My Favorite Lens Just Got Even Better

As a long-time Sony shooter, I reap the rewards of having a suite of lens options available. Sony has allowed third-party developers access to their E-Mount system for years: a move that has indisputably worked in their favor. New lens options from Tamron, Sigma and Zeiss are just some of the options available to photographers; and the catalog continues to grow. But for the past year or so now, I’ve been ditching my other lenses and venturing out with one heavyweight lens that does the job of a dozen others - at a surprisingly reasonable price point. And with the manufacturer now adding an L-Mount option, it’s not just Sony natives who can benefit from this top-tier lens.

The Samyang 35-150mm f/2-2.8

The Samyang 35-150mm f/2-2.8 was announced with very little fanfare back in April 2023, and released not too long after. I myself didn’t pick it up until December 2024. Though it reviewed well, I didn’t see it mentioned in many lists for top lenses - which made me hesitant to hit “buy”. Though as you’ve no doubt gathered, I’ve certainly come around since.

Retailing at around $1400, the 35-150mm is roughly $400 cheaper on average than the Tamron equivalent - the only noticeable difference of which is that the latter is marginally lighter. And make no mistake, Samyang’s 35-150mm is a beastly lens: you feel it hanging around your neck or shoulder at all times, and I’m sure to develop a rotator cuff issue in my later years just from raising it to my eye. I can only imagine this is worsened on an APS-C or compact body such as the A7C, but on my trusted Sony A7IV I find the weight to be bearable. Given that it has all but replaced my selection of prime lenses, I find it ironically balances out.

With its 35-150mm focal length, the Samyang lens allows for a huge suite of photographic opportunities. Your common-or-garden zoom lenses tend to be either 24-70mm, or 70-200mm. Whilst there’s nothing wrong with either focal length, they tended to be too wide or too zoomed for general portraiture - and require a second camera body to avoid constantly swapping over lenses. Starting at 35mm, you get a prime portrait lens right out of the bat: wide enough to capture scenes but not so wide as to distort too heavily. Why carry a 35mm, 50mm and 85mm prime when one lens can do it all?

The other major issue with other zoom lenses is a constant aperture: you tend to get f/2.8 throughout the entire range. Though it’s far from bad, an extra f-stop goes a long way. Having an f/2 aperture for the prime zoom range allows for a Goldilocks blend of the perfect aperture and focal length. For nature photography, portraits, landscapes or travel; this lens is a stellar addition to the arsenal.

Other useful features include a lock for keeping the lens at its widest aperture for transport, focus save functionality for two focus points and switches that allow for custom presets - as well as flitting between autofocus and manual focus modes. It’s also weather-sealed to prevent damage in different weather, which is a welcome addition.

So to recap, we have a lens that has the perfect focal length range and perfect aperture, that retails for a few hundred dollars less than its main competitor for a few dozen grams of extra weight. What’s not to love? This lens may not be for everyone, but a significant number of Sony users will find something to love about this Samyang lens. And thanks to the latest development, it’s no longer limited to Sony users.

The Samyang 35-150mm f/2-2.8 for L-Mount

This Samyang lens, with identical features to the ones detailed above, has now been re-released for the L-Mount mirrorless camera system. This opens up the possibilities for a swathe of cameras, including models from Panasonic, Leica and Sigma. And with rumors that DJI is bringing a mirrorless to the market - using the L-Mount - this lens is an absolute steal.

Since 2018, the L-Mount Alliance has been paving the way for standardized camera mounting. Initially, Leica, Panasonic and Sigma; the group has been bolstered by other huge names in the professional camera market. With the addition of this Samyang lens, you now have an affordable alternative option to pair with a huge suite of high-end photography and cinematography equipment. From Blackmagic’s compact cinema cameras to Leica’s range of premium mirrorless cameras, the L-Mount is a professional’s favorite.

At the same time, Panasonic’s Lumix range of L-Mount systems is the main beneficiary of this new lens. Extremely popular among videographers, Lumix users are sure to fall in love with this lens for its focal length and aperture range, both of which make it ideal for stylish and cinematic footage.

It’s not all great news, however: some initial reviews highlighted that the Samyang lens L-Mount variant was struggling to focus correctly on some camera bodies, though this seemed to be down to individual model defects rather than a systemic issue.

Though I’m not planning to pivot to L-Mount any time soon, I highly encourage anyone currently using an L-Mount camera to pick up this lens. In my opinion, few lenses offer such a unique medley of price and performance, and it serves as an exceptional imaging accessory for your camera.

The Samyang 35-150mm f/2-2.8 is available now from all major retailers for both E-Mount and L-Mount camera systems, you can purchase here from Amazon.