍
I just wanted to say thanks, because this was the comment that I was looking for, and the one that saved me a fat pile of cash, lol!
Nice video! You should also try the new Samyang AF 12mm f/2 E for sony apsc.
Thanks Ken, I do recommend that lens to APS-C users in a few of my other videos...I'm also planning this same video format for APS-C cameras only as there are some cheaper alternatives for those types of cameras. 👍
@@mikesphotography Looking forward to that video as I use Sony APS-C and want to test out astrophotography.
I bought the Samyang/Rokinon 14mm F2.8 a long time ago and have had some great shots with it, unfortunately it's falling apart on my now and can't focus to infinity and since I got into real estate photography I'm looking to buy very soon but the money isn't so easy to part with. I'm looking at the Sigma 14-24mm F2.8, Laowa 15mm F2 and maybe even the Tamron 15-30mm F2.8
The samyang 14mm is a great little lens isn't it. I had mine for about 10 years or so before I dropped it and I definitely miss it!
I'd say the 14-24mm sigma seems to be the best allrounder...that is the one I am saving up for.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
Mr Smith, PLEASE have you done any tutorials on using speed lights with softboxes?.....PLEASE!!!🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
Not yet, I have some planned though. 😁👍
@@mikesphotography I'll be waiting....i would really appreciate it sir
Another great video. I wish this was around 2 years ago when I picked up a canon 20-35. Have you done a video about the signs of astigmatism and chroma abberation?
Thanks Craig!
That is a great idea for a future video, I'll definitely add that to the list. 😁👍
I own the Sony 20F1,8G and it surprised me with its total quality. I also own the Laowa 15F2 and agree that it is better above F2, having the declikk then having other stops ahead of F2.8. I have always argued that (in my opinion) it was better than the Sigma 1424F2,8 but I didn't have anyone who could confirm it ... thanks. Now we wait to see the market price of the Sony 14F1,8GM and take a good look at the new Samyang F24F1,8 even if the Sony 20F1,8G is down super. I add some non-trivial things that both the Sony 20F1,8G and the Laowa 15F2 host the circular filters and that used for landscapes avoid many other materials.
Great to hear about your experiences Pier! I am still liking the results from the Laowa...for me, it is between this and the 14-24mm sigma...however I will be trying out the 14mm f1.8 sony as soon as I can.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
@@mikesphotography I always follow your videos / experience with interest and also in this case I am also waiting for your evaluation ... see you soon.
Hi Mike. As always very well done video. Personally I like my 20mm like Dave, but I use it more for landscape photography. I own the Laowa 15mm f/2 but until now haven't used it for astrophotography as it was planned for... waiting for the right nightsky! CU
Great to hear you like the 20mm! They're all amazing bits of tech so it was hard to nitpick at them to see which performed better.
Astrophotography is very much a waiting game...it's all about waiting for those clear skies and great locations!! 😁👍
Hi Mike, you forgot the Samyang 14mm f2.4 maybe the best option concerning image quality related to costs. Better quality control.
The very best is the Sony 14mm f1.8, you forgot to mention that one. oh and sony has a 12-24mm f2.8
Hi Bjorn,
I should have included the 14mm f2.4 but I only had so much time and 10 slots to fill. It is a fantastic lens and a great upgrade to the samyang 14mm f2.8.
As for the sony 14mm f1.8, they released it the same day I uploaded the video but it looks like a fantastic lens.
I did include the sony 12-24mm f2.8 though...it is the rediculously expensive one!!
Thanks for watching 😁👍
Yes, I also use the Samyang 14mm f2.4. This is a sharp lens wide open, even in the corners. Coma is minimal, only in the corners wide open, well handlesd and doesnt have any funky ufo shaped coma. This is a premium lens.
The Sammy 14mm f2.4 demolishes the Samyang 14mm f2.8 in every aspect.
Why do you question Pentax? The only FF with astrotracer, led lights and self timer in bulb mode. Paired with the heavy 15-30 produces better images than my a7iii with the tamron 17-28 and will stand the elements way better than my a73. The one I will buy is the Sony 20mm 1.8 or the sigma 14-24 which I have tried already.
I always like to poke fun at pentax...but in all seriousness they do have some great functions that I wish some of the other brands would adopt.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
Amen, Laowa it will be. Thanks for the review. :)
No worries, that is one lens I really want!
Thanks for watching 😁👍
I have that Laowa 15mm F2. It looks like new and I am gonna sell it cause the wife wants a Crazy wide lens like 10-11mm. If one of you guys is interested, hit me up
So far the Sony 20G and 24GM have worked the best for how I shoot. Laowa 15 while a beautiful lens in hand, was too challenging for be to focus manually - crappy eyesight, so I really need the focus assist and peaking. The Batis 18 had significant vignetting and while it has electronic contacts its manual focus experience left a lot to be desired. Rokinon 14 - too much distortion and two copies didn’t yield a good copy. The 16-35GM is wonderful, but the brighter Sony lenses win out.
Thanks for your thoughts Matt! The Sony's are proving to be excellent. Can't wait to try out the new 14mm GM that's just been released! 😁👍
@@mikesphotography Actually just pre-ordered it from my local camera shop - first time I’ve ever pre-ordered camera gear. This is the lens I’ve been waiting for the most.
The best lens I’ve used for Astro is the Sony 14mm f1.8 GM. I rented it and now I feel I have to get none. I currently own the 16-35 F2.8 and use it most of the time.
I use the Killer and very popular Nikon 20 mm F1.8 S Lens for my Z7 camera >> Sadly its not here because it REALLY is that GOOD
Lol...if I was rich, I'd have a camera from each brand with all of the lenses to test side by side...sounds like that combo works really well for you Peter. 😁👍
Doing Astro MW since 2015 (hobby) with the Sony A7S (12MP) that is brighter than any!! With that I have used f/4's the most and a Sony sensor makes an f/4 a f/2.8 and you can save $ with 1224 f/4 and 1635 f/4. Note: lenses f/1.4 and f/1.8 normally used at f/2.8 anyway and more MP cameras require faster SS (less time for light gathering unless using star tracker). In 2015 Rokinon's had pincushion and mustache distortion and only Lr had Lens correction as well as other lenses. I just did some captures with the 1224 f/2.8 and A7Siii and images are beyond belief and yes just 12MP but super sharp with unseen clarity for a MW path from horizon to horizon in landscape and able to stitch portrait view @ 15 deg in Ps/Lr/ ON1 RAW and PTGui with minimum points the stars are that sharp. Also the 20mm f/1.8 has unbelievable clarity in the corners at 1.8 and a review I saw of the 14mm f/1.8 is the same (on preorder). For ultra wides pincushion distortion can be a problem due to trying to keep things straight up and down but Capture One has a correction but lower parts change and have to blend in PS. For a 12mm a portrait view set of panos will allow one level of shots where 20 or 24mm may require two levels. To help some, do lens correction and edit then sync images first in Lr/PS RAW before stitching or exporting to PTGui (it does the best job). If you can get the older A7s orA7sii Topaz Denoise AI and Gigapixel can make a 300 MP room wallpaper image all clean and sharp ( a friend wanted one), I make poster size and hang. As far as 3rd party I say stay Sony, lenses and Cameras marry very well and yes I could not wait and got the Sigma too heavy and have to use at 2.8 anyway. Learn from others mistakes in $ spending. I learned a lot from Alyn videos and his travels. His MoveShootMove and V and Z platforms are easy to use also. The Sony 1224 and 1635 f/4's are also great landscape and sunrise/set and blue hour lenses so play in the sunlight with bracketing of 5 frames at +/- 2 ev for a small sun but super wide scapes with clarity on the dark side of things. Used in the beginning the 1018 f/4 in Full Frame @12mm pin point sharp for a 2012 lens before the Sony "A's" still in my bag for that small camera lens moment!!! The Voigtlander 10mm f/5.8 is sharp (near and far) at 50s SS and the normal 30s awesome and sooo small and chipped for a pano looking 3:2 image in one shot but get close to ground subject and as always keep the camera level.
Mike, you forgot to mention the TTartisans 21mm f1.5...It's a fast all metal construction aspherical manual focus lens for full frame and it's available in Sony E mount as well as a couple of others. Looks to be pretty sharp and contrasty wide open, but I don't know how good the corners are...At only £185 (on aliexpress) it would be worth buying one just to find out.
There are so many more lenses I could have included, but this vide would probably have been about 20 hours long if I did...that is an interesting sounding lens though ... might have to pick one up to try it out under the stars.
Thanks for letting me know about it. 😁👍
I have the 15mm Laowa for my a7rii, it does have issues at the wide end a f2.0 but it comes good at f2.8. Great value, solid build and it works.
Thanks Erich. They are all fantastic lenses and it was hard to pick faults in what are amazing bits of technology. The laowa has been on my radar for a while and is still a contender for my new wide angle lens.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
Thanks Mike. But we can’t beat the KING of Astro. The 24mm 1.4 GM. :)
The 24mm GM is a fantastic lens isn't it!! ... and now Sony have released the 14mm GM, it'll be interesting to see how that compares...😁👍
Christians, Your are correct on that. I bought that Sony 34mm GMASTER 18 months ago or so. Bloody hell it’s sharp. And you don’t think twice about shooting wide open. Damn that’s a dream of a lens. My wife has laid claims to it now, and she is a “anti-gear nerd “ unlike myself,
Use the Samyang/Rokonikon 14mm SP f2.4 on Canon. Amazing results night and day. Seems to be missing in this video.
That is a great lens! I could have gone on for hours with this video with all of the lenses out there, but had to narrow it down to 10 to keep it from turning into a movie length feature!! 😆
The older samyang 14mm is a great lens and I've heard great things with the 14mm SP as well.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
@@mikesphotography fair enough!
I must have one of the better Rokinon 14mm 2.8 lenses because mine is fantastically sharp and allows for single image relatively low noise images. Now that I have a star tracker and an understanding of image stacking for noise reduction, I can hardly wait for dark clear skies to see how these techniques can enhance my already good images.
Great to hear you got a good one! 👍
Mine was in that category as well...I was gutted when I dropped it and it broke...😫🤦🏻♂️ When I first got it, I was confused when people started bashing it as the quality was really good.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
The Sony 14mm 1.8 its a monster. Light, fast and sharp.
Most definitely ... I think it came out about a day after I made this video ... doh 🙈
Thanks for watching 👍
I have tried two irix firefly lenses for Nikon, both had some focus decentering though one was quite severe and the other just enough to tell if pixel peeping. for me rather disappointing.
Hi Mike, What do you think about Sigma 20/1.4 Art for the subject?
I have the Rokinon AF18mm F2.8 for Sony
How does the rokinon perform?
@@mikesphotography Very nice, the better feature is the anti-distorsion performance, some vigneting at corners but not su much
Yeah, good to know that f2.8 is still okay for Astro!
Since I plan to get the S5 + Sigma 24-70 to have a versatile and good quality allrounder lens :)
Otherwise I would have to opt for a combo, like 24mm f1.4 prime + 28-70 f2.8...
great video thanks, have you tried the Samyang 10mm 2.8?
Thanks very much. No I haven't tried that lens. Do you have it?
@@mikesphotography you're welcome, no I'm trying to make a decision between that one and the irix 15mm f2.4, I'll be using a canon 90d and canon M50 both aps-c, I believe the irix it's sharper but I like how much of the milky way I can capture with the 10mm, quite a big difference according to Stellarium
Thank you for your introduction
No worries Elisa, Thanks for watching 😁👍
I have the 14mm manual focus Rokinon. I am confused as how to focus a super wide angle lens perfectly at infinity. Stars, and even the moon are to tiny even using the cameras digital zoom. Was using the Tamron 15-30mm auto focus, which by the way is excellent. Just wanted a light lens for backpacking and easier on a tracker.
You need to go earlier to the place and mark the focus point.
Hi Mike,
the best way to focus is to set it up in the day, use the magnify tool on something on the horizon and then just move the focus wheel back and forth until you find the sweet spot., and like Nikos said, mark that point so you know exactly where it is. That's what I used to do with my samyang 14mm manual lens.
👍
i have it to, and super easy to peak focus 10x on a bright star or planet , jupiter with us for a few weeks . peak focus is programmed on my c3 button. i take one shot, double check image quality , adjust if required. usually done in less them 2 min
New Sony 14mm F1.8 GM is like to be the best ever
Most definitely!! Sods law = Sony releasing their 14mm GM the day before I released this video!! 😆🤦🏻♂️
It looks like it's going to be a great lens for astrophotography...👍
@@mikesphotography first reports about it claims nearly perfect stars at edges and corners, is better than the old king: The Sigma Art 14 F1.8
Can't wait to try it out!! 😁👍
@@mikesphotography yeah waiting for that review man
GAS ALERT! GAS ALERT! Seriously though great video, Mike. Stay safe.
Haha!! Indeed!! close the bank account off for a few weeks!! 😆
Great info Mike..... do you have a similar list for crop sensor cameras? I have an a6500 and would love to know what lenses i should be getting. Thank you.
note for anybody thinking about the sigma 14mm; the new sony GM 14mm f1.8 is like a third of the weight, smaller, sharper, better stars wide open in the corners, and the same price! very jealous of sony users lol
Most definitely!
Sods law = I make this video... and the day before I release it, the 14mm GM is announced...😆😫🤦🏻♂️
Thanks for watching 😁👍
Great video, as always. Nearly convinced me to trade in my Sony 16-35mm f4 for the Sigma 14-24mm f2.8. Then I spotted that it doesn't play nicely with filters (I had a Olympus lens with the same problem before came to Sony). So now on the look out for other fast ultra-wide angle zooms that I can use for astro, landscapes, and tight spaces... and won't require trading in body parts too. Any advice welcome :-)
Sony 24mm 1.4 GM is my favorit lense
The 24mm GM is a fantastic lens isn't it! 😁👍
Two more to look at. Samyang 14mm f2.4 sp. and the Tamron 15 to 30 f2.8 sp.
Thanks Jeffrey! 😁👍
Exactly the lenses I was going to recommend. I love them both.
Still thinking between used Sigma 14mm F1.8 in good condition & new Smayang XP 14mm F2.4 new at same price....Jsut can't decide as both of them are excellent.
They are both good lenses...only you can decide!! 😁👍
Hi Mike. I use the Sigma 16mm Prime at 2.8 mostly on my Sony a7III. Never tried printing any large prints to see if it’s working well. But I’m still learning so not sure if it’s any good. Nice small lens. Awesome video thanks.
Thanks John! Great to hear the sigma is working well for you. There are so many great lenses that it was hard to nitpick at them to try to find a winner...it was an interesting test to do though.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
the one for aps-c lenses?
@@stefan_goes_pro yes Stefan. I have a a6600 as well, but it seems to work on the larger camera as well. Win win
I'm not a pro photographer, so I own Sony 28/2.0. It's not a perfect lens, but it's absolute bargain. The issue is high vingheting wide open (2 EV), may be some coma. But I love my astro photos )) In addition I can shoot realy nice wide angle portraits. I also owned Samyang 14/2.8, but get rid of it - just because the result at focal ranges 24-28 mm suits me quite well. If not I can just stick panorama from 3-4 images.
If I had plenty of money, I think I'd buy Sony 24/1.4 instead or get Sony 20/1.8 in addition to my my 28/2.0. I also think that nifty-fifty lens is must have for astro - I love when the Milky Way is so huge, it's astonishing! Some of my best photos I got sticking panoramas with Zeiss 55/1.8. Canon 50/1.8 should work well as well
Great to hear your thoughts! I bet the 28mm f2 would be a fantastic lens for astro...there are so many out there but I only had the time to cover 10.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
@@mikesphotography thank you for your videos and reviews, they're interesting and inspiring 👍😊
How are these new Sony apsc lens looking for Astro? 11mm f1.8 and 15mm f1.4v. Or the new Viltrox 13m f1.4?
Thought I posted this comment before but must have blown it. Try again. 1) I have the Irix 15mm f/2.4 and have had it out on one Milky Way shoot. Looked good with the exception of star deformation on one side of the frame which I think was more a result of perspective correction on the building in the foreground as opposed to coma or astigmatism. Similar results out there? 2) Would like to have a 14-24mm f/2.8 zoom and like the Sigma reviews but had a Sigma 24-105 that burned me bad on when it didn't communicate focus info properly with my DSLR in live view. Any comments, help on that? Thanks, all.
What about tokina 11-16 mm f 2.8? It's fairly sharp with wide aperture. Distortion is present but not much. But it is available for apsc camera only. And most important, it's not much costly
The Tikona is a great lens, but I was covering 10 lenses for both full frame and crop cameras.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
Happy owner of an Irix 15mm 2.4 firefly on Canon DSLR which i bought used for 200 € it is lightweight well designed and image quality is good
I was hesitating with Samyang/Rokinon 14mm 2.8 and SP 14mm 2.4 models
I'm surprised your are not mentioning sigma 20mm 1.4 art lenses the ordre dg and newer dg dn
That's great to hear. I'm nitpicking here to find differences between the lenses, but they all have some nice offerings.
The 20mm wasn't released when I did this review ... Which is almost the perfect lens for astro. 👍
Hi Mike , thank you for this informative video. I am getting into astrophotography and taking my baby steps off late. I am currently planning to upgrade my canera to sony a7iv and pairing with either Tamron 17-28 or sigma 14 24 art. I am looking at versatile lens for landscape aswell as good with astro. Between these two which one do you suggest ?
That's great to hear, and the A7iv will be fantastic for astro. Between those two, it depends on what you you need. They both will take great astro photos. If you need a light lens for lots of hiking or are on a budget, go with the 17-28mm. If you have more of a budget and you don't mind heavier lenses, go with the sigma 14-24mm f2.8.
I hope that helps. 😀👍
Dear Mike, are you sure that the images found as representative ones for each lens, are 'straight out if the camera' and not cropped in post processing?
That is a good question...I am not 100% sure but I did have a good look at them ... normally if it is cropped, you'd get a bigger noise pattern so it is quite easy to spot, especially with astrophotography when we use high iso levels.
I purchased an adapter for my Nikon Nikkor series, and I got an error message, "No lens present". My stock Nikon lens has little metal pins that apparently need to be connected to the body in order for the body software to detect the lens. None of these TH-cam videos discuss this issue.
I have 15-30 f2.8 tamron and just got 20mm f1.8 sony last week, Should I keep tamron?
The best bet is to go out and try them side by side. Then you'll start to get a feel for which one you prefer.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
Awsome video as always top information, regrading the Samyang MF 14mm f2.8 that's well known as a great lens and my next buy.. but what about the MK2 Manual version its smaller/newer is it any better anyone please?
That's a good question...I don't know anyone who has tried it yet, but I'm guessing it will be a really good lens as well. The best bet would be to buy it off a store where you can return it if you don't like it...
Thanks for watching 😁👍
Thank you for sharing. Need your opinion about Viltrox 16mm. AF f1.8 for Sony E, is it good lens for astro photography?
Very helpful video, Mike! May I know what's your go-to astro lens as of now?
At the moment I have the 17-28mm from tamron, but I need something wider...
Thanks for watching 😁👍
@@mikesphotography Great! I just got the Sigma 14-24 and it's sharp as hell! 😁
Thanks again for making this super useful video!
I use the Sony A6400 crop sensor. Anyone try out the new Tamron 11-2mm F2.8. Seems like it might be good for astrophotography. Thoughts?
Hey Tim, I bet it would be really good for wide-field astrophotography ... a super wide focal range and a big aperture! It might be worth searching on Flickr to see if you can check out any examples from that lens.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
What about the 21mm Zeiss milvus 2.8. for astrophotography
That is also a good lens for both canon and nikon shooters. 👍
I used a Samyang 14mm 2.8 to get me started in astrophotography, now I'm getting images that are split focused. Like you said in your video, it's a common problem. I'm looking for a replacement lens without breaking the bank and I'm leaning towards the IRIX 15mm f2.4 firefly especially having the lock feature. Which one did you end up getting?
Yep, the samyang does have a few issues in some of their units.
I've got the tamron 17-28mm but I think I'm going to go for the 14-24mm sigma as I'm missing that wider end...and this would also be great for landscapes and closeup sports. 👍
After lots of tests, I've stopped my choice on the Zeiss 18/2.8. Not a super wide, but pin sharp and quite no coma in corners at 2.8. The angle is enough for lots of situations. For more widening, the Samyang 12mm 2.8 fish eye is also a good choice with also quality over the entire image (but it's a Fish eys and oblige to place the horizon preferably in the middle to get less distorsions)
Thanks for your thoughts Patrick! The Zeiss is another great lens. I have the 25mm f2 and it produces some great quality images.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
...perhaps the Viltrox 13mm 1.4 😇
(only for APS-C) but for around 399€ ?
What about the Rokinon 12mm F2.0??
That is also a good lens. It is built for crop sensor cameras though. 👍
I`m planning to get for Astrophotography ( Deep sky) a Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G OR Sigma 50-500 mm Lens 1:4-6.3 APO DG HSM. What do you think? Thank you.
Did you make this video before the Sony 14mm 1.8 was released?
You guessed it!!! 😆😫🤦🏻♂️
Hi Mike, great video and I am now a new follower because of it.
I have had a few lenses (used for astrophotography) over the time, like you starting with the goto classic Samyang MF 14mm f2.8 and it was a great copy. However made the mistake in selling it and couldn't find another one a few years later that was good enough lol.
I have had the older Canon 14mm L-series which was terrible especially for the cost.
Since then I have used and owned a Samyang AF 14mm f2.8 (bit soft and the free rotation Focus ring was tricky to nail focus). Samyang XP 10mm F3.5 was a fun lens but pushed the foreground back too far. Another solid lens (only if stopped down) was the Sigma 20mm f1.4 Art lens but it only started to play ball at f2.4/f2.8 with the corners being pretty poor.
The Samyang XP 14mm was one that I almost went for after being pretty impressed by borrowing one but I have just gone for a Zeiss Batis 18mm f2.8 as I hear is a cracking lens especially for the Sony a7 bodies after watching and reading a few reviews especially from the likes of Ian Norman (Lonely Speck). So we shall see and watch this space lol (excuse the pun).
Cheers Simon
Great to hear your experiences with a whole host of different wide angle lenses Simon. I have the zeiss batis 25mm and it is fantastic, so I'm guessing the 18mm will be similar. I love the look from the batis lenses!
I'm testing an interesting one at the moment, the nisi 15mm, however it's only an f4 ... which is such a shame. It's great for landscape photography but for astro, I have to stack shots to get a decent image.
Thanks for liking, commenting and subscribing, much appreciated! 😁👍